EE laying egg while walking

[Lynnski]

Just a couple "is this normal" questions.

My NH Red is laying an egg every day..... in the first 28 days of laying, shes only taken 2 days off. "is this normal?"

My Barred Rock is laying every day too, but only started 10 days ago. Her record is 8 of the last 9 days! I was thinking maybe the NHRed was just a huge producer, but the Rock seems to be following along. "Is this normal?"

Finally, the newest layer is my EE. In her first 6 days, has laid 4 eggs. Normal right? Well, she lays them as shes running out of the coop! First egg was in the nesting box, 2nd egg i found in the run half buried in a dust bath hole, 3rd and 4th i heard tumbling down the ramp as she was coming out to see me! Funny thing is, she loves to play in the nesting box, sits on the golf ball, was in there this morning for a good chunk of time before bounding out of the coop with the egg literally trailing behind! Every day she sits in there after the first 2 have laid. "is this normal?" Should i leave one of her eggs in the box or will she just eventually "get it"? I will say, she is the lowest in the pecking order and seems happy to be.... and is, well, quite an airhead.

They are all 22 weeks and because we live in New England chose to use supplemental lighting their first year to compare egg production with a friend who got chicks at the same time. (he has yet to get his first egg.) I feel like this is the reason they seem hyperproductive. Although i am only giving them 14 hours of light, i wont do it next fall if its stressing them out.

Any opinions/suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

I would call your almost endless laying cycles normal. All 3 of my hens did that the first year. My record was 21 days in a row!

Your EE will probably get it and is just figuring it out still.

Next fall, they will molt whether you provide lighting or not. It's OK for them since you are giving them dark time to sleep as well. Constant light is definitely not good. The only thing I would say is that it's best to have it come on in the morning but not the evening so they don't get caught off their roost when the light automatically shuts off. That can be startling. And they don't see well in the dark.

Congrats on getting eggs. Your flock is beautiful!

I love having a mix of breeds. They make nice eye candy in the yard. And it's fun to collect different eggs especially if you can tell who laid what.

 

[Lynnski]

Thanks EggSighted! I am so relieved to hear you had a 21 day stretch... today makes 20 for my NHR.

To be honest, i dont know that i will continue with the supplemental lighting next year. I have read conflicting views on it. Great point on the evening timer this year!

Being new to raising chickens, i appreciate the kind words and reassurance.... I am certainly hooked on these goofy creatures!

 

[GC-Raptor]

I had a pullet lay while eating, standing and scratching, for a couple of weeks before she figured it out and laid in the nest box.
I turn a light on at 5am in the coop and run. I have a dimmable 40 watt equivalent LED in the coop and I turn the dimmer down to low after sunrise to act as a nightlight so they can see to jump onto the roost after sunset. I close the coop a half hour after sunset and turn off the light after making sure they're all on the roost. I used to leave a nightlight on all night, but I saw the BOSS hen pecking the others off the top roost and try to peck them on the lower roost for two nights when the nightlight was on. By turning it off a half hour after sunset that behavior has stopped and she shares the upper roost.
I get over 12 dozen eggs a month from 5-32 week old Golden Comets.
If you change your lighting schedule, do it at half hour increments a day, lest you mess up their egg laying. GC