An egg!

[Paulottie]

Very proud of Bracket she laid our first egg! Hinge however doesn't seem to be getting much of a comb? is she just a late developer?

[yoanbob]

comb depends on breed, what breed is she? some have tiny combs.

[Paulottie]

They are both Light Sussex and, I thought, the same age. Hinge just seems to have tiny beginnings of wattles and comb while Brackets are 2 cm or so. Both seem heatlthy and happy just one behind the other. MrsP reckons they go redder when she is about to lay and pale afterwards?...not too scientific as we have only had one egg so far. 3 days ago.

I don't want to seem impatient here but I was hoping for an increased production.... one egg recipes for four are limited!

[TPeers]

Don't worry Paul! I started this way back in March, first egg first April - now getting 14 eggs a week and I can't keep up!

Yes the comb will gradually go bright red as she comes into lay, not going fully red until full lay - if that makes sense.

POL seems to me to mean any age between 18 and 24 weeks so it could be your two are from different broods and a couple of weeks apart in age - hang in there you won't know what to do with all the eggs soon.

Terry

[Birdie Wife]

Congrats on your first egg, my personal choice would be to enjoy it poached on thickly buttered toast! Don't worry about Hinge, she'll start laying when she's ready, and then they'll be popping out like I don't know what!

[ysb33r]

Our new Black Rock also started laying about a 1.5 weeks ago and she also does not have much of a comb. So don't worry

[Paulottie]

She did it again!

Goodness that's two dippy eggs for the kids breakfast (Greater love hath no dad than the first two eggs) next ones definitely being poached with double buttered toast tho! ...so chuffed..now come on Hinge you can do it too!

[Sue]

Paul
Congrats on the eggs, it won't be long before you have to buy Egg cookbooks to find ways to use up lots, my favourite is lemon icecream with 7 egg yolks....
my Light Sussex was the last to lay of my three, she looked more like a seagull than a hen when she came, but over the last month the comb has started growing to modest size and the eggs have been coming.
best wishes
Sue

[yoanbob]

they sound fine, dont worry, like everyone says, before you know it you'll have more than you can eat.

[Paulottie]

Thanks everyone.....needed to share my excitement here,...I'm hooked already. I find myself talking to them and saying 'hello' as I pass now! A neighbour ,who didn't know we had them, could see me over the hedge staring down and chatting. She thought i'd lost the plot!

[TPeers]

My family are convinced I've lost it entirely! I chat to the girls - comiserate with Kiev, scold the bullies..... praise them when they lay.....

It is probably foolish as they should be livestock, not pets - but hey, I'm just a soft touch!

[TPeers]

Hi Paul,

How's it going on the egg front?

Terry

[Paulottie]

Hi Terry, Bracket popping one a day now: small-but perfectly formed!- Hinge is being a bit pushed around as B definately thinks she's the bee's knees as she can lay an egg. Don't think hinge has, but I then suppose it would be difficult to tell the layer! Hinge just still looks a month behind; I think the comb is coming -just slowly.

[TPeers]

Wonderful, so have you beeen able to steal an egg from the kids to taste yourself?

Give Hinge time, wait for the red comb and the day you collect two eggs!

Best Wishes

Terry

[TheOtherHalf]

What TP hasn't said is how wonderful it is when you see your hen has come back down from the nest-box, and you rush out and pick up the new-laid egg, as fresh as it is possible to be and still blood-heat! Fantastic!