First Egg!!!!

[Paul 1952]

Wow! This just describes what I did, only you can be sure that the pictures were on facebook also! Since my first RSL started laying, she has laid every single day for four days in a row. But she still hasn't laid in the nesting box yet. Tell me what you all think: they are in a chicken tractor type set up, and the coop section is 3x4 ft, with a roost about a foot up in the middle. We have been putting pine shavings in the coop section since the beginning, and since she has started laying, we also opened the nest box and put shavings in there. We put the golfball in there also, but she still hasn't gotten the idea. We have found poo inside the nest box a few times... Should we take out all of the shavings from the coop section and only fill the nest box with shavings to encourage her in there? Any ideas?

So she's just laying in the shavings in the coop area? We've got two that have started laying but they've used the nest box for all but one time when they laid out in front of the boxes in the coop area. Not really sure what you can do about that.... how are the nest boxes set up... size? Maybe once your other girls start laying then she'll get the idea???

 

[CGinJCMO]

Wow! This just describes what I did, only you can be sure that the pictures were on facebook also! Since my first RSL started laying, she has laid every single day for four days in a row. But she still hasn't laid in the nesting box yet. Tell me what you all think: they are in a chicken tractor type set up, and the coop section is 3x4 ft, with a roost about a foot up in the middle. We have been putting pine shavings in the coop section since the beginning, and since she has started laying, we also opened the nest box and put shavings in there. We put the golfball in there also, but she still hasn't gotten the idea. We have found poo inside the nest box a few times... Should we take out all of the shavings from the coop section and only fill the nest box with shavings to encourage her in there? Any ideas?

Here's what I did: If you can catcher her in the act of laying, note the time of day and add about 25 hours. Also, is she laying the egg in the same place of the coop - can you block her access to that spot? Then, the next day when she's ready to lay again, go to the coop and wait until she shows up (I was working on the water) and put her in a nest box. My girl really wanted to go to her old spot but eventually used the box and she's been laying in the same box every day since. My coop is bigger than yours so I didn't feel claustrophobic but you might in your coop if you have to wait long. Hopefully next month when the next pullet is ready to start laying, it won't be so much "effort" to train them since one of them is already laying (I have the plastic eggs in the nest boxes and I've been adding feathers found on the floor to help encourage them).

Good Luck,
CG

 

[crchickens]

I have 6 older hens, who lay in the boxes, and 12 pullets. Some of my pullets are laying in the boxes, but even with the older girls showing the way, some of my pullets are still laying on the floor. It is so frustrating. I have golf balls in the boxes, and of course, the older girls eggs are in their during their usual laying time, until I remove them. I just have to hope that they figure it out soon.

 

[CGinJCMO]

And here I was hoping my next layer wouldn't need me to watch/look for eggs and they would just magically appear in the nest boxes.

CG

 

[acemario]

We used to have pine shavings on the coop floor, and the hens would lay eggs in the shavings. We then cleaned out the floor (leaving only the hard laminate) and put some extra shavings in the nest box. The ladies got the picture. They then decided that it was more comfortable to lay in the nest box. Soon we will add shavings to the floor once again.

 

[Rick677]

Had no issues with that here ... popped it open and fried it up, over easy. Great flavor and such a nice dark yellow yolk... yum!

I'm torn between wanting to drain and save it or eat it... Just got the first one today... my girls are around 22 weeks... can't remember the exact day I got them but it was in February.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

When you get those first eggs, do you want to hurry and open them?

I'm struggling a little with eating something that came out of a chicken I feed mealworms and stuff to, but I'm sure once I do it a time or two, I wont think that way.

I bet when I get my first egg, I'll want to crack it quick.

I thought i would too, but i was iffy. I wanted to keep it! so i blew it out and THEN ate it.

 

[CGinJCMO]

I wanted to keep it! so i blew it out and THEN ate it.

I did the same thing. In fact, my kids got carried away with the blowing, that I've got 5 of the first eggs laid by my EE and one (very) large Grocery store brown egg. Now that my EE has been laying for a month, I can compare the first ones, to what she's laying now and I can see the difference. If I didn't have it, I might not be so sure they are getting bigger.

CG

 

[pfost262]

It happened. One of my girls layed her first egg today!!! I have no idea who - but there it was. A perfectly shaped brown egg right in the center of the nest box. Could you imagine my surprise?

I ran around with it for about 15 minutes texting everyone that my chicken layed an egg. Then I fried it and a store bought egg up and fed them to my daughters boyfriend who easily guessed which egg was from my precious chicken!

Woo hooo!!!

I hope they all start laying. I can't wait to give them to my neighbors!

I got my first eggs two days ago and did the same exact thing!! It was so exciting! I didn't get any yesterday and it was such a let down. I got one today though so I'm happy hahaha!

 

[thgail]

Got my first egg on December 23rd.

It's brown but doesn't really look like it here.