First Egg Countdown

[Auscal]

After opening up the run this morning, I peeked in the nest box, and !!!!!!!!!!

I don't know who layed, I have 1 delaware, and 3 RIR X Delawares. They are 18 weeks and four days old. Two of them have been squatting for the past 2-3 days (one delaware, one red) , and three have been noticeable friendlier (the three reds). The delaware and one of the redds have been noisy for the past week or so. I'm wondering if both eggs came from the same chicken? The broken egg had a very soft rubbery, papery shell.

I took the obligatory photo This tiny egg weighs 29 grams. The colour in the photo is deceptive, the egg is light brown.

Yesterday evening I had some problems with my on-going integration of the younger chicks (that's a story for another thread) so, this morning the older chickens were not in my good books. Instead of letting them out into the larger run at 8am or so as normal, I left them in the coop/smaller run are till about 11am, (both areas have nesting boxes). Hmm, i wonder if that made a difference.

Anway, I'm just happy to see the first egg - it's so hard to have to wait, and see others posting. So, to others waiting impatiently, your time will come.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats you have 2 chickens laying!

 

[Pele]

Yay Auscal and EHaus!!

Mommato5, I have to agree that your chooks only look like they're 14 weeks at the oldest. A red star would definitely be reddening up by now. Also, I totally vote for the name Jelly Bean! There's so much potential for weird nicknames with that name! Heehee I probably couldn't resist calling her Jelly Belly.

 

[Barnmaradotte]

do wyandottes do the squat? they havnt yet for me. the welsummer named sprout is a squating machine.

 

[Mommato5]

Pele, thanks for the vote! My 8 year old daughter wanted to name her Puny but I vetoed that (she isn't going to be the smallest forever!) and suggested Pumpkin. Her alternative was Jelly Bean and it's certainly growing on me! I was thinking Jelly Belly, too.

14 weeks.....I just want to stamp my feet and throw a tantrum! LOL

 

[CarolynF]

Sigh... sad face... impatient look... scratching head, thinking it's never going to happen.

My lovely black pullet, Pearl, still hasn't produced an egg (breed in question). I don't know her hatch date. The day I bought her the Mr. said 3 months old, the Mrs. said "no, no, 4 months old". That was on May 22. Now it's July 22. So she's somewhere between 21 and 25 weeks old. Her comb & wattles grew a LOT the past 3 weeks and they're very red. SHE's grown a lot in the past 3 weeks, and she's considerably larger and heftier than my EE that's laying. She's been doing the squat that long too. I think she's an alien that's doing a poor imitation of a hen! But she's really sweet and friendly, so I love her.

p.s. Looking at our new 12-week old French Copper Maran, I really think Pearl was probably only 3 months old when we got her.

Congrats to everyone that's gotten their 1st egg. And "hang in there" to all those still waiting. This too shall pass?

 

[mshirk]

My most developed Buff Orp squatted when I went to pet her today!! 18 weeks and waiting...... She's been bright red for 2 weeks, talkative, etc. FINALLY the squat!

All 3 are the same age, so hopefully the other two aren't far behind!

 

[breezychick]

My BA has now laid 4 little eggs. I'm wondering when they will get bigger? My Bo started squatting too! The wait is on again.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
They get bigger over time, like a couple months. It's really gradual, so you probably won't notice it unless you keep one of the small eggs. Then after their first molt, the eggs for most hens get lots bigger.

I hadn't thought my eggs got that big, then I got a new pullet laying and I thought, they were really that little. Funny how your perspective changes.

 

[llnmaw]

It's a banner day and now I'm all done 'waiting' for my current 3 to lay. We got 3 eggs in 1 day. YAY!!!!

All of my big enough girls are laying. We have 2 more around 11 weeks so I get to do this wait again but for now we are delighted!

I've been collecting eggs since Sunday and even if only 2 of them lay tomorrow we have a dozen and will eat them up with toast. I've been collecting so we can all enjoy a meal together with nothing but eggs from our girls. I think tomorrow is the day.

Also, I think my buff orps just like to sit a while before, during and after egg laying. both of them are on the nest for at least an hour each day. I had thought one was trying to go broody, but now I'm thinking it's personality? Or maybe this is early broody behavior? Dunno.

~L.