First eggs.....getting ready for the avalanche!

[bdjh]

We got 6 girls at 8 weeks old back in June (2 leghorns, 2 Columbians, and 2 Barred Rocks). They were hatched April 14. We've been eagerly awaiting eggs since then.

Two weeks ago, we took back what turned out to be a Columbian Rooster, who our supplier was happy to get back, and in exchange he gave us a already-laying Barred Rock cross, and a beautiful little Danish (or Dutch) Leghorn, who's maybe two or three weeks younger than the rest.

Anyway, we started getting eggs from the cross right away, which was super cool.......but on Saturday, we got our first 'real' egg from the original batch!

It has to be from one of the Barred Rocks (a brown egg), but it was so small! maybe a quarter of the volume of the cross's eggs! I'm not complaining - they're really cute.

And, yesterday, we got our first white egg from one of the leghorns - maybe even smaller than the barred rocks!

It could have been from the Columbian I suppose - does anyone know what color eggs a Columbian Rock lays?

Anyway - I'm anticipating an avalanche of tiny little eggs in the next week or two. Very Excited! No More Freeloaders!

 

[sumi]

Congrats on the eggs! CR lays a light brown, or "beige" colour egg.

 

[bdjh]

Thanks, Sumi

 

[dcbcaaron]

I also have 3 new hens about the same age, "French Black Copper Marans" each time I go to the coop I anxiously look into the nest box, but nothing yet I can't wait! super excited to have them start laying!

 

[bdjh]

Yeah - that first time you find and egg, after looking 20 or 30 times without success, is really weird. It's like......."Hey, somebody put an egg in here!"

 

[mayberrymom]

We have 8 hens that were hatched on March 21st and we got our first egg last Friday! (21 weeks) , we found 2 more that day, and they have only laid a total of 2 since then. I don't know when the consistency will start. We have 3 Buffs, 3 Silver Laced Wyandottes, 1 Sussex and 1 Auracana. Our other Sussex turned out to be a rooster and due to the fact we live in the city, my husband and son had to help him meet his demise

. I wanted 2 Auracanas, but the girl at the Farm store couldn't tell the difference in the day old chicks. The other hens really seem to pick on her, especially the large Silver Laced gals. Anyway, I am looking forward to more eggs soon.

 

[ferguson63901]

So happy for you!! We have 2 RIR that are laying daily. We also have 5 hens that are 17-18 weeks old, and I feel like I'm waiting for childbirth to occur, in anticipation of that first egg from our babies. I study each of them daily, and with exception if the BR, none have much of a comb yet. Do they seem to "pop" overnight? They're getting quite red, but not much of a comb yet. This mama of 6 is ready for more eggs!! Once you get the yummy goodness of the eggs your hens supply, store eggs are nasty! Lol

 

[carolbeau]

Congrats, you guys!! Mine are turning 16 weeks on Sunday and I'm so ready for them to start! I think the 2 on the left in the below photo will be the first. The one on the right barely has any comb/waddle and our 4th is a silkie bantam, so I have no idea what's up with that one.

Bdjh, how old were your girls that just started?

 

[carolbeau]

We have 8 hens that were hatched on March 21st and we got our first egg last Friday! (21 weeks) , we found 2 more that day, and they have only laid a total of 2 since then. I don't know when the consistency will start. We have 3 Buffs, 3 Silver Laced Wyandottes, 1 Sussex and 1 Auracana. Our other Sussex turned out to be a rooster and due to the fact we live in the city, my husband and son had to help him meet his demise

. I wanted 2 Auracanas, but the girl at the Farm store couldn't tell the difference in the day old chicks. The other hens really seem to pick on her, especially the large Silver Laced gals. Anyway, I am looking forward to more eggs soon.

Congrats! I don't think I can hold out that long. I'm afraid if mine take that long that I might not get any eggs before it gets cold. :-/

 

[bdjh]

Congrats, you guys!! Mine are turning 16 weeks on Sunday and I'm so ready for them to start! I think the 2 on the left in the below photo will be the first. The one on the right barely has any comb/waddle and our 4th is a silkie bantam, so I have no idea what's up with that one.

Bdjh, how old were your girls that just started?



They were hatched April 14th......so somewhere around 17-18 weeks?

It was a Barred Rock, like the left-most one in your pic that laid first, and it HAD to be a leghorn second (our only white layers), which is odd, because they are half the size of the Columbian we have.......maybe just a breed thing.....I know the leghorns are considered egg machines.....it would make sense that they start sooner, too.