Ok really! WHO IS SICK OF IT?! ~UPDATED!~

[stubbornhill]

I am publicly apologizing to my hens. I made a comment in my previoius post that we "got one little egg" the other day. Only after I had to go and BUY eggs from the grocery store, did I compare. My "little egg" is actually what the grocer considers "large". Apparently, I have become so spoiled with JUMBO eggs, that I forgot what normal large eggs look like.

Still, it's only one egg in two weeks. But I go apologize to my hens. I am sorry girls!

 

[ALVIEMAN]

SO SORRY TO HEAR THAT. I KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO WAIT.

THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR WITH THE GIRLS, BUT I MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. THEY STARTED AT ABOUT FIVE MONTHS, IN AUG. AND I HAVE FIVE GIRLS. I GET ALWAY BETWEEN 3 TO FIVE EGGS PER DAY!!! SO SOMEBODY IS DOING REALLY REALLY GOOD. MAYBE CAUSE I ASK THEM IF ANYONE HAS LEFT ME PRESENTS, AND THANK THEM WHEN THEY DO

HANG IN THERE, WHEN IT HAPPENS, YOU'LL BE SOOO HAPPY, EXCITED, PROUD AND HUNGER SATISFIED!!!!

 

[henryhoe]

over 27 weeks old, 1 light sussex and 4 rir's and only 2 squatting and of course NO eggs!!!

 

[RedDrgn]

Quote:
Had to laugh when I read this! My co-workers are fascinated by the whole thing. They were like a bunch of happy grannies when I stopped by my work the day I picked the chicks up. They want to know all the latest. One even brings a bag of stuff in once in a while...heels of bread, tomato cores, eye of newt, and wing of bat. LOL. When I told them about the first egg they were all SOOO excited! Now they ask, "how many today?"... and I think I'm seeing a little drool-age.

Aren't you glad they are interested in your hobby? But, seriously, it is SO hard to wait for that first egg!

It's bittersweet, really.

One of the "interested" co-workers is truly interested in the entire experience. She periodically asks if I have new pictures of the girls, how big are they, how they're doing, whether the previous night's storm bothered them, etc. She even came over to visit them once!

The other two are more grating/irritating, because they're only interested in the eggs. When I remind them that it won't be until next month (at the earliest), they're wont to make comments about how "if they don't start laying soon, it's time for some chicken soup/bbq/roast/sandwich/etc." or "why does it take so long?!" or my absolute favorite routine that we've been through so many times now (heavy sarcasm):

"Once they start laying, how many will they lay?"
"Well, at their peak and if all are well, I'm guessing we'll probably get 15-20/week or so."
"That's ALL?!?! But you have 5 chickens! They should lay more than that!"
"We mostly picked heritage breeds and they don't lay as many, but should lay longer than production birds. We're in it more for the experience, not for a mess of eggs we'll never be able to use ourselves or for money."
"When are you going to eat them?"

 

[Marcymom3]

RedDrgn, I am so sorry you have to deal with people like this. My granny used to call it "stealing your thunder." I have never been able to figure out why they can't just enjoy others pleasure.

Someone on here reminded us just this week that our chickens aren't vending machines. They start laying when their bodies are ready, and lay as many as their little bodies will lay. Don't let them get under your skin. You can't do anything about fools, but how about telling them you'll save all the rotten eggs for them. (Hahah...you probably will never get one!)

Hope all your girls start laying tomorrow!

 

[roosterT]

Get a good looking rooster to encourage them

.

 

[Prisserbabe]

Quote:

i wish! i am not allowed in my area

 

[RedDrgn]

Quote:
I do my best to ignore them and extricate myself from the conversations when they occur...before they do get too far under my skin and I say what I'm really thinking.

I like the rotten egg idea!

Yep, they'll lay when they're good and ready to and not a moment before. That's fine with me, and even if they never produce a rotten egg, I'm sure they'll make a few oddballs now and again. I can always bring those in as offerings to those currently irritating me.

 

[sulco]

Quote:
The thing that slays me is people thinking just because they ask for free eggs, that they will get them. Not sure they fully understand what it takes physically/monetarily to maintain a flock. Now, if they're willing to give my ladies some scrap to offset the feed costs, well then I can see it in my heart to maybe knock the price down.


*grumble grumble*

 

[BooBear]

Quote:
I'd feel weird checking (my poor girls would probably think I've lost my mind, lol)! But is the same true for Bantams? How big should they be?

The pelvic bones coincide with the vent getting bigger as they spread out to allow easy passage. So a big bottom girl with a moist vent is laying.