First Eggs!

[montverdechick]

I just went outside to look in the coop and I have my first two eggs! My hens turned 18 weeks old on Wednesday, so one of them is right on time. Don't know who laid them, but they are light brown. Smaller than most eggs, but I understand that it's normal for them to be small early on. I'm so excited!!! Can't wait to eat them tomorrow morning, I've never had a fresh egg before.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

once you had fresh you will never go for supermarket brands again

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

great joy when you get your first eggs.you will enjoy the taste .i love them and will not eat store eggs.i have some rirs that are 22 weeks and no eggs.i heard that it takes about 24 weeks for them to lay.can anyone confirm this please.

 

[CarriBrown]

Congrats on the new eggs! Isn't it exciting? It's like receiving a little gift everyday. I love going out there after work to see how many ladies earned their keep for the day!

Once they get into the swing of things, the eggs should start getting bigger. And you will love those eggs! They are so light and fluffy with dark and healthy yolks. When you taste it, you will know that a happy hen laid it!

 

[Backyardfarmer]

Congradulations,
I felt the same way when my birds laid their first eggs. Just make shure to switch them to layer and to give them back the egg shells. also any egg yolks they you might not use are fine to give back to your chickens.

 

[aran]

wait you feed them egg shells? I mean it makes sense from a calcium and phosphorous point of view but how is it done? I mean do you crush egg shell up in their feed? Does it not encourage egg eating by the girls?

 

[montverdechick]

We got another egg today and ate them with dinner. I loved the rich flavor and firmness of the yolk. And, they were so small and cute. Can't wait to get lots more.

I switched them to layer feed last weekend in anticipation of this. They will be 19 weeks old on Wednesday. I am also letting them free feed on crushed oyster shell.

 

[speckledhen]

Aran, I crush up the shells and add to my oyster shell. I just collect shells till I have an icecube bin full of them, then put them on a cookie sheet in the oven at maybe 200 degrees for 30 minutes. It dries them out so they crush up real easy and are not recognizable as eggshells.

 

[aran]

cheers SH...i will do that then!