First egg! Now for a question or two...

[Beccazon]

So here is egg number one from my flock! The girls are just 4 months this week. Not sure who this belongs to since all are same age, all are brown layers and it is quite small. I do have my 2 bantams in there as well now but they are 3 months. An OEGB bantie (silver duckwing) and a booted bantie (millefleur). My big girls are 3 RIRs, a BSL and 2 white brahmas.

So can anyone tell me if there is a way to tell who this came from without seeing it happen?

And, as a first egg I assume imperfections are not unusual. Interested in what causes the funky area with what almost appears to be porous or translucent patchiness.

No they are not on layer feed. They are on an all flock feed. Was finishing this bag in the next 2 days and figured it was time to start layer feed. But someone beat me to the punch lol.

 

[Willowspirit]

Congratulations!! First egg! I can’t answer your questions except to say it takes a little while for them to have everything working right. Mine are still small and yolkey.

 

[jlwquilter]

Congratulations! How egg-citing!

I had to invest time and sit with my hens and check the nest box after every hen laid to learn which egg belonged to whom.

 

[aart]

Both pics are the same egg.....just different lighting...or...?
The weak spot could just be a start up glitch.
Could put out some oyster shell until they are all laying,
then go with layer feed.
Or just keep on with all flock and OS on the side.

I'd guess the BSL at just 16 weeks.

Here's some tips on how to tell.....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[Beccazon]

Both pics are the same egg.....just different lighting...or...?
The weak spot could just be a start up glitch.

Yep same egg, opposite sides. Cuz, ya know, I had to have a pretty pic too lol.

I don't need to start layer feed to "prep" them for laying at this age?

 

[Beccazon]

Fantastic link thank you! And Raven, my BSL who has had a black comb, cheeks, earlobes, everything, just 2 days ago got red in all those areas so I will vent check and pubic bone check tonight when they are back in the coop and see if I can more surely determine it is her

 

[aart]

I don't need to start layer feed to "prep" them for laying at this age?

Nope, they will lay whether getting enough calcium or not,
and at first they have enough stored to last awhile(exactly how long, I don't know, but nothing to panic about)

 

[Beccazon]

Well vent...moist. Pelvic bones...undecided. Comb etc...redder than normal. And this one was pretty dramatic...the stroke her back test. I have not held her since she was very little but tonight I gave her treats and when she wasn't looking I reached for her. She jumped then squatted to the ground, wings puffed out and froze. I could walk right up and pick her up then. Was kinda cool! Checked her over with no fight. Put her down and she assumed the same squatted position til I dropped her more corn. Then she was normal again. So yup...Mr. aart I do believe Raven, my BSL is the first egger of the flock!

 

[aart]

The pelvic bone spacing can take some practice, comparing to other birds not laying yet can really help. I encourage you to do that every few days as your pullets come into lay, or at least when you see a new egg in the nests, you'll learn a lot that will come in handy if you have troubles down the road.
I do all exams off the roost after dark wearing a headlight, they are much easier to 'catch' then, if you have easy access to the roosts.
Squatting and pelvic spacing can come a week or more before actual laying, so to know exactly who is laying which egg still takes nest stalking to 'catch them in the act'.

 

[Beccazon]

Will one hen lay eggs of two such different shades? Or do I assume I have two separate hens in the game now? Lol! These showed up in a 4 hour time frame in the same box but surely not one hen is laying two that quickly.