My First Egg YIKKES it's kind of ugly

[DDRanch]

Congratultions on your first eggs. I would encourage you to get them nesting boxes as soon as possible so they don't get into the habit of laying all over the place. I used small cardboard boxes with a cut out so they could get in easily because mine started laying before we were ready with "fancy" nesting boxes. Angie's ideas for dark and private are good ones.

Good luck.

 

[sewchick]

Quote:
Thanks so much. I will do it tomorrow. Dh will help. It would make sense to me that they would need or want a dark place. Safe makes sense. Would it matter if the eggs I put in were from the store? Does a hen think an egg is an egg or does it know it's own. I am clueless when it comes to this. I read and learn here but some things are not easy to find. I probably should know this stuff but I don't. Not my area of knowledge. I am eager to learn it. I am still trying to figure what is the best inexpensive feed. I buy the crumbles at walmart for now. I find it's a little expensive 10.00 for 40 pounds.
I can get grain. The only thing is I have no clue what else they would need. I guess they sell the grain by the ton. I would have to makes a few trips....small pickup. I have never been on a farm and do not know how things run. Now if it was a lobster boat I could give lessons. Ok getting off subject. Thanks for helping me. This board is so nice to come to. There's a wealth of information here.

 

[chickeepoo]

Congratulations on your first egg! Looks like the first egg I got from my RIR's last summer… and it's edible. The color of their eggs has varied from pale pinkish tan to medium brown, even now one started laying paler eggs and some spotted ones. Their feed hasn't changed, just their free-range access curtailed.

 

[AngieChick]

When I say to put eggs in their nest, I mean fake ones (sorry, I should have been clearer). Either plastic ones filled with sand, wooden, ceramic ones, or even ping pong balls. The reason for the fake eggs is two fold, one to enourage them to lay where you want them to, the other reason is so that when they peck at the fake ones and hit something hard and impenetrable they learn to not bother pecking at the real ones.

As to your feeding questions, I would peruse the Feeding your Flock area of the forum, there are lots of people trying alternate feeding regimens. Good luck, and congrats again!

 

[lorihadams]

Some people use the enclosed plastic kitty litter boxes as nesting boxes...our eggs are all different colors and as long as they aren't rotten they are TASTY!

 

[sewchick]

I used one of the cat carriers yesterday. I put enough hay in it to be what I thought comfortable and this afternoon I found one egg. She lays one egg every other day. The cat carrier works perfect. Thanks for all your help on this thread.

The egg was a purple color today. It just looks so different. And the shell is real hard hard hard. Must be the oyster shells doing that. Maybe....

I let her out for a little this morning and she follows me like a dog. It's funny. I stop she stops. I run she runs. It's a sight seeing an old lady with a hen running after her.

I feel like Ma Kettle. I think I might look like her too!!!

My hair is almost as long as Ma Kettles and I sometimes wear it in a bun just to be funny. Around here not in town.

Maybe I should get one of those old house dresses my Grammy used to wear.

 

[Kansaseq]

May we see pictures of the purple egg? I use old milk crates with a wooden lip to keep the shavings in. My nest 'egg' is an old golf ball. I've even heard some people use egg shaped rocks (though I'd be afraid it might break the real eggs). Chickens are so wonderfully adaptable. You just gotta love 'em!

 

[kees]

Actually, that's a purty egg. Sure beats the regular white ones or the regular brown ones.

Suzy

 

[chickenlover50010]

That is really cool. It's like she is laying easter eggs that have already been died... please post a picture of the hen and her purple egg!!

 

[pcvbarry]

maybe the color is off on my computer, but that egg looks a glorious lavendar color. and it looks yummy!