How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

[Criticalicious]

Lovely egg! Is it a Marans?

Yes, black copper marans, raised from day old chicks. Today they are 20.5 weeks old, so I guess right on schedule.

All week, the two pullets and the rooster have been investigating the coop during the day which is unusual for them (it's been hot). They normally hang out in the shady run. The egg was dropped next to the ramp in the morning around 9 am; maybe it surprised them or maybe the egg boxes are too small. I had lined the boxes with artificial grass but I guess they are scared of that so I took it out and put in pine shavings. One pullet is now willing to enter the box and she rutted around building up a nest in the shavings, nudged the fake egg around a bit, so I'm hopeful to see a second egg soon.

 

[karenerwin]

Good thinking Bruce, considering the older lays extra large eggs, maybe I should try those food color technique on their vents before I send them to retirement home. Some almost became pets also since they are so nice and act like puppies, so would be hard. Last year sending 5 yr old layers to freezer camp was hard.

Let us know how the vent coloring technique works if you try it. I read about it but have never tried it.

 

[bruceha2000]

I've not tried it either. So far I have been able to determine who laid each egg by

1. having a variety of breeds
2. noting differences in size/shape/color/etc
3. noting where they lay

For example I have 2 White Rocks. Yuki ALWAYS lays in the cat box nest in the feed room, no other bird does. But I'd be able to tell her eggs anyway because hers BARELY have a "little" end, almost a cylinder. Angel lays a SLIGHTLY darker egg, shinier, regular shape and usually with some longitudinal grooves.

I have 3 Black Australorps. Nuit never lays an egg bigger than 58g and they are a certain shade of brown. Zorra lays larger, tapered eggs, a "dustier" brown. Mellory also lays larger but she "decorates" hers with calcium dots, lots of them. Her shells are thinner as well, probably because the calcium that should be IN the shell is ON the shell.

Will have to see what the new birds bring since I will have 2 Welsummers and 2 Barnevelders. The Golden Campines will lay small white eggs as the 2 Exchequer leghorns have been laying (though they SHOULD be laying at least medium). And then there are the 2 Barred Rocks, will their eggs be similar to the White Rocks'?

 

[PouleChick]

3/3 again today - really surprised with the heat!

 

[karenerwin]

13 eggs today.
I have 10 chicks out in the coops with 2 Momma hens. I tried to give the last chick to a 3rd hen who has been trying to be broody for months, but when I went out to the coop the next morning the little chick had gone out the back of the nest box. All the hens had left the coop by the time I tracked her down. I put her outside near the hen I had given her to. She pecked the chick once on the head and then walked away. The other Momma (with 7 chicks of various ages) also pecked the chick on the head and then incorporated her into the group of chicks she already had. So now she has 8 chicks! That was Monday night/ Tuesday morning. Today the newest chick is fully integrated and keeping up well with everybody. There is another chick out there that is about the same age and size. I should have had 2 chicks to put out on Monday, but one died in the incubator. I think it drowned in the little bit of water I left in the incubator in case any eggs hatched while we were gone for 3 days. I knew that was a risk, but, it worked out for one but not the other.
There is still 1 more egg in the incubator. I thought it should have hatched by now, but when I candled it last night it still looked like it was alive. So, who knows. It will either hatch or it won't.

 

[New2Chicks97]

Today I got one egg - first one ever!

Lovely first egg! Here’s to the first of many


Today we got 9 again. They seem to be taking turns taking days off. . It has been hot here too so I am surprised that they have been laying so well. Today it was 97

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have so many peeps just now 9 + 7 + 5 makes 21 peeps all but 2 are Marans in some way 2 EE think I had like 9 today it has been quite hot for here over 90 so maybe 105 in the coop

 

[New2Chicks97]

I have so many peeps just now 9 + 7 + 5 makes 21 peeps all but 2 are Marans in some way 2 EE think I had like 9 today it has been quite hot for here over 90 so maybe 105 in the coop

Wow that is a lot of peeps!

 

[PouleChick]

I have so many peeps just now 9 + 7 + 5 makes 21 peeps all but 2 are Marans

I didn't realise you had so many Marans in your flock! What colours do you have? I'm not sure what I have - only 2 of the eggs made it - sadly the others were the ones that got broken / dropped etc during incubation. I had i think 5 eggs to start and he said 2 were BCM and 3 were a mix so could be black (but not sure if that meant just black), blue or splash. One is blue and one is black but not sure if it will be coppered or not, I hope so!

1 so far this morning but a biggie (76g).

 

[bruceha2000]

That is big! 9 yesterday.