I have an egg!!! Our FIRST egg!

I guess my girls did not look too close when they went outside last night. Of course it is dark when we lock up the birds but they chose to go into the coop between 9 and 9:30. I went out this morning, opened the pen, filled the food, checked the water and caught site of something white right in the middle of the yard. An egg!! It's not a big one but it's sure not tiny, but who's is it??

I imagine it's no good for eating or hatching as it sat outside all night in the mid 70s-too cool for hatching, too warm to keep it fresh?? I'm fairly certain two of the silkies are cockerels but the verdict is still out on most of the other birds. But someone laid an egg! LOL

I'm just amazed! When I was reading about hens and laying, wherever I was said they'd start between 17 and 30 weeks depending on the breed. Mine were 17 weeks on the 20th! Nature never fails to amaze me!

Oh, am I not supposed to worm the birds before they start laying?? Ruh roh!

Okay, now I have two eggs. LOL

Congratulations! Isn't it just a marvel when they start laying. I was so excited that I did a little dance in the coop about 3 years ago. I have 6 babies coming due to lay in the next month or so...They have been eying the nests but haven't gone into them yet. The older girls aren't as prolific as they used to be so am waiting for the younger ones to start laying. I hope they all start real soon for you. Do you know which ones are laying and what kind are they? Pretty soon you won't know what to do with all the eggs....Will you be selling them? I do not do so well in the winter, they don't lay as many as in the spring and summer. My customer is real nice and takes whatever I have in the frig in the garage if I'm not home sometimes as many as 15 or 16 dzn. At first I was giving them away to neighbors and friends and the minister and his family then my friend wanted to start paying for them...so that's how I got started selling the eggs. It is so nice for someone to appreciate nice fresh home grown eggs.
Good luck to you.
Marion

WoW~ Yours is a lot bigger then mine! Check out the first egg from our RIR! :)

Sometimes they lay those little tiny eggs without a yolk the first few time. It is like they are "just practising". Yours both look big enough to have the yolks, though.

It was actually exciting! I can't wait to see what the kids say when they get home from school! Of course I'll have to give them a hard time for missing it last night. LOL

If there was one last night after 8pm and a new one this morning, should I assume it's more than one bird? I had thought they only lay one per day?

There are 8 of us in my family so I am sure we can eat quite a few but there should be plenty to sell too. I just want to be careful not to step on any toes as there is an older couple down the road that also sells eggs. They have been very nice to my girls and taken them through there farm and showed them all of their different birds and baby turkeys and rabbits, etc.

We still have 44 birds and I'm pretty sure two silkies that are crowing are males. LOL

Do you have to be inspected or anything to sell them? We should have light brown, dark brown, blue and white eggs when they all get laying. :)

I've never sold them, but people at work do. I don't think they get them inspected since it is just at work.

Chele, you need to ask someone in your state about selling eggs. It varies. Here we have to keep in adequate cooler and include a statement on carton that says "unclassafied eggs, chicken owner name and address. I know some states require permits etc...

I was planning on selling a few at work, but I think I need them inspected or a permit.

Congrats!!! Thats so exciting! I am going to check and see how old my silkies are!!! I know atleast in my part of NH people just sell theirs right in their front yards, most keep them in a cooler with a can for the cash. I am just hoping to get eggs! I will scramble and feed an extras to my both my flocks (parrots and chickens) except my marans, I have local friends that will welcome any extras I have, and from what I read about marans that won't be many!!
Congrats again!!

Well, I let my daughter crack the eggs to see if they were fertilized or not. I always thought fertilized was the white squiggly thing in the egg. I read somewhere on here that a fertilized egg will have a red spot?? Both eggs had yolks and also the white squiggly thing but no red spot. How cool is this?? http://www.lionsgrip.com/chickenegg.html

No one chimed in on worming. Is it necessary? I've read that it is and read that it is not.

We didn't really need any eggs right this second and sure don't need any more chickens right this second so I didn't want to eat the eggs, not knowing for sure how old they are and if I should worm the chickens.

