First egg!

[Katejc]

My 18 week mixed mix laid her first today! She has been screeching at us non stop for 3 weeks and squats if you just look at her. Today she was separated for attacking the other silkie hen we have in the coop with her but we put her back and when I went to check on her there it was! She laid it right in the temp nesting box I put out for her made up of a cardboard box on its side. I wasn’t here when she was attacking or separated but I bet that egg was there and she was protecting it. Tell me if you think I’m right!

ETA: another question, what is with all the scratched up cardboard in the box? Is that part of the process?

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Congrats! What a pretty egg.

Hens can get pretty cranky when they're getting ready to lay...she may just not have wanted the other hen in "her" space while she was about to lay.

 

[chickenlittle21]

Congrats!

 

[Princesschicken1]

My 18 week mixed mix laid her first today! She has been screeching at us non stop for 3 weeks and squats if you just look at her. Today she was separated for attacking the other silkie hen we have in the coop with her but we put her back and when I went to check on her there it was! She laid it right in the temp nesting box I put out for her made up of a cardboard box on its side. I wasn’t here when she was attacking or separated but I bet that egg was there and she was protecting it. Tell me if you think I’m right!

Wow! my chickens are about to have eggs at a few months old i can't wait !!

 

[springvalley123]

My 18 week mixed mix laid her first today! She has been screeching at us non stop for 3 weeks and squats if you just look at her. Today she was separated for attacking the other silkie hen we have in the coop with her but we put her back and when I went to check on her there it was! She laid it right in the temp nesting box I put out for her made up of a cardboard box on its side. I wasn’t here when she was attacking or separated but I bet that egg was there and she was protecting it. Tell me if you think I’m right!

What hemisphere do you live in? I'm thinking my birds might start soon, I'm in the Southwest US.

 

[Katejc]

I’m in British Columbia, about 4 hours north of the border. It’s about 30 degrees here during the day, slightly warmer in their coop. BUT their temporary coop is a sun room so she has had all day daylight.

 

[2hotchicks]

My 18 week mixed mix laid her first today! She has been screeching at us non stop for 3 weeks and squats if you just look at her. Today she was separated for attacking the other silkie hen we have in the coop with her but we put her back and when I went to check on her there it was! She laid it right in the temp nesting box I put out for her made up of a cardboard box on its side. I wasn’t here when she was attacking or separated but I bet that egg was there and she was protecting it. Tell me if you think I’m right!

ETA: another question, what is with all the scratched up cardboard in the box? Is that part of the process?

Congratulations! It's a beautiful egg. I have spoken to my girls about mooching but I'm still waiting.....

 

[weathergrl]

Congratulations!! How very exciting! I'm hoping ours will start soon. They are 21 weeks old today. We're in Texas, so not super cold.

 

[TooCheep]

Congrats. Yes, the cleared out area is quite normal. My hens typically go into their nest boxes and spend some time shaping it to sit in and hold the egg safely.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Congratulations on your first egg!!
And I agree, the ripped up cardboard is pretty normal. Some girls get really serious about scratching themselves out the 'perfect' nest.