Somebody laid an egg!

[HotLips]

I have some chicken youngsters that hatched out in April that all hang out together. One batch has 11 hatched April 1st. The second batch hatched 7 April 8th. So the oldest are currently 11 weeks old. This morning I found an egg in the corner of their run! These are buff orpingtons and crosses with buff orpington roo and blue plymouth tint hens...and I have 1 Asian black hen. I'm thinking the blues started laying earlier than the buffs did (bought around the same time). So it's most likely a blue cross that laid the egg. But 11 weeks is awefully young! I was looking for 15 to 22 weeks. Surprise!!! Maybe this is where the April fools comes in.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I have some chicken youngsters that hatched out in April that all hang out together. One batch has 11 hatched April 1st. The second batch hatched 7 April 8th. So the oldest are currently 11 weeks old. This morning I found an egg in the corner of their run! These are buff orpingtons and crosses with buff orpington roo and blue plymouth tint hens...and I have 1 Asian black hen. I'm thinking the blues started laying earlier than the buffs did (bought around the same time). So it's most likely a blue cross that laid the egg. But 11 weeks is awefully young! I was looking for 15 to 22 weeks. Surprise!!! Maybe this is where the April fools comes in.

Did you hatch them yourself, or did you buy chicks?

(The first you’re sure of the age; the second, who knows?)

I was surprised when mine started laying earlier than expected (Easter Egger at 19 1/2 weeks), but 11 weeks?? That’s crazy!

Have any of them suddenly sprouted combs and wattles, and are they bright red? Do any of them squat for you? (Doesn’t always happen, but a great signal if they do.)

 

[HotLips]

The parents I bought but have been hatching my own the last couple of years. My broody hens raise them until they feather out. So yes, April 1st is when the first eggs hatched this year. I mark my calendar. I had 3 clutches this year and they all hatched in April about 8 days apart. I've had girls start laying earlier than expected before but 11 weeks old...she's still a baby!
I was reading up on the methods of telling who is laying and who is not yesterday. I had no idea you could tell. I'm going to try out checking pelvic bones (seems to be most accurate).