Golden Comets

[helenoftroy]

Hi There!

I have 4 darling Golden Comets. They are friendly and affectionate and gorgeous. They each lay a large egg every day and love to play. They follow me around the property like wee puppies and come a knocking at the front door all the time to ask for snacks or snuggles. I am so in love with this breed and will add more next Spring. Good luck with yours.

Cheers!

 

[LindaB220]

Ok, here are a few silly questions.

What do I do with the eggs? Should I collect them or should I leave them in the nest to encourage other hens to lay an egg. If I leave them in the nest, how long can they stay there?

If I collect the eggs do I have to refrigerate them immediately, should I leave them at room temperature. How long can I keep the eggs before I have to eat them.

Never leave a good egg in the coop. EAT it.

If you want to leave something out there put a rock or pingpong ball or easter egg plastic egg. Or one from the grocery store.

 

[helenoftroy]

Hi There!

When mine first started laying I used to leave one egg in the next box to encourage the others to lay. They don't seem to need it anymore, but if you concerned they need encouragement it couldn't hurt to leave one there, and if you are afraid they will break/eat them, you can leave a fake one in the nest. I don't think they will damage the eggs tho. If one is already broken they may eat from it but if yours are like mine, they are more concerned with laying and then getting back out in the yard to play. If you do leave one in there, perhaps a couple of hours is long enough.

You do not need to refrigerate unwashed eggs. As long as the bloom is intact, that is the coating that they are laid with which is part of the immune system of the egg, they do not need refrigeration. If you wash them, refrigerate them asap. I've kept unwashed eggs for as long as 3 weeks (that is the ones with the bloom on them) and refrigerated eggs for up to two months. I do not really know what the recommended time is but I'm sure you can find out online. Mine don't last long enough for me to be concerned about it.

Good luck with your hens! My girls are the love of my life and even though many people consider chickens 'livestock' to me they are like dearly beloveds. They come running when I call them and follow me around the property for walkies just like puppies. I had no idea when I got these little feathered bodies of joy that it would be one of the most satisfying experiences I've ever had. They just came into my life unexpectedly and I've been enraptured ever since.

Blessings....

 

[LindaB220]

Hi There!

When mine first started laying I used to leave one egg in the next box to encourage the others to lay. They don't seem to need it anymore, but if you concerned they need encouragement it couldn't hurt to leave one there, and if you are afraid they will break/eat them, you can leave a fake one in the nest. I don't think they will damage the eggs tho. If one is already broken they may eat from it but if yours are like mine, they are more concerned with laying and then getting back out in the yard to play. If you do leave one in there, perhaps a couple of hours is long enough.

You do not need to refrigerate unwashed eggs. As long as the bloom is intact, that is the coating that they are laid with which is part of the immune system of the egg, they do not need refrigeration. If you wash them, refrigerate them asap. I've kept unwashed eggs for as long as 3 weeks (that is the ones with the bloom on them) and refrigerated eggs for up to two months. I do not really know what the recommended time is but I'm sure you can find out online. Mine don't last long enough for me to be concerned about it.

Good luck with your hens! My girls are the love of my life and even though many people consider chickens 'livestock' to me they are like dearly beloveds. They come running when I call them and follow me around the property for walkies just like puppies. I had no idea when I got these little feathered bodies of joy that it would be one of the most satisfying experiences I've ever had. They just came into my life unexpectedly and I've been enraptured ever since.

Blessings....

What a great post!!!! It shows your love and commitment to your chickens. You are correct about the unwashed eggs. Love that about them. This spring I'm going to have to buy a freezer. Or maybe just another fridge, a side by side for eggs.

It's going to explode when all the new girls start laying. Right now I have 8 hens that are on strike-- no eggs. And 9 pullets that never started laying before the winter set in. I don't have lights up yet so I'd better get cracking and start them slowly in about another couple of weeks. That'll give the Cobb 500 layers a 4 week break or so. They were rescue girls that laid the best eggs for a couple of weeks. Now nada.

 

[helenoftroy]

"Get Cracking" You jokester you!!

And yes, you will find when your girls get a bit more light they will start laying again. We set up a light for them and leave it on until about 8:30-9 at night and we get 4 eggs every morning. I don't think they mind laying as they only started about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I rescued two Silver Laced Wyandottes this weekend who are in a hard molt. Poor wee things just shiver and blink all day. I've noticed though, that when I give them short Reiki treatments that it seem to bring them some comfort. Who knew? Reiki for chickens!!

Maybe your rescues need a wee break anyway. It sounds like you love your girls too. Ain't grand to experience that heart stuff that watching little feathered creatures evolve brings?

Good Luck and blessings...Keep me posted!

 

[1zooman12]

Hello Pele and interested Members,

Go for it! You have my vote for your new blog topic; and while you are at it, just what the heck is an out year?

When I was at U. of Md., Department of Poultry Science, we noted that the typical, non hybrid hen's egg production declined by about 20% each year. These were mostly pure bred high production strains of the white leghorn. This was back in the 50s and 60s. So it is no surprise that the modern high volume production layer equals or exceeds that slow down rate. The interesting thing was , "What happens to those hundreds of thousands (millions?) of retired production layers?" Many if not all egg producers had contracts with major soup producers who could use all that they could get. Any company that produced tinned food products and used retired hens in the process would snap them up at great financial savings. Furthermore, one did not have to worry about how tough that meat was from these old hens as the stripped carcasses would spend time in giant pressure cookers which softened them greatly. That was what you got when you contemplated the contents of your soup bowl. If that process has changed in any significant way I sure would like to know from a spokesman from one of the companies concerned.

My best to all,
Neal, the Zooman

 

[deanmarz]

That's a very nice reply. Thank you for all the information. Since I am only getting 2 eggs per day I can keep up with the supply. I don't wash them but they do go in the fridge.

The part about having them follow you is correct but only my layers will follow me. The other 6 are very skittish and keep their distance. I am hoping when they get laying things will change.

 

[mcochicks]

Ours are super quiet. We live in 15k sq ft lots and most of me neighbors had to be told they were here

The only time I ever hear a peep out of them is when the neighbors dog is barking, 2 of them like to join in...it's cute.

We got 6 pullets and on the ride home even just a few peeps even though the poor things were crammed into s small box(7 mile ride). They are very happy and friendly girls.

my golden comet just went broody! Didn't know they did this

 

[HerbGir1972]

We bought 6 hens today to supplement our egg laying flock. I think my mixed own may be going into their first year molt. We're hoping to keep up with about 10 doz per week. As we are wholesaling and have severs steady customers.

 

[Math]

When I was at U. of Md., Department of Poultry Science, we noted that the typical, non hybrid hen's egg production declined by about 20% each year.  These were mostly pure bred high production strains of the white leghorn. This was back in the 50s and 60s.  So it is no surprise that the modern high volume production layer equals or exceeds that slow down rate.  The interesting thing was , "What happens to those hundreds of thousands (millions?) of retired production layers?"  Many if not all egg producers had contracts with major soup producers who could use all that they could get.  Any company that produced tinned food products and used retired hens in the process would snap them up at great financial savings.  Furthermore, one did not have to worry about how tough that meat was from these old hens as the stripped carcasses would spend time in giant pressure cookers which softened them greatly. That was what you got when you contemplated the contents of your soup bowl. If that process has changed in any significant way I sure would like to know from a spokesman from one of the companies concerned.

My best to all,
Neal, the Zooman

Yeah there were changes in the 80s and 90s. The soup and convenience food companies began to use the really big broilers for higher quality and cheaper meat and broth.