I've got a slacker!

[Melanie9565]

Now that I have the soft shell egg problem worked out, the mean girls "it's high school in here" bullying issue resolved, I'm on to I've Got A Slacker! The only one of my four 5 1/2 month old chicks that is not laying is the Ameraucana. I have to admit that her eggs are the ones I'm dying to see. All 3 lay brown so I'm looking forward to that blue egg! But she shows no indication of laying. Is there an age she should start by? She's on the small side, but I don't know if this is common for her breed. Any advice?

 

[junebuggena]

Some Easter Eggers can take a very long time to start laying. She will lay, eventually. And she may not lay a blue egg. She may lay green, or brown, or cream. There is just no way to tell.

 

[Melanie9565]

Well any color but brown! Darn! I thought blue/green color was what they were known for!!! So if she lays brown, I'm not sure I'll know it was her! But as long as they are known to be a little slower, that's fine!

 

[junebuggena]

Well any color but brown! Darn! I thought blue/green color was what they were known for!!! So if she lays brown, I'm not sure I'll know it was her! But as long as they are known to be a little slower, that's fine!

They are called Easter Eggers because just about any color is possible. If you want to be guaranteed blue eggs, you'll need to find a breeder of Ameraucana or Araucana.

 

[aart]

I've got 4 out of 10 laying so far at 25 weeks...have been lucky in that 2 out of 5 EE's lay a good blue, the other is more greenish, 2 still unknown.....
......and the 4th one laying, a project bird - Welsummer cock over blue laying EE, is a nice olive.
Am impatient for the other 6 to start 'putting out' - haha...out of curiosity and most my older birds are molting...so I need eggs!

 

[Melanie9565]

As long as she's healthy. She's sweet but skittish! Ironically, I'm allergic to eggs! But I love my chicks! They're a bit spoiled.

 

[SueT]

Well...let us know what color you get when that first egg comes!

 

[Melanie9565]

I will....if I can tell which egg is hers! My orpington started laying about 5 weeks ago and today she laid her first "normal" size eggs. The other two are smaller, but the one is getting bigger. So by the time she lays (maybe) the other two will have normal size eggs and hers will be the smallest! But I will post!

 

[Melanie9565]

Okay....so my Ameraucana laid her first egg!!!! She's been trying for about 4 or 5 days. Sits in the hen box, gets out...goes back in. So she finally laid a greenish in color egg. There was a little fresh blood on the outside of the shell. Is that normal since it's her first egg and she seemed to have a tough go of it at first? She seems to be doing just fine now.....

 

[aart]

Okay....so my Ameraucana laid her first egg!!!! She's been trying for about 4 or 5 days. Sits in the hen box, gets out...goes back in. So she finally laid a greenish in color egg. There was a little fresh blood on the outside of the shell. Is that normal since it's her first egg and she seemed to have a tough go of it at first? She seems to be doing just fine now.....

Congrats!
Not unusual to see an occasional smear of blood on an egg...especially with a newly laying pullet.