Terri, when PP was asking how much day light they were getting, the ? was in reference to the total number of hours of day light.
Are they Ameraucanas (bred to standard of perfection, usually sold by a breeder, and will be sold as a specific colored Am, with only specific colors allowed into the Ameraucana SOP) or are they Easter Eggers (that are mislabeled by hatcheries, feed stores, and many folks who have them in their flock)? The misidentification continues b/c it is perpetrated by (IMO) unscrupulous hatcheries that are allowed to get away with it.
The answer to the above question will have some bearing on the productivity as well as onset of laying of your birds. IMO, Ams are a bit slower to mature, and less productive than EE. Hours of day light, time of year (days getting shorter vs. days getting longer) and diet of your flock also play a role. Increased protein brings onset of puberty at an earlier age. What do you have them on for feed (please include all items in their diet: bagged feed, as well as scratch grains, kitchen scraps, free range, and any other goodies. What is the mill date on your current bag of feed? How long does it take you to go through a bag of feed?
Are they Ameraucanas (bred to standard of perfection, usually sold by a breeder, and will be sold as a specific colored Am, with only specific colors allowed into the Ameraucana SOP) or are they Easter Eggers (that are mislabeled by hatcheries, feed stores, and many folks who have them in their flock)? The misidentification continues b/c it is perpetrated by (IMO) unscrupulous hatcheries that are allowed to get away with it.
The answer to the above question will have some bearing on the productivity as well as onset of laying of your birds. IMO, Ams are a bit slower to mature, and less productive than EE. Hours of day light, time of year (days getting shorter vs. days getting longer) and diet of your flock also play a role. Increased protein brings onset of puberty at an earlier age. What do you have them on for feed (please include all items in their diet: bagged feed, as well as scratch grains, kitchen scraps, free range, and any other goodies. What is the mill date on your current bag of feed? How long does it take you to go through a bag of feed?
