19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??

[LeslieDJoyce]

I believe Julie has it right here...I have never heard that tomato fruits are bad, but I have heard that raw potatoes and potato plants are. As to tomato plants I'm still skeptical. My RIR Ginger LOVES tomatoes. She goes out of her way to leap high into the air to nab any close ones (including stems and leaves) off of our container plants that sit on the deck. She lays faithfully every day.

I hadn't heard tomatoes were potentially toxic before, either (though I know a lot of older people who believe they are toxic to humans, too). Wonder if it is supposedly just the plant that causes trouble ... or ... what ... ??? Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to grill him on that statement. But if I was anxious about getting my hens to lay, I'd do just about anything. Squeeze, shake, stern lectures, bribes, ground them. Don't know if you saw my egg charm ...

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Leghorns are very pretty but tend toward aggressiveness. Nelson says he had a hard time with his, but I have a theory. Nelson had a bunch of them so I think that Leghorns stick with their own in a gang-like sort of way so I feel maybe that had something to do with his issues of them harrassing other chickens. I only have one of each of my breeds including my Leg and she is one of the sweetest girls! Noisy though so prepare yourself for that too. Beautiful hens though and lay eggs like nobody's buis-nass!! She lays the hugest eggs of all of them and is the most petite little thing! Most people I talk to, they are the queen bees of the flock.

What I'm noticing is a lot of the birds gang up in breeds ... Those White Leghorns were really something!

 

[jkraze]

We went to a meeting about raising chickens the other night. We were told if hens eat either tomatoes or potatoes they will likely stope laying. He said sometimes hens will still lay after eating those things, but not often. I have read that raw potatoes are a no-no, but am not sure if once they're cooked they still have that affect. Just a thought.

Raw potatoes are a no go! Cooked are okay, but they really don't need the starch. Mine eat tomatoes every day, and they've been laying every day for weeks.

 

[Chica Lady]

I hadn't heard tomatoes were potentially toxic before, either (though I know a lot of older people who believe they are toxic to humans, too). Wonder if it is supposedly just the plant that causes trouble ... or ... what ... ??? Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to grill him on that statement. But if I was anxious about getting my hens to lay, I'd do just about anything. Squeeze, shake, stern lectures, bribes, ground them. Don't know if you saw my egg charm ...

I keep telling mine that I'm gonna get out the fryer if they dont start giving me eggs soon.....

 

[blondiebee181]

I hadn't heard tomatoes were potentially toxic before, either (though I know a lot of older people who believe they are toxic to humans, too). Wonder if it is supposedly just the plant that causes trouble ... or ... what ... ??? Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to grill him on that statement. But if I was anxious about getting my hens to lay, I'd do just about anything. Squeeze, shake, stern lectures, bribes, ground them. Don't know if you saw my egg charm ...

I can just see it now...a bonfire burning and you dancing and chanting around it wearing beads and bangles and shaking that magic stick!! And the chickens going..."Hmmm.....think we should tell her where we hid the eggs yet?" Bwahahaaaa!!!! Lol!

 

[blondiebee181]

What I'm noticing is a lot of the birds gang up in breeds ... Those White Leghorns were really something!

That's probably true...though some are probably worse than others like....I don't think I'll ever want more than one Leg, but I could definately own several Americaunas or BRs...they are super sweet hens and really friendly. They like to take naps with me

 

[blondiebee181]

Raw potatoes are a no go! Cooked are okay, but they really don't need the starch. Mine eat tomatoes every day, and they've been laying every day for weeks.

Yeah mine eat tomatoes all the time, including the leaves off the plants where they can reach them, and no ill so far. I heard that chickens are pretty good at avoiding things they know are bad for them...usually...

 

[blondiebee181]

I keep telling mine that I'm gonna get out the fryer if they dont start giving me eggs soon.....

Bwahahaha! Yeah I used to tell them mine that too, especially my RIR Ginger...she's a little you-know-what. She gets up on the deck to eat my container garden, she chases my poor ducks without provocation, and tries to poop on me if I pick her up half the time. My mom and I call her "Crockpot"

 

[blondiebee181]

I love my Orpie girls! They are big and fluffy - I adore watching them run. I also love my Marans roosters. They let you hold them, snuggle...really nice guys. My 6 year old loves to go out and catch our 2 top roos (Samson and Copper) BCMs. The Orps are really stand offish and our oldest Orp roo (Joe) is a hands off kinda guy too. Because of their age- I am guessing we might not see most of them lay until start of 2013. At least my ducks are laying.

I bought 10 BCM chicks...and only scored TWO pullets from that set! Two! LOL We are keeping 2 of the males (we are sweet on them) unless they prove to be aggressive later then we will re-home whom we need to then.

I bought 12 Buff Orp chicks and ended up with what looks like 4-5 dudes the rest are all ladies. Not bad on the Orps!

The EEs are for fun. We love them!

The bantam laced wyandottes were a CL find from a local reputable breeder and they were SO pretty I couldn't help myself. I now try to stay away from CL or look when I am flat broke.

I'd love to have a Maran for dark chocolate eggs someday. Orps are fluffy! So are full size SLW...so cute! When my Silver sits down to rest on the railroad ties in our yard, her fluff spreads out around her like a big, poofy dress it's the cutest ever! Their pattern is sooo gorgeous too! I'd like to have a GLW too someday.
I have no roos...I live in the city so I made sure to buy all pullets and my ducks are female too.
Love my Runners soooo much they are super friendly which most people say Runners are skittish, but my girls are sweet. Some people say the extra mess of ducks isn't worth it but it soooo is. Besides if you're like me and only own 2, it's super manageable. Small pool, small house, and skinny Runners don't eat much more than my hens. Plus it's so dry in Boise that I can deep litter here and the chickens help me out by scratching through it from time to time and turning it over. Sorry I got off topic but I had to vent about how I love em'!!! And I'm on some pretty strong pain meds at the moment since I had surgery today. Congrats on your duck eggs, I'm super-jealous!!!

 

[Rhoise]

Bwahahaha! Yeah I used to tell them mine that too, especially my RIR Ginger...she's a little you-know-what. She gets up on the deck to eat my container garden, she chases my poor ducks without provocation, and tries to poop on me if I pick her up half the time. My mom and I call her "Crockpot"

My barred Rock is the big fatty boss Biddie, and I call two of the three RIR's her "henchmen" they are evil in triple!! with fatty guarding the feeder and the two sisters guarding the nest boxes my coop had turned mayhem last week....I sadly had to succumb to pin less peepers

because of the bullying! I'll tell ya what after a couple days of stumbling around figuring out how to eat and walk with those darn thing all the girls are all doing Great!!! Saved from the Pot!!!! Little Snow my 23 week old Amber who is the bottom of the pecking order has started squatting and her comb is redding up nicely, maybe by next week she'll lay an egg if one of those softies this week wasn't hers already. 2 pullets left to go to reach POL for all 8 girls,Snow and Ruby 24 and 23 weeks old this coming Sunday and still have yet to join the club!!