Does free-ranging delay egg laying??

[cybercat]

My pullets and roo free range all day and I feed them at night only. At 20 weeks we got our first egg. That was last week this week we got 4 more but it took a week. Our days here have been nasty too cloudy and wet and cool for the most part. I you heard any egg song?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I had two hens wait until they were 9 1/2 months old to lay their first eggs. I really didn't give it much thought. Individual chickens vary alot. Those two that were slow to start are now my best layers.

 

[LRG]

I have 2 24-week old speckled sussex hens. One started laying this week. The other -- nada. My other 24-week old hens aren't laying either. The other two families we split the chick order with both have gotten eggs before us, one at 22 weeks. Soooooo hard to wait!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
It is very hard to wait, but it'll happen at the time its suppose to. It may help to keep in mind that early layers (per their breed) can have more egg laying issues down the line than those that wait.

 

[missfitch]

wow I almost feel lucky, mine should lay golden eggs for life

 

[lindabean]

So I guess I'm still confused about free ranging. I'm down to 11 pullets now, 7 of which are 21 weeks old today. The rest are up to a year older. Got the older ones for immediate gratification, and was getting 2 or 3 eggs a day from 3 of them till molting started in August. Then the eggs stopped. In the past 2 weeks, I've started getting 2 eggs every other day, a huge light green egg (over 2 ounces) and a large brown egg (between 1.75 and 2 ounces). Before molting, the green & brown eggs were the same size and I got a white one about 4 times a week. I've upped the protein in their laying pellet and added a half scoop of scratch each day. For about the last 2 weeks, I've started letting them out when I get home from my AM school bus run then put them up after my PM bus run. The eggs I get are laid in the nest box next to each other. I still find a few feathers here & there, but not as many as August. The weather has cooled significantly. No more 100 degree afternoons. We are in the 70's & 80's mostly. And it finally started raining again, although we are still in an "extreme drought". They love to run around in the rain & find puddles to drink from. I have 2 Buff Orph's, 2 Barred Rocks, 4 Ameracuna's, 1 Cochin, 1 Rhode Island Red and 1 Minorca. So the question is "WHEN CAN I STOP BUYING EGGS AT THE GROCERY STORE?"

 

[rhoda_bruce]

lindabean.......why are you down to 11 hens? You must have, at one time, had more. If they disappeared, I would work on what was the reason and fix weak fences, possible cover problems, and preditor proof everything.
As to when will you be able to stop buying your eggs......I would say, about 20 weeks after you get your white leghorns. If you loose any more hens and decide to start over with a few chicks, I would get whatever is your favorite breed and make sure you have a few leghorns, minorcas, silver-spangled hamburgs or anconas; thus insuring you a guarantee of eggs. Just make sure they know what a nesting box is for. The silver-spangled hamburgs are real good at hidding them.