STILL NO EGGS...

[frostic]

i know i just was clearifying what i have learned reading these forums <3

 

[CannedMonster]

Oh, one more question: since this was laid on the floor of the coop and not in the nesting boxes, should I put it in the nest and just leave it so they know where to lay?

NO don’t do that.
You don’t want curious birds pecking at it and breaking it and eating the contents. Then you have an egg eater on your hands.
Put fake eggs or golf balls in each nest.
This tells them it’s a safe place to lay without the possibility of a broken egg.
I try to collect eggs several times a day if I can.
Congratulations!

 

[Bettyboop7499]

NO don’t do that.
You don’t want curious birds pecking at it and breaking it and eating the contents. Then you have an egg eater on your hands.
Put fake eggs or golf balls in each nest.
This tells them it’s a safe place to lay without the possibility of a broken egg.
I try to collect eggs several times a day if I can.
Congratulations!

Thank you! If I'm this excited over a tiny egg I may just die when a Momma bird has her first chicks!

I knew that-I think I lost some oxygen during my excitement over the egg!

 

[cmom]

Hello BYC members,

I'm starting to panic and I don't know what to do! My hens are approximately 20wks old and I still haven't food one egg. I have five Barred Rocks, and two OEGBs, all but one OEGB have red combs and wattles, some apprear waxy some not so much, I'm not quite sure what their vents are suppose to look like other than moist and I think they are‍-is it completely obvious or do you have to KNOW what it looks like? I have not noticed any changes in the hens behaviors, like squatting. One of my OEGBs has recently started lifting her wings when I pick her up...My chickens will come to me but they don't like to be picked up. My little Silver Duckwing OEGB (the one that lifts her wings) is the only one that will let me pick her up. I do free range my chickens, they come to the coup around 9:30 in the evening and they are locked up until 6AM. They forge throughout the day and hang out in the trees for shade on these hot summer days. I've looked everywhere they hang out, I can see where they are laying down but have found no signs of eggs. Do I just need to be more patient or should I lock them up in the coop to see if they are laying? Thanks everyone!

I'm originally from Traverse City but have been in Florida most of my life. My brother is there. I see you are a relatively new member, welcome.

Do not worry and give the birds a little more time. Some won't lay until around 26 weeks. I had some heritage breeds that were around 30 weeks before they started laying. Good luck and have fun...

 

[cmom]

NO don’t do that.
You don’t want curious birds pecking at it and breaking it and eating the contents. Then you have an egg eater on your hands.
Put fake eggs or golf balls in each nest.
This tells them it’s a safe place to lay without the possibility of a broken egg.
I try to collect eggs several times a day if I can.
Congratulations!

I agree, if anything put either fake eggs or golf balls in the nest boxes if you're finding eggs other places than in the nest boxes. It's helped me. I do have a bird that absolutely won't lay an egg in the nest boxes but always lays in the same place on the floor of the coop.

 

[cmom]

I GOT MY FIRST EGG TODAY..LAID IN THE COOP! I'm so freaking excited! It wasn't in the nesting box but I'm okay with that! It is a small egg so I'm thinking it is from one of my OEGBs! If it is it's actually bigger than expected and if not then..beggers can't be choosers! And I'm just so grateful! It is odd I could go to the store and buy a dozen but this one little egg makes me so happy!

Usually the birds will layer smaller eggs when they start laying (pullet eggs) but they should get larger as they continue to lay.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Congrats on the egg! It looks about the same size that my black sex link is laying. She has had small eggs since she startes laying, with a few bigger ones here and there. The bigger ones have always been a double yolk so far. She has been laying for almost a month now, and still has small eggs, so I am guessing it can take awhile before the eggs start getting bigger

 

[frostic]

Congrats on the egg! It looks about the same size that my black sex link is laying. She has had small eggs since she startes laying, with a few bigger ones here and there. The bigger ones have always been a double yolk so far. She has been laying for almost a month now, and still has small eggs, so I am guessing it can take awhile before the eggs start getting bigger

double yolks? that has got to make one awesome egg sandwich?
hope i get some like that.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Congrats on your egg!!! I waited FOREVER on my Jersey Giants, they were a full 7 months which isn't unusual for JG. It still felt like an eternity though!

 

[Latestarter]

Some birds just don't "get it". I had several that throughout their lives, NEVER laid in the nest boxes. They always laid on the floor in the litter and then buried the eggs. They thought they were turtles I guess. Sometimes, if you stop getting the right amount of eggs, take a rake and turn over the floor litter. You might strike "gold". Just rake carefully. Congrats on your first (of many more to follow!).