I'm glad you got some advice. I'm having problems with my production and I'm going to try the light to see if it gets things a-going again. The last two weeks production has almost stopped.
I'm having the same trouble. We went from 35 to 40 eggs a week from fourteen hens to three eggs the last two weeks. I don't know what's going on. Their feathers do look "rough" but they are not falling out. I'm feeding 16%+ feed daily and adding a little scratch every other day or so. They...
I wouldn't let them free range without any supervision at first. let them out in the evenings, an hour or two, and they will go back in to roost at night. If you don't have problems and lose any to predation, you may let them out after you get in for the day. I would just hate to lose a...
I don't have a rooster right now and I have a hen who has took over the dominant role in the pen. She doesn't crow but she pushes the others around pretty well. I'm getting a new cockerel ASAP.
I'm glad to see everyone doing well on egg production. I haven't had much luck though. My girls are sisters, almost a year old and I think going into a molt. I had 1 egg Saturday, 0 eggs Sunday, 1 egg Monday, and 1 egg today. I know the weather has been crazy but their frizzy feathers are...
I feed scratch and layer feed together on occasion. I give them a few extras, corn and Milo, in the scratch. Lower scratch prices should help offset the price of feeding just 100% Layena layer.
I would switch them to layer feed when they are pullet sized, 12 weeks or so. If you finish a 50 lb bag in about that time, + or -, go ahead and switch to the layer. No need in buying more starter feed. Put some scratch out for them too during the transition period.
I let my girls roam in the evenings and there is no loss of poop in our yard either. Its greening up and I sure the grass will need it and help decompose it a little quicker than a brown winter yard. If you just have to, fence an area off but the concentrated poop in that area will kill off...
I work at night and sleep during the laying period of the day. All my Orphingtons look the same to me and I can't distinguish just who's on the nest w/o marking her. I don't think I'll be dying a vent either! I guess I'll just have to hope they all are producing eggs. 03/27/13: Two eggs and...
I must say that these birds are exceptional in appearance and their colors are brilliant. Too bad you lost them. I cannot free range my birds in Oklahoma w/o close supervision. They are penned up and I allow them to range just in the afternoons. They return to roost in the coop at night...
We got seven from fourteen hens again. I'm going to have to figure out who is laying and who's not. I'm thinking of putting some sort of colored marker in the top of the nest boxes to see who's marked and who isn't. We're getting five eggs one day and eleven the next.
I think she's just glad to see you and making sure you see her. I have a BO hen that follows me like a dog and she'll talk a little to make sure I see and pay a little attention to her...especially during grass hopper season.