Might have anot her layer soon

[sawilliams]

Not sure the latitude of Northern Cali, but I am in souther SD, and I think my pullets will start the second week of January. around the 14-16.... that is what has happened in the past. Right now, no eggs, ugh! Within days of mid January, I will be getting scads.

That is my vote, if you are close to that in latitude.

Mrs K

Maybe a tad lower then you but I wouldn't be sure either with out checking a map. I have 3 girls (of 6 total) that are about 7 months old give or take. One started laying about 2 weeks after we got then and the other 2 are just holding tight. miss marshall just doesn't seem to want to lay yet. But the third looks mostly black astrolorp so I'm expecting her to take her time too. I have 2 young pullets also they ares probably close to 12 weeks now. I'm expecting eggs from those 2 later January early February

 

[Mrs. K]

I hatch with the whim of a broody hen, and as I add no artificial light, it generally is in late May or June. This past spring we had just a lot of very cloudy days, and I had two hens go, one in early July and one the third week in July. Mine are a riff raff crew, but I knew that 4 months was going to line up with limited daylight. One always hopes to be wrong, but with heavy molting in the older girls, and light induced lack of maturity in the young girls, I am egg less!

Ideally, if one hatched in mid spring, well then the pullets should be laying before the dark days of winter, and would lay all through. But I love a broody hen and chicks, it is so much less work to let her do it right there in the flock. So eggless I will be for a few more weeks.

I agree we will be back in the business by the end of January.

Mrs K

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m kind of in Mrs. K’s position but for somewhat different reasons I won’t go into. I have all my older hens molting and pullets not started yet so no eggs for weeks. Since I need eggs for an incubator hatch in February and the older hens are all molting (they’ll get the rest they need), I’ll do something I haven’t done before, use lights to extend the day as soon as I get back from Christmas with granddaughter. It will be past winter solstice so days will be getting longer anyway, I’ll just speed that process up a bit.

I’ve had pullets start to lay and hens that molted early start to lay in early December when the days are about as short as they are going to get but still getting shorter. I did not expect that when I saw it the first time but I’ve seen it more than once. I’ve learned that I don’t know what to expect with chickens, especially pullets. But I also agree that a lot wait until the days are getting longer before they crank it up.

 

[sawilliams]

So quick question. I caught marshall singing in the coop (announcing her prize) but it was after the other 2 had layed and there were no more eggs. I did a check of the coop and run area before and after shutting them in for the night and still found nothing. Not disappointed,just still hopeful. So I checked Marshalls vent and abdomen area her vent is moist. I'm not sure what and egg inside would feel like.

So my question does a moist vent mean that they have layed or that they are able (should be soon) to lay?

 

[sawilliams]

Omg. I'm standing here by the coop and Marshall is waiting in line for the prime nesting box.

 

[Mrs. K]

Good luck! I have been doing this for years, and I still love getting an egg! So exciting when they start. You can tell people on here, they understand!... The rest of the world will think you are nuts!

 

[sawilliams]

Oh I'm sure they will.

She got tired of waiting and fixed up the second box...

We have an egg, and officially our 3rd layer... I couldn't be happier. Pictures soon

 

[sawilliams]

Marshall's first egg she got tried of waiting on Mildred so made up the second box to lay her egg there instead