what clues are there to know when a chicken is going to start laying eggs

[SixChickFlock]

Ahhh... I have golf balls in the nests, but oyster shell. At what point should I begin offering that? Time for a trip to the feed store.

 

[jtn42248]

Ahhh... I have golf balls in the nests, but oyster shell. At what point should I begin offering that? Time for a trip to the feed store.

Oyster shell at the point that they indicate they might be ready to lay eggs. Just put it out free feed and they will eat what they need. Chickens are very smart that way. You can save money by crushing egg shells and adding it to their food. Both will provide the extra calcium they need to make the shells of their eggs strong.

 

[Faraday40]

Each hen lays at their own time. Mine took 25-28 weeks to start laying. The first egg came in January during the severe Polar Vortex. All were laying by the end of Feb. Sadly my first few eggs were frozen, cracked, & covered with poo below the roost. A golf ball in each next box helped.

We took all kinds of photos of those first eggs & the hens who made them. The best experiment was a side by side comparison of our first edible egg vs. a store egg. We looked at the shell quality, raw yolk & albumen color, bulls-eye egg spot, & of course taste. Each family member got a small bite of each. We'll never eat bland eggs again.

My spoiled family now requests whose eggs they want to eat. We pencil label each egg with the date laid & name abbreviation of the hen. Our neighbors, friends, & family get a real kick of knowing whose eggs went into their meal.

 

[Randy T]

One of our RR first egg at 17wks. She was acting different yesterday...wasn't hanging out with the other girls. She kept getting into boxes, my trailer and then the rafters in the barn. Finally we put her back in the coop for awhile but she wanted out. So we put our portable nesting box inside of another box and within a few minutes she let out this loud BOCK BOCKKK!!!! And then plop...her first (tiny) egg.

 

[Melnurse]

Houston, we have landed an egg!! Woohoo - I know, so lame, eh? We've never raised chickens before and we only have 4, but those four are our "girls" and the buff Orpington was singing and squatting and scratching in the nest boxes yesterday and today - viola!!

 

[subhanalah]

Houston, we have landed an egg!! Woohoo - I know, so lame, eh? We've never raised chickens before and we only have 4, but those four are our "girls" and the buff Orpington was singing and squatting and scratching in the nest boxes yesterday and today - viola!!

congratulations!

 

[docrobin]

Houston, we have landed an egg!! Woohoo - I know, so lame, eh? We've never raised chickens before and we only have 4, but those four are our "girls" and the buff Orpington was singing and squatting and scratching in the nest boxes yesterday and today - viola!!

mazeltov!

 

[docrobin]

One of our RR first egg at 17wks. She was acting different yesterday...wasn't hanging out with the other girls. She kept getting into boxes, my trailer and then the rafters in the barn. Finally we put her back in the coop for awhile but she wanted out. So we put our portable nesting box inside of another box and within a few minutes she let out this loud BOCK BOCKKK!!!! And then plop...her first (tiny) egg.

 

[jennyg]

how old

 

[Randy T]

how old 

17 weeks...we're new to chickens and the way I understand it, they usually are around 20 weeks before they start laying. I'm guessing that's why the egg is so small.