First eggs!! And a question *added pics*

[gale65]

last night I checked the nests and there was nothing. It was late though, and I didn't check the coop. So this afternoon I go out and check and lo and behold, 2 little eggs in the nests.

Brought those in and went back and checked the coop just in case. Sure enough, 3 little eggs in the coop.

Will they get the hang of going in the nests eventually? I don't want to have an egg hunt every day and the litter is pretty deep and they really kick it around, so eggs would get lost in it pretty fast. Also, if they laid these 3 yesterday they would still be safe to eat right? It hasn't been as warm today and last night as it had been recently. They are a bit dirty since they were stepping all over them trying to look out the door while I was checking. The two in the nests were clean. One had some sticky that caused the shavings to stick a little but I figured that was from it being a virgin's egg.

 

[LT]

YEAH! Congratulations first of all! Yes, they will get the hang of it, but it helps if you have golf balls or fake eggs in the boxes, because then they know to lay there. The eggs should be just fine to eat....ENJOY!

 

[kidcody]

With the new girls laying sometimes you will find them laid on the floor. As long as you have fake eggs in the nest they should start laying in there nest.
Martha Stewart says eggs can be left out on the counter for many days! so you eggs are just fine!

 

[gryeyes]

Eggs are perfectly fine to eat for some time, as long as they have not been incubated (by a setting broody hen or in an incubator). I keep my eggs un- refrigerated on the counter for WEEKS.

Put golf balls in the nest so they think there are eggs in 'em. They like to lay where others have laid eggs. That should - but might not - fix the errant egg problem.

As each egg is laid, there is a final secretion covering the egg, called the "bloom," which seals the egg against bacteria. All chicken hens do this, not just pullets laying their first eggs.

Congrats on the eggs!

 

[gale65]

awesome-thanks! I have had a golf ball in each nest for a while now (nothing like being prepared in advance. lol). I wonder who laid them...the brown egg layers we have are 4 red and 2 gold sex links and 3 black australorps.

I'm paranoid that there are more eggs hidden in the bedding. I swept through it a little but probably missed a lot of it.

 

[gale65]

They all looked good on the inside. I scrambled them up but here's what they looked like before that (my plan was for fried but then I decided at the last minute to scramble since all of my kids like scrambled eggs and I wanted everyone to have a taste). This is an 8" round pan.

And the first two I brought in-this is in the bottom of a margarine tub.

 

[SIMZ]

Congratulations! It's so exciting to finally start seeing eggs, isn't it?

 

[LT]

Quote:
I am so glad your kids know where their food comes from and how eggs should actually taste! Beautiful!

 

[fshinggrl]

Wow! Those yolks really look like they're made of gold! Super!

 

[Summer Dreams]

Awesome! I can't wait until my girls start laying.