Free Range Schedule

Almosta22

In the Brooder
Aug 12, 2022
6
8
11
Our first flock of hens (half Rhode Island Red, half Easter Eggers) are now 21 weeks old. They are so big and healthy and happy!
They have a very nice sized coop with 4 large boxes for laying eggs.
They free range all day on our ranch.
We’ve yet to have any eggs and I’m wondering if I’m letting them out too early and they’re laying their eggs somewhere that I don’t see them.
I typically let them out first thing in the morning- within an hour of sunrise.
I have to shoo them into the coop when it gets close to sunset.
Looking for any suggestions. Thanks!
 
Keep them inside until later in the afternoon, if at least a few have nice red combs. Golf balls or something in a couple of nest boxes may also help. And pictures of your coop, and the birds for us to admire...
Your pullets have no idea where to lay their eggs! Most will lay eggs in the morning, not all. You could keep them in for a week too, and see if eggs appear.
Search for hidden nests outside, or in other buildings.
Look up how to tell the physical differences between birds laying eggs and those not in production.
Mary
 
Pasture is from this morning. The picture of the coop is a few months ago.
Really think I should keep them in till noon???
2D6D9C48-6409-4926-B52F-0E6953F5BA48.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • 8BAE69CD-CA9A-4DDC-8913-554971AB382F.jpeg
    8BAE69CD-CA9A-4DDC-8913-554971AB382F.jpeg
    1.7 MB · Views: 16
  • 2753063A-A3B0-42B7-BD84-F7B85C499C0C.jpeg
    2753063A-A3B0-42B7-BD84-F7B85C499C0C.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 16
Thanks. Just joined this forum this morning. I’ll update my profile. I live outside Sarasota, Florida, so it’s hot as hell here right now.
There are 3 Easter Eggers with nice, bright red combs. Ons of the Rhode Island Reds is starting to get a noticeable comb.
I was having to lock the ladies out of their coop during the day to prevent my curious miniature donkeys from getting in their coop and knocking everything over. This morning I built an additional door for the coop that allows me to keep it open but keep the donkeys out.

E2E3DE10-A0FC-4878-93AE-03D97890EE68.jpeg
 
Good idea for that 'donkey proof' door!
I don't see good hardware cloth attachments anywhere. And is there a skirt to avoid digging critters? Shade in there?
We've had bad experiences with predators, which is why I'm asking.
Mary
The back half of the coop roof is a metal roof, so there is shade. They aren’t typically in there during the day anyway.
The main door and entire outside are hardware cloth, buried underground and forward 6” each. The front half of the roof that isn’t metal roofing is also hardware cloth.
I just added the second interior door that is closed when the exterior door is open. It allows the hens access but blocks the donkeys.
 
Just from a glance they don't look to be ready to lay yet, except for the one bird with a redder comb (and even she might still be in need of more time). So likeliest explanation for no eggs is they're simply not at point of lay quite yet.
 
Well, a new discovery: what I thought were Easter Eggers are actually Marans!!! And they’re the ones laying eggs.
22 weeks old now, so hopefully they all start laying soon and using the nesting boxes in their coop.
I bought the chicks when they were 3 days old and it was too soon to tell what they were other than Tractor Supply labeled them.
Feel pretty luck to have such great Marans.

71259F23-CD22-4CCC-AA50-972FD91325A9.jpeg
AAD2422A-581D-4BC5-A8EB-6AAC0BA28089.jpeg
AAD2422A-581D-4BC5-A8EB-6AAC0BA28089.jpeg
494E16E7-6804-4F9B-BA47-1B4DA10599ED.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • B658B280-B91D-434E-BF1E-F213BC6051D9.jpeg
    B658B280-B91D-434E-BF1E-F213BC6051D9.jpeg
    819.5 KB · Views: 6
Last edited:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom