Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[dixie chick]

This sounds crazy I know- but having had my 7 girls for six months I had almost forgotton that they were supposed to lay eggs! Went out this morning, and there in the corner of the stable was a perfect brown egg. I was beginning to think that someone had put it there as a joke - but as I was topping up the feeders I turned to see that another egg had appeared on the grass - and it was warm !!

Questions;1) I have 4 perfectly cosy nesting boxes in the stable - which they never use. How can I encourage them to lay in here? 2) What do I do with the eggs? Leave them to mature for a few days or are they best eaten immediately?

3) Is it probable that this egg laying episode is a reaction to the thaw & sudden rise in temperature? My girls are all pure breeds and I didn't think they laid in winter? Perhaps they think its spring!

[green]

I was the same, had to phone hubby to make sure he hadn't put it there in the morning as a joke before going to work!

 

1) Some people use fake eggs in the nest box to encourage the chooks to lay or lay in the nest box.

2) Depends how you want to cook them. Boiled eggs, for example, are better and easier to peel if left for a few days, same goes for poached eggs, I think.

 

Enjoy your eggs!

[doctors girls]

I had my girls for 6 weeks now and they are 22 weeks old and still no eggs but if I have to wait 6 months i think my wife will be telling me to take them back because they are broken and don"t work

 

john

[Lavenders_Blue]

Congratulations on your first eggs - how exciting!

You can eat the eggs straight away if you want to (sure you will be excited) or leave them if you prefer. Hard boiled eggs are better if the eggs are at least a week old otherwise the white sticks to the shell and is very difficult to peel. Poached eggs are the fresher the better, although I would normally leave the egg 24 hours before using (my own preference though) but not more than 4/5 days old for a poached egg. Fried or scrambled - use them whenever you like really!

Your girls will probably start to use the nest box soon. I think the first eggs can sometimes come as a bit of a surprise to them but they soon get the hang of it. Laying might be a bit erratic for the first few weeks too.

[Alis girls]

You have to admire them first - even now my egg rack is full - 11 eggs - several days worth - i still admire them and drool over them before smashing them and making into cakes, poached, boiled eggs or omlettes. You must admire them first and pat yourself on the back for being so clever and getting chucks. I was lucky the Omlet man left and one of my girls laid an egg - I think this is a rarity from what I read on here.