First Egg Countdown

[mamaj323]

Lol! Chicken math got me! I have 24 viable eggs in the incubator on day 8!!! So it looks like I'll be joining you all again in 20 weeks or so!
Congrats on all the first eggs!!!

 

[Junibutt]

Let her eat when she wants to, no need to take her out of the nest. 45 minutes will not be a problem to the eggs. You will likely not see her eat/drink as it is their tendency to sneak it to protect the eggs.

Blue Barnevelders - yes, I have some. No, they cannot be sexed as day olds. Blue will not show up until they feather in their wings. By 4 weeks you should be able to tell the sex.

I don't like to give my hens more than 12. It's a lot for them to sit on and they have to have room for their legs too. The eggs just end up getting broken. My huge Barred Rock I gave 12 eggs, and 3 got broken in the nest. She has 9 left to hatch this week.

I just read somewhere that dark brown eggs should be sanded slightly before incubating, because the brown pigment blocks the pores and leads to the chicks drowning in the eggs. An alternative suggested is to keep humidity 10% lower than other eggs. I know since you hatch a lot of dark brown eggs, does that have any validity?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Lol! Chicken math got me! I have 24 viable eggs in the incubator on day 8!!! So it looks like I'll be joining you all again in 20 weeks or so!
Congrats on all the first eggs!!!

I've got 26 3 week old chicks, 9 eggs under 1 broody and 11 under the other.

Quote: I've never sanded any of my eggs - welsummers or barnevelders. They hatch just fine.

 

[juliag103]

Hi! I'm new to BYC and new to having chickens. We have 18; 8 Araucana/Ameraucana (sp?) (7 pullets, 1 roo,) 5 Light Brahmas, 2 Silver-Laced Wyandottes, 2 Isa Browns and 1 Black Sex-Link. They range in age from 6 to 8 weeks old. My roo was an oops in the pullets, and it was all too entertaining to listen to him try to find his voice. I know they should come off chick starter at 22 weeks; they have an unlimited supply and they are also free-ranging. When should I start to see eggs and/or make nest boxes?

 

[BunnyLover44]

Welcome!!!! Glad you jioned!

BunnyLover44

 

[lisa67steve99]

I am anxiously awaiting eggs, even though my girls are only 14 weeks old and I know I have several weeks to go. I have 10 Red Sex Links and 3 Barred Rocks.
I'm a first time chicken momma and I am so excited to see that first egg!!!!!!

 

[chicksurreal]

I am anxiously awaiting eggs, even though my girls are only 14 weeks old and I know I have several weeks to go. I have 10 Red Sex Links and 3 Barred Rocks.
I'm a first time chicken momma and I am so excited to see that first egg!!!!!!

Isn't it so exciting? This is our first flock as well, and they started laying at around 26 weeks, the last one to lay laid her first egg at about 30 weeks (we have 13 pullets). Now we get 10-12 eggs on average every day.

The wait was crazy, every day seemed like forever, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's so cool to watch them grow from day old chicks to fully grown chickens!

 

[lisa67steve99]

I catch myself checking the coop for eggs everyday, just in case someone is an early layer!

 

[chicksurreal]

Hi! I'm new to BYC and new to having chickens. We have 18; 8 Araucana/Ameraucana (sp?) (7 pullets, 1 roo,) 5 Light Brahmas, 2 Silver-Laced Wyandottes, 2 Isa Browns and 1 Black Sex-Link. They range in age from 6 to 8 weeks old. My roo was an oops in the pullets, and it was all too entertaining to listen to him try to find his voice. I know they should come off chick starter at 22 weeks; they have an unlimited supply and they are also free-ranging. When should I start to see eggs and/or make nest boxes?

Hi! Welcome to BYC!!!

I don't have any experience with those breeds, but I'm sure many other people do!

We had our nesting boxes ready before we even got our chicks, but I'm sure you have time to get them ready. They WILL find their own place to lay, especially if they are free-ranging, if you don't have a spot for them (even if you do).

We found piles of eggs under piles of brush, behind an old propane refrigerator that we have, under a pile of timbers that we had stacked up, etc... Our roo was really helpful to the pullets, he would go around looking for spots and making nests for them. He still gets in the nesting box with some of them when they lay and croons to them, it's really sweet.

 

[chicksurreal]

I catch myself checking the coop for eggs everyday, just in case someone is an early layer!

I did the same thing starting at about 17 weeks. Lol!