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

[chicksurreal]

I got 21 eggs from 29 girls today and its only 2pm could get more, the girls are doing great

OMG, Egg envy here!

 

[RobJones]

Today I got 23 from 29 ladies, going up

 

[gfiman]

Hi All !

Since my first two eggs on Christmas morning, I've been getting 6 every day. Yesterday I think someone laid one without a shell.
There was egg in the nest box, and no shell to be seen. Today I got an egg that was at least half again as big as anything else.
I will try to get some pictures of chickens and coop, with new run soon.

 

[sssharon]

I got eleven out of 13 today and I thought for sure since it was 2 degrees below they might not lay as many it was a great surprise. I didn't let the chickens out of their pen today and you would have thought I was abusing them. It was so cold!

 

[jtbass2756]

I'm wondering about my "older" ladies.....They have always laid pretty good. There are 4 who are in the smaller coop (4x10, "open concept...LOL). 1 Dark Brahma, 1GLW, 2 RIR. They all began with their molt just about the time cold weather swept in. Of course, their laying almost stopped. I was lucky to be able to get 1 egg every 4-5 days. They have gotten up to 1 to 3 every week. What is wrong?

They eggs as healthy eggs, strong shell, normal "innards". They are only hitting the 2 yr mark... Is this it? Are they past their egg laying time frame? They are in a very secure coop/run so they have never been within reach a predator although predators can look thru the wiring...haven't seen any evidence of problems lately,


It was meant to be a garden top but the top had bowed and the water wouldn't drain right to I never used it. Come warm weather, I will cut the "roof" that is located within that top 1x6 frame and then I'm going to put a new top on it using that area. That will give my ladies and extra 6" of head room. Right now they are really crowded trying to get on the roost. which is a 2x2. That will also be changed to a 2x4 ! Heck.....LOL......I may remodel the whole thing. I would like a way to lock them up at night. !!





They are within a secure coop, complete with buried hardware wiring, same wiring all the way up and on the coop areas that was already covered with regular chicken wire, pavers around the perimeter,

 

[sssharon]

Maybe it's the time of the year. My chickens weren't laying very well until I put a light on in their coop. It really does work. I put a red heat lamp. The room is to big for it to heat it up but it does light it up and red light is supposed to be better. I think I read that chickens start dropping off on the laying when they are 3 or 4 . I could be wrong. I'm sure they don't slow down that much when they aren't even two yet. Go on Google. They can probably fill you in on anything. I hope your chickens get laying again.

 

[chicksurreal]

One of my 18-19 week old Dark Cornish pullets squatted for me today, I was a little bit surprised because I wasn't expecting that yet. A Blue Andalusian pullet of the same age squatted for my SO the other day. Is it normal for them to do this so soon?

The only other experience I have with chickens is my flock of Silver Spangled Hamburgs who NEVER squatted for anybody but the rooster. If I walked by any of them they might hit me with a wing, but never squat. Lol! Flighty little buggers.

 

[chicksurreal]

Maybe it's the time of the year. My chickens weren't laying very well until I put a light on in their coop. It really does work. I put a red heat lamp. The room is to big for it to heat it up but it does light it up and red light is supposed to be better. I think I read that chickens start dropping off on the laying when they are 3 or 4 . I could be wrong. I'm sure they don't slow down that much when they aren't even two yet. Go on Google. They can probably fill you in on anything. I hope your chickens get laying again.

My SS Hamburg hens, who are 16 months old right now are not laying at all after a very hard molt. They were extremely regular with their laying up until about 2 months ago when they started to lose feathers at an alarming rate. They are all feathered again, but no eggs... I'm not going to put a light in their coop, I'll just wait it out, but it sucks to buy store bought eggs after having your own fresh eggs daily. Hopefully my pullets will start laying soon.

 

[chicksurreal]

So, one of my 18-19 week old Dark Cornish pullets has squatted twice for me in the last 3 days when I go to pet her. Her comb, face and wattles are deep red, but she seems a little young to be doing this (not that it matters, because she IS doing it). One of my Blue Andalusian pullets of the same age has been doing the same over the last couple of days. Her comb is about 3 times the size of her sister's, but not super red or anything. I'm just wondering how long it might be from this point before I start seeing eggs from these girls. This seems very early to me, although my SS Hamburgs didn't start laying until they were 26 weeks, so I don't know... I'll try to get pictures of them tomorrow.


So exciting to see them maturing!

 

[mattsanity]

I'm no expert but my first bird to lay squatted 3 weeks ago at about 21 weeks and laid within a week and 9 others are laying here by 25 weeks. From what I've heard and read the normal range is anywhere from 16 weeks for the hybrids all the way to 26 or even 30 for a slower maturing bird. So 18 weeks sounds early but not abnormally so. Lucky you!