Arizona Chickens

[MagicChicken]

I finally caved and gave my persistently broody White Rock pullet a half dozen fertile eggs to hatch. I spent three weeks trying to break her broodiness with zero success, and when I finally tucked the eggs under she was so happy she actually started cooing, which was a refreshing change from her usual growls and puffing up. I'm not thrilled with her choice of locations as the nesting box is in the pen with the rest of her flock, but she flat out refused to be relocated. So...my first natural hatch...I hope!

I had a broody raise chicks in a pen with the rest of the flock. I marked the eggs I wanted her to hatch. Good thing I did because the other birds kept laying in that nest through the whole period. never mind that they had plenty of empty nest boxes to use. They insisted on using the occupied box.

I removed the unmarked eggs every day or two, whenever I would find her off the nest. Most of the marked eggs hatched. After the chicks were done hatching I had to remove all of the remaining eggs, because that broody was determined to sit on them forever. She finally kicked into active momma mode and did a great job of raising the chicks. I kept them all in the pen with the main flock, but I gave them an open litter box of shavings and bedding material to roost in. Mom slept on the chicks until they were about six weeks old. Then she moved up onto the main roost. The chicks slept in the box for a few more weeks, then gradually moved up to the roost with the big birds.

The biggest problem was keeping the big birds out of the chick feed. I used wire fencing with 2" x 4" openings to corral off a section of the coop/run for the chicks, so they could have their own feed and water in a place where the grownups couldn't steal all their food. The older birds could still get their heads and necks through those 2"x4" openings, so the feed had to be far enough back that the older birds couldn't reach it. It worked out pretty well until the chicks got too big to fit through the openings. By that time they were tall enough to eat out of the big girls' feeder. I switched everyone in the pen to grower/finisher for the duration of the grow out. Just made sure I had lots of oyster shell on hand for the birds who were still laying.

Hope your bird turns out to be a good mom. I'm jealous. Broody-raised chicks are the best!

 

[tschmaltz722]

So how long should I wait before I decide that a hen isn't laying? Today is day 3, but so far only 2 eggs, which I suspect to be from the 8 month orp (both smaller still). I figured at least by today each should have laid.

 

[generaldsherman]

So how long should I wait before I decide that a hen isn't laying? Today is day 3, but so far only 2 eggs, which I suspect to be from the 8 month orp (both smaller still). I figured at least by today each should have laid.

I heard someone tell me last week that it could be 9 months before a hen lays.

I also had someone tell me that feeding a bit of crushed red pepper makes hens lay. Don't know if it works, but it might...or the guy was crazy, one of the two.

 

[cyborg]

So how long should I wait before I decide that a hen isn't laying? Today is day 3, but so far only 2 eggs, which I suspect to be from the 8 month orp (both smaller still). I figured at least by today each should have laid.

Chickens are a lot like people, in other words, no two are the same. She will lay when she's ready to lay. Don't get your knickers in a twist, the best thing you can do is supply a good diet and a stress free environment.

 

[chicksurreal]

So how long should I wait before I decide that a hen isn't laying? Today is day 3, but so far only 2 eggs, which I suspect to be from the 8 month orp (both smaller still). I figured at least by today each should have laid.

Stress of re-homing might be the cause, or maybe she just isn't laying yet? I'd say give her some time get back in the groove, so to speak.

 

[DesertChic]

So how long should I wait before I decide that a hen isn't laying? Today is day 3, but so far only 2 eggs, which I suspect to be from the 8 month orp (both smaller still). I figured at least by today each should have laid.

Stress of re-homing might be the cause, or maybe she just isn't laying yet? I'd say give her some time get back in the groove, so to speak.

@chicksurreal is absolutely right. The stress can keep a chicken from laying for days. When I butchered the first of three cockerels that had cared for my layer flock the girls were very stressed out by his departure and even my best, most consistent layer paused for a few days. When I later butchered the two Silkie cockerels from that flock, the girls were actually so relieved they started laying more, indicated that the cockerels had actually kept them stressed. Every little change, whether major or minor in our own opinion, can have profound effects on the laying hen.

 

[tschmaltz722]

Chickens are a lot like people, in other words, no two are the same. She will lay when she's ready to lay. Don't get your knickers in a twist, the best thing you can do is supply a good diet and a stress free environment.

Lol! I get it. I was told the birds are just over a year and already laying. i guess I am just excited to get eggs lol. I'll relax a bit.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
Couple of other things could be going on, too. They could be getting ready to molt. Or the birds could be older than you were told and have already burned out. Some production birds don't lay much after 18 months. Chickens can lay for years but the production-oriented birds tend to be culled after 18 months or so. They are bred for heavy early egg production and not so much for long-term production.

Only thing you can do is keep an eye on them for a while and see what happens. Good luck

 

[PhxBirds]

Hey there Arizona chicken people!
I have an interesting delema right now. I raised a bunch of meat birds last winter, they were all boys and one was so good (and cute) that I threw him in with the 10+ hens and pullets. He grew up with them and is so well behaved and almost MUTE! I mean, I've only ever heard him crow once and just barely. This is great for me as I live in the city.
The problem is, Mr Rooster is fond of only one hen. He is not mean to her, just only wants to mate her and no body else. She is an EE and somewhere in the middle of the pecking order. My only reason for wanting him around is to hatch my own eggs. I've incubated the three other hens eggs with no luck, they are simply not fertile. I have also checked the Un-incubated yolks for fertility and found none.
I've got him in the big coop with the other 3 hens now, and I've been putting them in there for a few hours durring the day to try to get him going. Any other ideas? Should I maybe put him in there one on one with the girls? Is he likely to get the idea eventually?
After I let them out yesterday afternoon he went up to the BO hen and started a little dance around her...I'm hopeful to get babies out of my best layers!
Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[aviddamy]

I do fodder but quit with issues of mold. I get my seed from azure standard. I believe the key to reducing the mold is temperature so I will start up again once I can keep my home cooler.

Does anyone here make their own fodder? If so, where do you buy your barley?

Also, what is everyones watering system? I'm just refilling a bowl every day but it gets moldy and I need a new method.