First Egg Countdown

[Farm Girl 1]

Whoops meant to say anyDAY now

 

[tchoward2]

Lol I was going to scream. They are singing loudly too..3 more did the squat tonight

 

[farmgirl7]

My 6 ladies are 22 weeks old and I have one that has been squatting for a week and another that started squatting two days ago, but no eggs yet! I keep checking and listening for someone to sing the "egg song". I hope the first squatter will give me an egg very soon.....

 

[Farm Girl 1]

One of my 16 week old isa browns has been squatting and being very loud for a week, and still no egg! I am getting impatient!

 

[KrystalRose]

This looks like a fun forum to join! My group is all 16 weeks old this Friday, I am hoping the shorter days doesn't delay them too bad. I have:

2 Black Australorp
4 Barred Rock
4 Delaware
4 Easter Eggers
4 Buff Orpington

Does anyone know which of these breeds tends to lay the earliest? Any guesses on the first to lay? Nobody is squatting or turning red in the face yet, although some are pinking up.

 

[Junibutt]

My light Brahmas started laying last week. They are 23 weeks old. To my dismay the egg color is very light shade of brown, close to what RIR lay. Here is Cutie who laid first, she is a great looking gal and bigger than even my oldest hens already:




However, I need suggestions for breeds that lay extra-large to Jumbo eggs preferably with a darker shade of brown. So far I have tried a few but have not had any luck except for the red stars. I don't want to keep red stars because of their looks and mean nature to others. Following is my experience with some breeds which I am crossing off the list for future. In some instances even after molting there was no significant increase in egg size

1. Red Star- Lays Extra Large to Jumbo egg. Rejecting because of mean nature.
2. Rhode Island Red. lays medium to large plus not dark enough.
3. Gold and Silver Wyandottes- medium-large cream colored egg
4. Light Brahmas- medium-large light brown eggs
5. Cream Legbars- medium to large pastel blue eggs
6. Australorp- medium to large cream colored egg.
7. White Leghorns - Just too boring
8. Black Copper Marans- No experience but look mean and dirty.

Advance apologies to folks who have one of the breeds mentioned above and love them. I am just focussing on the egg size apart from looks.

All suggestions, criticism, comments are welcome!

 

[3b blu]

My light Brahmas started laying last week. They are 23 weeks old. To my dismay the egg color is very light shade of brown, close to what RIR lay. Here is Cutie who laid first, she is a great looking gal and bigger than even my oldest hens already: However, I need suggestions for breeds that lay extra-large to Jumbo eggs preferably with a darker shade of brown. So far I have tried a few but have not had any luck except for the red stars. I don't want to keep red stars because of their looks and mean nature to others. Following is my experience with some breeds which I am crossing off the list for future. In some instances even after molting there was no significant increase in egg size 1. Red Star- Lays Extra Large to Jumbo egg. Rejecting because of mean nature. 2. Rhode Island Red. lays medium to large plus not dark enough. 3. Gold and Silver Wyandottes- medium-large cream colored egg 4. Light Brahmas- medium-large light brown eggs 5. Cream Legbars- medium to large pastel blue eggs 6. Australorp- medium to large cream colored egg. 7. White Leghorns - Just too boring 8. Black Copper Marans- No experience but look mean and dirty. [COLOR=0000CD]Advance apologies to folks who have one of the breeds mentioned above and love them. I am just focussing on the egg size apart from looks.[/COLOR] [COLOR=0000CD]All suggestions, criticism, comments are welcome![/COLOR]

Biggest eggs I ever saw came form some hatchery stock americanas my friend had... They were in there second year laying...

 

[LadyCluck77]

My light Brahmas started laying last week. They are 23 weeks old. To my dismay the egg color is very light shade of brown, close to what RIR lay. Here is Cutie who laid first, she is a great looking gal and bigger than even my oldest hens already: However, I need suggestions for breeds that lay extra-large to Jumbo eggs preferably with a darker shade of brown. So far I have tried a few but have not had any luck except for the red stars. I don't want to keep red stars because of their looks and mean nature to others. Following is my experience with some breeds which I am crossing off the list for future. In some instances even after molting there was no significant increase in egg size 1. Red Star- Lays Extra Large to Jumbo egg. Rejecting because of mean nature. 2. Rhode Island Red. lays medium to large plus not dark enough. 3. Gold and Silver Wyandottes- medium-large cream colored egg 4. Light Brahmas- medium-large light brown eggs 5. Cream Legbars- medium to large pastel blue eggs 6. Australorp- medium to large cream colored egg. 7. White Leghorns - Just too boring 8. Black Copper Marans- No experience but look mean and dirty. [COLOR=0000CD]Advance apologies to folks who have one of the breeds mentioned above and love them. I am just focussing on the egg size apart from looks.[/COLOR] [COLOR=0000CD]All suggestions, criticism, comments are welcome![/COLOR]

