Is this normal

[chickgarden]

Hi,
We have 6 chickens between 18 and 21 weeks old. We are anxiously awaiting our first egg. Yesterday morning I saw that the Black Star (21 + weeks) had made a nest in one of the nesting boxes. Since then she's been pretty noisy, in and out of the nesting box and loudly singing the eggsong, but still no egg. She's also eating and drinking and acting otherwise normal with the other chickens.
Is this normal for the first time they lay an egg? How long does it usually go on for?
Thanks!!

 

[downsm75]

If she's not eggbound or eating them... It can be normal for them to fuss for a few days first, I've even heard they can for a week or two

 

[mickey328]

I have red sexlinks and they've been laying since May. I have noticed that a couple of them sort of act like that...they'll sit in the box, turn around, scratch out some straw, pick some up and put it in, turn around some more, make plenty of noise. This goes on for half an hour or more before they lay. The other 4 seem no muss, no fuss girls...I go look and just find the eggs. But I will say...those two seem to always use the box...the others pop 'em out wherever the mood takes 'em, LOL

 

[downsm75]

Put golf balls in the nesting boxes, maybe they will lay there

 

[Happy Camper]

The golf ball idea is pretty good... but letting their behavior guide... it seems you are closer to your first egg than you might think... enjoy your eggs

 

[chickgarden]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. She chose the nesting box next to the one with golf balls, so I think she has the idea. She's definitely squatting and doing all the things that I've ready chickens do before they start to lay. We have been running out to check that nesting box so often I lost track of how many times. It's like waiting for Christmas.

 

[chickgarden]

Guess it was normal. She laid an egg yesterday and has been back in the nest again today. Yeah for our first egg!!!

 

[Gofygure]

Congratulations! Pretty soon you'll have more eggs than you know what to do with.

 

[7 Biddies]

Hi,
We have 6 chickens between 18 and 21 weeks old. We are anxiously awaiting our first egg. Yesterday morning I saw that the Black Star (21 + weeks) had made a nest in one of the nesting boxes. Since then she's been pretty noisy, in and out of the nesting box and loudly singing the eggsong, but still no egg. She's also eating and drinking and acting otherwise normal with the other chickens.
Is this normal for the first time they lay an egg? How long does it usually go on for?
Thanks!!

I have a Black Australorp that laid her first egg last Monday, the 13th. She's my first. I've noticed that she always gets hyper; pacing, runing in and out of the hen house, sitting on the perch in front of the boxes, and making a racket for a couple of hours. She even sings the egg song in between the cackles. Then, it gets quiet and she sits on the nest. Voila! An egg.

My BR just started laying Sunday. She didn't make a sound, but she laid her egg in the corner of the run instead of in the box. Guess they each have their own way of doing things.

 

[mickey328]

A couple of my red sexlinks, who are 8 months old, are rather like that....they seem to like to make a big production out of it. They're the two who pretty much always use the nesting box. They seem to take half an hour to 45 mins....re-arranging the nest, turning around, being noisy, in and out, squatting, standing...on and on. I made a point to stay and watch just to make sure they weren't having a difficult time, but when they get down to it, it seems to just pop out. The others just go about their business, squeeze one out and immediately head for the food!