Rural Gardening: They say size doesn't matter......, 1 by Loon

Loon wrote:
We got our very first egg today! I went to clean out their coop and there it was..........right in the nesting box next to the golf ball. :) They won't be 5 months old till September so I wasn't expecting an egg just yet. I don't know who laid it. I asked the girls if the one who laid the egg would raise their right wing but they weren't talking!! I rewarded them all by throwing in a big broccoli plant from the garden along with some cucumbers and squash. They love treats from the garden.

I know this sounds silly but I took a picture of my egg. It is small. I'm guessing as the hens get older the eggs will get bigger. Is that right? Also, can hens hold back laying eggs if they don't want to lay one? Once they start laying eggs will they lay one every day or just once in a while? Is there anything to feed them to make the eggs bigger?

We went to the farm supply store today and bought more pine shavings, laying mash and some cracked corn. I haven't given them any corn yet. I thought they might like that for something different.

I have soooooooooooo much to learn about chickens and am glad to have this forum. We decided to enclose the last stall in the old barn and make an indoor coop for the girls for winter. I hope it doesn't upset them too much that we're banging and hammering in there. They will be outside in their exercise pen.

Brenda