We have a new Mom! Our first EGG ever!!! (But which hen?)

[Agronauts]

Please excuse my over the top enthusiasm, but here's our very first egg ever! This is so exciting! One of our hens laid it in their pen this morning sometime between 6-ish and 10:30. I already learned about **not** washing eggs, but can I lightly brush off the grass? And I should store it in an airtight container right? Not sure about refrigeration though.

Also, we have five hens and don't know which one it was. Four are about 5 1/2 to 6 months old; they are a Barred Rock, a Rhode Island Red, a Cinnamon Queen and an Amberlink. The fifth is a little younger - between 5 and 5 1/2 months and smaller. She was given to us and is an orphan from a stray dog attack and we don't know what kind she is. Anyway, of the four known breeds, is one of them more likely, based on how fast/slow they mature, to have laid this egg? A picture is attached and the egg weighs 1.6 oz. I'd like to give her an extra blueberry!

This is so exciting!
Thanks for such huge volume of helpful information here!

 

[sourland]

My guess would be that the Cinnamon Queen or Amberlink is your layer.

 

[nuthatched]

Ditto, though, she's not really a mom, just started ovulation.

 

[SilverBirds]

X3 CQ or Amber.

A lot of people (including myself) don't wash eggs unless they are very dirty or they are selling them. It keeps the eggs fresher for longer. You can easily use a dry cloth to wipe away any dirt. As far as storing eggs, I keep my eggs in a carton in the fridge. Others prefer to store them on the counter. The container does not have to be airtight.

If you do wash eggs then they have to be refrigerated.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Are you going to eat it right away? It's ok to wash it if you don't plan to store the egg on the counter.

Not quite a mom, if the egg is not fertilized. its essentially like when a human menstruates, but with no uterine lining since they don't have a uterus.
So more like, she's blossoming into womanhood

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Also congratulations! I love finding that first egg. I think it's one of the best feelings of chicken keeping, maybe third best. First is bonding with the chicks. Second is watching them hatch l. I agree it's probably one of your two production hens, the amberlink or the cinnamon queen.

 

[Agronauts]

My guess would be that the Cinnamon Queen or Amberlink is your layer.

Thank you! I rather thought the Amberlink - she's quite a bit larger than the others - I don't know if that's a breed thing or if she's older than the others.

 

[Agronauts]

Ditto, though, she's not really a mom, just started ovulation.

Point taken!

 

[Agronauts]

X3 CQ or Amber.

A lot of people (including myself) don't wash eggs unless they are very dirty or they are selling them. It keeps the eggs fresher for longer. You can easily use a dry cloth to wipe away any dirt. As far as storing eggs, I keep my eggs in a carton in the fridge. Others prefer to store them on the counter. The container does not have to be airtight.

If you do wash eggs then they have to be refrigerated.

Thanks! With 3 egg lovers and only 5 hens, the refrigeration issue won't come up for a yet - probably have to supplement the fresh egg supply with grocery store eggs a little while longer.

 

[Agronauts]

Also congratulations! I love finding that first egg. I think it's one of the best feelings of chicken keeping, maybe third best. First is bonding with the chicks. Second is watching them hatch l. I agree it's probably one of your two production hens, the amberlink or the cinnamon queen.

Thank you! I think we'll have to cook it right away and split it 3 ways. I've never eaten an egg before that's this fresh!