First eggs? Who did it?

[Justicedog]

I’ve got one 6 year old he laying. Then I’ve got some five 19 week old girls. I’ve got a Partridge Rock, a Lavender Orpington, a Black Copper Marans, an Americauna and one who is supposed to be a Blue Rock, but doesn’t look like one.

My husband found one little egg in the yard another little gg in a nesting box and our old hen’s egg. We think the yard egg was from the day before as they were all in the coop and run yesterday. I got another small egg today in the nesting box. Yard egg is on top, next day egg in middle and today’s egg is on the bottom.

They seem to be getting darker and maybe very slightly bigger as they go along.

The only youngster I’d seen sitting inside a nesting box was the Partridge rock. (There was no egg there after she left, but that was the day the yard egg was laid)

First question- do you think they are all from the same hen?

Second question - any guesses who is laying? I’m sure not the Americauna.

Third question- would you think the eggs will get bigger?

Most recent pictures of the youngsters.

Featured is the “blue rock”, the grey one is the lavender Orpington and behind her is the Marans.

Left is the Partridge Rock, right is the “Blue Rock”.

The French Black Copper Marans

The brown one is the Americauna, laying down one is the “blue rock” and open mouth is the Marans.

Last question - what’s the best, less expensive camera for the coop? The coop has no power and is in the shade.

The guessing game is hard.

 

[PoultryCQ]

I’ve got one 6 year old he laying. Then I’ve got some five 19 week old girls. I’ve got a Partridge Rock, a Lavender Orpington, a Black Copper Marans, an Americauna and one who is supposed to be a Blue Rock, but doesn’t look like one.

My husband found one little egg in the yard another little gg in a nesting box and our old hen’s egg. We think the yard egg was from the day before as they were all in the coop and run yesterday. I got another small egg today in the nesting box. Yard egg is on top, next day egg in middle and today’s egg is on the bottom.

View attachment 2778374

They seem to be getting darker and maybe very slightly bigger as they go along.

The only youngster I’d seen sitting inside a nesting box was the Partridge rock. (There was no egg there after she left, but that was the day the yard egg was laid)

First question- do you think they are all from the same hen?

Second question - any guesses who is laying? I’m sure not the Americauna.

Third question- would you think the eggs will get bigger?

Most recent pictures of the youngsters.
View attachment 2778383
Featured is the “blue rock”, the grey one is the lavender Orpington and behind her is the Marans.
View attachment 2778384

Left is the Partridge Rock, right is the “Blue Rock”.

View attachment 2778385
The French Black Copper Marans

View attachment 2778389
The brown one is the Americauna, laying down one is the “blue rock” and open mouth is the Marans.

Last question - what’s the best, less expensive camera for the coop? The coop has no power and is in the shade.

The guessing game is hard.

The eggs will get larger. To know for sure, you can stick 2 fingers between a pullet's pelvis bones (they are under the vent). If the fingers fit, the pullet is laying or really really close. If they dont fit, the pullet is not laying.

 

[Justicedog]

Catching these new girls is always an event. I just spent a large part of the morning chasing 3 of them around the yard to get them back into the run after they escaped while I was bringing them treats and food.

So, I can say it's not the Lavender Orp as her pelvic bones are too close (I didn't think it was her as her comb and waddles weren't red or big. The French Black Copper Marans definitely has the 2 finger space, she's the youngest, 3 days younger than the others. I was expecting her to be the last layer - and was thinking darker eggs, but surprises happen when having chickens.

Any good suggestions on easier ways to catch a chicken? My other two groups of chickens were so much easier than these guys.

 

[Pumperkinz]

Catching these new girls is always an event. I just spent a large part of the morning chasing 3 of them around the yard to get them back into the run after they escaped while I was bringing them treats and food.

So, I can say it's not the Lavender Orp as her pelvic bones are too close (I didn't think it was her as her comb and waddles weren't red or big. The French Black Copper Marans definitely has the 2 finger space, she's the youngest, 3 days younger than the others. I was expecting her to be the last layer - and was thinking darker eggs, but surprises happen when having chickens.

