First Egg Countdown

[mithious]

Still waiting here also.

I have 4-5 pullets that are so red in the face, you would swear they got sunburned. Those pullets won't squat for me, but are all over Mr Roo, tails to the sky...and squat for him...he's hiding from them, by mid day lol

They are BR's, just a tad over 4 months, and I had one girl, yesterday, that dug a "nest" in their run, and layed in it, almost all day, looking very uncomfortable. They have also been in the nest boxes. Kicked out all the straw, so I put shavings in. The shavings stay in a bit longer than the straw did.

The red faced pullets have been so, for 2-3 weeks now. I usually keep them confined to the coop till about 11:00 am, hoping they will lay in the nest boxes, but had to let them out as the one that was "nesting" yesterday, has become an escape artist the past few mornings, when I go in to do chores. Got her in their run this morning, after chasing her around a bit, so had to let the rest out.

I can't say I am being very patient...trying though...I really need them to start laying, so I can start selling eggs to help pay for their feed! Plus it's so exciting, that first egg!!!

Do you think it will be soon? I have read some, that are showing the signs mine are, still don't lay for a couple more MONTHS

I was really hoping for a couple weeks

if not sooner....any thoughts??? besides be patient?

I'm working on that one and trying really hard to leave them alone too! ( not check on them every 15 minutes lol )

Oh, I also am switching them over to layer now and they are eating it like there is no tomorrow.

 

[Jaggs]

Hey all! I'm doing the waiting game now. My 19 week old EE's should hopefully be laying soon! Here's a few pics of my flock who just discovered the garden today. They have started free ranging for a couple weeks now. I was doing supervised free ranging for awhile, but since the dogs now have no interest all is good. They are so happy now that they can come and go out of the coop anytime. They always go back to the coop to roost, and generally stick pretty close. Hopefully I'll find eggs soon!

Indoor cat has finally discovered fluffy things roaming the yard. haha

 

[Flowerbh]

Hey all! I'm doing the waiting game now. My 19 week old EE's should hopefully be laying soon! Here's a few pics of my flock who just discovered the garden today. They have started free ranging for a couple weeks now. I was doing supervised free ranging for awhile, but since the dogs now have no interest all is good. They are so happy now that they can come and go out of the coop anytime. They always go back to the coop to roost, and generally stick pretty close. Hopefully I'll find eggs soon!

Indoor cat has finally discovered fluffy things roaming the yard. haha

I love EEers! Nice flock and I know they are oh so happy to be free ranging! My EEers started laying between 25 - 35 weeks! But, all my chickens seem slow to start laying. I have heard it is a good thing for them to grow slowly and lay later, so I am ok with that. Are you going to keep all your roosters?

 

[Jaggs]

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[Jaggs]

I love EEers! Nice flock and I know they are oh so happy to be free ranging! My EEers started laying between 25 - 35 weeks! But, all my chickens seem slow to start laying. I have heard it is a good thing for them to grow slowly and lay later, so I am ok with that. Are you going to keep all your roosters?

From what I can tell we have 2 roosters and 6 hens. We originally had 4 roosters but 2 of them were bullying the ladies to the point of starving them. So those roosters made excellent chicken soup. But the ones that we have now all seem to get along wonderfully. They are quiet, protective, and the ladies are so much happier now. As long as they continue to all get along well then yes we will keep the 2 roosters. Dont see a reason not to!

25 week eh? wow. I figured that I had maybe 2 weeks before I start to see eggs. Of course I've been thinking that for a few weeks now... lol. I did just notice a lovely "pit/hole" in the dirt in the run where one of my hens loves to lay in during the daytime (if they are not free ranged that day). Does this sound like she made a nest? it's quite a large hole. maybe 10-12 inches long and about 3-4 inches deep. It's not hot here, so I know she's not trying to cool down. It's about 21 deg celcius avg.

Hopefully soon. I've noticed a hen or two "presenting" herself to one of my roosters. We'll see.

 

[Flowerbh]

From what I can tell we have 2 roosters and 6 hens. We originally had 4 roosters but 2 of them were bullying the ladies to the point of starving them. So those roosters made excellent chicken soup. But the ones that we have now all seem to get along wonderfully. They are quiet, protective, and the ladies are so much happier now. As long as they continue to all get along well then yes we will keep the 2 roosters. Dont see a reason not to!

25 week eh? wow. I figured that I had maybe 2 weeks before I start to see eggs. Of course I've been thinking that for a few weeks now... lol. I did just notice a lovely "pit/hole" in the dirt in the run where one of my hens loves to lay in during the daytime (if they are not free ranged that day). Does this sound like she made a nest? it's quite a large hole. maybe 10-12 inches long and about 3-4 inches deep. It's not hot here, so I know she's not trying to cool down. It's about 21 deg celcius avg.

Hopefully soon. I've noticed a hen or two "presenting" herself to one of my roosters. We'll see.

No problem with keeping two roosters as long as they don't fight and overhandle the girls. I know what you mean about some roosters being brutal to the ladies! We rehomed our only rooster for that reason, plus the fact that he started jumping on our small dogs for no reason! Just wouldn't tolerate that! Is it hard to process your own chickens? I have been giving away the roos because I don't know how and don't know if I can do it! Is it hard to eat one you become attached to? I know that is silly.....someone else will just eat it, but I just don't know how. And, my chickens have name tags on the coop! Just seems like I am betraying them somehow! Being all nice to them and then wham, into my freezer. hahahhahha! This is coming from a person who captures mice and walks them a mile away from my home and lets them go with a warning not to return! And then the next day if I catch another one, I will take it to the same place to let it go just in case they were related and they can somehow get together again! hahahhaha! Yea, I love all the little critters, so I guess eating one would be hard for me. But, I know it is better meat and I know I am just supporting those horrible chicken farms by not eating my own! Maybe I should take the class they offer on processing chickens! I probably would have eaten that mean old rooster if I had known how to do it!

