Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[Fletch83]

I've been going out and putting a ton of ice cubes in their waterer before I leave for work and after I get home, and they have been taking lots of dirt baths! So far they have just been panting through it. At least they don't seem too hot to play chicken keep-away with all the grasshoppers in the backyard

Being able to have the coop somewhere where it gets constant shade throughout the day REALLY helps.

 

[Ariekannairb]

Just out of curiosity, what is the earliest you have had a pullet start laying?

 

[Ariekannairb]

I've been going out and putting a ton of ice cubes in their waterer before I leave for work and after I get home, and they have been taking lots of dirt baths! So far they have just been panting through it. At least they don't seem too hot to play chicken keep-away with all the grasshoppers in the backyard

Being able to have the coop somewhere where it gets constant shade throughout the day REALLY helps.

We are also in Texas and after the rain the humidity is CRAZY today. Mine have spent most of the day laying in the shade of our big oak tree. They tend to head for the trees for most of the day right now. Can't say I blame them. It is a good 15* cooler in the perimeter trees around our property. I took out some popsicle out yesterday and that was a big hit.

 

[h0m3gr0wn]

My pullets didn't start laying until the very end of their 5th month. My red has been laying for a week now, my black has been nesting and laboring for a week and just finally laid today. We know it was her because the egg size difference is REDICULOUS! Check this out! Can't wait for the EE to lay us a green egg. I hope she lays, after reading your posts is sounds like the EE's are tricky layers. The poor girls have been finding themselves cool spots around the yard. They are free to roam our entire back yard so they go and find mud and shade and chill. I put a frozen bottle in the laying box for them, thanks for the tip! It seems a lot cooler in there.

 

[h0m3gr0wn]

I should say, one of my pullets. They were hatched in the first week of the year and one started laying about June 1 and the other just laid her first egg today, still waiting on #3 to lay an egg.

 

[h0m3gr0wn]

I have one more question! What do you have in your laying boxes for bedding? Mine has 4+ inches of pine bedding. The giant egg was cracked from hitting the wood. They scratch down to the floor and lay.

 

[Melabella]

I have one more question! What do you have in your laying boxes for bedding? Mine has 4+ inches of pine bedding. The giant egg was cracked from hitting the wood. They scratch down to the floor and lay.

Hi h0m3gr0wn!

I use hay, I put a nice thick layer in each one. I also have those egg laying pads down first. Between the two, they create a great nest in each one that looks like a giant birds nest after all the laying that goes on. I just put a fresh handful in when it looks like it's getting thin. I completely change them out every couple of weeks, or if they get soiled when one hen lays. I hate dirty eggs! Here is a link to those egg pads...


http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/nest-pads/Economical-Nest-Boxes

 

[Fletch83]

Hey all! Sadly, it is supposed to get up to 96 degrees by the middle of this week for us and any fellow Texans. I guess this means spring is over! So far both EE's have been just fine, they do pant but don't seem distressed. I think letting them freerange the backyard might be the best bet, so that they can find the cooler shaded areas and take dust baths. Still, not looking forward to the higher temperatures!

Got another double-yolk egg from one of the EE's last week, she is an overacheiver

 

[CarolinaGirly]

Our first egg, laid on 6/7/13- our 5 year wedding anniversary lol. What a gift. No more since then, but that was sweet of her. Laid by one of our ex battery hens finally done with her molting. Hoping to have the other ex battery leghorn laying by the end of this month. My young white leghorns will be 15 weeks the end of this month. So maybe by July we will be getting 6 eggs on some days! We are eggcited for that!

 

[h0m3gr0wn]

We are going to need more chickens to keep up with our egg demand. We eat about 6 a day. Two a day for me and my husband and one each for the kids. My husband and I are celebrating our 5 year anniversary this month too! We got our first green egg today, the EE decided to lay one. I think the chickens are adorable. Our red laid her egg all by herself, but when the black was in 'labor' she was right there by her side in the nest coaching her on. Today the EE nested for the first time and the black was by her side coaching while the red stood close by to keep guard. It is so cute watching them together.