Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[jtbass2756]

Hello Everyone here who participated in our egg waiting thread. My many apologies for being missing in action. Life has sure been throwing curve balls at me all year, and I hope this new year brings much better fortune. It can always be worse, so I hope to not sound like I'm complaining, but boy I miss when I had a bit more time to come here every day.

Let's all give an update as to where we are at with out chickens, and what we hope the New Year brings with them, what do you think?

My little flock brought us many eggs and delight throughout the year. Being the hatchery crew that they are I am eager to see how their second laying season will go. Eggs started tapering off around late November, and throughout December we were down to about 2-4 a day from the 9 hens I had. They all have seemed to go through their first serious molt, but all at different stages. Some molts were more serious than others. Where my first rooster Duke had ravaged the girls breeding with them all the time, it's nice to see all the feathers back and them looking plump and full. I was wondering if my second rooster Clark would still be mounting them throughout the molt but I haven't seen much of that going on at all. Do they know the girls aren't laying, and slowdown themselves? I stopped giving them layer feed, and bumped up to game bird feed thru the molt. Out of the 9, one seems to still be losing feathers but the others are all new feathered out.

In spirit of this thread, I wonder when they will start laying again? My first egg last year came on New Year's Eve from 5 month old girls. It will be interesting to see if they lay as prolific as last season. I think not but am hoping for at least 5 a day from the 9 girls. I hope to get a second dream flock this year, but need a coop first. Been looking for some used ones or a shed I can convert.

How are your flocks doing? I'd love to get updates!
Happy New Year to everyone, wishing you all the best!

Carmela

All of mine are laying....have 2 RIR, 1 Goldenlaced wyndotte, 1 dark Brahma. They have done so well, even in the single digit temps....just kept on laying ! I had been planning on adding another 4 but hubby is concerned about the fact that it would be right out in the middle of the backyard and be too top. I had sketched it all out....allowing the run even go under the small coop at the top. I had planned to get Ameracaunas....Thought another 4 would do well in that run and coop. I'm so bummed.....Tried to explained that some chickens are cold hardy AND heat hardy !! but don't think I'm going to get him to budge.! Any of you all know how to brainwash a stubborn hubby?? in a way he don't know he's being brainwashed?

 

[nakstk]

Hello Everyone here who participated in our egg waiting thread. My many apologies for being missing in action. Life has sure been throwing curve balls at me all year, and I hope this new year brings much better fortune. It can always be worse, so I hope to not sound like I'm complaining, but boy I miss when I had a bit more time to come here every day.

Let's all give an update as to where we are at with out chickens, and what we hope the New Year brings with them, what do you think?

My little flock brought us many eggs and delight throughout the year. Being the hatchery crew that they are I am eager to see how their second laying season will go. Eggs started tapering off around late November, and throughout December we were down to about 2-4 a day from the 9 hens I had. They all have seemed to go through their first serious molt, but all at different stages. Some molts were more serious than others. Where my first rooster Duke had ravaged the girls breeding with them all the time, it's nice to see all the feathers back and them looking plump and full. I was wondering if my second rooster Clark would still be mounting them throughout the molt but I haven't seen much of that going on at all. Do they know the girls aren't laying, and slowdown themselves? I stopped giving them layer feed, and bumped up to game bird feed thru the molt. Out of the 9, one seems to still be losing feathers but the others are all new feathered out.

In spirit of this thread, I wonder when they will start laying again? My first egg last year came on New Year's Eve from 5 month old girls. It will be interesting to see if they lay as prolific as last season. I think not but am hoping for at least 5 a day from the 9 girls. I hope to get a second dream flock this year, but need a coop first. Been looking for some used ones or a shed I can convert.

How are your flocks doing? I'd love to get updates!
Happy New Year to everyone, wishing you all the best!

Carmela

My girls are slowing in their old age but all are healthy and happy. My 5 SS are on their 3rd winter this year, they will be 3 in July. My 2 Wellies are on their second winter and will be 2 in April. My egg totals are 2012- (with 5 pullet for the first 10 months of the year) 712 eggs 2013- (with the 5 hens and 2 pullets) 879 eggs.
I found that after their first major molt my girls didn't start really picking up there laying until April.
Last year - Jan. 23 eggs, Feb 40 eggs, March 87 eggs, April 128 eggs, May 121 eggs, June 111 eggs, July 110 eggs, Aug 98 eggs, Sept 50 eggs, Oct 16 eggs, Nov 47 eggs and Dec 48 eggs.

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

I've been away from this thread for a long time! But I'm back to the same place I was a year ago when I joined this thread....waiting for my chickens to start laying again.

It's been a busy year chicken-wise at my house. I wish I had more specific numbers like you guys. I had several hatches last year, with 80% turning out to be roosters! So not so good there. I sold several of the roosters, and had planned on harvesting the others, but a fox attack in the fall took a large number of my juvenile birds. Luckily, all of my older birds survived the attack. So I now have 4 EE hens, 2 BCM hens, 1 Blue copper maran hen, 1 Jaerhon hen, my old EE roo Kenny Rogers, and another small BLRW roo with some problems. I think he has a brain disorder? Not sure.

