YO GEORGIANS! :)

[JoshFig]

You can google the lighting. There are pros and cons. But, they all agree that the chickens should go to bed at the normal light and wake up to the artificial light.

About the EE. Can be several things..... chickens don't like changes. But, although it is young, could be starting to molt? I had a few to molt that young. But, I'm having trouble with ALL 50 of my chickens! Only getting a few eggs a day!

I know i'm not going to get much sympathy from you right now Hopefully they start back soon - those hens from this spring definitely should be laying strong.

The EE doesn't look like she is molting at all - I think its just protesting the new roo. Time will tell.

 

[katsdar]

This is an interesting topic. Do chickens really need augmented light in order to produce? Last year I didn't do additional light - just daylight - and my girls laid through the winter. Not quite as strong as spring - but I averaged 5 or 6 eggs a day from my 8 hens (at the time).

Has anyone else on here gone w/ no artificial light with success? I'd rather not bother with an additional light in the coop - but if it yields more eggs it may be worth a try.

I am trying to figure out what happened to my easter egger (~7 months old) - was one of our best layers and completely stopped 2 weeks ago. I figured it was to protest our new rooster we got at that time but it may be the light.

For folks who do artificial light, do you set it to turn on in the morning or leave it on later at night? I figure when they go into the coop to bed they are ready to roost and be done, so early AM sounds like it would make more sense.

I don't do any artificial light, figure it is natures way of giving the girls a break, IMO

 

[katsdar]

Well, you all know I am putting my chickens on a diet. They are no longer getting the left overs from the renters. I was giving them tons of everything.....pasta, beans, breads, everything! (except for the cakes and cookies....I was eating them!) Well, the egg levels went low.....3-6 eggs out of 50 chickens! Well, after a week, I am only getting 0-2! Hahaha! They are probably going thru carb/sugar withdrawal just like I am! Sugar and artificial sweetner withdrawal is not fun! Anyway, I actually saw the chickens back up in the yard looking for bugs again.....imagine that! They had been sitting down by the gate all day waiting for their pan full of leftovers! I learned my lesson!

Your very brave to let your renters feed stuff to your chickens, no telling what they were slipping them, did you have renters when you suddenly lost your rooster?

 

[Flowerbh]

Your very brave to let your renters feed stuff to your chickens, no telling what they were slipping them, did you have renters when you suddenly lost your rooster?

The renters don't feed the chickens....they leave all their leftovers in the refrigerator. I have been feeding them to the chickens. My error is in feeding them mass quantities of it! After weddings here, there would literally be trays full of things like Cole slaw, baked beans, mac and cheese, salads, etc. Some of this is ok, but not trays full. LOL.. Dumb me. I was just thinking how I hated throwing it all away and how the chickens would love it......

We do have two neighbors who we also give the leftovers to. But, even they can only eat so much and their refrigerators are full.

 

[farmermurphy]

College Park, I had a coop here at school for over a year now and the kids love.them. I am interested in adding to my flock, possibly Flavorelles, Copper Marans or any chickens that will fit with my RIRs, Laced Wyandottes, Cream Legbars, and Easter Eggers. Anybody know where I can get 4 month or older hens. Thanks, love the site.

 

[katsdar]

The renters don't feed the chickens....they leave all their leftovers in the refrigerator. I have been feeding them to the chickens. My error is in feeding them mass quantities of it! After weddings here, there would literally be trays full of things like Cole slaw, baked beans, mac and cheese, salads, etc. Some of this is ok, but not trays full. LOL.. Dumb me. I was just thinking how I hated throwing it all away and how the chickens would love it......

We do have two neighbors who we also give the leftovers to. But, even they can only eat so much and their refrigerators are full.

Do you have a men's or women's shelter, Salvation Army? Church that feeds the masses? Great Tax deduction

 

[Lady Who]

Do you have a men's or women's shelter, Salvation Army?  Church that feeds the masses?  Great Tax deduction 

I think there a shelter down in Jasper (i thinkkkkkkkkk..... citation needed)

 

[GAMarans]

Oh boy ... there will be no living with Robo now. Did y'all see his new "badge"?

 

[choonook]

Oh boy ... there will be no living with Robo now.  Did y'all see his new "badge"?

What new "badge"?

Haven't had much to post lately but Betty's head is FINALLY sealed off. Just waiting on feathers. And, sadly, we are down to one chick of the three I got at auction. No clue what happened to the other two but the one whose breed I seriously can't identify is still hanging in all by its lonesome self...seems to like it though...it's quite calmer than before.

 

[PapaChaz]

This is an interesting topic. Do chickens really need augmented light in order to produce? Last year I didn't do additional light - just daylight - and my girls laid through the winter. Not quite as strong as spring - but I averaged 5 or 6 eggs a day from my 8 hens (at the time).

Has anyone else on here gone w/ no artificial light with success? I'd rather not bother with an additional light in the coop - but if it yields more eggs it may be worth a try.

I am trying to figure out what happened to my easter egger (~7 months old) - was one of our best layers and completely stopped 2 weeks ago. I figured it was to protest our new rooster we got at that time but it may be the light.

For folks who do artificial light, do you set it to turn on in the morning or leave it on later at night? I figure when they go into the coop to bed they are ready to roost and be done, so early AM sounds like it would make more sense.

set it on a timer to go on early in the morning. If you set it to stay on in the evening, they won't be on the roost when poof the lights out. Always better to have it early rather than late.

ok, So i put some welsummer eggs under a broody. These are fathered by my splash ameracauna. For those of you who do cross breeding, since the welsummers are sexed at hatch by color, should these chicks also be a 'sex link' type chicken? One was just about out when we got home from church, will be by in the morning. I'm curious as to whether I should have the stripe/eye liner to go by.