Red sex links are a mix usually of a RIR and Delaware, and often other breeds as well, bred by hatcheries, which is usually why some people adore them and some people find them mean or unattractive. It's always a gamble. It sounds like you might want to keep trying some more breeds. I keep a mixed flock, and sell the eggs. People really like the variety of colors in the cartons. I do keep red sex links, leghorns, EE, etc. The RSL were from TSC, but luckily turned out great and lay huge eggs just as dark as my Marans. I also keep both white and brown leghorns, which are superb layers of large white eggs. They have great personalities, though the roosters can be annoying. Every strain of chicken will be different unfortunately, depending on the breeding. You might want to pick and choose the individuals you like best over several generations to get the perfect birds. As far as I know there was only ever one breed developed by a woman, the Buckeye, and she pretty much had the same vision. She wanted the perfect breed to keep on her farm, but it didn't yet exist, so she created it through selective breeding.

 

[Happy Chooks]

This looks like a fun forum to join! My group is all 16 weeks old this Friday, I am hoping the shorter days doesn't delay them too bad. I have:

2 Black Australorp
4 Barred Rock
4 Delaware
4 Easter Eggers
4 Buff Orpington

Does anyone know which of these breeds tends to lay the earliest? Any guesses on the first to lay? Nobody is squatting or turning red in the face yet, although some are pinking up.

Welcome! Likely the Australorp or the Barred rock.

My light Brahmas started laying last week. They are 23 weeks old. To my dismay the egg color is very light shade of brown, close to what RIR lay. Here is Cutie who laid first, she is a great looking gal and bigger than even my oldest hens already:




However, I need suggestions for breeds that lay extra-large to Jumbo eggs preferably with a darker shade of brown. So far I have tried a few but have not had any luck except for the red stars. I don't want to keep red stars because of their looks and mean nature to others. Following is my experience with some breeds which I am crossing off the list for future. In some instances even after molting there was no significant increase in egg size

1. Red Star- Lays Extra Large to Jumbo egg. Rejecting because of mean nature.
2. Rhode Island Red. lays medium to large plus not dark enough.
3. Gold and Silver Wyandottes- medium-large cream colored egg
4. Light Brahmas- medium-large light brown eggs
5. Cream Legbars- medium to large pastel blue eggs
6. Australorp- medium to large cream colored egg.
7. White Leghorns - Just too boring
8. Black Copper Marans- No experience but look mean and dirty.

Advance apologies to folks who have one of the breeds mentioned above and love them. I am just focussing on the egg size apart from looks.

All suggestions, criticism, comments are welcome!

Brahma's are not supposed to lay dark. They lay a light pinkish tan colored egg.

My hatchery Barred Rock has always laid jumbo eggs. My exhibition quality Barred Rock lays medium sized eggs, hopefully it will increase in size after her molt this year. Both lay pale brown eggs.

Black Copper Marans (from a breeder) are going to be your darkest eggs. Wynette sells great quality BCM's if you decide to go that route.

Welsummers lay very large eggs, and have a higher lay rate than the BCM's. Their eggs are a terra cotta (clay pot) color. Sometimes with speckles. Here are some of my darker eggs, though I have some hens that lay lighter. (working on that) These are pullet eggs.


My homemade BSL lays my largest egg out there. She is from my hatchery BR and my welsummer rooster. I wanted a daughter from my hatchery BR since she is a fantastic layer - she is 5 1/2 years old now, so I don't know how much longer she will be around. Here is her first egg, and yes, it really is that color.


My mutts are by far my best layers. My olive eggers lay consistently and their eggs are a nice size.

 

[3b blu]

Welcome! Likely the Australorp or the Barred rock. Brahma's are not supposed to lay dark. They lay a light pinkish tan colored egg. My hatchery Barred Rock has always laid jumbo eggs. My exhibition quality Barred Rock lays medium sized eggs, hopefully it will increase in size after her molt this year. Both lay pale brown eggs. Black Copper Marans (from a breeder) are going to be your darkest eggs. Wynette sells great quality BCM's if you decide to go that route. Welsummers lay very large eggs, and have a higher lay rate than the BCM's. Their eggs are a terra cotta (clay pot) color. Sometimes with speckles. Here are some of my darker eggs, though I have some hens that lay lighter. (working on that) These are pullet eggs. My homemade BSL lays my largest egg out there. She is from my hatchery BR and my welsummer rooster. I wanted a daughter from my hatchery BR since she is a fantastic layer - she is 5 1/2 years old now, so I don't know how much longer she will be around. Here is her first egg, and yes, it really is that color. My mutts are by far my best layers. My olive eggers lay consistently and their eggs are a nice size.

That's a very pretty egg! It's almost purple!