Who else is waiting for that first egg?

[junebuggena]

Examples of egg song.
Squatting is when a pullet drops down on her belly suddenly. It's a submissive behavior indicating that the pullet is reaching maturity.

 

[DigMyChicks]

I have one that has laid 12 out of 14 days and another that lays about every other. I have 2 more laying but one is a shell less egg and the other is a thin shelled egg...

I got my first egg yesterday afternoon! I was super excited, even jumping up and down. my daughter who is 11 thought I was crazy...I have 21 hens and they are either 22 weeks old and  20 week old hens. Can anyone tell me how long after the first egg will she lay again?

 

[Rhapsody1]

We have two of the 9 hens that have been squatting and acting very mature in the last week. Went out tonight and their was one little light brown egg. Funny how exciting it all is!

 

[tj74roberts]

I have 6 (3 Easter Eggers, 1 Rhode Island Red, 1 Barred Plymouth Rock and 1 Australorp) that are squatting and singing, but no eggs yet. Can't wait to see what color eggs my EE's lay.

 

[katyevans]

I'm glad for the links. When everyone says egg song I had no idea what they meant. Now I know, thanks!

 

[Papachook]

Whoopee! Got my first egg today. My cuckoo marans are 19 weeks old today. The egg was small but beautiful. All 8 of my hens are named after Bond Girls and I think the first to lay was probably Kissy Suzuki. She has the most developed comb and wattle and has been squatting and letting me pick her up. A store bought large egg is on the right for comparison.

 

[microchick]

I ran into the grocery store to pick up a few things this morning. Man did it feel good to walk by that egg cooler without stopping to pick up my usual carton of 18. So far we have gotten 6 eggs over the past 4 days. I think we have two hens laying as of today with three more Buff O's waiting in the wings and two Welsummers that should be starting any time now. No problem with them being small at this point. DH and I are the only ones eating eggs so they will work well for us.

 

[WVduckchick]

I ran into the grocery store to pick up a few things this morning. Man did it feel good to walk by that egg cooler without stopping to pick up my usual carton of 18. So far we have gotten 6 eggs over the past 4 days. I think we have two hens laying as of today with three more Buff O's waiting in the wings and two Welsummers that should be starting any time now. No problem with them being small at this point. DH and I are the only ones eating eggs so they will work well for us.

I thought the same thing, the last time I was at the store. I actually threw 2 cartons of store-bought eggs out. Said I hope I'll never have to buy another! I've got 6 of 8 laying every day now. Made the best ham and cheese omelet ever, for dinner last night!

 

[mrsjonis]

Hello . This n is my first time on here and my first flock. We have had chicks before but never kept them. Always gave them to farmers. Now we decided to keep these 9 hens. We got them Easter weekend they were a few days old. They have 4 roost I ng boxes that I have tried to put wood chips in. They kick them out and poop in their. I just put straw in there for the first time. They kicked that out too. What am I not doing or doing wrong?

 

[WVduckchick]

Hello . This n is my first time on here and my first flock. We have had chicks before but never kept them. Always gave them to farmers. Now we decided to keep these 9 hens. We got them Easter weekend they were a few days old. They have 4 roost I ng boxes that I have tried to put wood chips in. They kick them out and poop in their. I just put straw in there for the first time. They kicked that out too. What am I not doing or doing wrong?

So they are 18-19 weeks old, if I count right. What breed are they? Different breeds start to lay at different ages. Also, what are you feeding them? How long have you allowed them into the nest boxes? If they have been going in them since they were young, they may not see them as "private space" where they can do their business. That's just a thought, and may not matter. Would like to know others thoughts on that too, but I've read that nest boxes should be blocked off until they are close to being ready to use them.