4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[dame egna]

Well, I have had my hens for 9 days (all 5 are now laying now, yay!). I realised today that every time I collect the eggs, I always say to myself, outloud 'oooooooh! Eggs!' Will this excitment last long? Lol, because I'm sure my neighbours must think I'm nuts Also, anybody else obsessed with checking the nesting boxes..... I try not to check too often, but I just can't help myself!!!

[chick wiggle]

Im eggsactly the same, even tho only one of mine is laying I get sooo excited when i find her egg. And i keep checking the next box even tho i know they have been out free ranging all day.

[southernchicken]

I'm the same........ooooooo an egg

 

oooooooooo 2 eggs

 

wow................ 3 eggs in one nest

 

I have 19 eggs on my side board and can't eat them as quick as they lay them

[Peaches]

I get extra excited when they are still warm!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

A year and a half on and I still get a little thrill when there's an egg in the nestbox (I really should get out more ).

[Barkisland]

I don't think it will ever go away tbh! I always have to say 'thank you very much' too

[mostin]

Never! that feeling has never gone away for me and I hope it never does . it's the best part of my day when I come home from a rough day at work, taking my little basket up to the girls to see who has graced me with an egg that day. I can always tell who's is who's, and I always say thank you to them all .

 

I too, am sure my neighbours think I'm nuts, but they like the eggs too.

[Bantambabe]

Oh, saying thank you is very important. So is shaming the one that hasn't laid

[Olly]

hmm. I went up there this evening and said very loudly 'ONE egg! ONE EGG between four of you? Someone's looking at a packet of Paxo ...' but the chickens very sensibly took no notice of this.

 

I talk to the chooks all the time ('all right ladies? Another ten minutes and then it'll be bedtime') so I'm sure my neighbours are used to it.

 

I don't think you ever get over the thrill of finding eggs in the nest box. By the way, I love the forum name, Dame Egna!

[smithy36]

Yep, that oooohhhh an egg feeling has not faded. We always say thanks to the right girls, and show the others what we have got....

 

MY neighbour toldme her parents thought i was "very odd" as i talked to the chickens... its not though...is it?????? I am sure that we all do!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

What's odd about that ? Would they say the same if you talked to your dog or hamster ?

 

(It's perfectly normal, I'm sure we all do it .)

[Chickvic]

I still find it exciting when we have an egg! I always say thank you too, and threaten them with the slow cooker if they haven't laid Makes no difference to Ruby - she hasn't laid for nearly 6 months

[dame egna]

Hey Olly - how do you know Dame Egna isn't my real name???

 

Ooooh by the way - I did nick one of your chicken names as I loved it so much I hope you don't mind!!

Edited April 29, 2009 by Guest

[katieadams]

Boo hoo boo hoo still no eggs for me

 

Someone's sitting on the nest though, they're making a right mess on the golf ball which is just offensive when they're not producing anything!!! I'm making my husband clean it every morning so I know if it's been through the day or if they're sleeping on it, and it is through the day, they're just sitting and not laying

[smithy36]

Hey Katie are your girls crouching? I think that this is the most reliable method of determining expected laying - about 10-12 days after first crouching...(ok I dont have vast experience - but its been right 4 times)!

 

Also you can feel the pelvis - once it gets over 2 fingers width they are ready... you slide your hand down their tummy and through the legs, like you are going to pat them on the bum - the pelvic bones feel pointy! If the gap is 2-3 fingers width it wont be long!

 

You will be so proud when you see that first egg... its like you have laid it yourself!

[smithy36]

by the way, thanks ANH. I think that its normal to talk to your pets... i do keep up a constant chat when I am out there ... including lots of exclaiming about the amount of poo!!! And telling them to be nice to each other and teaching manners....

 

i suppose they are just an extended family!

[katieadams]

Hey Katie are your girls crouching? I think that this is the most reliable method of determining expected laying - about 10-12 days after first crouching...(ok I dont have vast experience - but its been right 4 times)!

 

Also you can feel the pelvis - once it gets over 2 fingers width they are ready... you slide your hand down their tummy and through the legs, like you are going to pat them on the bum - the pelvic bones feel pointy! If the gap is 2-3 fingers width it wont be long!

