Who else is waiting for that first egg?

[chickenewbee]

Thank you for your feedback. We blocked off their nesting boxes for a month. When we opened them, we added a bottom lip so they couldn't kick the straw out. Then, we added another perch and raised them above the boxes. We also made an automatic feeder. They get the bag of recommended seed for egg layers. Can't remember what it is, just buy what QCSUpply tells me to. We use sawdust for the poo box, different from nest and feed them treats, table scraps in the afternoon.

We also stared to let them out to free range more, but I didn't like the poop on my patio. So I am rethinking that.

We have
3 Wyandotte
4 Rhode Island Red
2 Plymouth Rock

With all the recommendations from this site. We finally have our first egg!!! So exciting! Now she is the biggest and she has been laying one per day for four days.

I need to learn more about how to properly wash store and prepare the eggs. also, one was a little cracked. That broke my heart to throw it out. Is it from her laying it? Is their diet missing something?

Thank you again for all your help!

I hear you on the patio poop. I let mine out every day to run around the yard while I clean their run. They go back in when they stop digging for bugs and start hanging out by the door and pooping on the patio

I built a second floor out of poultry wire above the tray, so the poop falls through into the tray and they can't walk in it. Mine are laying and they still like to kick the hay out of the laying boxes sometimes. I think they might be looking for bugs under the hay. I just pick it up and put it back in.

 

[ZAKS CHICKS]

Got my second egg this am, same box I'm guessing same hen...

Ate the first one this am great taste...

 

[jessbe]

The waiting is horrible and constantly thinking I'm doing something wrong...

 

[JessOTR]

Got a calendar notification today that mine (RIRs) are 20 weeks. It's time to earn your keep, girls!

 

[chickenewbee]

I know eggs here are anywhere from $2.79 to almost $4.00 a dozen. Do any of you sell your eggs. What do you charge? Once my ladies get going well, I plan on selling them by the half dozen at my work (I already have a laundry list of interested co-workers). What would you sell a half dozen for? A dozen? I know they are also small eggs, but they seem to have a lot of "filling". One egg makes a good amount.....and they seem to have a nice, large healthy yellow yolk! ( proud of that! I hear so many people saying their yolks seem palest pretty

Well, I'm trying, just to recoup some of my expenses, but so far the only people interested are too far away

I looked at what comparable eggs are selling for at the store, and offered them for slightly less (mine are organic).

If you already have a clientele, then you are ahead of the game.

My understanding is that a brighter yellow yolk is the result of feeding them greens. Mine get swiss chard every day in addition to whatever grass they eat and their regular feed.

 

[chickenewbee]

The waiting is horrible and constantly thinking I'm doing something wrong...

I know ....the waiting is awful.

Someone else had the same chickens I did (my others are Red Sexlink) and they started getting eggs weeks before mine.

Not sure why.

 

[ChereePie]

Yayayayayayayay!!!! Got my first egg today! So exciting! Its super tiny and someone pecked a small hole in the top

But oh well!
Not sure who laid it yet, but it is oh so beautiful!

 

[Granny368W]

4 of my Australorps are 3 weeks older than the other 10.... I was trying to figure out which ones were the older..... I can't tell anymore, I guess I should have marked them some how...But I do have 2 that have bright red waddles and combs...I'm really getting excited because I should be getting an egg soon....

 

[Granny368W]

CHEREEPIE... Are you trying to say something?

 

[ChereePie]

Yes! I don't know if it was my computer or my excitement....haha...but I guess my message didn't work! I was telling everyone I finally got my first egg yesterday!!! Not sure who it was yet, but it was super tiny and oh so beautiful!! Hopefully everyone else will follow her example soon!