It feels like FOREVER!!! UPDATE!!!! MAJOR UPDATE!!!!!!!

[nuttyredhead]

So why put the fake egg's in the nest?

My girls are 12 weeks old! Can't wait for eggs!!! If they lay like they are supposed to I should be supplying the neighborhood with eggs in a month or 2 lol!

 

[aka Rachel]

Quote:
Once they actually start laying eggs they don't always realise the boxes are there for them. I think the fake eggs maybe trigger the instinct to add to the clutch and then perhaps they just realise that thats a really good spot to lay eggs

Really, I'm not sure, but it works!

 

[tri-5-ron]

We've got one of each RIR, BO, BPR, Australorp, and 2 EE's.
In the morning they will be 21 weeks old.
For the past 3 weeks they have been on laying mash/crumbles, (switched from medicated chick starter).
now I've just started them on laying pellets, hoping to reduce some of the food waste.

I've had a few talks with them,... even showed them the frying pan ... (what do you mean by Impatiently waiting ???)
I've explained that "Something" was going to be sizzling in it soon, and it was their choice what "that" should be.

I told them it could be a nice omlet breakfast,... OR,.... a nice chicken dinner !
But it didn't seem to faze them much either way.

They just kept looking at me with that little head twisting motion, and seeming to say,..
"did you bring us another treat ???" ..." We want another treat" ... "GO GET US ANOTHER TREAT !!!"

Haven't noticed any squatting or "Rooster ready" positions.
no bright yellow legs, no egg songs, and no eggs.

the BPR does seem to have a bit bighter comb, but that could be just my imagination.

I know the native americans used to have a "Rain Dance" to get rain to come,...
The ancient Myans and Aztecs used to offer sacrifices to please the gods,....
and the Cannible Tribes of the Amazon Jungle used to,.... Well, you know.

So is there any sort of Voo-doo, spells, or incantations that I am missing ???

Maybe some sort of "Set the Mood" music ???

Should I be doing some sort of "Egg Dance" with "offerings" to please the bird/egg gods???

Would hanging pictures in the coop of , omlets, scrambles, crepes, and quiches help ???

Should I just start leaving a bunch of empty egg cartons laying around in the coop ???

Is there any sort of egg production Chanting, or insence burning seances that would help ???


I have all the dang Patience in the World,.... It's just this WAITING part , that is driving me nutzzzoo !!!

 

[undergroundchickens]

I too am impatiently awaiting my first egg from my first chickens. So excited. They are 18 weeks tomorrow. It's killing me!!!

I want one NOW! lol.

 

[Whitewater]

My 3 are 18 weeks old today and no eggs. I am not really surprised because one of them, well, she's just not ready yet -- still very pale, no comb, no wattles, still a kid

The other two -- 1 Australorp and 1 black sex link -- are *more* than ready, huge red combs/wattles/faces, I've observed nest making behavior and egg squatting, it shouldn't be long now! I hope the third (our other Australorp) catches up soon, she's the biggest hen of the 3, but obviously the youngest. She may even be a week or two younger. . . I don't know.

I can't quite stop myself from checking the nest boxes in their coop every day when I go out there. Just in case. You never know!


Whitewater (it really does feel like forever . . . )

 

[Mahonri]

here in Phoenix it feels like hades will last forever.

We have four seasons, just different from everyone else.

Nice and Warm (October & November)

Paradise (Dec to mid March)

Hot (Mid March to June)

Hotter than Hades (June through September)... little to no eggs.

c'mon OCTOBER!!!

 

[beachchickie]

ME, ME, I am waiting and not so patiently. Mine are 18 wks and NOOO eggs! 3 are sex links I thought they laid early. 2 are RIRs I think 4 of that group will lay at about 20 wks but the one RIR is a late bloomer. Just getting her comb and wattles, they are all very red. I hate this waiting. I thought one of my BSL had laid at 13 wks but it was just a fart egg from one of my other hens. Trickster.My dad says " you have liars instead of layers. Everybody is a comedian.

 

[EggsForIHOP]

It just gets worse every day! This morning, when i got home from work, I SWEAR I was hearing the egg song! Turned out it was just the "pancakes are here" song! Now I am HEARING things! Then...there was a roo in a nest box...from the porch, with my bad eyes, I thought it was a hen! Nope...just her twin...hiding with a ginormous worm he had found! Greedy thing! So I gave up and talked ham with the pigs instead....then I came in and here I am! They got me so I can't sleep now!

 

[fldiver97]

Oh, I sooooo remember waiting for hte first egg too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's funny - in hindsight! Anyway, they will start when they are ready, it is actually 'better', healthwise, for a chicken not to start laying too young. Does not make the wait any easier though. Make sure your nestboxes are ready, brace yourseld for the eggs to be there when you don't 'really' expect it and keep us posted. When I was in your shoes I posted too....considered reading them recipes for bedtime stories but being a vegetarian I am sure the girls just laughed that off.

 

[4 luv of eggs]

I know how you feel. My first group will be 15 weeks this Wednesday. We cleaned out the coop today and set up the nest boxes with hay. I stood there looking at the nest boxes and realized it was like when I was expecting (soooo many years ago) and I would stand in the nursery and look at everything all set up and waiting. It was a similar feeling. It was as if I was going to be laying the eggs.