First Layer! And question

[C3321]

Repecka here just laid our flock's first ever egg! They are 5 months old. So exciting! Is there anything I can do to encourage her to lay in the nesting boxes rather than straight on the coop floor? They have access to oyster shell, should I provide anything else to keep them healthy? Any advice is appreciated!

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Yay!! Very egg-citing. My first ever egg was also from a Barred Rock. Pullets are known to have *egg-cidents* when they first start laying. It's totally normal that it happened on the coop floor. Chances are she'll find her way into the nest box soon. Do you have fake eggs in there?

 

[BDutch]

Congrats with your 1th egg!

Chickychook is right about oops eggs on the floor. A fake egg in the nest boxes really helps.
And if the nestbox is not comfy and shady, or too high from the floor, it can be a reason too, to lay somewhere else.

 

[C3321]

Yay!! Very egg-citing. My first ever egg was also from a Barred Rock. Pullets are known to have *egg-cidents* when they first start laying. It's totally normal that it happened on the coop floor. Chances are she'll find her way into the nest box soon. Do you have fake eggs in there?

I don't have fake eggs but will definitely be getting some! Thank you!

 

[ChickyCh00k]

I don't have fake eggs but will definitely be getting some! Thank you!

It can be helpful. You could even use golf balls.

 

[BDutch]

I don't have fake eggs but will definitely be getting some! Thank you!

Until you get them, mark the egg (date) and lay it in the nestbox. If you get another egg, take the oldest one out and mark the new one with the new day.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Nice job, Repecka! If you're going to fake egg route, I suggest using cheap unpainted wooden ones over ceramic. They're not as easy to clean (though may stay pristine), but they don't shatter into a million pieces that the chickens will then try to eat.

 

[BDutch]

I use 2 rubber eggs and 2 small chalk eggs. I bought the chalk eggs before easter. They were meant to get painted for easter decoration.

After a while , with rainy weather, the eggs get dirty. They are all easy to clean with water, a little soap and a brush.

 

[LtDanFan]

I agree with fake eggs and CONGRATULATIONS!!! VERY EGG-CITING. There’s more to come!
Beside the “fake” written in sharpie on the fake eggs (to help those that aren’t me that may be checking the boxes), they are also the most poop covered so its easy to tell them apart from real eggs lol. But also I love your hen’s name. VERY biblical/Torah minded, mind if i borrow it? As one of the four mothers, that would fit with with my household and flock perfectly.