Countdown to the first egg. Buckle up, it could be awhile....

[RevlisRemmah]

As of October 5th, my 15 pullets are 18 weeks old.
I also have a cockerel from my MIL who is 2-4 weeks older.
I am (im)patiently waiting for my first egg. In the meantime I’m going to post a profile for each of my chickens. One a day. Hopefully it will help the next 16 days go fast and maybe, just maybe, my first egg will appear in the meantime.
My flock consists of:

• One mixed breed cockerel
• Three Light Brahma pullets
• Three Welsummer pullets
• Three BSL pullets
• Three Olive Egger pullets

All of my pullets came from Townline hatchery and were hatched June 1, 2020

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You may have a bit of a wait. Many of those breeds don't start this time of year until 6-7 months of age.

 

[RevlisRemmah]

First up: Roosterous the mixed breed cockerel that joined our little pullet farm.
He was hatched by my MIL in Mid-May. She ended up getting 3 pullets out of 9 hatches. The rest of the cockerels were going to freezer camp and I thought we would try to integrate one into our flock.

When he first came he was pretty scraggly. Didn’t crow, twitched a lot. Lots of downy feathers. He couldn’t wait to get in the coop with the ladies but he had to go through the quarantine and introduction phase which he tolerated well.
I picked him instead of his brothers because of his feathers. He shines the most gorgeous blue/green/purple in the sunlight and I can’t get enough of it.

Since being here he has almost doubled in size (though one of my Brahma girls makes him look puny ) and so far has been a real gentleman.

His crow is still a little strangled. His wing dance looks ridiculous. But so far he takes good care of the girls, hasn’t been dominating them and has shown no human aggression.... yet.

I tell him all the time if he’s mean to me he will make a delicious dinner. So he has decided to behave for now.

Any ideas on breed? Our handsome Roosterous will never give me eggs but I suppose he is growing on me! And that is profile 1/16. No egg today See you all tomorrow!!!

 

[RevlisRemmah]

You may have a bit of a wait. Many of those breeds don't start this time of year until 6-7 months of age.

I was hoping my Black Sex Links would be early layers! I don’t need them ALL to start, just one!!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I was hoping my Black Sex Links would be early layers! I don’t need them ALL to start, just one!!!

For some reason I missed those in your list and read them as another breed. Sorry about that. They should start at 4-5 months.

 

[RevlisRemmah]

For some reason I missed those in your list and read them as another breed. Sorry about that. They should start at 4-5 months.

Oh boy!!! The hope returns!!! It’s funny though, one of my Welsummers and one Brahma have combs that are really getting red. The BSLs are pale pale pale! They are going to keep me guessing!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well it's just what I've seen here. I hope yours mature faster. I have been known to be wrong.

 

[TwoCrows]

First up: Roosterous the mixed breed cockerel that joined our little pullet farm.
He was hatched by my MIL in Mid-May. She ended up getting 3 pullets out of 9 hatches. The rest of the cockerels were going to freezer camp and I thought we would try to integrate one into our flock.
View attachment 2363875
When he first came he was pretty scraggly. Didn’t crow, twitched a lot. Lots of downy feathers. He couldn’t wait to get in the coop with the ladies but he had to go through the quarantine and introduction phase which he tolerated well.
I picked him instead of his brothers because of his feathers. He shines the most gorgeous blue/green/purple in the sunlight and I can’t get enough of it.
View attachment 2363878
Since being here he has almost doubled in size (though one of my Brahma girls makes him look puny ) and so far has been a real gentleman.
View attachment 2363872
His crow is still a little strangled. His wing dance looks ridiculous. But so far he takes good care of the girls, hasn’t been dominating them and has shown no human aggression.... yet.
View attachment 2363873
I tell him all the time if he’s mean to me he will make a delicious dinner. So he has decided to behave for now.
View attachment 2363874

Any ideas on breed? Our handsome Roosterous will never give me eggs but I suppose he is growing on me! And that is profile 1/16. No egg today See you all tomorrow!!!

Handsome boy!! Hopefully the eggs start coming down the pipes soon!

 

[RevlisRemmah]

Profile 2/16 coming at yah since we had another eggless day.
Well, not totally eggless- I did buy 18 eggs at the store after work
It was hard to choose which pullet to start with, but here is one of the first girls I named. Say hello to “Cheeks”

Cheeks is an “Olive Egger”. Townline hatchery crosses their first generation Easter Egger (listed as an Americana on the site) and a Cuckoo Maran. I think this is the first year they are selling the cross so I am interested to see what her eggs look like.

she has quite the muff (is that what you call those fluffy cheek feathers?) .. hence her name! She’s middle of the pecking order, isn’t overly friendly to me but will come over to investigate what I have.

She has two Olive Egger sisters and the three of them don’t look completely alike. She has the biggest cheeks and the most white barring out of the trio. They all have the white/gray legs.

Her comb is tiny but it is reddening up! She is adventurous and is usually one of the first to explore new things. I’m happy to have her as a part of the flock.
Okay folks, see you tomorrow! I’m holding out stubborn hope that eggs will magically appear (despite literally all signs pointing to that not happening)

 

[CHlCKEN]

As of October 5th, my 15 pullets are 18 weeks old.
I also have a cockerel from my MIL who is 2-4 weeks older.
I am (im)patiently waiting for my first egg. In the meantime I’m going to post a profile for each of my chickens. One a day. Hopefully it will help the next 16 days go fast and maybe, just maybe, my first egg will appear in the meantime.
My flock consists of:

• One mixed breed cockerel
• Three Light Brahma pullets
• Three Welsummer pullets
• Three BSL pullets
• Three Olive Egger pullets

All of my pullets came from Townline hatchery and were hatched June 1, 2020

I’ll be counting down with you! My new pullets were hatched June 6th ! I can’t wait for some eggs since the whole reason I got more pullets was because we were down to 3 layers but now we’re down to two (she’s still alive! Just not laying) so we need to speed them up a little