First Egg Countdown

[mamaj323]

My 3 Cuckoo Marans have got it now! 3 eggs everyday for three days straight. No more thin shells. One of them seems to have hurt her leg and is in a crate in the coop so she can recover. Hope it doesn't put her off. Though she laid one this morning. Now if they could just nudge their sister... 24 weeks today!

 

[chicksurreal]

My 3 Cuckoo Marans have got it now! 3 eggs everyday for three days straight. No more thin shells. One of them seems to have hurt her leg and is in a crate in the coop so she can recover. Hope it doesn't put her off. Though she laid one this morning. Now if they could just nudge their sister... 24 weeks today!

Awesome, congratulations!

I'm planning on getting some Cuckoo Marans hens and another roo. We had a CM cockerel that got killed by a bobcat, but I loved him. He was just spectacular, and such a personality!


edited to add: I hope your girl recovers soon from her injury.

 

[chickadee5002]

- This is Hephaestus, he's really very sweet. I wouldn't put him in this thread except he spends lots of time finding spots for the pullets to lay and supports them when they do!

I hope I have a rooster like him.

 

[mamaj323]

Also want to say that all the eggs look great, guys!!!! And wow, that roo is a looker! My Sloan is not nearly so handsome, but he does his job well so I can't complain. Don't tell him that, though! He finds himself to be pretty fancy.

 

[Gear]

One of my girls has started squatting when i go to pick her up ( I think it's the squat - She lowers herself spreads her wings out a little and bends her legs crouching style ), I read that this is an indicator she's ready to lay and is maturing, she's around 19/20 weeks old and her wattles and comb have and are going bright red. So I guess now it's a waiting game to see if one day I find an egg in the nest box

 

[chicksurreal]

Also want to say that all the eggs look great, guys!!!! And wow, that roo is a looker! My Sloan is not nearly so handsome, but he does his job well so I can't complain. Don't tell him that, though! He finds himself to be pretty fancy.

Lol!

I think they all do, it's the sign of a good roo. I try not to fawn over our Hephaestus too much. He's pretty sure of himself these days. But, secretly, I love him to pieces! He's just too awesome!

 

[chicksurreal]

One of my girls has started squatting when i go to pick her up ( I think it's the squat - She lowers herself spreads her wings out a little and bends her legs crouching style ), I read that this is an indicator she's ready to lay and is maturing, she's around 19/20 weeks old and her wattles and comb have and are going bright red. So I guess now it's a waiting game to see if one day I find an egg in the nest box

It's so exciting, isn't it? It seems like forever until you find that first egg, but really it's only a few weeks. And, yeah, that sounds like "the squat" to me!

Our pullets don't squat for us, only for the roo. Ours are really flighty though, so I'm not surprised at that.

Keep us posted! I am just as excited for everyone else as I was for my own pullets to start laying. Really, I think I only have two out of thirteen that are laying right now, so it's a daily surprise!!!

 

[chicksurreal]

I hope I have a rooster like him.

Me too! I am always a little bit in awe of him, he just KNOWS what to do. So do our pullets, though, they need no real help from me to do their job. I'm just in love with chickens.

 

[Gear]

It's so exciting, isn't it? It seems like forever until you find that first egg, but really it's only a few weeks. And, yeah, that sounds like "the squat" to me!

Our pullets don't squat for us, only for the roo. Ours are really flighty though, so I'm not surprised at that.

Keep us posted! I am just as excited for everyone else as I was for my own pullets to start laying. Really, I think I only have two out of thirteen that are laying right now, so it's a daily surprise!!!

It sure is! I have 3 Light Sussex hens now, beautiful birds, 2 of them usually avoid me when I got to pick them up, and one of them tries but if I get too her she squats! They'll happily take treats from my hands though!

How long after they squat do eggs begin to be on their way? Should I expect the 'egg song' too?

 

[chicksurreal]

It sure is! I have 3 Light Sussex hens now, beautiful birds, 2 of them usually avoid me when I got to pick them up, and one of them tries but if I get too her she squats! They'll happily take treats from my hands though!

How long after they squat do eggs begin to be on their way? Should I expect the 'egg song' too?

I've heard that it isn't very long before you can expect eggs when they start squatting, but they are such individuals, it's hard to say.

I've heard the "egg song" from some of my pullets that don't even lay yet, and one that did lay an egg today was completely quiet while doing it, although she has been very vocal for a couple of day prior to her first egg.

I think that squatting, red comb and wattles and hearing the egg song from them are all great signs that eggs are on the way, but I hesitate to give a time frame. My pullets didn't even start to lay until after they were 26 weeks (most still aren't), even with those signs, but I know that it can be much sooner depending on breed, amount of daylight hours and who knows what else! Just enjoy the ride, that's the best advice I can give.