dogs and chickens Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Our chickens are due to arrive soon. I have a couple of egg questions: 1). Does it help the girlies to start laying if we pop either a fake rubber egg in the nest box or a real egg, so they get the idea???? Also 2) You all seem to know which of your chickens have laid an egg, maybe a daft question, but how do you know which hen laid what egg??? Sorry if these are silly questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Hi and congratulations on your new girls (can we see them - we are very nosy ) we didnt put a fake egg in the nesting box, ours seemed to know what to do where, which was handy we still get randomly placed eggs though. we had one at the top of the garden the other day and the difficult ones are the ones that get laid at the top of the run, underneath the cube , virtually impossible to get to, unless you get commando crawling we sort of know which girls laid which colour eggs but thats as close as it gets unless you get 3 totally different girls i think you would be hard pushed to know, unless you followed them into the nesting box (someone may be able to tell, but we cant ) hope this helps cathy x ps, there are no such things as silly questions, we have all asked them at some point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted February 22, 2008 Author Share Posted February 22, 2008 That all sounds great fun! I'm looking forward to the commando style crawling!!! I did not realise there was a gap between the top of the cube and the run - how do they get up there?!!! When I was down at our local farm shop, one of the chickens had got in a plant pot in the shop and laid there, I thought it was so cute, but I guess if your having a hunt everyday - not so cute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Mine have laid every single egg in the nest box apart from Mollie's very first one. I presume they like a nest-shaped comfy spot so if there's one there, they use it . I'm lucky in that my 3 lay completely different colours - easy to identify . I suppose you might get used to difference in sizes, or go by the time of day? You'll have to catch one actually laying to be sure . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted February 22, 2008 Author Share Posted February 22, 2008 All differnt coloured aggs, yes, I can see that would make things easier! Do and lay differnt coulered eggs? Or are they the same colour brown? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazygal Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 My 7 year old would like to reply to your questions if that's ok?! He is very keen on chickens and has been learning a lot over the last month or so. Here goes- Answer to q no 1)If you put an egg in the nesting box it will give them an idea of where they need to lay but wont get them laying!!! Answer to q no 2)When you see a Chicken in the nesting box,when it comes out check for an egg,if there is an egg you know that Chicken laied it. Thanks for reading his message- its taken him ages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Mine all lay pale tinted eggs, but they are slightly different shades of cream. If I have all three together at once I can tell whose is whose, but otherwise I have to guess! It was much easier when I had a Speckledy laying big brown eggs and only one bantam They nearly always lay in the eglu, although my Speckledy did go through a phase of laying under shrubs when she was free-ranging all day. Mostly they seem to appreciate a warm eglu with shredded paper for comfort, rather than a draughty corner of the garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted February 22, 2008 Author Share Posted February 22, 2008 You have made my day! I have had screaming baby all day (teeth coming through) and I switch the computer on to a lovely message from your seven year old! That's so sweet and kind of him. I hope I will be so in the know by the time I have had the chickens for a month and a half! I will try the putting the egg in the nest bit, see what happens! I will have to spend all day watching the hens - I will never get anything done. Oh dear screaming child has woken up!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazygal Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Hi MIchelle- you will have made his day too when he wakes up tomorrow and finds a message back!! Because I am always on here picking up tips he has been reading over my shoulder this week (its half term) so he was desperate to sit and type something of his own- so thank you very much... (and sorry to hear about your screaming baby teething- if it makes you feel any better I can well remember said 7 year old screaming all day with teeth coming through too- not pleasant for you or for your baby- hope you get an ok nights sleep) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicki9 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 we have 2 gingernuts, and have worked out that one lays darker eggs than the other. Their eggs are also loads bigger than the others. We also used the watch who's in the nesting box then pounce when they leave method to determine who has laid. Good luck with the chickens, you'll love them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I can usually tell who has laid. Of my 3 ex batts. one eats her eggs, one lays under a bush and the other lays in the nest. Of my 2 x breed bantams; one lays slightly longer, bigger and creamier coloured eggs than the other. Only one of the pekins is laying and hers are tiny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs and chickens Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 Gosh this is soooo interesting to see all about the different coloured eggs. I now hopefully have 3/4 white stars coming as well as the and so I will be able to tell the difference between there eggs as they lay white eggs - Such fun! I really did not think I was going to become one of those chicken owners who was always looking at them, now I'm not so sure!!!! I have now purchased the rubber eggs, so we will see how they work when the chickens arrive! Only 10 days to go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiamondsEggs Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 My Hens Just Started Laying Of Their Own Accord About 2 weeks after we bought them. We bought Point Of Lay Rhode Island Reds But With The Whole Move Thing And New Places They Didn't Lay Straight Away. Well... I Just Watch My Hens But I Can't Always Tell Which Clever Chicken Lays Our Eggs x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I knew one of the Gingernuts laid first but had no idea which one until I spotted her but that was weeks later. Both my Gingernuts lay same colour/size eggs now so can't tell them apart. When the Pepperpot started laying the eggs were also brown, very slightly darker but I knew it was her as they were tiny at first. Then the youngest Amber Star got going and her eggs, although brown, are much paler. So now they've been laying for ages, and eggs are all same size, I only know which eggs come from the Amber Star. No idea about the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanne Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 My 7 year old would like to reply to your questions if that's ok?! He is very keen on chickens and has been learning a lot over the last month or so.Here goes- Answer to q no 1)If you put an egg in the nesting box it will give them an idea of where they need to lay but wont get them laying!!! Answer to q no 2)When you see a Chicken in the nesting box,when it comes out check for an egg,if there is an egg you know that Chicken laied it. Thanks for reading his message- its taken him ages! How cute is your son! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...