I still think this is way cool and will be sure to start looking for eggs more often.

We really have the sweetest birds. They are a bit pecky today but I think it's the heat. We took them out some tomatoes and corn from the garden, some grit and tons of water. They are doing very well. We are still making sure to handle them a lot and talk to them a lot and they are really nice friendly birds. Visitors always compliment how friendly they are.

I'm so happy we decided to try this and so thankful it's gone really well, with very few losses.

I have never wormed mine. You will need to check everyday for eggs and yes you can eat them. Gathering eggs is a great chore for girls. Wait till they start finding the colored ones!

I use DE (diamitus earth) in their food for worms. I don't do it too often about once a month. You can also spread it around their run and in the coop. It helps keep mites bugs etc down. I have never checked into having to get licensed to sell my eggs. I really only have one customer and they are our friends. I only have 10 hens and 6 youngsters and 1 rooster. I keep the eggs in the frig I have in the garage. I usually keep them on the counter in the kitchen for about 3 or 4 days until I get the box filled. Then I refrigerate them. I use cartons that they bring back to me. I know a person that keeps her eggs under the bed a/c it is a good temperature for them expecially if you are going to use them to hatch. I don't know how long she keeps them there but I think for 3 or 4 weeks. They are still good if you want to eat them. I would check them by letting them float in water and if they rise to the top toss them.
I've never given my chickens any of their own eggs cooked or otherwise. I'm afraid they might start eating their own from the nest.
I know that your children are really enjoying the chickens and learning very good lessons. We had company and the children and I went to the hen house and they got the biggest kick out of it. And boy, the questions they can ask. It is so cute. Keep them interested in nature as long as you can. They really benefit from it.
Marion

Thank you for the information on worming. I did go do some reading later in the day yesterday. I saw that Piperazine 17 was mentioned. I also read that the same thing was in kitten wormer! There was also information on REAL apple cider vinegar and diatemaceous earth. I also saw mention of garlic being good for them but not actually a wormer. I like the idea of the DE since it's used in organic gardening. I knew it killed ants but didn't know it would slice and dice internal parasites without killing the birds.

I cracked those eggs into a bowl, basically to check them out, see if they had yolks and see if they were any different than store eggs. I offered them to our chocolate lab who was not real interested in them and normally she'll eat anything! Then our herding mutt came over so I offered her the eggs and the lab shoved her out of the way and ate them. LOL

My second child who would have two of every animal, if I'd allow it was somewhat offended that we didn't hatch the eggs. Chuckle. I told her I wasn't sure about them and we didn't NEED anymore chickens! I also told her she'd need to lighten up a bit about the eggs since we have a possible 42 females and each could lay an egg a day. I asked her if she could eat or hatch 4 dozen eggs a day. Her eyes were quite large. LOL I'm still chuckling about my 9 year old that wants to know which two chickens had love to make those eggs. Giggle. I keep telling them, no male is needed....

Aside from my oldest that is on a girlie princess kick, the others all love to be outside. We stay outside most of every day when it's possible. They are also very involved with my daylilies and hybridizing and all of them love animals. Hopefully it's true, all the stuff I read about kids that are raised to respect nature and kids that play sports, tend to stay out of trouble.

Hubby said I might want to look for a refrigerator to keep in the garage. bwaaaah. He's probably right!

Being that we are not certain when the first egg was laid, I was happy to see none of the birds, nor anything else ate it. I'll consider that good luck and not test it!

We have egg number 3! Someone is on a roll!

One white chicken did give my daughter a hard time for taking the egg. LOL

Any way to figure out who is laying eggs?

As they mature their combs grow and get a dark color but I have never figured out how to tell who is laying unless I hear cackling and go look. Sometimes that works! Two of my young chickens are roosting in the top of a plum tree. I have talked to them about the owls but but like any adolescent, they "know" it doesn't mean them.

