Egg Layers Part 2

[Ted Brown]

We have heard back from the friend who supplied the fertilized eggs that gave us the eight "blacks" (4 female/4 male) that form our second group of chickens. She is a very experienced keeper of a large flock in excess of 100 birds.

We sent the pictures above to her and she believes they are from a pullet that has a black Copper Maran father.

 

[Ted Brown]

Pics of a couple of the boys out for their first winter romp. Fausto (in the snow) is the first born of the eight and bold as brass.

 

[Ted Brown]

We broke the Black Maran eggs today, sister made scones. The first egg that we broke was a double yoke, a surprise since the egg was so small, not a surprise since we had read early layers are most often the one that lay double yokes. The shells below are left to right: a normal ISA egg; the first egg from our October hatch group (egg is larger than the Maran egg); first Black Copper Maran shell from egg with double yoke.

Scones were delicious!

 

[ValerieJ]

Congrats on the eggs! And yum! Scones!!! Lucky you!!!

 

[Peppercorngal]

I have 15 chickens - 7 ISA Browns received as "ready to lay" last September 13th and 8 Ameraucana mixes hatched early October; all housed in a 10' by 16' Woods Fresh Air coop. The ISA's started laying within 2 weeks of receipt and have continued throughout the winter averaging 6.54 eggs per day.

Today we received an 8th egg.

I believe that layers do not give two eggs within a 9 hour period? This means that the first of the 4 pullets we have has given us our first egg. We are beyond happy, especially since my sister and BIL are visiting again (tried to make an annual trip for the Tibetan New Year and got turned away at Beijing, came here in consolation).

Susan also made hollandaise the other day and examined the yokes for blastoderms and found some. Means our cockerels are fertile and, I can attest by virtue of their greeting the mornings beginning around 5am coupled with attention to the ladies, lusty.

As my sister says "An E-Letter Day"! Also a testament to the Woods coop design and fresh air husbandry.

Are you an accountant or a mathematician? Only someone like that would say "we average 6.54 eggs per day". Most of us would be fine to say "we get about 6 eggs a day, give or take". No judgement here, just noticing. Congratulations on your Maran eggs!

 

[Ted Brown]

Are you an accountant or a mathematician? Only someone like that would say "we average 6.54 eggs per day". Most of us would be fine to say "we get about 6 eggs a day, give or take". No judgement here, just noticing. Congratulations on your Maran eggs!

I am a bit of a nerd and obsessive about things that matter to me. Background is software development and later large program/project management. Details matter in such undertakings.

I know and use spreadsheets often and have crafted a set of sheets on which I track everything about our flock: food and water used, costs, frequencies, quantity, dates; daily eggs laid, nests, notes, exceptions.

The eggs sheet gives me totals, averages, cost per egg, notes. The only thing I have to do is enter number of eggs and locations and the rest pops out automatically. I look at the top summaries every time I enter the data hence I know it is 6.54 or whatever more easily and with fewer words than the "...give or take". It is also more precise; if I say 6 more or less people will remember 6; if I say 6.54 they will know that that is a very good number given seven layers.

I also have lots of time on my hands as I am retired AND single AND content.

 

[ValerieJ]

I am a bit of a nerd and obsessive about things that matter to me. Background is software development and later large program/project management. Details matter in such undertakings.

I know and use spreadsheets often and have crafted a set of sheets on which I track everything about our flock: food and water used, costs, frequencies, quantity, dates; daily eggs laid, nests, notes, exceptions.

The eggs sheet gives me totals, averages, cost per egg, notes. The only thing I have to do is enter number of eggs and locations and the rest pops out automatically. I look at the top summaries every time I enter the data hence I know it is 6.54 or whatever more easily and with fewer words than the "...give or take". It is also more precise; if I say 6 more or less people will remember 6; if I say 6.54 they will know that that is a very good number given seven layers.

I also have lots of time on my hands as I am retired AND single AND content.

I could easily succumb to that level of tracking.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I am a bit of a nerd and obsessive about things that matter to me. Background is software development and later large program/project management. Details matter in such undertakings.

I know and use spreadsheets often and have crafted a set of sheets on which I track everything about our flock: food and water used, costs, frequencies, quantity, dates; daily eggs laid, nests, notes, exceptions.

The eggs sheet gives me totals, averages, cost per egg, notes. The only thing I have to do is enter number of eggs and locations and the rest pops out automatically. I look at the top summaries every time I enter the data hence I know it is 6.54 or whatever more easily and with fewer words than the "...give or take". It is also more precise; if I say 6 more or less people will remember 6; if I say 6.54 they will know that that is a very good number given seven layers.

I also have lots of time on my hands as I am retired AND single AND content.

That is fantastic to be able to track all that information! I have an egg sales business and don't even track all that stuff! I have a book that I write down eggs laid daily, another book for egg (and other product) sales made, and a folder I put my expense receipts in. Unfortunately, except for the eggs laid/sold and money made part, I have no idea of expenses. I should pay more attention to that. But if I did I may just get discouraged because no way do the sales pay for the expenses! I'm glad your are content and wish you the best with your flock!

 

[aart]

I am a bit of a nerd ....I know and use spreadsheets often and have crafted a set of sheets on which I track everything about our flock: food and water used, costs, frequencies, quantity, dates; daily eggs laid, nests, notes, exceptions.

<raiseshand> Nerd here too.
Spreadsheet make keeping track of stuff a breeze(after it's all setup).

 

[Ted Brown]

Update 1st "Green" Egg!:

Today we received two eggs from our October hatch for the first time. Attached picture show the two plus one from our ISAs. I had originally wanted coloured egg layers, seems we have that with dark brown (chocolate?) and green. The smaller eggs are weighing just over 40 grams and seem to be getting bigger/heavier. We believe the darker brown speckled eggs have a Black Copper Maran father, have asked what the likely father of the green egg is (perhaps Ameraucana?)

Just went out to check, today is also our first that we received 9 eggs!