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

[crabby chickens]

Hi
Some of our hens started laying eggs at 18 weeks, some a few weeks later and probably all of them by 24 weeks. We have Buff Orps, Astralorps, Golden and Silver Wyandotes. We saw some of our hens that appreared to be more mature with larger combs, were probably the first to lay and as the others matured, they followed. We have 15 hens and the most eggs we have gotten was 14 in a day, but we usually average 11-12 a day. We live in central Coastal California. The days are now in the mid to high 60's and the nights in the low 30's. We have been feeding 18% pelleted food while they are molting, but probably will switch back to 16% when they get their feathers. If your hens are on a growing ration, you may want to switch to a hen laying food. Ours really started to produce once we did. Good luck.

 

[PAchickengirl]

Looks like mine were about 28 1/2 weeks or so when they started laying. The Barred Rock was first. I am not exactly sure whether its the Black Astralorpes or e Golden-laces that just started today. Hard to tell!

 

[mrsamplias]

Quote:

 

[mrsamplias]

I raise Heritage RIR's and find mine don't generally start to lay until at least 6-7 months of age. I don't know if it's just the RIR's make up, or, if mine are just wanting to take their time. When they do start to lay, though, be prepared for big, beautiful, brown eggs.

Good to know. We have our first RIR and they are 5 months. My children are eagerly awaiting eggs, and they think they'll get some for Christmas....who knows?

 

[mrsamplias]

Hi
Some of our hens started laying eggs at 18 weeks, some a few weeks later and probably all of them by 24 weeks. We have Buff Orps, Astralorps, Golden and Silver Wyandotes. We saw some of our hens that appreared to be more mature with larger combs, were probably the first to lay and as the others matured, they followed. We have 15 hens and the most eggs we have gotten was 14 in a day, but we usually average 11-12 a day. We live in central Coastal California. The days are now in the mid to high 60's and the nights in the low 30's. We have been feeding 18% pelleted food while they are molting, but probably will switch back to 16% when they get their feathers. If your hens are on a growing ration, you may want to switch to a hen laying food. Ours really started to produce once we did. Good luck.

When did you switch from grower to layer feed?

 

[Tin Flamingo]

When did you switch from grower to layer feed?

I switched to layer feed after the second 50lb bag was empty. Figured I was close enough.

 

[Tin Flamingo]

hey Tin Flamingo ~ about 20 years ago, I lived in Fitchburg, MA... my neighbors, (I have forgotten their names...) but anyway... he invented the pink plastic lawn flamingo... he sold the idea to some company, wished he hadn't been so hasty, said if he had a nickel for every one sold, he'd be a very wealthy man... kind of peculiar folk tho'... she made all their clothes, which in itself is not peculiar... she made nice clothes... but what was a little strange was that she made matching outfits for both of them, and they dressed alike every single day.

I'll be back in the waiting game soon! I ordered 15 EE pullet chicks to be shipped on 12/3... I think I'm crazy to be brooding chicks over the winter, but eh... I really need more hens. I have 3 roos, 2 of which need harems of their own... so by ordering them now, they will be 5 months old in April, and ready to join the flock and their roos... it will be interesting to see how they group up, who goes to whom and so forth...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Hey Cheeka,

You must live in a lovely place to be able to have so many birds.

We are limited to 8 hens and one Roo, but my DH won't agree to a roo. Firestone the name on the original Lawn Flamingos. We have a couple of sets and we put them out when we camp in the airstream

It's fun. If you've ordered 15 more chicks how many hens do you have already? Do you sell you eggs?

 

[cheeka]

Tin Flamingo ~ I lost one EE pullet to a fox over the summer, along with a gorgeous white EE cockerel... but I still have 6 LF hens:
2 EE hens
2 BR hens
2 RIR hens
3 EE cockerels
1 EE x cochin bantam pullet
________________________
10 birds total

so with the 15 new EE pullets, I will have 25 birds, giving each boy 7 hens, and one of the boys (Archie) will have 8 as he will still have the bantam, they are bonded, and he takes very good care of her.

I live in a "right to farm" county, so basically, I can have whatever animals I want, as long as I can support them.

I do sell some eggs, with only 6 girls laying, it takes 2-3 days to get a dozen, but they do pile up fast... I've had several inquiries regarding selling hatching eggs and chicks ~ everyone understands that they are all going to be EE's, folks around here really like how hardy they are and everyone loves the colored eggs.

 

[Tin Flamingo]

Tin Flamingo ~ I lost one EE pullet to a fox over the summer, along with a gorgeous white EE cockerel... but I still have 6 LF hens:
2 EE hens
2 BR hens
2 RIR hens
3 EE cockerels
1 EE x cochin bantam pullet
________________________
10 birds total

so with the 15 new EE pullets, I will have 25 birds, giving each boy 7 hens, and one of the boys (Archie) will have 8 as he will still have the bantam, they are bonded, and he takes very good care of her.

I live in a "right to farm" county, so basically, I can have whatever animals I want, as long as I can support them.

I do sell some eggs, with only 6 girls laying, it takes 2-3 days to get a dozen, but they do pile up fast... I've had several inquiries regarding selling hatching eggs and chicks ~ everyone understands that they are all going to be EE's, folks around here really like how hardy they are and everyone loves the colored eggs.

Very cool. My husband wants green/blue eggs so I bet I can talk him into 3 more birds. He was so sweet and the hens are my 50th b day present, along with him building the coop and run. We are also in a right to farm area, but because in the city limits we are restricted by the numbers. But alot of cities don't allow at all, so I like to think we are lucky. We are in farm land here. Was at least until developers put up cookie cutter houses all around us. Modern houses right next to fields of cows, and of course they complain, but the cows were here first.

So the cows win out. Oh ya and it's featherstone on the flamingos

 

[cheeka]

I was just about to say Featherstone! you beat me to it... it popped in my head... Firestone sounded close, yet not quite right... Don Featherstone...

yeah, in a nearby county, it used to be all rural farmland, but the citiots have invaded for the passed 30 years in droves... lots of "cookie cutter" houses and the complaints of the smell of the farms is laughable! what do you expect to smell when your next door neighbor has dairy cows or meat cattle???
personally, I like the smell... smells of hard work, determination, love of the land and wanting to know where their food comes from... of course, to the citiot, it's a nuisance, food comes from the store, after all... right?