Consolidated Kansas

[Trish44]

I have personally never had a chicken lay that early, you feel lucky usually if they lay at 5-6 months. My Ameraucanas can go as much as 8 months or more, they're slow pokes. When you finally do get those cute little pullet eggs that are so tiny it takes about 3 to make a meal, lol.

It seems like now that I'm telling everyone I'm pretty much done hatching for the year my breeder birds have decided to take a break anyway. I think that happened last year too, so I guess it's a good thing I'm not counting on big numbers of eggs to hatch with.

 

[Oatbucket]

I haven't ever had one lay that early either. Perhaps her age count is off.

 

[tweetybaby2005]

Ok a friend of mine posted she got eggs from her 3 month old chickens. Mine are a little over 3 months old. I guess I should get my nesting boxes spruced up??? I thought it's about 6 months when they start to lay... Anyone getting early eggs?? This is all new to me

That sounds a bit early for a chicken to lay? Mine started laying at 20 to 22 weeks and I was happy to see her lay so early. Did she hatch the chick herself or she got it from someone else? Perhaps she didn't count her weeks/months right?

 

[tweetybaby2005]

I think your friend needs to recount months. The earliest laying chicken that I have ever known of would be a Serama and they can lay as early as 16 weeks. That's almost 4 months. If she has some tiny bantam breed she might be able to get eggs at about that time but doubtful. Most chickens take between 20-24 weeks to start laying. And then some breeds can be 7-8 months or more before they begin depending on conditions and season. It never hurts to get things ready ahead of time because it creeps up on you really fast. But I sure wouldn't be counting on eggs for a few months.
I spent a couple more hours pulling weeds in the flower bed today. My back was hurting so I decided to give it a reason. I need to do the same in the veggie garden. I'd rather just use the mini tiller but it's to wet to do that.

With the rain and warm temperature, the weeds are growing faster than my grass (well... what's left of it). I decided to dump all the grass clippings around the potato plants to smother the weeds. I got tired of pulling weeds and like you said, it's a back killing chore. I have endless supply of grass clippings so that works out great.

 

[tweetybaby2005]

I have personally never had a chicken lay that early, you feel lucky usually if they lay at 5-6 months. My Ameraucanas can go as much as 8 months or more, they're slow pokes. When you finally do get those cute little pullet eggs that are so tiny it takes about 3 to make a meal, lol.

It seems like now that I'm telling everyone I'm pretty much done hatching for the year my breeder birds have decided to take a break anyway. I think that happened last year too, so I guess it's a good thing I'm not counting on big numbers of eggs to hatch with.

That's good timing for sure, Trish. Right now I'm ready to take a break from work. LOL. With the project out the door and behind me (with the exception of providing some research and hand holding for some customers).

I didn't realize that Ameraucanas take that long to start laying. I learn something new today!

 

[tweetybaby2005]

It is awfully muddy out there. My GPs are covered in mud. They were playing in the mud this morning and I had to really look to see them. The thick fog didn't help either. My younger GP's undercoat was so matted that I had to trim them off. I couldn't get the brush/comb through to take them out. It was a good thing because after I trimmed them out, I realized that she has some sores on her back. I think her matted coat was trapping moisture in and that created the sores. I had no choice but to trim as much off as possible. She looks awful right now but I am glad I found the sores and now treating them. My son said she looks so much smaller. I could use her hair to make 2 pillows!!

Here is the sad news... 1 of the 4 ducklings that were hatched by the broody mama is missing. I couldn't figure out how she went missing. The rest of them are fine and growing fast. I'm sad because that's the only one that has the darker color. I looked high and low to no avail. She is 3 weeks old so I doubt that she will be able to survive outside on her/his own.

Time to get back to work. Have a great day everyone.

 

[tatinatimom]

I have them too, 10 weeks & 5 weeks old. I didn't know they would take that long either. At least now I know they aren't defective if they take that long, LOL! This is all new to me so this is very helpful!

 

[chicken danz]

I have them too, 10 weeks & 5 weeks old. I didn't know they would take that long either. At least now I know they aren't defective if they take that long, LOL! This is all new to me so this is very helpful!

Welcome to our forum. Glad you joined in. Feel free to ask any questions. We are just a bunch of Kansas people so join in.

Tweety I have never had good luck when I let the ducks raise their own babies. They sure don't count well. Since the Mom leads the way if she drops off a kid here and there she doesn't seem to notice. The babies get distracted, get lost and die. If they were kept in a penned area where they had some sense of short distance I think they'd do okay but where my ducks free range most of the time the broody raised babies just don't thrive unless I take them.
It rained again during the night and we're forecast to have rain today. I guess I'll try cleaning a little today although it will probably be a waste of time with mud getting tracked in.
I really need to figure out where to put more babies. I have so many different kinds of birds in here right now I just don't know where to put them. Tomorrow is another hatch day to boot.

 

[Oatbucket]

It poured and thundered here all night long. It's still really dark and cloudy out there, the wind is blowing and it actually feels cold out there. We buttoned up the baby shed last night before we went to bed (it has three windows and two vents) and I'm glad we did as chilly as it got last night. This morning everyone is snug, happy, and active under their lights. Well, the goslings in their round pen aren't real happy with the fact they didn't get their morning walk/graze time but they're only about a week and half old and with everything so wet and cold out there they have to stay in where its warm and dry.

 

[JosieChick]

Morning all. It poured for hours here last night. DH left with his dad for the first trip to Maine with moving truck and pets in tow yesterday afternoon! That was exciting! We also closed on the house and every went as planned, thank heavens!

My sebastopol geese left today to their new home in Oklahoma. I am so very sad, I already miss them dearly. I almost cried when he pulled out the drive. They were my babies.

He seemed like a very nice gentleman and I think they will be well loved.

I kept three babies to take to Maine and now I feel so badly for them because they are all alone and have no grown ups to follow. It didn't even occur to me that they would be so lonely....