Easter Egger club!

[mymilliefleur]

Congrats on the green/blue egg everyone! I've started getting some green eggs again, I haven't gotten any in a while, the girls have been taking a break.

 

[attimus]

1st ee egg

 

[ochochicas]

Very pretty in the sea of brown.

 

[dfalchek]

Was there a change in feed? I switched feeds and all my girls, including my EE stopped for a week, then restarted slowly until I switched back. Also, a bird could be molting, or close to molting, when production slows down or stops. Good luck.

 

[Sylvester017]

Was there a change in feed? I switched feeds and all my girls, including my EE stopped for a week, then restarted slowly until I switched back. Also, a bird could be molting, or close to molting, when production slows down or stops. Good luck.

I don't know that feed change is always the answer. I switched to an organic Scratch and Peck from organic layer pellets and all my breeds are laying great - including the older Silkie girl - yet our Ameraucana only gave us 3 eggs her 2nd year. Our friends Ameraucana and 3 EEs layed poorly their 2nd year too. One didn't lay at all her 2nd year.

 

[Amelia Egghart]

I've been feeling my Gilligan to check her body for any sign of holding in eggs, she's got such a tiny body under all that fluff! She always looks irritated so I hope I'm not bothering her with my fussing.

No eggs for a month now. I'm not providing any additional light over winter so they can rest but my Barred Rock had only taken two days off in the past 60 days. Crazy how different the breeds are! I just lost one of my roosters to a tumor in his trachea so I'm worrying about every little thing now

So EEs straight up don't lay all winter? Normally? And they pick up again based on hours of light?

 

[jerryse]

I've been feeling my Gilligan to check her body for any sign of holding in eggs, she's got such a tiny body under all that fluff! She always looks irritated so I hope I'm not bothering her with my fussing.

No eggs for a month now. I'm not providing any additional light over winter so they can rest but my Barred Rock had only taken two days off in the past 60 days. Crazy how different the breeds are! I just lost one of my roosters to a tumor in his trachea so I'm worrying about every little thing now

So EEs straight up don't lay all winter? Normally? And they pick up again based on hours of light?

Yes most all breeds lay poorly in the short days of winter . Should start to pickup in March . By the end of March full production .

 

[Sylvester017]

I've been feeling my Gilligan to check her body for any sign of holding in eggs, she's got such a tiny body under all that fluff! She always looks irritated so I hope I'm not bothering her with my fussing.

No eggs for a month now. I'm not providing any additional light over winter so they can rest but my Barred Rock had only taken two days off in the past 60 days. Crazy how different the breeds are! I just lost one of my roosters to a tumor in his trachea so I'm worrying about every little thing now

So EEs straight up don't lay all winter? Normally? And they pick up again based on hours of light?

I have a Blue Wheaten Ameraucana that only gave 3 eggs her 2nd year and hasn't given us an egg since last August. Our friend's EE didn't lay at all her 2nd year. I'm wondering why production is so poor with Amers/EEs in general? Our Amer was a great layer as a pullet for about 4-5 mos last winter but lousy her 2nd season. A Farmers Mkt seller won't get EEs any more because they are such poor layers and she can't afford to feed deadbeat layers. Our girl is healthy, active, good appetite, but just doesn't lay eggs any more. Meanwhile my 4 and 5-yr-old Silkies are laying like crazy! I won't be getting any more blue-egg gene breeds (Ameraucana, Araucana, Cream Legbar, EE, Favaucana, Isbar, Olive Egger, etc). I'm zoned for only 5 hens and can't afford to feed and clean up after deadbeat layers not giving anything in return. The eggs are pretty but not if I'm not getting any in the egg basket.

 

[Amelia Egghart]

Maybe they're more of a wild type, genetically? I wonder what production is like on say a Cream Crested Legbar? They've got the blue egg gene but crossed with other domesticated breeds for other traits. Good to know, though. I can stop feeling her up every day! Grumpy Gilligan will be pleased. Or at least less irritated.

 

[newmarch2014]

My EE's hatched in March of this year have been laying like troopers since they started late summer at least 4 a week each. We do tend to get a lot of sun though even with the shorter days.