First Eggs!!

[woodshouseof4]

Found our first eggs today in the coop but not in their roll away nesting box! Any tips on how to get them to start laying eggs in the box?

Also how can you tell what hen is laying?! I have a calico princess and a starlight green Egger who both seem to be laying but I’m unsure. Especially since none of these eggs are green in color.

I’m so excited it seriously is like the best feeling when you get your first eggs!!

 

[Debbie292d]

First time layers will lay them where they are at when they feel the urge to lay. They may do this for a few days. Eventually, they'll find the nest boxes and know that's where they're supposed to lay eggs.

Congratulations!

One way I know how to know who laid what egg is to put a camera in the coop and watch it. The other I've heard of is something I've not done but some will put lipstick on their hens' vent so when they lay, the egg will have a bit of it on there.

 

[Hungry Chicken]

Congrats on the eggs!! It is always so egg-citing!
Doesn't look like the starlight green egger has started laying yet; green eggs are a distinct olive shade

The way I know who's laying what is just by catching them in the act. Never heard of the lipstick method but it could work!

As for getting them to lay in the nest box, it usually does wonders to put in a decoy egg; you can get wooden ones but golf/ping pong balls work just as well. With roll-away nest boxes it is a little trickier as the decoy egg will just roll away before they learn, so what I did was tie a decoy egg to a string inside. Drilling a hole in the ball makes it pretty easy. Tape works too. Not sure how your roll-away nest box works, but mine has a curtain so they can't see in it unless they walk in. If that's the case for you try putting them in one by one so they see the egg. And once one hen lays there they'll all follow suit - they're clever!

 

[paradisepentacoop]

Congrats! Its such an exciting time <3

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

Congrats! So exciting! We had our first egg last night too! Only one so far though.

I also want to know who is laying! I’m pretty sure I know who laid the first, but not 100%. I plan to put the trail cam out lol

 

[Eggs_Over_EZ]

First eggs are exciting. Our Isa Browns were the first layers. We believe one or two Speckled Sussex are laying or trying to. Congratulations!!!

 

[El Padre eGGers]

Beautiful eggs! Congrats on those first ones. I put golf balls in the nesting boxes and I can verify, that worked. Had moved the golf balls to one box, not the 'favorite' box. Ended up with eggs in box with golf balls.

 

[MountainWoman73]

Nice eggs. My mom's starlight green egger that she purchased this year just started laying -- light brown eggs. I think they have some problems with the genetics in their breeding stock.