First Egg ! Then /: well ....... Help ?

[mattdog1995]

I was out in the pen this morning and saw one of my hens lay thier first egg !

I Immediatly got it from underneath her. Was that the thing to do ? Then two more layed an egg on the ground instead of getting in the nest boxes? and they ate them before i could grab them.

what should i do ? (these are the first eggs they have layed)

 

[Chick CJ]

Did the eggs that were laid on the ground break? Are you sure they were the first eggs they have laid? Could they have laid before and ate them? I have never heard anyone say that their chickens began eating their very first eggs before. If this is true you may want to invest in one of those roll-away nest boxes.
Cathryn

 

[SassyKat6181]

My first to lay an egg, layed on the floor. I bought some wooden eggs from McMurray and now all the girls lay in the nest boxes.

 

[TMecklenborg]

My hens laid their first few eggs outside the nest box. I think it takes them a little while to figure out what's going on, so they're just as surprised by the first few eggs as you are! They should find the nest box in the next few days. You can try putting a fake egg or a golf ball in there to encourage them.

If they laid from the roost like mine did, those eggs may have been broken from the impact, in which case I wouldn't worry about the eating. If you saw them lay fully-formed eggs and then they ate those, I don't know what to do about that. Maybe make sure they're getting enough calcium?