First egg today, Happy Thanksgiving! Also some questions egg laying.

[Hurley]

I set up my flock this year and have been delighted with them thus far. I've got 2 Marans cockerels and 6 Marans pullets, 3 Ameraucana pullets, and 1 Rhode Island Red hen that is a year old. Just got my first egg today, yay me! It came (I'm assuming) from the little Rhode Island Red hen I bought this year for my husband (sold as a 1 1/2 year old hen). I got her a couple months ago, never saw an egg from her, but shortly after I brought her in my whole flock went into molt, so I wasn't surprised at the egg free time coupling the stress of integration of 4 new members to the flock with fall and molting. The roosters were paying attention to her, so I figured eggs would come when they came.

I bought some Marans chicks this spring and I calculated 28 weeks to be mid-September, but September came and went and they still hadn't reddened up, though the boys had long since reddened up in the combs and began crowing. (For the record, I kept the 2 roosters because I couldn't decide which one to cull and so far they've co-existed nicely without destroying the girls.) I noted in the last 2 weeks that 3 of the 6 Marans hens finally now have mature looking combs and wattles and the others are either still pullet-like or just starting to change. I also have 3 Ameraucana pullets that are a bit younger and are just starting to mature. My question is if my delay in the Marans pullets maturing has to do with the breed or if it's probably just conditions. Also, since I don't plan to supplement light for the winter, are they likely just to hold off until spring to begin with laying, or is it more typical for them to sporadically lay / begin to lay through the winter?

Just curious, more than anything. I know they'll lay when they're good and ready, not before. At least one of the Marans hens has started to make feeble egg songs periodically and I've seen the roosters mating her in the last week or two.

Thanks in advance for anyone's input. It's much appreciated.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!
Connie


The egg from today:

(The rest of the photos are from September when I added the Ameraucana pullets and the RIR hen to my home raised Marans)

Photo of the Marans cockerels and the RIR hen:

 

[Judy]

I don't see any pullets with red combs, as you said. And you also said what is really the only answer, they will lay when they lay.

Hope you get lucky and more than one starts before spring.

Beautiful birds, though!

 

[chickenmom1]

I also have hens that I got this June, but unlike you, I couldn't wait. I have been leaving a light on until 7 at night so I could see the first eggs. I'll turn them out after I have seen most of them laying, but you might have to wait till spring otherwise. I got all my leghorns laying, at least 3 of my auracana laying and I'm not sure about the austrolopes yet, but I was soo excited when I first saw the little green/blue eggs. We lost our old dog yesterday, so I was feeling really low and the eggs really helped. If you don't light them, you might have to wait till spring.
J

 

[Hurley]

Those photos are from September when they were all still pale. 3 of the Marans pullets now have big red combs and wattles, looking more like the RIR.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Happy Chooks]

It looks like my RIR egg.

As for the Marans, I'm not sure if you'll see anything for a while from them. My BCM's were hatched this year (in February) and they were laying great until about a month ago. Then they totally quit. I've read that Marans are not good winter layers. (but they sure make up for it with egg color!) They are not molting either.