Oh Yes!

[Corris]

We have eggs!

I've had my girls about four weeks Friday - and three days ago got an egg. Yesterday got two, and today got two.

I have six hens, and think it's the two redrocks (roadrocks?) that are laying so far.

One of them - yesterday, had a smear of blood on the outside - is that dreadful? I assumed it would be ok and today they were both clean.

Isn't it exciting.

[Nicos]

It's absolutely thrilling!!!!
well done those chooks!

I've had blood on my first eggs- esp when they are double yolkers.
All fine now!


Were they as yummy as you were expecting????

[RichmondHens]

Well done those hens, especially in the dark days of November. I too had a first egg from one of my copper black marans yesterday (late for her as her sister started in September). Blood smear is indeed perfectly normal, it's like losing one's virginity - I guess sort of in reverse for a hen!

[Snadger]

Don't want to put a downer on things but my 4 newbies started laying 3 weeks ago @ 4 eggs a day. They don't lay any now!

I still have a piccie of my first egg though somewhere..............good innit!

I hope yours lay all winter!

[Corris]

I'm just thrilled to be getting anything to be honest.

We were already spoilt, because the local farm have free range and we buy from them - ours are nicer, but they were already very good.

One so far today - and one of the other hens set about the one sitting on the nest! Is this normal?

[Nicos]

She probably wants to lay in there and wants her out asap!
Mine will pile in on top of each other. Strangely no eggs seem to break so they must be very careful with their feet!

[RichmondHens]

It'll probably be the dominant hen wanting first dibs at the nestbox, and wanting the other out. They will sort themselves out over time. Some of mine will happily share with everybody and anybody - I have found on occasion as many as 7 hens in the nestbox in my bantam enclosure - others insist on being on their own and chuck anyone else out who tries to come in. The shouting that goes on is amazing "I want to come in" "No you can't" "I'm desperate" "Tough" "let me in let me in". Sometimes there is even a queue on the ramp. Very British!

[nellie-m]

I still have a piccie of my first egg though somewhere..............good innit!

During my first years of chicken keeping I was silly enough to blow out each pullet's first egg, and note the hen's name and the egg's date of birth and its weight on it with a pencil...
I've still got them in one of those porcelain hen-on-her-nest-shaped thingies, forget what they're called. Most of these hens have long since left me...

[Corris]

I don't think it is - the hen doing the pecking is a dominant hen (I have two who are very in charge!) - but isn't yet laying.

I think they just can't bear anyone else doing something they aren't. It really is so interesting watching them.