First eggs will be here soon, have question

[Canarygirl]

I have buff orpingtons that are 22 weeks old, I know they will be laying very soon. Do you eat the first few eggs or wait? Oh and one other question they seemed to be molting is this normal for this time of year or do pullets do that? I have 5 of them.

 

[equine chick]

I always heard not to eat the first egg or the second egg but okay to eat the 3rd egg. I would think they would be kinda young to be molting already, i heard they don't molt til aorund 18 months.

 

[justusnak]

The first few eggs I gave to my dogs. They loved them. As far as molting, they should not be...check them for mites!

 

[speckledhen]

You sure can eat the first eggs! No problem with that at all. I think what you're thinking of is not trying to hatch the first pullet eggs. Usually, they are rather small and produce small, sometimes not as hardy, chicks.

 

[SpottedCrow]

First eggs are perfectly fine to eat...Most of us blow them out and keep them just like we do with baby teeth, first haircut...
Chicks moult 3 times during their first year of life.
The first is the down to first feathers. Next is "teenage" feathers. And last is almost adult colours. Then they'll moult once a year.
So conceivably your 22 weeks olds COULD be moulting. I can't remember back 4 years when I had Tom and Jerry.