Surprise for me!!! Went to fill water and found two eggs!!

[Shellyb]

I have 6 17 weekers and 3 14 weekers. I wasn't expecting anything until September really and haven't taken down the wood covering their nesting boxes as I didn't want them to use them for sleeping. Well, I had two perfect brown eggs for me to find today near their water container. YEAH, I feel like a kid again hunting for eggs on easter. I must be because I ended up dropping one by accident, lol. I finished cracking that one open and it's a double yolker! The other one was smaller in size but perfect just the same. Anyway, now I have some questions since I thought I'd have more time to research before they started.

1. What should I put in the nesting boxes? Straw, shavings, padding at the bottom?

2. How long are the eggs good for? Refridgerate or leave out? I have no idea how to tell if eggs are good or not without an expiration date, lol. I know that your not sopposed to wash them so I won't do that.

3. Do I NEED to feed oyster shell now? I'll be buying and mixing in layer feed into their regular food. That shouldn't bother the younger ones should it?

Thank you in advance.

 

[deidreschultz]

I put hay in my nest boxes to start off with and they didn't use them. i changed it to shavings and they've used the boxes ever since. i would gradually change them to layer feed, and i offer the oyster shell in a seperate feeder for them. their eggs have nice thick shells. the very 1st egg had a very thin shell. we started changing over to the layer feed and gave them oyster shell the same day she laid the egg. she skipped a day laid the 2nd egg and the shell was fine. i refrigerate my eggs, but have seen posts that say they leave theirs out on the counter. they will last along time in fridg. congrats on your eggs.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I had hay in mine to start, then switched to shavings. They like the shavings.

I put mine in the fridge. I'm not sure how long they last, but mine don't stick around long enough to worry. (Had french toast and eggs last night for dinner)

I would give them oyster shell now.

Congrats on your 1st egg!!!!!!