First EGGS!

[oldchickenlady]

I went out of town last week for 5 days, and I just knew I would get my very first egg while I was away...and, of course, I did. Came home Sunday evening, worked Monday and Tuesday, so today is the first chance I have had to go out to the coop and really check around. I looked in the nest buckets I made...nothing! Then, some little voice in my head said to look behind the nest buckets (I have them set up under the poop board). THERE THEY WERE! Not 1, not 2, not 3...but 6 eggs!

My husband said he had been looking for eggs in the buckets and in the garage where he found the first one, but not behind the nests. My first one was golf ball size, and 5 of the eggs were a little larger than that, and 1 was closer to normal size. I am sooo excited! I took pictures of course, but right now I cant find the camera cable to load the pics and my DH is trying to go to sleep, so I will find the cable and post pics tonight! Right now I am going to make me an omelet!

 

[Ruth Ann]

 

[mgw]

Congrats on the eggs. The little sneaks!!

 

[PhlyinPheBee]

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats!

 

[oldchickenlady]

I was so excited! I have hung around and watched the hens most of the day, and I now know which hen, or at least one of the hens that layed the eggs. One hen went in and out 2 times, and on the 3rd trip in it hit me. I went to the door and looked in and she was pacing up and down in front of the nest buckets I made, but it was obvious she wanted behind the buckets again (I had moved them closer to the wall to encourage her to use the buckets). So, I caved and pulled them away from the wall, then sat down and watched her go behind the buckets and settle in. Two other hens joined her in the coop, then Rudy the nosey rooster went in and broke up the 'hen party' in the coop. I was so disappointed! I wanted to watch her lay her egg. Oh well, maybe tomorrow. I have got to come up with some other option for a nest box. I did take a milk crate and put it on it's side and threw in some shavings...so we'll see! I did make an omelet with the eggs and it was definitely better than my store bought free range eggs. The biggest one had a double yolk! I wondered if any might be fertile, since Rudy has been asserting himself with the girls for a week or so, and when cracked, 2 of the eggs had a little reddish dot in the middle of a white thing...were those fertile? I took pictures of everything and as soon as I find my camera cable I can download the pictures. Can't wait for my next eggs!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Congratulations on your first eggs!
In reply to your quesiton, a fertile egg will look like an opaque, bullseye on the yolk (not just a white dot). Blood spots do not indicate fertility one way or the other.
Here's a photo of a fertile egg:

 

[oldchickenlady]

Thanks Adozengirlz! I don't think I saw anything that looked like that, will have to check my pictures. I didn't much think they would be, but was just wondering...

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
I wouldn't be at all surprised if the eggs are fertile if you have an active rooster. Are you looking to incubate some or are you just curious?

 

[oldchickenlady]

Well Rudy is going through the motions (so to speak) but don't know how successful he is...he just started about a week and a half ago actually getting on the girls, before that he just chased them around. But he could be getting the job done...

It's over so fast! I am not planning on incubating any, although a guy that works part time with me has offered the use of an incubator...but actually I had just planned on letting the hens do all the work! Whoever goes broody first gets to have some. Although, the more I have to raise lowers the number of other breeds I can get. I want some wyandottes...SLW"s, GLW's, and BLRW's. I will have to get rid of some of my others if I get the wyndottes. Or build on to my coop and run!