First egg!

[Xtinasbyflock]

I'm so excited -- we found our first egg this morning!

We have a little in-town, back-yard flock of 6; we got the little easter-egger chicks (sold as Ameraucanas from TSC) back at the end of April.

Today there was a cute little spoon-sized, olive-green egg in our layer box!!

Despite the small size, the egg shell seems hard so I think this is a good first egg. (I haven't cracked it to check the yolk yet; I'm going to wait for my kiddos to be a part of that!)

I know layers need extra protein and can get through egg shell pieces (which we've been occasionally giving them) and store-bought supplements (which we haven't yet bought but may end up doing so).

Any good advice or tips for keeping a little flock healthy as they begin laying in the fall, particularly considering we are in a cooler climate (Michigan) with a long winter to look ahead to?

Thanks for reading, and celebrating with me

 

[Bawkbok]

Congratulations - that's awesome. What a beautiful egg. Do the happy dance!
We are still waiting for our first with our current flock.

 

[WingItRanch]

Congratulations on your first egg! So exciting! I'm still waiting on my first. Looking forward to seeing what advice the experts will give you.

 

[TOMTE]

Yay! I'm so excited and impatient for our first egg! We live in Michigan too

There are articles here for keeping a happy healthy flock during winter! (and fall)

 

[WingItRanch]

Hahaha judging by the other replies, it looks like we're all anxiously waiting.

 

[TOMTE]

Hahaha judging by the other replies, it looks like we're all anxiously waiting.

My grandma keeps saying (jokingly) "Arent they laying yet?!" LOL she's so tired of paying an arm and a leg for a dozen eggs!

 

[alinas2010]

Congrats! Nothing like the first egg Beautiful!

You are correct, consider switching to a layer feed here soon if you wish and always have free choice oyster shell available on the side, you can feed back their old egg shells, too, if you want.

My own personal piece of advice is to also have human vitamin calcium citrate plus D3 on hand for egg binding incidents now that you’ve got layers! Hopefully you will never need it, but it’s far better to have it on hand than not and need it.

 

[WingItRanch]

My grandma keeps saying (jokingly) "Arent they laying yet?!" LOL she's so tired of paying an arm and a leg for a dozen eggs!

Right?! The anticipation!!!

 

[Bawkbok]

I just paid another $6.59 for a dozen factory eggs - ugh. By the time we get our first 'real' fresh chicken egg, it will be our $5k egg!! haha

Not sure why our 7 month old Golden Comet hasn't started laying yet, her comb and wattles and face are red. I'm assuming it's the awful heat but I was expecting (hoping) for an eggie by now since she's a production hybrid. Patience, I must have more patience.

 

[Xtinasbyflock]

I just paid another $6.59 for a dozen factory eggs - ugh. By the time we get our first 'real' fresh chicken egg, it will be our $5k egg!! haha

Not sure why our 7 month old Golden Comet hasn't started laying yet, her comb and wattles and face are red. I'm assuming it's the awful heat but I was expecting (hoping) for an eggie by now since she's a production hybrid. Patience, I must have more patience.

Ha! That ( the '5k egg' sounds like a conversation my husband I were just having! :