California - Northern

[zooweemama]

Do I have to stuff the chicken in an actual FED EX envelope or can I use one of those yellow colored padded ones?

 

[ronott1]

Do I have to stuff the chicken in an actual FED EX envelope or can I use one of those yellow colored padded ones?

I would use a box and put a cold pack in too. Fedex will ship using your own box.

If refrigerated, It should be fine for testing.

Ron

 

[CALI CHICK]

They will lay soft shelled eggs when the new laying cycle starts. Often at the first molt you will not see too many feathers. The egg should get harder soon but to help, pick up some granulated kelp from a health food store. I mix in 1/2 cup for 5 or 6 pounds of feed. You can also mix the calcium in with the feed. That makes them eat it.

You should have 2 hens per person that eats eggs in your family. Do you want a couple of Production Reds?

Ron

Hi Ron,
Thank you for the information. The PBR, BO and RIR are just over a year old so you are probably right about them going through their first molt. We were getting worried that they were sick, but a new laying cycle makes more sense as they look and act fine. I need to go to Whole Foods for some other bulk items, do you think they have granulated kelp there? I'll look for it. Our Barred Rock has a history of laying soft shells in the past. She is a real pig so tricking her into eating more calcium shouldn't be too difficult. (She eats anything and everything) Her eggs are the biggest of our flock and greatly missed.

I appreciate the offer of the reds. If we had more space I would be very interested. We actually have 2 Easter Egger pullets that are getting very red in the face. One of them squated the other day too. The EE are 24 weeks old and should start laying soon-filling in the gap!

We've also got a 19 week old Welsummer pullet. Her comb hasn't turned red yet, but it is getting more developed. We also have another silkie pullet who'll eventually give us eggs. Maybe by the time holiday baking season is here, we'll be getting 6-8 eggs a day. Yipee!

 

[zooweemama]

I would use a box and put a cold pack in too. Fedex will ship using your own box.

If refrigerated, It should be fine for testing.

Ron

Ok thanks! Dumb question...never having shipped a dead animal before...are they going to ask me what is in it? Do I answer honestly? LOL I walk this pkg into a place that does Fed Ex and what to do with the code....does it go in the paperwork? (sorry for so many silly questions. i would really like to know what got her/him!)

 

[zooweemama]

Ok so for those of you that share my weather (hot summers. hot =100+ and wet falls 40-60 degrees) - I am reading that if they do not lay this month- that basically I will not get any eggs until Spring. Is that true for us in this climate? I have all heritage (non hatchery) breeds except the 2 Easter Eggers (and I think they are 15 weeks old-ish right Ron?).

Here are my chicken ages: 24 weeks, 15 weeks and 13 weeks. And it is now September.

If my big pullets don't lay for several more weeks will that also send them into laying in Spring? (what an expensive project this has turned out to be) Will they all molt BEFORE laying since they will be so old? How does this delayed laying affect how long they will lay before molting?

Like the average layers life goes: POL around 16-18 weeks, lay until 12-18 months old...molt. But if mine do not lay until Spring they will be almost a YEAR old by that point (the older pullets would be over a year possibly).

Chicken vets help me map this out in my head?

 

[ronott1]

Ok so for those of you that share my weather (hot summers. hot =100+ and wet falls 40-60 degrees) - I am reading that if they do not lay this month- that basically I will not get any eggs until Spring. Is that true for us in this climate? I have all heritage (non hatchery) breeds except the 2 Easter Eggers (and I think they are 15 weeks old-ish right Ron?).

Here are my chicken ages: 24 weeks, 15 weeks and 13 weeks. And it is now September.

If my big pullets don't lay for several more weeks will that also send them into laying in Spring? (what an expensive project this has turned out to be) Will they all molt BEFORE laying since they will be so old? How does this delayed laying affect how long they will lay before molting?

Like the average layers life goes: POL around 16-18 weeks, lay until 12-18 months old...molt. But if mine do not lay until Spring they will be almost a YEAR old by that point (the older pullets would be over a year possibly).

Chicken vets help me map this out in my head?

They will still lay but it takes longer by a number of weeks. The problem is not the temperature but the amount of daily light that makes the difference.

Make sure they get as much light as possible. I think your coop with openings will help. The EEs will probably lay this year. The first molt often does not happen until 1.5 months depending on when they hatch.

The good news is that you will have an explosion of eggs in the spring. Also, the pullets will keep laying through the first winter.

Have fun!

Ron

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Oh yes, do not tell them you are shipping a dead chicken.

Ron

 

[zooweemama]

They will still lay but it takes longer by a number of weeks. The problem is not the temperature but the amount of daily light that makes the difference.

Make sure they get as much light as possible. I thing your coop with opening will help. The EEs will probably lay this year. The first molt often does not happen until 1.5 months depending won when they hatch.

The good news is that you will have an explosion of eggs in the spring. Also, the pullets will keep laying through the first winter.

Have fun!

Ron

Thanks Ron! My younger chickens will be 18 and 20 weeks old Oct20. I hope there is enough light for at least the older batch but I am not holding my breath as these 24 weekers I have aren't even laying yet. This is one reason tho- that I did both ducks and chickens. I figured one of them would kick out some eggs to use this fall/winter and hopefully tide us over until Spring. If we can get 6 eggs a day from the ducks until Spring (we have 11 ducks) we can manage without buying any from the store. We are getting 3-4 now...so hopefully they step it up the next few weeks lol!

Anyone with roosters feed layer feed to their whole flock?

Anyone know how much oats I can add to Flockraiser to cut it? My FR is 20% protein. I have crimped oats to use up. Any suggestions on another wholesome but possibly not too pricey grain (not corn) to mix in? Or just leave it at oats. Right now I am doing 3 parts FR to 1 part oat. I want to make sure I am not cutting it too much.

I thought it the excitement of egg hunting would wear off but it hasn't. I am like a kid in a candy store. I have 4 ducks laying right now and they are now laying in the same spots so I know where to usually find their eggs. 2 finally started laying in the boxes I set up. I better share a pic! We changed the bedding in the duck coop to pellets...let me send a pic...

 

[zooweemama]

Crap I cannot get Tapatalk to work on my phone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhh! Now I have to do this the round about way.

 

[zooweemama]

Oh yes, do not tell them you are shipping a dead chicken.

Ron

LOL It cracks me up that they accept you mailing them dead animals...butttttt you cannot tell the shipper that you are shipping it. hahaha! Ok I am shipping it today. I better get my 4 man crew dressed because I have to drag them all with me.