What is going on???

[rehsanipoor]

I have 6 girls all approx. 17 wks. The other day we found a very small egg in the middle of the run. We don't know who laid it but suspect one of the girls with the biggest comb/wattle. So I figured I should start getting the nesting boxes ready. Put clean bedding into them and two dummy eggs.

Today I see one of the girls is acting funny. She broke out of the run on her own (she usually sticks with the flock). Then later when I went to put some ice out I couldn't find her. After some searching I found her in the nesting box sitting on the dummy egg and panting heavily. She left for a little big but headed back again and moved both dummy eggs into one box and is now sitting on them.

She keeps going back and forth and just had the loudest clucking for about 2 mins. I've ever heard.

I'm sure this all related to egg laying. Any thoughts?? Should I take the dummy eggs out?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nope. Leave her be. I'm pretty sure it's very uncomfortable to many pullets to lay their eggs. I've watched mature hens pant, and make little squealing noises when trying to get an egg out, and they are all mature and stretched out. Imagine trying to pass something the size of your head. Hens are pretty much giving birth with each egg. It's gotta hurt.

Do keep an eye out for her getting it done. I watch one hen take about 2 days to finally lay that first egg. She finally did it thankfully.

 

[rehsanipoor]

Just came home from kid's carpool and there was our first egg!!! Hooray! It's tiny. Is it still edible?

 

[Chickassan]

Yep, enjoy.

Just came home from kid's carpool and there was our first egg!!! Hooray! It's tiny. Is it still edible?

 

[Birdsong 82]

My BJG was a spastic mess the day she layed her first egg. Panting moving from one set of boxes to another. Squawking at chickens in other boxes Never seen one act that crazy before. Guess it is weird new ( painful) experience for them. Always tiny at first.. kinda cute I think. They’ll get bigger over the next few weeks Someone asked once what to do with fairy eggs. Eat 4 instead of 2.
Congrats!

 

[aart]

New layers can be quite goofy acting, they don't know what they are doing at first and can be confused and anxious, it can take up to a month or so before they get it all figured out.