Chanchilla
Chirping
- Sep 22, 2023
- 41
- 32
- 51
Hi guys! This is my first flock of chickens, just want to make sure all is well.
For some background:
When my chickens were 16 weeks, I gave them to a relative to look after because I needed to travel. Came back a month later to find them in horrible condition; they'd been locked in a dark cellar and were super skinny! Three had (according to her) died from predators.
So I took the remaining four back (along with three other grey ones, ages and kind unknown to me) and got to work fattening them up. They have a large coop and sunny run, and seem to be happy and spoiled now.
I have chickens (7), 5 hens and 2 roosters. Everyone gets along, no fighting and no mating yet.
Three are a mix of Buff Orpington, Copper Marans, and Easter Eggers, got them as chicks at 3 days old from a local farm. They're now 26 weeks old.
Three rescued: two hens are grey, smallish and flighty, and the rooster is big and white/red. No idea their ages or breed, but none are old as they've grown quite a bit since I got them. I think they're all under 7-8 months.
The last is a golden comet I got from tractor supply, she's 25 weeks.
So my main concern is, none of them are laying eggs. Even the golden comet, who I read should start laying 16-19 weeks, is now 24+ weeks old and still no eggs.
So my questions are,
Is it possible that the month they spent in bad conditions has affected their egg laying?
Or maybe they ARE laying and just eating the eggs, devouring all evidence?
Maybe I just need to be patient and alls well.
They've been on layer pellets for 2 weeks, and have always gotten fresh veggies (cabbage, tomatoes, general kitchen scraps) and grains, along with occasional treats of mealworms and black fly larvae.
Thoughts?
For some background:
When my chickens were 16 weeks, I gave them to a relative to look after because I needed to travel. Came back a month later to find them in horrible condition; they'd been locked in a dark cellar and were super skinny! Three had (according to her) died from predators.
So I took the remaining four back (along with three other grey ones, ages and kind unknown to me) and got to work fattening them up. They have a large coop and sunny run, and seem to be happy and spoiled now.
I have chickens (7), 5 hens and 2 roosters. Everyone gets along, no fighting and no mating yet.
Three are a mix of Buff Orpington, Copper Marans, and Easter Eggers, got them as chicks at 3 days old from a local farm. They're now 26 weeks old.
Three rescued: two hens are grey, smallish and flighty, and the rooster is big and white/red. No idea their ages or breed, but none are old as they've grown quite a bit since I got them. I think they're all under 7-8 months.
The last is a golden comet I got from tractor supply, she's 25 weeks.
So my main concern is, none of them are laying eggs. Even the golden comet, who I read should start laying 16-19 weeks, is now 24+ weeks old and still no eggs.
So my questions are,
Is it possible that the month they spent in bad conditions has affected their egg laying?
Or maybe they ARE laying and just eating the eggs, devouring all evidence?
Maybe I just need to be patient and alls well.
They've been on layer pellets for 2 weeks, and have always gotten fresh veggies (cabbage, tomatoes, general kitchen scraps) and grains, along with occasional treats of mealworms and black fly larvae.
Thoughts?