First time layer questions from a first time pullet mom

[LtDanFan]

Since i started my flock with younger hens, they were all pretty much laying when i got them, it just took them a bit to adjust to the move. My first group of pullets is now coming of age and consists of 2 back yard mixes hatched from a friend’s eggs and 2 cream legbars hatched from a local breeder. They are all 5 months old and hatched out about a week apart. The next group is about 6 weeks behind them and at just shy of 4 months old, i presume still a bit on the young side for laying.
The interesting thing is that Monday i got an olive egg, Tuesday a blue egg and a pink egg. Today (Wednesday) and mixed with these have been the regular brown and/or speckled eggs that my older ladies give me. So based on the appearance, I presume i have 3 new layers from the older group of pullets, but when could i expect the second egg from each of these new layers? Is it unusual to start laying, then wait a few days to produce the next egg?
I know things can vary a bit in the beginning, but how long does it usually take for them to get on a schedule and become regular?
I will have to figure out how to set up a cam in the coop but it’s super small and dark in there, even during the day lol.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi!

Generally, it's closer to a year before they settle into a steady layer. Some breeds sooner than others.

Do you have some oyster shell in a separate dish for them in case they need extra calcium? Not saying that'll speed them up, but it does help them have healthier eggs and pass them easier.

We have Blink indoor cameras in the coops, but since cameras are motion-activated, we leave the indoor ones off or they'd be triggered constantly. If that's what you want, I'd try to find one that records constantly.

 

[LtDanFan]

Hi!

Generally, it's closer to a year before they settle into a steady layer. Some breeds sooner than others.

Do you have some oyster shell in a separate dish for them in case they need extra calcium? Not saying that'll speed them up, but it does help them have healthier eggs and pass them easier.

We have Blink indoor cameras in the coops, but since cameras are motion-activated, we leave the indoor ones off or they'd be triggered constantly. If that's what you want, I'd try to find one that records constantly.

I’ll look into those cameras. I somewhere have a few extra ring battery cameras which came as a multi-pack but no idea where they are at the moment.
I have had calcium out since day one because i got impatient while waiting for my chicks to hatch and acquired young laying hens from local sources. I even saw one of the legbar pullets help herself the other day so i don’t know if that’s a new layer or not but if not i presume she will be soon.
Interestingly enough, the olive egg was a double yolker. I won’t be mad if that continues lol as long as she continues to pass them, i plan to use the eggs for my challah bread and the yolkier the better!!
I guess im not done being patient lol. First i had to wait for eggs, then i had to wait for colored eggs, now i have to wait for newbies to get into their groove. Ugh, seems like chicken math is linear and not exponential for me so far.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

FWIW I've had a couple consistent double-yokers over the years. About 3, as I recall. None of them lived more than a few months. I assumed that producing double-yoked eggs was terribly hard on their systems and was not surprised by their loss at the time. Their sisters who produced normally lived for years and laid well that whole time.

HTH

Rusty

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Many chicken breeds do not lay every single day (and it's even more sporadic at the beginning). I have a White Leghorn who has laid an egg every day since she started laying, but that breed is known for prolific egg laying.

Cream Legbars are typically not going to lay an egg every single day (you'll probably get about 4-6 per week from them)It's difficult to say with the BYM.

From 4 new laying birds (depending on breed), I'd expect to see 1-4 eggs per day when they get fully going - which will take several weeks and may not be as regular as you might see come spring time (and 4 eggs from 4 birds on the same day will likely be a rare occasion). This early on, you may not see eggs every day.

I have 19 hens. My oldest six are 3 yrs old (so their production is WAY down), I have a group of nine that are 1.5 yr and a group of four that are 1 yr. Some are starting to molt. I'm averaging about 7-10 eggs per day. During the summer I'd get between 10-14 (I think I got 16 eggs a couple of times but those days were few and far between).