First time egg laying question

[grullablue]

Our leghorns are 17 wks. On Thursday, I was quite surprised to find two eggs....a small one, and a larger sized one, nearly the size you'd find in a store! I was quite excited that they already had laying on their minds!

That was Thursday. Nothing since. I'm not counting on these eggs, we are still frantically working on their permanent coop and nesting boxes, so weren't really prepared for them to lay yet, but I'm curious about egg laying habits.

When they typically start laying....do they typically start, then keep going, or is it like what has happened here, finding an egg or two, then none again? Are they just "warming up?" I'm not sure what to expect here.

We have 9 hens...found two eggs on the same day (Thursday), then nothing since. Is this normal? I was going to switch to layer feed....maybe I should wait??

Thanks, sorry for the kinda dumb question!
Angie

 

[MsBentleyboy]

It's somewhat normal. Heat can change things and so can stress. If they were recently moved there they can lay an egg and then not another for a while. My 17 week old has one for a few days, skips a day, and then starts back up again.

Make sure none of the other hens/roosters (or predators) are eating the egg(s). Also, check areas where you may not suspect. Some are good hiders.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Hi Angie~
Mine are the same age, and where one is consistently laying little pullet eggs every day, the other is kind of hit or miss. Yesterday she was standing on the chicken tractor that I have in the pen, and dropped a rubbery egg, no yolk, inside the tractor! It was lucky it was there so the other hens couldn't get it - weirdest thing. Sounds like it's normal, though... just getting parts warmed up, so to speak.

Congratulations!

 

[grullablue]

Surprise! Probably as I was posting the question....lol....another egg "popped up" this afternoon!

Angie