First Egg Countdown

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats everyone?

 

[Junibutt]

My Australorp started laying 3 weeks ago, she laid 2 eggs in the first week, 3 in the second but only 1 in the 3rd. The last egg was six days ago. Her comb and wattles are still bright red, she is not molting (at least judging by the feathers in the coop) but has stopped singing her song which she ferociously used to before she first started laying. She checks the nest every morning, sits there for a few minutes but then comes out in the run. I have not changed their feed and have not increased any stress in their environment in fact I have removed the hens which were high in the pecking order to reduce stress. I don't think she is egg-bound because she is eating and drinking normally and her egg size is pullet/pee wee, only 36g.

Any ideas why she may have stopped laying so soon? She is certainly not broody.

 

[kmollyhughes]

I

My Australorp started laying 3 weeks ago, she laid 2 eggs in the first week, 3 in the second but only 1 in the 3rd. The last egg was six days ago. Her comb and wattles are still bright red, she is not molting (at least judging by the feathers in the coop) but has stopped singing her song which she ferociously used to before she first started laying. She checks the nest every morning, sits there for a few minutes but then comes out in the run. I have not changed their feed and have not increased any stress in their environment in fact I have removed the hens which were high in the pecking order to reduce stress. I don't think she is egg-bound because she is eating and drinking normally and her egg size is pullet/pee wee, only 36g.

Any ideas why she may have stopped laying so soon? She is certainly not broody.

It's that time of year they slow down. They need about 14 hours of light to lay. My girls slowed WAAAY down, so I added light and they're all producing again. We have a large flock so feeding a few dozen non-laying chickens wasn't really an option for us.

 

[BoereMeisie]

Oh wow this is a fun thread! I have 6 RSL pullets who will be 18 weeks tomorrow. Anxiously awaiting their eggs as my other hens are a RIR and 3 Silkies, of which the RIR and 2 of the Silkies decided to go broody at the same time! (It's spring here now). So, with 3 of my 4 hens on maternity leave, I'm forced to buy supermarket eggs again, as my poor Silkie who is still laying only lays one tiny egg every second day.

 

[kmollyhughes]

Sunday morning coffee watching the chickens play in the leaves. That's a good morning, even of its is rainy and chilly. "You, little girls, need to make your way to the coop and lay us some eggs!!"

 

[Junibutt]

I


It's that time of year they slow down. They need about 14 hours of light to lay. My girls slowed WAAAY down, so I added light and they're all producing again. We have a large flock so feeding a few dozen non-laying chickens wasn't really an option for us.

I am just concerned because she just started and 2-3 day gaps were expected but not a six day one. Lets see how it goes this week.

 

[SixFizzle]

Went out to feed the ladies this morning and there was a freshly laid egg! Still warm! She was on an every other day cycle but she laid one Sunday and today! Excited for the other two to start laying!

 

[Happy Chooks]

A great way to start the morning!

 

[ohju1ia]

I checked the below the vents of my two white rocks yesterday and the bones are more than 2 fingers spread and their combs are really red. The wait is still killing me!

 

[pinkrblu]

I've gotten an egg each day since one of my four hens started laying Saturday. They have all been in mid afternoon. This morning, when I went to feed them, there was a still-warm egg in the nest. Looks just like the other three. Now, I'm wondering whether it was the same hen, or the other EE that laid it.