My first eggs! And I have a question...

[Country Gal]

Well, it finally happened! On Friday I came home to find my first egg!!! I was so excited, I put it in the fridge and must have checked on it at least 5 times during the evening to make sure I didn't imagine it!!!

I got an egg on Friday, one on Saturday, and one this morning (Sunday). I know it was one of my buff orpingtons that laid the egg this morning. I caught her in the act in the nest box, and she bit me when I tried to get it from her!

Here's my question, when I put today's egg next to Friday's egg (I've already given Saturday's egg away), they are different shades of brown. Do I actually have 2 hens laying? Or will the shade of the egg vary on a daily basis?

Thanks!

 

[ncgnance]

Congratulations, Country Girl, I'm still thrilled with every egg I get. I have 6 Buff Orphingtons and one Barred Rock. Only 4 of the Buffs lay, so I'm thinking stewing hens for Thanksgiving. All 4 hens lay different looking eggs, some lighter, some change shades. My little BR lays beautiful big dark brown eggs. I want more BRs.

 

[bigzio]

Yep, all your hens will lay their own distinct eggs, color and shape are ways to recognize who layed what. It really takes a matter of coincidence by catching hens on their eggs to determine who lays what. After a while of trying to learn who lays what, you will know which hen layed this egg, making lots of fun in collecting eggs.

bigzio

 

[speckledhen]

I spend alot of time following new layers around to catch them in the act so I can get to know their "style". Of my original flock, I can tell you with pretty good accuracy who laid what. I also have one BR who lays a nice dark egg and now that she, along with my original girls, are going on two years old now, they are getting to be JUMBOs.

 

[Country Gal]

Hmmm, so I should assume that I have two girls laying? How exciting!!! I can't wait to get home from work today!

How long does it take for them to start laying "regular size" eggs instead of the pullet eggs?

Thanks!

 

[Davaroo]

Each chicken lays a different egg, as has been mentioned. And, if it matters to you which lays which egg, you are indeed forced to wander around following them until one of them lays for you. Trouble is, they usually do it in the AM, which can prove to be a burden for those who work during the days or have other committments.
Also they dont always do things on schedule all the time, so it is easy to miss.

If you only have a few chickens these might not be real bothers. Frankly, I never really cared much who laid what when I only had, say, five hens. My only concern was to collect the eggs quickly before they sat too long in the summer heat or winter cold. But if you have more than a few girls, it surely will become more trouble. Too, imagine if you are trying to improve your flock's laying abilities as a whole. Then you MUST know which hens lay best over time, so you can cull the ones that do not.

There is an old fashioned way to accomplish this with only some planning.

Has anyone ever heard of trapnesting? Wanna know for sure what chicken is laying what egg(s)? Use a trapnest. Good commercial ones can be had and anyone handy with a few simple tools can build one from a single 1x12" plank.

The whole concept of trapnesting is segregation; you separate the ones that lay by their very act of laying.
The downside is that you have to either let them out once they have laid or use a resetting trap that lets them leave the nest into a separate pen.

But when you must absolutely know which is laying and which is not, the trapnest has no equal. The hens natural tendency to lay will fit her into the plan. That's the nice things about them - chickens are simple. All that is required of you is that you committ to making the program work.

 

[Country Gal]

Thanks for the info Elderoo! The trapnesting is good info to know... especially once I get the kids into 4H and they start entering egg laying contests, etc.

I'm not overly concerned at this point who is laying which eggs, just very excited that they are laying - especially if there is more than one laying!

 

[Country Gal]

It's official! I have 2 hens laying... I got home yesterday to (2) eggs in the nest boxes, one was the same shade as Friday's egg and the other was the same shade as all the others I've been getting.

Too exciting!

 

[horsewishr]

How fun! As of yesterday, I have 2 laying too. I know that hen #2 is my Barred Rock, because I saw her in the nest. Her egg was long and narrow. Mystery hen #1 lays an almost round egg. I'm going to try to catch her in the act today!!! I feel like a sleuth

 

[Country Gal]

Good luck on your sleuthing!

I know that one of my layers is a buff orpington. Still in the dark about the other. Maybe I'll catch her in the act this weekend...

Now I just need the other 11 hens to follow suit...