California - Northern

[juststruttin]

Interesting management technique to keep eggs flowing all year. If you place hens together that start on different laying cycles, would they begin to sync their laying cycles over time?

From my experience, I have found that the pullets that lay well their first fall likely will not lay as well their second fall. Hens typically molt at 18 months so depending on when they hatched they may molt mid summer - mid fall which will affect fall and winter production.

People who show like to hatch their birds in Jan-Feb. Since I don't show, I like to hatch my birds in April-May so they are POL in the Fall and typically lay eggs through-out Fall and Winter. The eggs are small but at least I am getting some eggs for eating. The downside: if you want eggs in the fall, you need to hatch chicks every year. That does not seem to be a problem for people in this forum tho.

It is of course a bad idea to generalize and I am sure there are 1+ year old hens that lay well in the fall-winter. However, I have found the fall-winter production is always better with pullets than hens.

 

[lawatt]

My Blue Marans molted out and began laying very large egg this year too. She is two years old now and lays 3 to 4 Jumbo eggs a week. They barely fit in the egg cartons.

Gotta love those eggs!

*smiling* -- the ones i'm really waiting on are my two silver campines, who had just reached POL in november, laid eggs for a few weeks, then stopped, and have shown no sign of interest in their nesting box or etc. since. silly girls!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
My experience is similar. Plus, if I hatch before March/April, the pullets molt their first year - which is aggravating when you are counting on them for eggs.

 

[Luvinmyhurd]

My basket is overflowing with beautiful colors! My girls are back at it full time!

 

[ronott1]

My basket is overflowing with beautiful colors! My girls are back at it full time!

Very nice looking eggs!

 

[Luvinmyhurd]

[IMG]http://www.smiliegenerator.de/s38/smilies-3434.png[/IMG]

Very nice looking eggs!

Thank you! I have some awesome girls! it's amazing that they can lay such beautiful eggs. Each one is a piece of art

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Ron any luck with the black penedesenca pics

 

[farmhand]

 

[ronott1]

Ron any luck with the black penedesenca pics

I will get them for you today. I will make sure to get pictures that include her ear lobes too!

I had an odd day--with the drought I decided to turn the sprinklers on today. I also need to move a tree and this is The time for that stuff.

The water station controller was not powering on and I found a broken wire. I rewired it and forgot to turn the last station off. I only flooded one run.... The chickens are ok but there is a bit of water in their feeder!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Ouch it should soak in quick at least. I want to send a picture of Romeo and the hen to the Dr to see what he thinks