Got my first egg at 18 weeks! Pics!

[Pet Duck Boy]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! It finally happened! About 2-3 weeks ago I got my first egg song from my largest and most mature pullet, Nugget. I expected an egg within a few days, but nothing, so I told myself to forget about it and wait a while. 2 weeks later I went to the beach for vacation and had to leave my chickens for the first time, for a week. Got a bigger feeder and waterer, and left them. I just got back today and was greeted at the door of my Chicken kennel by very anxious chickens. I let them out and they immediately started gorging on grass, which was expected. Checked/filled the feeders and waterer, and cleaned the kennel. I lifted their little house/nest box and was shocked to see a neat little indent in the soil, surrounded by feathers and a perfect little brown egg right in the middle. My first chicken egg at 18 weeks. I asume it was laid by Nugget, one of my 3 RIRs but it could be either. I'm very proud of them and treated them to a big 'ol handful of black oil sunflower seed.

Here it is compared to a quarter! (The egg looks bigger but the quater is about half the size of the egg)

Compared to my 40 pounds dog, I loled at the look he gave me.

And the white and yolk. It's pale because They hadn't been out that week or fed greens.

I'm going to switch them all to layer now, as the other RIRs are doing egg squats. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt the EEs either...

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

What, no comments? Also, when should I expect the second egg? Nothing unusual this morning.

 

[Mahonri]

CONGRATs!!!

...and they'll all be laying before you know it.

Patience!!

 

[Alabama ee]

It is fun to get that first egg. I was wondering the same thing. I got my first one several days ago. Then, nothing for a few days. Then, two eggs, and then nothing. Nothing yet today, but it is early.

Ours are EE and about the same age. Are your other ones singing the egg song? With mine, it was like they had to practice first .

 

[Bill D]

I'm jealous! I am stil waiting for my first eggs - got at least another month before I can start looking! Congrats!

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

They grow up so quickly! I got mine on the 22nd of Feburary and was annoyed at how slow they were growing. Now I want them to stop growing! I put some pine shavings in their little hide along with a blown store bought brown egg. They're looking at the nest puzzeled right now. Should I expect the 2nd in a few days? I can't wait!!!!!!

 

[Alabama ee]

Ours are just a few days older. They hatched on the 17 and we got them on the 18 of Feb.

I actually posted a couple of days ago asking when to expect more eggs.

I bet both of ours will lay more, and more consistantly in a couple weeks.

 

[hudsonhousechicks]

Ha! I love the look on your dog's face. He doesn't want all his friends thinking he laid that thing! It's beautiful though. Congratulations. We have about 10 weeks to go.

 

[lisadamole]

My girls were hatched on the 27th of February, and so I should expect them to start laying soon? Please? I'm still looking at them wondering if any are planning to start crowing. One has hackle feathers that look pointy and swept back, and another has more comb and more attitude than the others, but neither is crowing. These were sexed pullets, and one other chick from the same order has turned out to be a rooster, crowing up a storm by 12 weeks old. So maybe I just have gender ambiguous hens?

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Quote:
About the laying question, it depends on the breed. The egg above was laid by a production red or hatchery RIR, which were bred more for egg production and less meat. So they typically lay earlier. I don't expect my other 2 Easter Eggers to lay for a month or two, they typically mature later than others.