First Egg Countdown

[Katbird01]

I'm eagerly awaiting my first egg! I have 4 buff orpington hens and was told they should start laying by late August. Here it is mid-September and nothing still. I know they were born in February but not the exact date. Hubby got them from his cousin, who was getting out of the chicken business. I don't have any recent pictures but will take some new ones and post them soon. I'm concerned the laying box is too small. They are big chickens. I saw a picture earlier where someone made a laying box from a rubbermaid tub. I may try that idea.

We have been feeding Layena but not adding extra calcium. Should we do that? How do I go about that? Put it straight in the food and scatter it?

I'm new to the chicken bidness and have a LOT to learn.

 

[Renee572]

I'm eagerly awaiting my first egg!  I have 4 buff orpington hens and was told they should start laying by late August.  Here it is mid-September and nothing still.   I know they were born in February but not the exact date.  Hubby got them from his cousin, who was getting out of the chicken business.  I don't have any recent pictures but will take some new ones and post them soon.  I'm concerned the laying box is too small.  They are big chickens.  I saw a picture earlier where someone made a laying box from a rubbermaid tub.  I may try that idea.

We have been feeding Layena but not adding extra calcium.  Should we do that?  How do I go about that?  Put it straight in the food and scatter it?

I'm new to the chicken bidness and have a LOT to learn.

if they were hatched in February then I would think they are pretty close to laying. Mine were hatched in March and are laying. Do they free range? Maybe they have found a different place to lay? I started out with an old dresser as a nest box and I only had 1 layer for a whole month before the next one started. She never laid in the dresser nest box and when the 2nd one started she followed her lead. So I decided to go with the rubbermaid tote nest box which is what you saw I posted a few days ago. Now I have 4 layers and all of them use the rubbermaid tote including the first one who was stubborn and didn't use it until I had 2 other layers who probably convinced her that their place to lay was best! I like the tote, it works for us and I think it's big enough for all 4 to use. They don't all lay at the same time but I have seen 2 or 3 checking it out at the same time. Good luck, I hope you get some eggs soon.

 

[sh0ptildr]

I finally got my first egg today!! 22 week old BO laid it this morning. I heard her do the egg song and within an hour there was an egg! It's very small but I read that was normal for starting out.
I'm a chicken grandma!

 

[AnnieSantiago]

Hooray!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm eagerly awaiting my first egg! I have 4 buff orpington hens and was told they should start laying by late August. Here it is mid-September and nothing still. I know they were born in February but not the exact date. Hubby got them from his cousin, who was getting out of the chicken business. I don't have any recent pictures but will take some new ones and post them soon. I'm concerned the laying box is too small. They are big chickens. I saw a picture earlier where someone made a laying box from a rubbermaid tub. I may try that idea.

We have been feeding Layena but not adding extra calcium. Should we do that? How do I go about that? Put it straight in the food and scatter it?

I'm new to the chicken bidness and have a LOT to learn.

Could they be hiding them? If not, they should be laying really soon. As for your nesting boxes, how large are they? For a standard size hen, 12X12X12 is fine. On top I have 12X16X12, and some of my hens like the longer box. For calcium, offer it to them on the side in a dish, they will take it as they need it. One coop has a cat food feeder full of oyster shell, and the other has a sour cream container nailed to the wall.

I finally got my first egg today!! 22 week old BO laid it this morning. I heard her do the egg song and within an hour there was an egg! It's very small but I read that was normal for starting out.
I'm a chicken grandma!

Congrats! Small is normal.

 

[BunnyLover44]

WECOME TO BYC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Katbird01]

They're not free range. We have a 4x8 chicken tractor and have some temporary fencing that we let them out into during the day when we're gone. Other than the occasional escape they are always in one area. I'll start adding some calcium and see if that helps.

The nesting boxes were 12x12 each but we thought they might be a little small so we took the divider out and made one larger 12x24 box. It is open to the front so I think I'll hang something in front of one half to make it a little more private.

I'll keep y'all updated.

 

[Renee572]

They're not free range.  We have a 4x8 chicken tractor and have some temporary fencing that we let them out into during the day when we're gone.  Other than the occasional escape they are always in one area.  I'll start adding some calcium and see if that helps.

The nesting boxes were 12x12 each but we thought they might be a little small so we took the divider out and made one larger 12x24 box.  It is open to the front so I think I'll hang something in front of one half to make it a little more private.

I'll keep y'all updated.

I bet they will be laying soon enough. Maybe they will all start around the same time. That would be nice. We only had 1 layer for a whole month before the next one started but the last 2 weren't far behind the 2nd one! Good luck.

 

[Farm Girl 1]

I can't wait for my girls to start laying! I have 20 isa browns who are 16 weeks old and are showing all the signs of being ready to lay!!

 

[PDPercherons]

23 weeks and 3 days. We have our very first egg! My Australorp and BSL are the only two that could have done it, but I'm really thinking the honors go to Sissy. My BSL comb is started to pink up and grow. The Austra is a brilliant red and a week ahead in growth. She's also been more vocal the past two days.