 

You will be so proud when you see that first egg... its like you have laid it yourself!

 

Not sure, Beaky, who is the most developed comb-wise (and ready to lay according to the breeder ), will sit down if my husband goes to stroke her, but only when his hand is 4" from her back. She sits there while he strokes her but I'm not sure whether she's just enjoying a stroke!! She has only been doing that for the last 3-4 days, but they've only been here 3 1/2 weeks so she might just be getting used to us I am prone to imagining things if I want them bad enough

 

I'm not quite friendly enough with them for pelvis feeling - reminds me too much of when I was about to give birth And both my children were two weeks late too !!!

[dame egna]

katieadams, I have some plastic eggs you could have if you wanted to try those?? I don't know if they'd help if they're not ready yet, but you never know!?

[smithy36]

Hi Katie

 

The crouching down for a stroke is crouching. They sort of flatten themselves down and hold wings out slighty.. plus they often do a little dance padding their feet?? Are you seeing these things?? If you have only seen it for 3-4 days, you may have another week to wait!

 

I know it seems endless, but fresh warm eggs will soon be YOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[katieadams]

katieadams, I have some plastic eggs you could have if you wanted to try those?? I don't know if they'd help if they're not ready yet, but you never know!?

 

I have a golf ball in there - do you think plastic eggs would be better? I'm willing to try anything, if they take much longer I may very well lay an egg myself in anticipation!!!! Thank you for the offer either way!!

 

Hi Katie

 

The crouching down for a stroke is crouching. They sort of flatten themselves down and hold wings out slighty.. plus they often do a little dance padding their feet?? Are you seeing these things?? If you have only seen it for 3-4 days, you may have another week to wait!

 

I know it seems endless, but fresh warm eggs will soon be YOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :dance:

 

Yay!! Not sure about the wings - she's so fluffy she could be doing it without him knowing it but he's never said. I'll ask him tonight! Im sure he'd have mentioned her dancing!! At least it sounds like she's getting there!!

[Budgies]

It definitely sounds as though she's crouching!! That for me is the surest indicator.

 

With comb size, Mango had the smallest comb and laid first, three weeks ahead of Chutney who had the big comb! They get their in their own time!

 

It's always exciting to find eggs though, I never stopped feeling thrilled and thanking them in over 3 years!!

[katieadams]

Woo hoo I just let them out for their daily garden destroying time , and gave Beaky a little stroke - and she is definitely crouching !! She squatted down, lifted her wings and did me a dance!! Hooray!!! That'll keep me going for a week or so but I hope she lays then or I will go mad Other two didn't care a jot if I stroked them or not

[dame egna]

Perhaps give it a few more days and see what happens then? Certainly sounds promising! Give me a shout if you want any of the plastic eggs - I bought them off ebay, and got 6 of them. I really don't need 6, in fact, I don't really need any but will keep some just in case!

[smithy36]

yay!!!!!

 

It wont be long - lets hope that Beaky was crouching before you noticed and that elusive egg will be here sooner! The golf ball will work as well as the egg - its to show them where to lay.

 

The other thing that I noticed was that in the day or so before our first started laying, the nest box straw had been made into a "nest"... like they had turned round and round in teh straw to make a comfy nest - i think that she was just practicing!

 

By the way i LOVE the little dance they do - i often follow them round with my hand outstretched just so they do it!!

 

Is that chicken abuse??!

Edited April 29, 2009 by Guest

[katieadams]

yay!!!!!

 

It wont be long - lets hope that Beaky was crouching before you noticed and that elusive egg will be here sooner! The golf ball will work as well as the egg - its to show them where to lay.

 

The other thing that I notice was that in the day or so before our first started laying, the nest ox straw had been made into a "nest"... like they had turned round and round in teh straw to make a confy nest - i think that she was just practicing!

 

By the way i LOVE the little dance they do - i often follow them round with my outstretched just so they do it!! Is that chicken abuse??!

 

I don't think that's abuse, but it does make you a tease!!!