Any good suggestions on easier ways to catch a chicken? My other two groups of chickens were so much easier than these guys.

My BCM's ended up laying at around 17 weeks. They started off with super light colored eggs, and then gradually ended up darker which is the reverse of what people have told me and I've read before. Also typically beginning eggs are going to be small until they get up to speed and laying. I'd think in about 2-3 months you will see your egg's size be the size they should be laying consistently.

Also to get my chickens in I've found two things to work.
1.) Herd them myself with a little rack to get them to follow into the coop.
2.) Ask my Blue Heeler to do it (This is much quicker as he knows where they should be lol)

Honestly a lot of people have success feeding once in the morning, and then once at night you shake the pale and make some noise so they know food is coming and get them on a schedule and they should learn quickly

Good luck w/ the new babies!

 

[Jaq]

I’ve got one 6 year old he laying. Then I’ve got some five 19 week old girls. I’ve got a Partridge Rock, a Lavender Orpington, a Black Copper Marans, an Americauna and one who is supposed to be a Blue Rock, but doesn’t look like one.

My husband found one little egg in the yard another little gg in a nesting box and our old hen’s egg. We think the yard egg was from the day before as they were all in the coop and run yesterday. I got another small egg today in the nesting box. Yard egg is on top, next day egg in middle and today’s egg is on the bottom.

View attachment 2778374

They seem to be getting darker and maybe very slightly bigger as they go along.

The only youngster I’d seen sitting inside a nesting box was the Partridge rock. (There was no egg there after she left, but that was the day the yard egg was laid)

First question- do you think they are all from the same hen?

Second question - any guesses who is laying? I’m sure not the Americauna.

Third question- would you think the eggs will get bigger?

Most recent pictures of the youngsters.
View attachment 2778383
Featured is the “blue rock”, the grey one is the lavender Orpington and behind her is the Marans.
View attachment 2778384

Left is the Partridge Rock, right is the “Blue Rock”.

View attachment 2778385
The French Black Copper Marans

View attachment 2778389
The brown one is the Americauna, laying down one is the “blue rock” and open mouth is the Marans.

Last question - what’s the best, less expensive camera for the coop? The coop has no power and is in the shade.

The guessing game is hard.

WYZE Cam v3 with Color Night Vision, Wired 1080p HD Indoor/Outdoor Video Camera, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R59YH7...abc_T571N8CWDTECP515QSNP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

this is the best inexpensive camera I’ve purchased!!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Catching these new girls is always an event. I just spent a large part of the morning chasing 3 of them around the yard to get them back into the run after they escaped while I was bringing them treats and food.

So, I can say it's not the Lavender Orp as her pelvic bones are too close (I didn't think it was her as her comb and waddles weren't red or big. The French Black Copper Marans definitely has the 2 finger space, she's the youngest, 3 days younger than the others. I was expecting her to be the last layer - and was thinking darker eggs, but surprises happen when having chickens.

Any good suggestions on easier ways to catch a chicken? My other two groups of chickens were so much easier than these guys.

I trained my girls to come in when I sing (yes, really), “in the coop.” Of course I also rattle the treat bucket, soooooo…

 

[Hilltop Flock]

If you examine the vents of the pullets possibly responsible, you will see a difference between a laying and a non-laying chicken. The vent of a laying chicken will look moist and wider, while a healthy, non-laying bird’s will look dry and tight.

 

[Hilltop Flock]

Catching these new girls is always an event. I just spent a large part of the morning chasing 3 of them around the yard to get them back into the run after they escaped while I was bringing them treats and food.

So, I can say it's not the Lavender Orp as her pelvic bones are too close (I didn't think it was her as her comb and waddles weren't red or big. The French Black Copper Marans definitely has the 2 finger space, she's the youngest, 3 days younger than the others. I was expecting her to be the last layer - and was thinking darker eggs, but surprises happen when having chickens.

Any good suggestions on easier ways to catch a chicken? My other two groups of chickens were so much easier than these guys.

Do it at night when they are already roosted.