First Egg!

[katarobb]

My four red sex-link layers are 19 weeks old. We got our first egg today, and it's speckled! What an exciting feeling. I didn't notice much change in behavior before this except that this afternoon all the hens were in the coop (they usually stay outside during daylight hours) and one was kicking the material around in the nest box and pecking at the floor under it. I actually wondered if there were some ants or something in the nest box. I guess she was just preparing her spot? Hope this is the first of many!

 

[loreligillett]

Congrats!!

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

CONGRATULATIONS to you & your hen! It's so EGGciting!

 

[MountainDan]

Congrats!!! We also got our first this week! It’s ridiculous, I’ve bragged about it to anyone that’ll listen. We have 4 different breeds and our barred rock Henrietta started changing behaviors about a week ago. She started doing this weird squat and drumming her feet which I took as a sign that she wanted petted so I did. It’s a cute little dance, then she waits for her pet. Just that made us happy - i’d been trying to warm them up to more handling. Actually maybe couple weeks before i noticed her clearing nests in the huckleberries. Anyhow the other three are from breeds that will take a lil longer to start laying apparently. The first two were small but really tasty and with thick almost jelly-like yolks.
I wanted these birds for their eggs (and to improve my garden soil) but the personality part has been a surprising bonus. Now i gotta figure out how to stop them from making the front porch their own personal latrine.

 

[katarobb]

Congrats!!! We also got our first this week! It’s ridiculous, I’ve bragged about it to anyone that’ll listen. We have 4 different breeds and our barred rock Henrietta started changing behaviors about a week ago. She started doing this weird squat and drumming her feet which I took as a sign that she wanted petted so I did. It’s a cute little dance, then she waits for her pet. Just that made us happy - i’d been trying to warm them up to more handling. Actually maybe couple weeks before i noticed her clearing nests in the huckleberries. Anyhow the other three are from breeds that will take a lil longer to start laying apparently. The first two were small but really tasty and with thick almost jelly-like yolks.
I wanted these birds for their eggs (and to improve my garden soil) but the personality part has been a surprising bonus. Now i gotta figure out how to stop them from making the front porch their own personal latrine.

Congrats to you too. I believe I now have at least two of my four hens laying. Mine are all the same breed so it's hard to tell them apart. A few days ago, I got one with a double yolk! It was a huge egg - I couldn't believe it. Then when I cracked it, there were two yolks inside. Apparently this is uncommon overall but most common in young hens whose bodies are still figuring it all out.

I've read about "the squat". Mine do it too. It is a submissive posture that they do for the rooster when they reach laying age. If there is no rooster, they might do it for you, seeing you as the rooster.

 

[AUChickenGal]

Congratulations! I also got the first egg from my spring pullets today! My Olive Egger, Wilma, was the winner for this group. They’re 17 weeks old today, and it looks like several others will be following in her footsteps soon.