Hen stomping and squatting when I approach

[TLynne1]

I still have 4 RIR and 4 STARLIGHT Green eggers that are about 4 months old, no eggs yet, they are maturing nicely, no squatting yet

Poppy started laying last week. All 4 are laying now! It will come!

 

[JPadronMiami]

I still have 4 RIR and 4 STARLIGHT Green eggers that are about 4 months old, no eggs yet, they are maturing nicely, no squatting yet

thats nice then all your hens are laying, i have other older hens that are just coming out of their molt, runs look like chickens exploded in them, lol, so many feathers all over....been feeding them extra protein , i picked up more eggs yesterday (than i have in about 2/3 months), so im happy about that, these RIR and Starlight Green eggers are kind of an experiment, looking to see how they do for me, I tend to order and keep Heritage breeds, they do tend to mature a bit slower, but they are so sturdy and healthy, it also helps the breeds stay in the forefront, chickens have been so commercialized, grow fast and produce sooner, at the expense of their vigor, health, and endurance. what do you think?

 

[BDutch]

I tend to order and keep Heritage breeds, they do tend to mature a bit slower, but they are so sturdy and healthy, it also helps the breeds stay in the forefront, chickens have been so commercialized, grow fast and produce sooner, at the expense of their vigor, health, and endurance. what do you think?

You are right about the excessive layers. Heritage breeds are not always as healthy as you may think either. I had chickens of a breed that was almost extinct and the 2 hens I had came from a poor gene pool. Both died at a young age like excessive layers often do. Maybe a coincidence .

Btw. If pullets don’t start to lay in autumn, they often wait with their first egg until late winter.

 

[JPadronMiami]

You are right about the excessive layers. Heritage breeds are not always as healthy as you may think either. I had chickens of a breed that was almost extinct and the 2 hens I had came from a poor gene pool. Both died at a young age like excessive layers often do. Maybe a coincidence .

Btw. If pullets don’t start to lay in autumn, they often wait with their first egg until late winter.

hadnt thought about the gene pool, bummer about your hens, my experience to date has been very positive with Heritage, I have poultry ranging from 4 months to 3 years, my Australorps being the oldest at 3 years, very prolific egg layers, large eggs, ordered them from McMurray's ordered 18, have 16 live, lost 2 to rats when they were still in the pullets stage. those are my favorite, so friendly, the EE's are 2 years old, have 14 live, lost 3, one to a cat, other to rat, and the 3rd one was spurred by one of the EE roosters killed the hen immediately. have 8 Jersey Giants 2 years old, good egg layers medium sized often heavy eggs, gentle birds even the 2 roosters. then we have 4 brown Leghorns medium to large white eggs consistent layer unless they are molting, and finally my present project-the 4 RIR, and 4 Starlight Green Eggers(4 months old)..... Maybe all the chickens and roosters can get all gussied up over the weekend for a family foto...lol

 

[BDutch]

hadnt thought about the gene pool, bummer about your hens, my experience to date has been very positive with Heritage, I have poultry ranging from 4 months to 3 years, my Australorps being the oldest at 3 years, very prolific egg layers, large eggs, ordered them from McMurray's ordered 18, have 16 live, lost 2 to rats when they were still in the pullets stage. those are my favorite, so friendly, the EE's are 2 years old, have 14 live, lost 3, one to a cat, other to rat, and the 3rd one was spurred by one of the EE roosters killed the hen immediately. have 8 Jersey Giants 2 years old, good egg layers medium sized often heavy eggs, gentle birds even the 2 roosters. then we have 4 brown Leghorns medium to large white eggs consistent layer unless they are molting, and finally my present project-the 4 RIR, and 4 Starlight Green Eggers(4 months old)..... Maybe all the chickens and roosters can get all gussied up over the weekend for a family foto...lol

I live in Europe. Here its not allowed to ship (post) living animals. You can order chicks and pick them up or buy hatching eggs.

My older chickens are Dutch (bantam heritage breed, but not show quality) are 6,9 and 10 yo. 1 barnyard mix is 5 and my bantam RIR is 3. The juveniles are 4 months old now. I hope they start to lay in January.

 

[TLynne1]

thats nice then all your hens are laying, i have other older hens that are just coming out of their molt, runs look like chickens exploded in them, lol, so many feathers all over....been feeding them extra protein , i picked up more eggs yesterday (than i have in about 2/3 months), so im happy about that, these RIR and Starlight Green eggers are kind of an experiment, looking to see how they do for me, I tend to order and keep Heritage breeds, they do tend to mature a bit slower, but they are so sturdy and healthy, it also helps the breeds stay in the forefront, chickens have been so commercialized, grow fast and produce sooner, at the expense of their vigor, health, and endurance. what do you think?

Mine are Buff Orpingtons. All chicks! They are not all the same age. They appear to be about 1 1/2 month behind Rose who started at the beginning of September. There were a couple of days last week I only got 2, but I'm back to getting 4 a day. I wish I could tell which one is laying. I just thank all 4!
I live in the city limits so I can only have 4 so I can't help (I was excited! I should have said that first)! I got mine from Tractor Supply so I get what you're saying, but if you get them as babies, don't you kind of control how they grow by what you feed them and if they produce sooner than the 19/20 weeks?

 

[rosemarythyme]

if you get them as babies, don't you kind of control how they grow by what you feed them and if they produce sooner than the 19/20 weeks?

Yes and no. You can push growth by increasing protein (but for long term health I personally feel it's detrimental to grow them too big or too fast) but as far as when they'll start laying, my guess is it's genetics more than size.

If eggs are a priority then production hybrids are a better choice than heritage breeds like Buff Orps which mature more slowly.

 

[BDutch]

If eggs are a priority then production hybrids are a better choice than heritage breeds like Buff Orps which mature more slowly.

Production priority comes with a price. These chickens egg laying system has to work to an extreme to lay an egg almost every day. This is unnatural and these chickens often moult heavily after 18-20 months. Many get sick and die at an age of 3 - 6 years. Many heritage breed chickens and mixes from a more natural gene pool can give you eggs much longer, only not in winter when the chickens take a healthy break. Or when they get broody.
These hens easily live up to 10 years and beyond.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Production priority comes with a price. These chickens egg laying system has to work to an extreme to lay an egg almost every day. This is unnatural and these chickens often moult heavily after 18-20 months. Many get sick and die at an age of 3 - 6 years. Many heritage breed chickens and mixes from a more natural gene pool can give you eggs much longer, only not in winter when the chickens take a healthy break. Or when they get broody.
These hens easily live up to 10 years and beyond.

I understand that, but the poster I was answering wanted to know what they could do to make their birds mature and lay, and the reality is picking birds that are designed to do just that is probably the best bet.

Buff Orps (which they have) on the other hand tend to be slower to mature, and not the best layers.

 

[BDutch]

I understand that, but the poster I was answering wanted to know what they could do to make their birds mature and lay, and the reality is picking birds that are designed to do just that is probably the best bet.

Buff Orps (which they have) on the other hand tend to be slower to mature, and not the best layers.

I understand. But I like to discourage people to buy the laying hybrids if they want to enjoy having chickens. And it seems its not the best choice to buy Buff Orpingtons, if you want fast and good layers.

Its always best to do a little homework before buying. There are so much differences in chicken breeds, mixes, and even laying hybrids. Its good to know a little of what you can expect in advance.