As you know in my previous post, I had two consecutive days of getting four eggs. So today I decided to investigate.
I opened the coop and turned on the lights at 5:15am I filled the water bowl under the coop, scattered a third of a cup of scratch grains in the run, four chickens were enjoying breakfast.
I checked the nest boxes and one girl was settling in, no eggs in either box. Five minutes go by two girls took a drink and one went into coop and into the other nest box. Then another pullet went into the coop and hopped onto the lower roost and made her way to the nest boxes. She checked for availability and both were occupied. Time around 5:35am, I don't have my phone or a watch. It's 28F and I'm getting cold.
I decided to refill the 12# galvanized feeder inside the coop, well my girls love to help me with the chores. So the other two girls come into the coop to watch me fill the feeder. Now it's around 6am. Two girls are still in the nest, one is still waiting on the lower roost. A fourth girl decides it's time, she hops onto the lower roost. Now I have two in the nests and two waiting. The first one waiting, can't wait any longer, so she squeezes into the left nest box. The boxes are 12"1/4 wide 13"deep 12"high.
I finish refilling the feeder and decide I want to take a picture of three pullets in two boxes and one waiting, but I don't have my phone on me. So I made my way back to the house and got my phone, by the time I got back to the coop three girls were in the run and two in the nest boxes, bummer.
Well I stayed out there till the nests were empty. That happened around 6:55. I checked the nests and found 2 eggs in one and 3 in the other. My five girls were done for the day.
I don't know if my sex-links are special, as in getting their laying done in early morning most of the time, as these are my first high production chickens.
Morals of the story. First always bring your phone to the coop. Second if you are getting a high egg production pullets, like a red sex-link, a production red and possibly high production bred white leghorns. I would recommend at least half as many nest boxes as pullets. Examples (3 to 4 pullets 2 boxes) (5 to 6 pullets 3 boxes) (7 to 8 pullets 4 boxes.
If your getting a standard breed or bantams, you could possibly get by with half as many nest boxes.
My experience with my Golden Comets. Your chickens will vary, even your Golden Comets. Your climate, feed, treats, coop, daylight, added light, living conditions, predators, pests, health, age and time you wake them are just some things that affect egg laying.
5/5 today GC
I opened the coop and turned on the lights at 5:15am I filled the water bowl under the coop, scattered a third of a cup of scratch grains in the run, four chickens were enjoying breakfast.
I checked the nest boxes and one girl was settling in, no eggs in either box. Five minutes go by two girls took a drink and one went into coop and into the other nest box. Then another pullet went into the coop and hopped onto the lower roost and made her way to the nest boxes. She checked for availability and both were occupied. Time around 5:35am, I don't have my phone or a watch. It's 28F and I'm getting cold.
I decided to refill the 12# galvanized feeder inside the coop, well my girls love to help me with the chores. So the other two girls come into the coop to watch me fill the feeder. Now it's around 6am. Two girls are still in the nest, one is still waiting on the lower roost. A fourth girl decides it's time, she hops onto the lower roost. Now I have two in the nests and two waiting. The first one waiting, can't wait any longer, so she squeezes into the left nest box. The boxes are 12"1/4 wide 13"deep 12"high.
I finish refilling the feeder and decide I want to take a picture of three pullets in two boxes and one waiting, but I don't have my phone on me. So I made my way back to the house and got my phone, by the time I got back to the coop three girls were in the run and two in the nest boxes, bummer.
Well I stayed out there till the nests were empty. That happened around 6:55. I checked the nests and found 2 eggs in one and 3 in the other. My five girls were done for the day.
I don't know if my sex-links are special, as in getting their laying done in early morning most of the time, as these are my first high production chickens.
Morals of the story. First always bring your phone to the coop. Second if you are getting a high egg production pullets, like a red sex-link, a production red and possibly high production bred white leghorns. I would recommend at least half as many nest boxes as pullets. Examples (3 to 4 pullets 2 boxes) (5 to 6 pullets 3 boxes) (7 to 8 pullets 4 boxes.
If your getting a standard breed or bantams, you could possibly get by with half as many nest boxes.
My experience with my Golden Comets. Your chickens will vary, even your Golden Comets. Your climate, feed, treats, coop, daylight, added light, living conditions, predators, pests, health, age and time you wake them are just some things that affect egg laying.
5/5 today GC
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It doesn't bother my allergies as badly either.
....that's awesome!!
