First Egg Countdown

[MargaretYakoda]

Thank


Thank you for the info. I was leaving them on the counter unwashed. They weren't soiled. Then I washed with warm water before cracking. Maybe I could wash with vinegar and water?

One egg had a bit of gunk inside. What does that mean? It wasn't bloody just a fleshy colour. Kind of grossed me out!

Well, I'm from the school that says if you don't give your immune system something to work on (everyday germs) it will find something else to work on, and that something else will be you - in the form of allergies and autoimmune disorders. So unless there's poop on the eggs, I don't wash them at all. If there's a lot of poop I scrape it off and feed the egg to the dogs, still unwashed. If it makes you feel better to wash them, go right ahead. And if you've got someone in your family who has an immune illness, then it might be better to be extra careful. But, IMHO, if everyone's reasonably healthy, washing the eggs is generally not needed at all.

As far as the gunk inside your egg, that could be a couple things. Did you eat the egg?

 

[Sharon Bee]

Thank you Happy Chooks. Good to know. I have never heard of this before. Meat spots. Now I don't feel so bad. It would have to be in my very first egg!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thank you Happy Chooks. Good to know. I have never heard of this before. Meat spots. Now I don't feel so bad. It would have to be in my very first egg!

Here is more information on meat spots:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/1/egg-quality-handbook/29/meat-spots

 

[fallenangel79]

From our youngest hen.. Babs.. : )

nice egg

 

[dealswonderhens]

Quote: Thanks

 

[leahmeit]

So, I've gotten 2 eggs after this one.
My birds are about 15-18 weeks old.
Why would they lay 3 and no more?!


Also..are they 'supposed' to be pooping in the nests?

 

[Junibutt]

Hi Happy Chooks,

Koko laid her first egg yesterday. Now I only have Scarlet to go out of my 6 pullets. Hopefully its not longer than 2 weeks since days are getting shorter in Chicago and she may decide not to lay till Spring.

Here are pics of Koko-the Australorp and Scarlet the Wyandotte again.

Thanks for all your input.

Koko


Scarlet

These pics are about 10 days old. Scarlet has a fully grown pea comb and wattles now and they are bright red. No singing or any noises from her though not even a feeble one.

 

[Happy Chooks]

So, I've gotten 2 eggs after this one.
My birds are about 15-18 weeks old.
Why would they lay 3 and no more?!


Also..are they 'supposed' to be pooping in the nests?

Congrats!

Some will start laying, then take a break for a bit. Others will lay gangbusters from the get go. It's all on how their bodies adjust to laying. No reason to worry.

And no, they should not be pooping in the nest boxes. If they are sleeping in them, then you need to move them to the roosts every night until they get the picture. If your nest boxes are higher than your roosts, then you need to lower them or raise your roosts. Chickens like to roost in the highest spot they can.

 

[fallenangel79]

got two more eggs today

 

[annewandering]

The first and second eggs from my chickens. My mom calls these pullet eggs since they are so small. It looks to me like the second is larger than the first already. The first was about three days ago and the second was yesterday.