What time do chickens lay eggs??

[DarleneE]

katekearby,
Sounds great..You're going to have quite a nice flock! Best wishes!

 

[katekearby]

katekearby,
Sounds great..You're going to have quite a nice flock! Best wishes!

I will I think, expanding the play yard tomorrow, just day dreaming of the first EGG!

 

[DarleneE]

I KNOW just how excited you are cause I was TOO!! My baby is doing just perfect.. I mean by the book and I can't be more proud!! You really SHOULD have eggs any day now??!! Are your hens squatting?? THAT was the first thing Daisy did, and about a week later..bingo!! So watch for that squatting!! Good luck to you!!!!

Here's a pic of Daisy's first egg!! Isn't it beautiful??!! Heeeeheeeee

 

[katekearby]

That is beautiful and a big baby egg! Yes I think I have seen some squatting, and some singing, and some '''' thinking about it, I think .

 

[DarleneE]

Then she's ready!! Yippeeee
Though mine is very quiet!! NO singing at ALL?? She only does a little clucking!! Lol

 

[bruceha2000]

after reading this I may be more confused. So if the hanging feeder of laying ration with grit and oyster shell has food in it all the time, and I usually give them 'snacks' later in the day, Am I do it all wrong?

If you are so am I

My girls have had food 24x7 since day one 2 years ago. But do you have grit and oyster shell mixed IN the food? If so, I would suggest you separate them. One container for grit, one for oyster shell. You don't want them hunting through the food looking for grit or oyster shell when they decide they need that 'now'.

Because they are chickens and live on chicken time. Ever seen one wearing a watch? Not to mention when they first start to lay they will leave eggs wherever they are at at that moment. So don't just check your nest boxes

Yes! My first egg was found by the frost free water spigot where I placed their waterer. That girl used the nest from then on, as did all the girls that started later. Maybe they got the hint, maybe the girls had a chat "So it was like this REALLY big poop and there I was by the water and it just came out!"

Thanks, it is a small play yard protected outside of the coop, and I've read the stories of 'egg farts' so I look everywhere . I've seen the 2 'squatting' I think one has been working on the song, but nothing for the kitchen yet. I have a couple more 'started pullets' coming and I'm hoping that doesn't totally mess up the progress at this point? Maybe they'll be jealous and start laying because?

If she is squatting, the first egg will be soon!!

I've gotten a couple of fart eggs but they were NOT the first from the chicken that laid them. All the girls started with smaller eggs than they average now but even the smallest (from the Cubalayas which are small birds anyway) were substantially larger than a fart egg. A fart egg looks more like something you would find in a song bird nest.

She's the only one. I only have two gals. She's my Barred Rock. I also have an Easter Egger. They were hatched together and are inseparable. I'm hoping that when Olivia, my EE starts laying.. that SHE will follow Daisy by example. I'd be one lucky chicken mama if she does right? Lol lol I'm just truly blessed.. I was SO worried how it would all turn out, and it was all in vain because she's done perfectly!!

For all we worry, chicks instinctively know what to do! I am sure that first "what the heck size poop am I generating" must have been a bit confusing though.

I didn't know it was called "squatting" until I read this thread. Lol. I have two hens that squat when I reach them.
1 white leghorn and 1 EE. They look so funny/cute when they do that.
The other 6 RiRs don't squat. In fact, one RiR goes "Hey hey! Don't touch me *peck*"

The RIRs aren't ready then

None of my birds are "hey come pick me up and carry me around" but once they got close to laying, the squat was really obvious. They look like someone dropped a heavy object on them!

Then she's ready!! Yippeeee
Though mine is very quiet!! NO singing at ALL?? She only does a little clucking!! Lol

I have some that sing, some that are a bit TOO proud and WON'T SHUT UP for the longest time which gets all the other birds in a tizzy and then they are ALL noisy, some that sing for others and some that walk out of the nest as quiet and matter of fact as can be.

 

[DarleneE]

My Barred Rock is STILL squatting AFTER she began laying..I heard that means she's being submissive to me?? COOL!! Yippeeee my Easter Egger has started squatting now TOO.. should have more eggs soon!! I'm SO proud of my girls!!

 

[DarleneE]

I will I think, expanding the play yard tomorrow, just day dreaming of the first EGG!  

 

[DarleneE]

That first egg is WAY COOL when you get it!! Best of luck!!

 

[katekearby]

That first egg is WAY COOL when you get it!! Best of luck!!

So Thursday as I was working on that play yard I got a call from the post office the 3 EEs were there. Slap up the fence and go get the hens. Weird thing now is One of the EEs, her 3 days is showing more sign of laying. And I'm betting she'll have a green egg. Getting the bunch happy integrated is a bit tricky.