First Egg Countdown

[babyjaycol]

Ok my RIR hen is 25 weeks and is not even squatting! Her comb is bright red but there are NO other signs. Is she ok? This seems to be OH so much later than anyone else has experienced here. I have been giving her laying mix since she was 17-18 weeks, have ground up oyster shell out there, plenty plenty of food and water, nice yard to have fresh air and grass, etc. I just don't get it. Is she ok? Do I need to worry about anything?

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
Hi,

Is your RIR from a Hatchery or is she a Heritage RIR? There is a big difference between them. If a Heritage RIR, you might have to wait until next spring to get eggs. I have read about that happening with some breeds. It's also getting a bit late in the year.

If the combs and wattles are red and big then that is a sign she is healthy. I see she is squatting--mine layed the first egg about two weeks after the squatting started.

Most hatchery chickens will start laying from 5 to 6 months, some a bit earlier.

I hope yours will lay soon!

Ron

 

[babyjaycol]

Quote:
Hi,

Is your RIR from a Hatchery or is she a Heritage RIR? There is a big difference between them. If a Heritage RIR, you might have to wait until next spring to get eggs. I have read about that happening with some breeds. It's also getting a bit late in the year.

If the combs and wattles are red and big then that is a sign she is healthy. I see she is squatting--mine layed the first egg about two weeks after the squatting started.

Most hatchery chickens will start laying from 5 to 6 months, some a bit earlier.

I hope yours will lay soon!

Ron

I don't know what a Heritage RIR is, but I got her from a man that gets them as babies from a hatchery. I can't remember the name, but it's not McMurray, I would have recognized that one. Then he sells them at around 17-18 weeks and the batch he had just sold were about 22 weeks and had laid a few eggs already.

But Yay, I'm glad that she sounds healthy by the other signs. She is not squatting though. But she has started taking treats out of my hand in the last week or so, and she never has done that before. So maybe she's becoming more friendly? I'll keep trying to reach for her and pray for a squat soon!!! Thank you for your advice!

BJC

 

[HorseFreak777]

OH MY GOODNESS!! I got my first egg today!! I was so excited! I ran around the house screaming " I got an egg, I got and EGGGG!!! LOL! I can't post pictures yet, but I thought I'd share! It came from my 18 weeks and 6 days old Black Sex Link, Diesel! A perfect little mini-egg! How Cute!

 

[CarolynF]

Congrats! Congrats! Congrats all you lucky First Eggers!!

 

[bleith]

Im hoppin into this thread. been reading it for a while now. 1 Delaware and 2 Australorps that are 17 weeks old and one EE that is about 16. As many of you, anxiously waiting for the first

 

[Alethea]

As expected, one of our barred rock pullets laid the first egg now that I'm out of the country. I don't know whether it was before or after their 21 week hatchday. At any rate, it was in the next box next to the plastic egg we'd put in. The one of us that is home didn't send a picture, so I don't have to contemplate embarrassing myself by passing first egg pictures to people in a foreign country. Bok.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:

Congrats on the egg!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Congrats!

 

[off-grid hen]

Got a miniature white egg yesterday, right next to the miniature brown egg! My chicken inmates aren't allowed to visit the yard until 4:00 p.m., cause hubby didn't hear any commotion until 3:00 p.m. I don't know if my leghorns have been hiding eggs, or one of them just started laying or what. 2 hens are laying! 2 chickens down... 13 to go! I wonder when my partridge rocks will start laying...

I still wonder if dominiques can lay before leghorns...