Black sexlink (blackstar) laying age?

[chickenlover89]

Yup to everything Fred said.

so my hens may start laying in december instead of novmeber? (unlike what we were thinking with them starting to lay in april?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Birds lay when their bodies tell them to, and not a day before.

Now, having said that, people DO force the POL with fall pullets by providing artificial lighting. Having a light come on early in the am and thereby adding hours of daylight for bird's retina to absorb, which will trigger the brain to do it's hormone-egg laying thing. There is considerable debate as to whether this is "pushing" them or not. Of course it is not completely "natural". Lots of things we do with domesticated animals is not technically "natural".

Again, fall POL pullets may lay on their own or may just wait until early spring. They alone decide, unless you help them decide through artificial means. The choice is entirely yours to make.

 

[chickenlover89]

Birds lay when their bodies tell them to, and not a day before.

Now, having said that, people DO force the POL with fall pullets by providing artificial lighting. Having a light come on early in the am and thereby adding hours of daylight for bird's retina to absorb, which will trigger the brain to do it's hormone-egg laying thing. There is considerable debate as to whether this is "pushing" them or not. Of course it is not completely "natural". Lots of things we do with domesticated animals is not technically "natural".

Again, fall POL pullets may lay on their own or may just wait until early spring. They alone decide, unless you help them decide through artificial means. The choice is entirely yours to make.

thank you! But I most definetly will not add light. Thank you for your help

 

[Happy Chooks]

Birds lay when their bodies tell them to, and not a day before.

Now, having said that, people DO force the POL with fall pullets by providing artificial lighting. Having a light come on early in the am and thereby adding hours of daylight for bird's retina to absorb, which will trigger the brain to do it's hormone-egg laying thing. There is considerable debate as to whether this is "pushing" them or not. Of course it is not completely "natural". Lots of things we do with domesticated animals is not technically "natural".

Again, fall POL pullets may lay on their own or may just wait until early spring. They alone decide, unless you help them decide through artificial means. The choice is entirely yours to make.

Yup again.

With the occasional exception, mine have not been delayed by winter by more than a couple of weeks. I did have a welsummer last year that did not lay her first egg until she was 11 months. She laid for 3 months, then went broody. Every now and then, you'll have one try your patience.

Like Fred, I do not rush mine into laying - I prefer the overall health and longevity of the bird by laying later. (early laying can lead to laying problems later in life, like egg peritonitis) I also do not add light, as I prefer to have my birds have their natural highs and lows of laying. If their bodies need a break, then they get them here.

 

[chickenlover89]

Yup again.

With the occasional exception, mine have not been delayed by winter by more than a couple of weeks. I did have a welsummer last year that did not lay her first egg until she was 11 months. She laid for 3 months, then went broody. Every now and then, you'll have one try your patience.

Like Fred, I do not rush mine into laying - I prefer the overall health and longevity of the bird by laying later. (early laying can lead to laying problems later in life, like egg peritonitis) I also do not add light, as I prefer to have my birds have their natural highs and lows of laying. If their bodies need a break, then they get them here.

thank you!

 

[monsoon23]

I have 7 chickens, 3 black stars, 3 golden comets, and 1 wyandotte. And yesterday i was gonna put some bedding inside their nesting boxes because they tore most of it out and i found a very small egg and i had no idea who it was but are chickens are 15 weeks old and that same day we bought fake eggs and i saw her the next day sit on the egg like she was gonna lay and then she walked away and left is it ok for chickens to lay at 15 weeks?