Stray chicken. She's a beauty! Need opinions.

[miquwid]

I found an egg in my coop today!! Had to have come from Gretel. It's hard to judge size on this pic but the egg is on the smaller size. I'm tickled to death! So cool! haha

awww that is so cool, I'm so happy for you I love that you have this beautiful chicken who wandered into your life and now that she is settled she laid her first egg for you!!!!!!!!

 

[DixieChicken78]

Yeah I think that's a good sign right? I'm glad she feels comfy enough here to lay for me. I'm already having daydreams of chicks from her when my roos are old enough. lol

 

[miquwid]

Yeah that's a great sign, just if you can when she is more handlable check her vents just to make sure all is well.

 

[DixieChicken78]

Ok get this. My fiance went to let the chickens out of the coop this morning. Gretel is still going to roost in the woods so she doesn't get shut up in the coop at night. There was another egg inside!! My dad advised putting the first egg back so that she'd want to come back and lay again. Gretel didn't go back into the coop after that. I have 6 red stars who are about 9 weeks old. I have 3 barred rocks that I would guess are around 12 weeks. I didn't get them as chicks, but when I bought them they still had down feathers on their necks so I don't think they could have been more than a few weeks older than my others. My mind is blown.

 

[miquwid]

Well Gretel is your girl and she has her home now so that is where she lays, it's safe and she is happy!

 

[DixieChicken78]

Three more eggs since this morning. Is that even possible for one chicken? lol

 

[rookiehen]

Is someone playing a joke on you? I read that it takes a hen 23 hrs to lay an egg. My guess is your 12 WK olds are older than you thought. I have 8 WK olds that still have some down on their necks...

 

[miquwid]

I don't know I've heard of twice a day but wow that's a lot maybe she is making up for lost time from not being with you earlier.

 

[rookiefarmers]

My babies are not laying yet but don't barred rocks and red stars lay brown eggs? What color is the egg!?!?

 

[DixieChicken78]

Yeah I'm thinking it's that they were older than I thought, but I'm going to keep a check on them and make sure they don't prolapse. I've read that's a risk when they start laying young.

The eggs are on the small side and white. Smooth and pretty, no ridges or bumps.