First Egg!

[Raptor Chicken]

So we got our first egg this evening. Was kind of surprised being that we're going into winter.

Anyhow I'd like some input on the egg and what we could do, if anything, to get better eggs.

Granted, our pullets are only about 5 months old.

Take a look at this egg and tell me what you think. It does look slightly cracked. Don't know if thats due to the way it was dropped or if we should be giving them more calcium for stronger shells?

Regardless we're happy they FINALLY started laying...

Any input is appreciated.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Congratulations on the first egg!

It looks like the egg has a weak shell. This is very common to a new layer. When a hen starts laying, they can lay shell less to soft shelled eggs, double yolkers, yolkless eggs, messed up pigment, deformed eggs, and probably a few other issues that I'm forgetting. You just need to give them a month (or more) to get their bodies adjusted to laying eggs.

As far as the calcium, usually you don't need to give your new layers calcium. When they're young, they naturally have everything they need to get going. It's when they start getting older they need to get "restocked" on their nutrients like calcium. (If I'm on this, feel free to point me different. I'm going off my own chicken experience.)

 

[Ridgerunner]

What are you feeding them? If you look on the label on the bag, what percent calcium is in that feed? What else, other than the feed, are you feeding them? Do they forage for some of their food?

That does look thin-shelled. It's not that unusual for new layers to have a few kinks in their egg making factory. As mentioned above they usually work that out pretty quickly. Patience is often your friend. But if I got an egg like that as a first egg I'd offer oyster shell on the side. It may not be necessary but it will not hurt and might solve a problem.

 

[FunClucks]

Also, as has been stated, patience.

Even after they had optimal conditions, (20% protein all flock feed with oyster shell and grit on the side), it took 1-2 months for my pullets to really get their eggs up to size and work the kinks out to where they were producing repeatable large and X-tra large eggs. I wanted to sell eggs, but we just ate them for the first three months and gave some away to friends while waiting for the eggs to get bigger and the majority of my pullets to come into lay. I have half production red sex-links (ISA Browns) and half colored egg layers - the colored egg layers took significantly longer than the red sex-link production layers to come into lay. Just took some time.

ETA: Your eggs is super cute! Congratulations on your first egg!!! (meant to say that first and got distracted...)

 

[Sally PB]

Congratulations! First eggs are magical.

My first layer laid small eggs for quite a while. Hers are still the smallest of any of them. Maybe it's because I named her "Little"?

 

[Lovely Lettie]

Congratulations first eggs are always thrilling!

 

[Raptor Chicken]

So here's something weird. Wife went out this morning to let the flock out and one of them had layed what she described as a "shell-less egg". And the birds were eating it lol.

Now I hear what you folks are saying about the chickens "working themselves out" as far as getting used to laying, but is it normal for the birds to eat deformed or even regular eggs?

Also is it safe given the possibility of salmonella?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Now I hear what you folks are saying about the chickens "working themselves out" as far as getting used to laying, but is it normal for the birds to eat deformed or even regular eggs?

Yup, completely normal and natural. Eggs are tasty to chickens too and they'll take advantage of any yolks and whites they find available.

 

[Ridgerunner]

is it normal for the birds to eat deformed or even regular eggs?

It is normal for chickens to eat broken eggs. The shell-less egg would qualify. That does not make them egg-eaters. Egg-eaters are chickens that purposely open a good egg to eat it so no reason to panic yet, there is no evidence they are doing that. The risk is that one of them learns to open an egg by eating a broken or shell-less egg.

Do you know which pullet is laying that egg? Is it the same one that laid the thin-shelled egg in your photo? I'd isolate her until her egg is laid each day to keep the others away until her eggshells consistently get thicker. And offer extra calcium on the side. If they don't get thicker within the next two weeks get back to us and we can discuss it.

Also is it safe given the possibility of salmonella?

Salmonella is not your issue, the potential for egg eating is. Chickens peck where they poop and scratch poop all over. They live in a world that has the potential for Salmonella much more than they are exposed to that egg.

If you are talking about you eating the egg, don't eat it if it is cracked or soft shelled. Wash your hands after handling the eggs.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Congrats on the first egg