Our First Egg!

[Malfean]

This morning, I noticed that my chickens were behaving a little strange. I recently put a chicken door in the coop and they like to come out around 6.30am. However this morning, I saw that about half of them were out, but they were all looking into the coop through the door. Like they were watching something. Later, my son went out to get our fan from the coop that I needed and he comes running back with an egg in his hands.

although we don't know which lady decided to give this lovely treat (there are at least 8 of my 20 displaying mature behavior), my question to everyone is what should I expect now that one of the chickens has done this? Can I expect others to follow suit? Because I let them out into my yard to free range should I start monitoring them to see if they start laying eggs around the yard too?

Any thoughts, opinions, or advice will be gratefully received!

 

[RebelEgger]

I cab't answer your question but congrats to you and your mystery egg laying lady! First egg is super exciting, I'm still waiting on mine.
Are you sure this is the first though? Is there anyways they could be laying already since they free range?

 

[AppleMomma65]

That's awesome - congrats! If your chickens are "tame" - see if they will squat when you hover over them with your hand. This is something that I noticed would happen within a few days of them wanting to lay. The other thing you can do is to check the space between their bones on either side of their vent. If space to put two fingers wide, then should lay soon. I think chickens are different in their laying cycles based on their breed (versus how women tend to be on cycle with other women). With that said, mine all started a wee bit earlier than what's generally noted for their breeds. (My chickens are very spoiled and I equate that with being happy, and I equate being happy with why I got eggs early. Not sure if that's true but it's what I think.)
I would definitely monitor egg laying in the yard - listen for the egg song. I had a couple start laying in the mulch piles and had to sequestered the girls in their coop/run for a few days to get them to know where to go. How fun!!

 

[Malfean]

About 6 of them are doing the whole squat with the hand on the back gently.

 

[Malfean]

I cab't answer your question but congrats to you and your mystery egg laying lady! First egg is super exciting, I'm still waiting on mine.
Are you sure this is the first though? Is there anyways they could be laying already since they free range?

Ha! With my three kids constantly around them, watching them and caring for them... not to mention walking around the yard when we let them out of the run? I’d be shocked.

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

Wow that's exciting!