We are up to five eggs now so I am guessing more than one is laying. They do only lay one per day each right?? LOL

Several of the white ones have big red combs and some have big red wattles. Of the silkies, one has the big dark walnut come and one has a bright strawberry comb. Others are growing combs but nothing real descriptive just yet.

They lay one per day after they get going but most likely you have more than 5 chickens laying. They do not always lay at night. Listen for the loud cackle!

That shows you how silly I am. I just figured one or two were laying nearly every day. Yesterday we had 2 within a few hours of each other so I knew that had to be more than one layer.

Only one was laid at night or late in the day. The others have been early morning or early afternoon.

Congratulations Gal! Ooooh I've been so busy with my new Job , that I havent had much chance to keep up with the forums and I missed your announcement! Im so happy for you and the " girls"!
You need to find a Two part resin compound from your craft store, so you can pour it inside your , ( blown out) newbie egg shell! Then attach a Pendant bell cup , so your can hang it on an ornament hanger! Ooooooooh I know how proud you must be!!

Oh this is fun! Two more eggs! Hello Eufaula!

you too funny "Chelle.....

How's the flavor on them, Chele? Bet you can tell a difference from store bought. I don't think mine have started yet. The hen that lays usually has to tell the world about it. You'll get use to that certain squawking/cackling they do when they've layed one. A fertilized egg would take longer to show the embryo than just that day or the next. Can't wait to start getting fresh eggs! The chickens have been running loose for about 5 days now and roosting on top of their pen LOL. Here's a pic I took the other day on the back porch...needless to say the back porch needs cleaned :~(

Lana

We've not eaten them yet. LOL They are in the fridge. We keep joking about who's eating them but we've not yet.

Yours look happy! I guess they like WV! Didn't you take 5? That white one in the bottom corner, the ones I have like that are the ones that seem to attack you when you take the eggs.

Are your hens sitting on the eggs after laying them? We only have one hen who attackes...mean hen...so we just wait until she leaves the coop. We wanted more chickens so we started a nest. I left the door to the cage where the nest is open yesterday and we came home to a dozen eggs in there! Since we dont which were the 2 from a few days prior that we thought were fertilized...we get to leave all of them just in case!

our hens will also cakle up a storm after they have laid an egg. It is louder then the rooster from most of them, and we get 90% of our eggs by noon.

No one is sitting on the eggs. Normally they are in the coop unattended when we steal them. :O

So far, we only know of two silkie cockerels that are crowing. And I have to giggle when they do as it sounds kind of cartoonish compared to other cocks I hear crowing around us. If I do it too, they will talk back to me but they won't do it with the kids with annoys the crud out of the kids. LOL

Have you considered writing the date or something on the eggs so you have some idea of what got there when or at least when you found it? We certainly don't want any more birds right now but that was an idea I had.

Badseed writing on an egg is a bad idea because they have pores they will absorb the ink and will be a funny color and taste bad. :'(
Washing an egg is also not a good idea, to wash an egg you must quickly rinse the egg in hot water then immediately dry it off and DONT use soap! Hope you have fun with your chickens!

I was thinking of dating it with a pencil.

I agree pencil is what we would do if we tried that...but it was too late to try when we found the dozen! But now we cant get a hen to sit on the pile! I put one who was sitting before in the cage with the dozen eggs and she laid 2 more! 2 eggs just today! Has anyone ever heard of such a thing? Now we have 14 eggs in the cage...and no hen will sit on them. Any suggestions?

I think the problem is that none of the hens want to stay behind to sit when everyone else gets to free range. Maybe I should keep all the chickens in the coop for 3 weeks...but not sure that would even get this hen to sit full time. i need help.

Badseed, it sounds like you are having fun with your chickens. First eggs are exciting. Do you have nests for them to lay eggs in?

