Waiting for that First Egg from Your Chickens

I swear I've gotten the wrong chickens - you know, the kind that doesn't lay eggs? If you're waiting for that first egg, I'll bet you're just as antsy as I am when it comes expecting that first egg. As of this writing, my oldest chickens are about 24 weeks old and are showing all the signs laying hens ought to show. They sing pre-egg songs, they do the egg squat, and they make enough racket to call their ancestral dinosaurs back from extinction. What's more, my 20 week old birds are playing the same game, which means they're getting close.

Who's the Mother Hen Here?

Not that I'm anxious, or anything, but I do check about 3 to 5 times a day for eggs. I figure it's a good idea since they may do something evil like eat the eggs if I don't pick them up. I've resorted to telling them that it'll be chicken soup for them all if they don't lay. I've told them I'm getting a poster of a KFC Bucket for inspiration and motivation. So far, no luck.

Signs Chickens Should Be Laying Soon

When hens start maturing, they have several signs that laying eggs are imminent. One is that their combs and faces start getting red. Their hip bones start widening. Their vents (where eggs and poo come from) widen and get moist. They start sounding like little dinosaurs making this odd "urrr-urrr-urrr..." noise called the pre-egg song. And they do this odd little squat where they bend down with their wings arched and raise their butt - in the hopes of a rooster mating with them. In order to figure out the hip and vent thing, you naturally have to pick the bird up and feel her. Which kind of makes you wonder what kind of person feels up a chicken?

According to every book I've read on chickens - and I've read a lot - they say that one nest will service four chickens. People say to put fake eggs or golf balls in the nest to encourage your chickens to lay in them. I dutifully have put golf balls in the nest. I wonder if fluorescent orange golf balls would freak them out?

When a chicken lays her egg, she then makes a different song called the egg song. It's the classic "bruck-bruck-bruck-BRAWK!" we're all used to hearing from media. The chicken sings this song as a possible alert to other chickens that she laid an egg and to look out for predators. I haven't heard my chickens sing this song - yet - but I've sang it to them for motivation. Maybe they think I've laid an egg?

Clueless Rooster

Robbie the rooster is naturally clueless. The hussies throw themselves in front of him and flirt shamelessly, but Robbie is pretty clueless on the whole chicken sex thing. Roosters aren't needed for chickens to lay eggs, which is a good thing because Robbie isn't interested yet. He hasn't crowed, while his buddy in the other pen, Crooked Toes, is cock-a-doodle-dooing proudly and impressing the girls with his voice, but they're a bit underage.

Laying Age

Chickens lay sometime after 18 weeks, although they can take longer, especially with slower maturing breeds. Some breeds developed for egg laying can lay eggs as early as 15 weeks, but evidently none of mine are that ambitious. Chickens are most productive during their first year. Many chickens lay well during their second year, but egg laying slacks off by the third year enough to where most farms sell or butcher their older layers. Still, chickens can live 10 years or more and can produce eggs occasionally until eight or older.

Feeding the Layer

Laying chickens need what is called "layer feed" and should be fed oyster shell for calcium. Basically, layer feed a higher calcium diet that enables the chicken to form egg shells. Layer feed is only good for laying chickens and chickens who are about to lay (like mine). Younger chicks can suffer from kidney problems if fed layer feed or oyster shell too early.

Playing the Waiting Game

So each day, I've been checking the coops and the nest with no luck. I suspect they'll lay when I'm out of town - because that's just how it works. But they will lay eventually. If you're waiting too, have faith. Your chickens will lay an egg. Just go on vacation. I guaranteethe first eggs will be laid then.