First Egg Countdown

[ChicksterJo]

Can you tell I'm excited?! I just found my first egg, and it was laid perfectly in the nest box!!
One of my Red Stars laid it, but it was actually the one that I thought would lay second...
My other Red Star got into the nest box first this morning, but then the one who laid got in too, so I had two girls in one nest box. Then the first Red Star to go in jumped out, but the second stayed in there...for a LONG time, like 30 minutes or more. I went to eat breakfast, and afterwards, saw something brown in the nest box. AN EGG!!!

I didn't hear an egg song, even if she did sing. I was in the kitchen - or maybe she didn't sing. I gave her a rub and thanked her, and she squatted again. It's so small but shaped so perfectly!!

 

[Jerusha]

Winnie (GLW) laid her third egg in a row today. She just goes in the nest makes a little noise and pops out an egg. My GH ate two of the eggs yesterday. For those of you that have had eggs for a long time you will think I am so silly, but I couldn't eat them. I have never personally known an egg before lol. You go to the grocery store and get an egg its just an egg, but this is Winnie's pretty, precious little brown egg. I feel like framing them, lol, not eating them.

Princess my RIR is not doing so well. I posted before that her first egg three days ago was a membrane egg. Then she acted for hours like she was trying to lay another one that afternoon. We finally gave her a warm bath and she settled down but did not lay. She did not lay yesterday either. Today she laid a thin egg. It was thicker than a membrane egg, but had a very thin shell. And to top it off she laid it on her way out of the nesting box and it was broken. I think she needs to go to egg laying school, because she can't seem to get it right.

 

[Aemelia]

Hi guys, my 3 pullets are 17 weeks today. I have been checking all week, no eggs. It is stupid hot today 100 so I'm not expecting much until the end of the week when it gets back down to the low 90's. I have two reds (one is a production red and other is a RI red) and a Silver Lace Wyandotte that I understand start laying closer to 20 weeks+. We shall see. I'm expecting my production red to lay first.

Here's my two red girls the SLW was being shy.

 

[Auscal]

Congratulation, Chickster Jo (I'm jealous!)

How old are your Red Stars?

 

[Simmadwn]

We got our first egg a week ago Friday from our 19 week old RIR and she has laid 6 more eggs since then. Our BO laid her first egg yesterday (she is 20 weeks.). At one point yesterday both the BO and RIR were jammed into the same nest box, even though there are two identical nest boxes in the coop. I wish I would have taken a picture.

 

[ChicksterJo]

Quote:
The one that laid is 20 weeks old, while the other one is just shy of 21 weeks.

 

[kera!]

Waiting for my girls I have 14 pullets of all kinds, but I think my SLW, RIR, the Brown Leghorn and the Barred rock are the most developed, I have yet to put out boxes? I am going to tomorrow.

 

[Auscal]

Congrats also to H8snag & Jerusha - could you post at what age your chickens were for the first egg. It really helps others who are waiting.

ChicksterJo - were they the RIR/white leghorns from Odyssey Ranch? I knew i shoul dhave gotten some started pullets - I'm drving myself crazy here waiting on my 18 week olds.

 

[stargazer2014]

Hi all! I love hearing the first egg stories! I have a ways to go (we're at 10 weeks) but I had a question for you all.

When did you put your nesting boxes in the coop? We installed ours early, mostly because they were built as the coop was, and they were just put in with everything else. They don't do much with them except jump on top of them, stand on the ledges, etc.

But, I don't want to jinx myself and they never "get it" that the eggs should be laid in the boxes. Should we take them out, and wait until they are closer to egg time?

Sorry if this is considered hijacking the thread. (I'm still confused by what that definition is here) I saw some other questions, and thought maybe it would be okay?

Thanks, and will keep reading!

 

[ChicksterJo]

Quote:
I can post a pic of her tomorrow. They were from Odyssey Ranch but they don't look alike! I had 4 Red Stars in the beginning...now down to two because the other two were very mean. The one that laid is REALLY mean to the other chickens except to her 'sister,' and she is dark red with black tail feathers, not white tail feathers? The other is gold colored.


My first nest box was made out of wood but I changed to the plastic crate because I was worried about mites. I put the nest box in there a few weeks ago and kept it open most of the time.

I am still waiting for her gold sister to lay...she is 21 weeks old!!