New Hampshire!!

[Chicken Techie]

Great news today, our NH Reds actually laid 2 eggs today (we have 12) and they are only 15 weeks old!!!!! i didn't have the nesting boxes open to them because i was told to expect eggs after 20 weeks. so i was out in the passing rain tonight putting in the dividers and cutting some holes for them to access the boxes and adding hay, i really hope they take to laying in the boxes... time will tell and welcome to my wife who joined the forum today Rekkas Peeps

 

[memechick]

Great news today, our NH Reds actually laid 2 eggs today (we have 12) and they are only 15 weeks old!!!!! i didn't have the nesting boxes open to them because i was told to expect eggs after 20 weeks. so i was out in the passing rain tonight putting in the dividers and cutting some holes for them to access the boxes and adding hay, i really hope they take to laying in the boxes... time will tell and welcome to my wife who joined the forum today Rekkas Peeps

15 Weeks! wow. I was told the same thing ......... not to expect eggs till after 20 weeks. Mine are 14 weeks ......... now I'm getting excited. My family is circling dates on the calendar of when they "think" the first egg will appear. I was thinking September.... that will make them 22 weeks old.

 

[memechick]

Im in Goffstown !
Chicken Techie and I are the proud parents of pur flock-o-fun!! lol!!!

Welcome rekkas peeps!! I'm from Concord. I have 6 girls ...... I call them my "yard ladies". LOL. Ruby, Inca, Tinkerbelle, Bonnie, Maggie Mae, Daisy

 

[Chicken Techie]

15 Weeks! wow. I was told the same thing ......... not to expect eggs till after 20 weeks. Mine are 14 weeks ......... now I'm getting excited. My family is circling dates on the calendar of when they "think" the first egg will appear. I was thinking September.... that will make them 22 weeks old.

I went to blue seal feeds and spoke with someone there (not sure if its ok to say her name, so i won't) that runs the chicken classes in NH and she is very knowledgeable and i told her what happened. she said those are pullet eggs and have a good chance of being double yolks inside, they are small eggs so far as to be expected since our girls are not fully grown yet but she too was surprised at how soon they started to lay. so she advised that i switch the flock to layer pellets right away (so i did) and that you do not have to mix the two foods together like when you change a dogs food, you can just swap it out and they will be fine. on a good note I did get another egg today which was laid as i was standing there but i didn't see it come out per say, just that there was no egg there and then one of my hens was there for a minute or two then she walked away and there was an egg! but it is so exciting when you get your first eggs because its like a payoff for all the hard work you put in for the months prior. granted a couple of my hens are very early, but i don't see why you wouldn't get your eggs before the 20 week mark if they are NH reds. good luck with your yard ladies!

 

[rekkas peeps]

Welcome rekkas peeps!! I'm from Concord. I have 6 girls ...... I call them my "yard ladies". LOL. Ruby, Inca, Tinkerbelle, Bonnie, Maggie Mae, Daisy

LOL!! thats what we call them too!!!!! Isis Devilfire, Jasmine, Alpha, Davida, Dundaroo, Penny, Sunshine, Loki, Mistress Featherhead (yes I know), Lyla, Dallas Heavenkiss, Black Velvet and of course our beloved roo shadow! thats the man of the yard unless you count the Buck we also have on the property!

 

[memechick]

I went to blue seal feeds and spoke with someone there (not sure if its ok to say her name, so i won't) that runs the chicken classes in NH and she is very knowledgeable and i told her what happened. she said those are pullet eggs and have a good chance of being double yolks inside, they are small eggs so far as to be expected since our girls are not fully grown yet but she too was surprised at how soon they started to lay. so she advised that i switch the flock to layer pellets right away (so i did) and that you do not have to mix the two foods together like when you change a dogs food, you can just swap it out and they will be fine. on a good note I did get another egg today which was laid as i was standing there but i didn't see it come out per say, just that there was no egg there and then one of my hens was there for a minute or two then she walked away and there was an egg! but it is so exciting when you get your first eggs because its like a payoff for all the hard work you put in for the months prior. granted a couple of my hens are very early, but i don't see why you wouldn't get your eggs before the 20 week mark if they are NH reds. good luck with your yard ladies!

Did they use their nest boxes? Or did you find the eggs on the ground? I'm just wondering if they instinctively know to use the nest boxes or will I have to train them to use them. I have the following:
1 Rhode Island Red
1 Buff Orpington
1 Black Australorp
1 Barred Rock
2 Cochin X's 1/2 Cochin 1/2 EE

 

[deezle157]

Thank you for the advice. I have them in their area now in a secured boxed that the pullets can't get to them, but they can see them.

 

[vnsseed]

I went to blue seal feeds and spoke with someone there (not sure if its ok to say her name, so i won't) that runs the chicken classes in NH and she is very knowledgeable and i told her what happened. she said those are pullet eggs and have a good chance of being double yolks inside, they are small eggs so far as to be expected since our girls are not fully grown yet but she too was surprised at how soon they started to lay. so she advised that i switch the flock to layer pellets right away (so i did) and that you do not have to mix the two foods together like when you change a dogs food, you can just swap it out and they will be fine. on a good note I did get another egg today which was laid as i was standing there but i didn't see it come out per say, just that there was no egg there and then one of my hens was there for a minute or two then she walked away and there was an egg! but it is so exciting when you get your first eggs because its like a payoff for all the hard work you put in for the months prior. granted a couple of my hens are very early, but i don't see why you wouldn't get your eggs before the 20 week mark if they are NH reds. good luck with your yard ladies!

That is really early, even for pullet eggs. If these are hatchery birds anything is possible I suppose, they are typically bred for production and will only lay for 2, maybe 3, years. Just a note.... If you are switching pellets to pellets, typically it is ok to just switch...however if you are switching from mash to pellets you really should mix pellets with the mash as it can cause intestinal problems if you don't.

 

[vnsseed]

Did they use their nest boxes? Or did you find the eggs on the ground? I'm just wondering if they instinctively know to use the nest boxes or will I have to train them to use them. I have the following:
1 Rhode Island Red
1 Buff Orpington
1 Black Australorp
1 Barred Rock
2 Cochin X's 1/2 Cochin 1/2 EE

I have found if you give them nesting boxes, they will use them... others experience may vary by breed.

 

[chicken pickin]

My chickens so far lay in the nest boxes with out training. I have 12 chickens and 6 are laying we did find 2 in the run and 1 on the coop floor but now all 6 know where to go and all 6 lay in the nest boxes and im hopefully the others will learn by watching the already laying chickens. I think most chickens instinctivly know to find a dark private place to lay so as long as nest boxes are provided they should use them. But do look on the ground in the run and the floor of the coop even poop boards under the roost(ive heard people find them there to sometimes) as they may accidentally lay outside a box at first.