 

[eyotig25]

we have a third egg layer....heard the chicken song and just knew!!!!!! funny thing is it is my light brahma, everyone said they would be my last layers....still not quite sure who is the second layer though, I have to catch her in action ....mithious we have one jersey giant like you describe she has looked ready for three weeks....squatting, blazing red comb and wattles, making so much chatter my husband walks by and calls her a nag :-0...so I feel your pain! good luck and my you be blessed with some eggs soon!

 

[Jaggs]

No problem with keeping two roosters as long as they don't fight and overhandle the girls. I know what you mean about some roosters being brutal to the ladies! We rehomed our only rooster for that reason, plus the fact that he started jumping on our small dogs for no reason! Just wouldn't tolerate that! Is it hard to process your own chickens? I have been giving away the roos because I don't know how and don't know if I can do it! Is it hard to eat one you become attached to? I know that is silly.....someone else will just eat it, but I just don't know how. And, my chickens have name tags on the coop! Just seems like I am betraying them somehow! Being all nice to them and then wham, into my freezer. hahahhahha! This is coming from a person who captures mice and walks them a mile away from my home and lets them go with a warning not to return! And then the next day if I catch another one, I will take it to the same place to let it go just in case they were related and they can somehow get together again! hahahhaha! Yea, I love all the little critters, so I guess eating one would be hard for me. But, I know it is better meat and I know I am just supporting those horrible chicken farms by not eating my own! Maybe I should take the class they offer on processing chickens! I probably would have eaten that mean old rooster if I had known how to do it!

Honestly my husband's family used to keep chickens for meat all the time. So when it came to processing the chicken I just let him do it. This is my first time having chickens so I had no idea how to do it. I didn't have a problem putting the roosters down because they really were a pain in the arse. Fortunately when it came time to process them we had a bunch of old equipment that made it easy. (scalding barrel to loosen the feathers and a feather plucker). Once that was done than it was pretty easy for him to remove the innards. Then I got the carcass and made chicken for supper and chicken soup with the leftovers. They weren't that big, so we ended up using both roosters for our meal. I was a little uneasy about eating them, but after thinking about how much money we put into setup ect.... it seemed like such a waste not to. Not to mention that we eat chicken all the time from the store. The only thing that's different is that I knew these ones. It's not something that I plan on doing regularly, as I am in it for the eggs.

I say take the class. That way when the time comes around again at least you have the option of doing it yourself instead of just giving them away. However, I do like the idea of re homing them. But it is quite likely that they will just become supper for someone else unfortunately.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: Yes, heritage breeds take much, much longer to start laying. You don't get as many eggs either, but they are worth it in other ways - eye candy, broodiness, and the best mothers around.

You are all so lucky. I'm jealous. Mine are 29 wks and 26 wks and still no eggs. Patiently waiting.

Soon, very soon.

Quote: Yes, I see 2 boys there.

Be really careful with your dogs, they can devastate a flock really quickly. The #1 predator are dogs, either your own, or someone else's.

I have too many roosters right now. We have some friends coming over for dinner next weekend and they want to learn how to process. I'll have extra hands to help and they will get hands on learning. I'm hoping we'll be able to do 5 of them. I braised the last rooster we processed - he was delicious. Some sherry, chicken broth, celery, carrots, onions and tarragon and slow cooked for about 3 hours.

we have a third egg layer....heard the chicken song and just knew!!!!!! funny thing is it is my light brahma, everyone said they would be my last layers....still not quite sure who is the second layer though, I have to catch her in action

....mithious we have one jersey giant like you describe she has looked ready for three weeks....squatting, blazing red comb and wattles, making so much chatter my husband walks by and calls her a nag :-0...so I feel your pain! good luck and my you be blessed with some eggs soon!

Congrats!

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Still waiting here also.

I have 4-5 pullets that are so red in the face, you would swear they got sunburned. Those pullets won't squat for me, but are all over Mr Roo, tails to the sky...and squat for him...he's hiding from them, by mid day lol

They are BR's, just a tad over 4 months, and I had one girl, yesterday, that dug a "nest" in their run, and layed in it, almost all day, looking very uncomfortable. They have also been in the nest boxes. Kicked out all the straw, so I put shavings in. The shavings stay in a bit longer than the straw did.

The red faced pullets have been so, for 2-3 weeks now. I usually keep them confined to the coop till about 11:00 am, hoping they will lay in the nest boxes, but had to let them out as the one that was "nesting" yesterday, has become an escape artist the past few mornings, when I go in to do chores. Got her in their run this morning, after chasing her around a bit, so had to let the rest out.

I can't say I am being very patient...trying though...I really need them to start laying, so I can start selling eggs to help pay for their feed! Plus it's so exciting, that first egg!!!

Do you think it will be soon? I have read some, that are showing the signs mine are, still don't lay for a couple more MONTHS

I was really hoping for a couple weeks

if not sooner....any thoughts??? besides be patient?

I'm working on that one and trying really hard to leave them alone too! ( not check on them every 15 minutes lol )

Oh, I also am switching them over to layer now and they are eating it like there is no tomorrow.

Have you tried buying a dozen or so eggs? That's what did it for us!