My older chickens went through a light molt in the fall. They stopped laying in September. The molt has been over since early December, but they haven't started laying again yet. I added artificial light out of impatience the week before Christmas, but they STILL haven't laid any eggs. My younger marans look very ready to lay...bright red combs and fluffy butts. I would be so happy to see an egg! I may have to set up my game cam again to see if anyone is showing interest. They're getting 16 hours of light a day. But Kenny Rogers hasn't been showing much interest in the hens. I feel like that was the first sign last year. The rooster always knows when the hens are ready.

 

[kdwag]

Hello you guys, I've been checking this thread off and on but like you all, got busy. Went back to work in September, lost my partridge Plymouth rock to a hawk and am now down to 2. The other girls haven't been the same since the attack and hardly want to come outside, although it's been so cold and snowy here i'm sure that has something to do with it My Clemi molted and looked horrible, my RIR didn't molt at all and lays about every other day. My Clem has her feathers back and the makings of a new tail, her face is starting to brighten up some and she doesn't look so pitiful anymore. LOL But, I think they need friends to help keep them warm. Thank heavens for the new coop because I can at least use my brooder lamp and a space heater to add a little heat when it's below 0 (which has been quite often this January). They seem to be doing well. That hawk flies around quite a bit so I don't know what I"ll do when it gets warmer, I loved letting them free range, even though poor Liza met an untimely death. I miss her, she was so talkative. So, any suggestions on what breed(s) to add? My RIR is horribly bossy and is definitely queen of the roost. Clemi was really mean too to the other girls, so I don't know if I should add or not? Thinking maybe 3 or 4 more. Maybe a rooster too? Work really makes it difficult when it comes to morning chores, and not sure I would have a lot of time for babies. decisions, decisions. This weather of ours is nuts!!! It's going to be a long winter

 

[CatSol]

Hi everyone,

I to had a busy time but it is wonderful to stop by and see how all of you are doing. I don't want to complain about weather... but we are getting a very serious drought conditions here in Southern California. No rain for sooo long.... but we have wonderful weather with temperatures in the 80's... but this should really be our rainy season. Hopefully it will break soon and we will get some much needed rain. They are already talking water rationing starting now. We already had 1 major fire and several small ones.
This crazy weather has also affected my girls. Some of them have started to molt then never grew back feathers and have continued to lay. I have 11 girls and 2 Roos.... (yes I do plan on getting rid of one of the Roos)... I am getting a Lot of eggs right now... But it actually makes me worried for my girls. Only one went on a break and grew back her feathers before she started laying again. Maybe I should increase their protein?...
I did raise 3 broad-breasted turkeys for the holidays.... and it was very hard to do but I did do what had to be done and we had amazing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and plenty of meat in the freezer. Yum. Yes, I think I will do this again.... and again
Due to the turkeys and another surprise I do plan on extending my pen. A new section just for them and something for Pheasants. I just adopted a male pheasant from the local animal shelter. I was told that he is a young Ring neck. He is very pretty now but should have a lot more color on him later. I have always wanted pheasants ... I'm very excited. Now, I just need to keep an eye out for a girl....

 

[kdwag]

I have been following your water shortage out there, I have a sister that lives in southern California. I hope you get rain SOOOOONN. It seems the states are going to extremes - our winter is just being so much more than what we're used to. In NW Ohio, we just broke the record for snowiest January on record, over 30" of snow and may hit the snowiest winter on record before it's all said and done. and the temps, I can't tell you the last time we had highs in the single and below 0 numbers, and they have been frequent. My poor girls don't go out for days in a row.

 

[jtbass2756]

I have been following your water shortage out there, I have a sister that lives in southern California. I hope you get rain SOOOOONN. It seems the states are going to extremes - our winter is just being so much more than what we're used to. In NW Ohio, we just broke the record for snowiest January on record, over 30" of snow and may hit the snowiest winter on record before it's all said and done. and the temps, I can't tell you the last time we had highs in the single and below 0 numbers, and they have been frequent. My poor girls don't go out for days in a row.

Isn't the weather really weird !? And then you know when all that snow melts.....you may have flood waters... Gosh, ! Would be nice if some of that moisture was in Southern Ca.

 

[kdwag]

A few weeks back we had 6 inches of snow, followed by 3 inches of rain. talk about flooding, we had that! Crazy. -7 for the low tonight and a high of 12 tomorrow. Ugh.

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

We're looking at much the same kdwag. 6" of snow yesterday. Highs in the teens and lows in the negatives for the next three nights. Pretty typical January for us, I guess. Maybe somewhat colder than usual. My chickens don't seem to mind too much though. I add heat to the coop when it gets into the single digits, but they go outside and play in the snow anyway.

I think posting in this thread is my good luck charm. The day I posted, I got my first egg in nearly 5 months. And the next day another hen joined in. They're frozen eggs, but I'll take them!

CatSol, I hope you see some much needed rain soon!

 

[kdwag]

minus 7 tonight, 50 mph winds tomorrow, 6" of snow over the weekend with no warm up in sight -propane shortage!! yippee, just keeps gittn better. Congrats on your egg!! I was hoping my barred would start soon, but thinking it will be more towards Feb. so for now, have to go with 1 every other day. ( Prayin for rain for CA.