How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

[ChickenLady2014]

I'm not sure if this helps or not, but ours are let out of the coop at 6:30am daily to run around their 1600sf pasture. When it's cold, they can go back in the covered run (that has old clear storm windows on it to entirely block the wind). They seem to be outside as much as possible--when it's cold, when it's muddy, and even a bit when it's snowing. My best foragers are these 10 laying girls. The pullets are out too, but not quite as much as the Comets/Leghorns. Whoever said Leghorns aren't cold hardy or good foragers hasn't met these girls!

My leghorn is one of my best foragers & she goes out in any kind of weather.

 

[WVDoug]

So, I want to share with you a mistake I was making that was causing low egg production. I was only feeding my chickens once a day around 4-5pm. Let me explain

1. We cannot keep feed in front of them 24/7 due to rats & mice problems.
2. I have to be to leave for work 3am-4am depending on the day, so they were getting fed when I got home.

Now (Thanks to the folks at the Cold Folks Thread

) I have started feeding them before I go to work, or having someone else feed them before noon (best I can do), then feeding them again around 4-5pm. I was getting 0-4 eggs a day. We have probably around 30 hens, some are pullets, but should be starting to lay any day. We just started this new feeding program on Friday.

Yesterday we got 8 eggs

Edited to add: Most days they free range 2-3 hours also.

If you can keep the rodents out, it would be better to feed free choice. I have 1/2" hardware cloth and plywood for coop walls, and hardware cloth buried a few inches down and 18" out from the bottom. No rodent problems.

 

[WVDoug]

7/15.

Went out this morning to check on the birdies. Heard a PEEP PEEP PEEP as I approached the run. One of the 4 week olds was outside the run, alone, ALL NIGHT, in the sub freezing weather. He was all fluffed up and didn't move as I picked him up and brought him into the barn and placed him in with his siblings. Went right for the water and food.

We have feral cats, raccoons, dogs, etc. I can't believe he was OK out there ALL NIGHT! (Poor little thing!)

Makes me wonder where he was hiding when I closed up the coop last night.

 

[tntchix]

that was lucky. How is he doing now?

 

[ChickenLady2014]

14/15
I'm getting 15 more layers tomorrow. We'll see!

Young birds or already laying hens?

 

[WVDoug]

He seems fine....was in the nest with momma and siblings tonight, so maybe he learned his lesson?

 

[Creekbank]

Young birds or already laying hens?

They are 7 month old Isa Browns, like my first 15. (They are coming from the same man/flock). They are all laying.

 

[ChickenLady2014]

They are 7 month old Isa Browns, like my first 15. (They are coming from the same man/flock). They are all laying.

that's wonderful, love my Isa Browns. They are such great egg layers.

 

[COChix]

19/23

 

[BriardChickens]

4/4. or is it 4/5 yesterday? Not sure anymore.. anyway still waiting for 8 eggs in one day!