Mcamden, chickens are more likely to want to set in the spring. If a hen wants to set and hatch eggs, it doesn't matter what the others are doing, she would just do it. A setting hen appears to be almost in a trance and will only leave the nest briefly to eat and drink, then goes back within less than an hour. Somehow she knows how long the eggs will stay warm. Many of our modern breeds have no inclination to set. I would just take the eggs, referigerate and use them. If you think the eggs are too old, or have been in the nest in hot weather for a few days, you could scramble them and feed the cooked eggs to the chickens, they wouldn't recognize them as eggs.

Mcamden, sorry I am too new to give advice on much. I'm learning as I go.

Mary, we really are enjoying them! We've gotten 11 eggs since Friday. It still makes me laugh over reading that egg laying starts at 17-30 weeks and their little clocks made them start spitting out eggs the 17th week! LOL

We are in the process of building them a much larger coop. We worked on the nest boxes and stripping the door today. Then the back can go on the coop and the roof. The last thing left to do is build them a big yard. I worry about the occasional stray dog and the nights we get home after dark. I don't want to lose any.

Well, we got 15 eggs in 8 days! We finally ate them today. I cooked a dozen of the fresh and a dozen from the grocery separately. I was lazy and scrambled them. I have to report that the 8 of us could not taste a difference. LOL

But you loved them anyway, and that's the difference!

hi
congratulations on the eggies.
What in tarnation is wrong with you guyz? Eat them eggs.

They don't have worms, and the shell has a natural antibiotic in/on it so
no germs get in. don't wash em!
Any egg left out overnight, or even for a few days, is perfect;ly wonderfully
good to eat. Much better and safer than ANY supermarket egg.

Dont worry about any disease, no salmonella, no nuttin. The eggs in a
supermarket are MONTHS old. So, if you want to eat a few days old egg....LOLOL
go for it!

You don't have to be licensed to sell anything in my opinion. put it up on the billboard
you have a dozen eggs for sale, and will regularly, they are range eggs, whatever,
and charge what you want.
We have more than enough government in our lives without them watching over our
shoulder to sell a few dozen eggs. good grief. I thought we were going to have
to number and register our flocks, but the NSAID was 'scratched', for home flockers
thank god. it was really getting to be crazy. Big brother and all.

the yolks should be bright happy yellow and perky when you crack em open in the
pan. enjoy. if you want to go and test em for freshness, put them in a glass of
water and note if the big end comes up some what. see how much a known fresh
egg floats, and then put in days old egg to see the difference.
dont worry about a rotten egg. i have had them, and everyone has had one, just
throw out the icky cracked open egg and continue on with cooking. heres a tip
never crack your eggs or any eggs directly into the food you are making. one bad
egg will spoil the whole batter or whatever. my mom taught me that, and i do it
whether i have store boughten or home laid eggs. some of our customers have
cracked open eggs to find actual chicks in them. this happened when i went away
and my husband was collecting the eggs and collected the "nests". oy vey!!! lololol

If you are too afraid to eat those eggs, send em to me. I will eat them. LOL
regards,
sheri
and, again, congrats on the eggies

Hi Sheri,

Thanks much for your input!

Don't laugh, but I did crack each egg into a little bowl then dump it into the big bowl, just to be sure. ;) I smelled each one as I went too. LOL My country relatives would absolutely roll if if they saw me now! Of course the ones that are gone would be proud of me for taking on this life but maybe also wonder why I'd want to work so hard. chuckle

My best days growing up, were spent with my elders "out on farms" so this is very comfortable for me!

Hmm, maybe the hens need some age before they get the best flavor in their eggs. Believe me you should be able to taste the diff between free-range fresh eggs and store bought. I could with my chickens before. They were Barred Rock and Australorp of which you have both. None of mine are laying yet though I expect them to soon.

Lana

One word on eatting the the eggs....
I have found that to hard boil them they should be old
If I hard boil fresh eggs they will NOT peel right
I leave them in the fridge for weeks before hard boiling

Very right crestedchik. Want to talk about frustrating ;~)

Yaeh especially if you were hipping for that really great tasting Deviled Egg mmmm i love Deviled Eggs

I have found that if you put salt in the boiling water the eggs separate just fine! Hope that helps. Suz