Hurray for the first egg

[KazzaL]

this was me on monday evening - 2 weeks later than promised when we got them, but better late than never. The lady who obliged did push all the straw out of the nesting box and then lay it in the run though!! It was quite small, but very tasty with some soldiers soft boiled (shouldn't really as PG, but it was yummy)

None yesterday, hopefully maybe one tonight when I get back from work..

[murphyslaw]

you lucky thing - ours are 20 weeks and we are checking every day. Cant wait to fry them up with some bacon

[crkm]

how long did you have the chickens before they laid? had mine for 3 weeks but still no sign of eggs - just runny orange poo!!!

[KazzaL]

i had lots of runny orange poo - when we got them we were told it would be about 4 weeks till they were old enough & had settled in, but its been just over 6 weeks - we were contemplating having roast for dinner at the weekend if they hadn't produced!!!

2 more eggs yesterday, so I think i'll soon be getting 3 a day roughly (I only have 3 hens) and then I'll be giving them away

We gave them lots of weeds to munch at the weekend after (finally) doing some gardening, so I tihnk that tipped the balance as well as extra corn in the evenings

I'm sure both of your chickens will produce soon, it just a long waiting game

[stealthsquiggle]

Can I ask how old your chickens are? We have had ours (16 weeks when we got them, I think) for 2 weeks and DH and DS are getting impatient.... They have been out in the garden eating snails/ants/weeds most days.

[crkm]

got ours at 16 weeks about 5 weeks ago. one has been laying for the past week, the other two are doing the orange pooh thing!!! hopefully wont be long!! they too have the run of thr garden and all the goodies they can find to eat - my flowers and leaves for a start!!

[gatleygirl]

we got our four ladies on wednesday night and put them straight to bed - i bet they woke up thursday and thought "who... what... where.!!". We found one tiny sized egg yesterday (on the floor of the house to not in the nest box) and I've just gone in today and found three(all in the nest box)! I am beyond excited! I've put them in the fridge but will pop them back in the nest box when the kids come home from school so they can "find" them.

We are going to be really sad and blow the first egg and keep it as a souvenir!

All i have to do now is work up the courage to let them out of the run over the weekend to free range - and hope we can get them back in again!

BTW, is anyone else surprised like me at the sheer volume of poo they produce??

[stealthsquiggle]

OK - we have had ours 2 weeks, I think - so I can delay the showing them roasting times tactic for a while longer.

Gatleygirl - at your instantly-laying chickens, and yes to the surprising volume of poo - it's incredible! Ours are surprisingly good at putting themselves back in their run (they even come when they are called - they always usually get corn when they go back in and that seems to do the trick. Make sure their wings are clipped before you let them out, though.

[gatleygirl]

just found another egg! I wonder if I missed one yesterday? otherwise seem to have more eggs than layers....

[crkm]

my girls are easy to put away too. throw some sweetcorn in the run and they go straight in! they come when called too! and yes the amount of pooh is amazing! I have to sweep the patio every evening - but its doing wonders for my compost !