How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

[chickenboy190]

7/13

 

[karenerwin]

I got 2 or 3 eggs today. I really don't remember, because they spaced them so far apart. One laid her egg in the middle of the yard!

 

[Math]

17/23 today.

 

[1876 Farm]

Yesterday, 15 from 28

 

[booksmom]

Four of my 5 hens will be 2 years old in April/May. After a winter lay-off because the weather was brutal, I don't heat my coop and I do not have lights in my tiny coop, my 5 hens are back to laying. This year the eggs are 2.2 ounces (they were 1.9 ounces consistently last year.) Each hen is laying 8 out of every 10 days. The newest hen is laying green eggs. The others lay brown eggs of various hues.

I am so proud of my girls. This is my first experience with chickens. I started in May of 2012. Now I can't imagine life without chickens.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Four of my 5 hens will be 2 years old in April/May. After a winter lay-off because the weather was brutal, I don't heat my coop and I do not have lights in my tiny coop, my 5 hens are back to laying. This year the eggs are 2.2 ounces (they were 1.9 ounces consistently last year.)

I'm glad they've started up again. It's not brutal weather but short days. It will happen every winter regardless of weather and be longer each year. Laying commencement is right on time. My latitude is up to 11 hours of daylight and they are starting up.
But as you've found the eggs get bigger after molt.

 

[booksmom]

Ah, I did know that it is daylight hours that affects egg laying. Also, molt and broodiness. My cochin cross went broody last spring then had a stress molt while raising chicks then her normal molt in the fall. She hadn't laid in nearly a year. I expect her to go broody again this spring. sigh. I don't have a rooster because I live on less than 1/4 acre in a development. I had to buy 10 hour old chicks and insert them at night. I give her credit for raising the babies... and I learned a lot!

I have a small coop and would not chance lighting during the shorter days. Too dangerous for my girls. I also think that the natural cycle with the winter rest is good for the hens even if I do miss the eggs terribly.

This year I hope to acquire a larger coop.

 

[Douza]

I have 4 pullets born last April. 3 out of four started laying in late July and then stopped in October. I didnt use a light through the winter. Yesterday I checked the box and to my surprise there were 2 eggs. I would not have expected them to lay for another month or so. Can someone help me to understand this. Not complaining just interested.

 

[booksmom]

I, too, wonder about the internal clocks of chickens.
I have a pullet born last May (2013.) She is Ameraucana crossed with Copper Marans (or so the farmer believes.) Here in southern New Jersey she started laying on January 13th 2014.
I wonder if the start and frequency of laying has something to do with breed? I'm sure our daylight is about the same length as yours.
My other 4 hens were born in April 2012 (2) May 2012 (other 2) and all started laying in December 13th - 15th 2012. They continued to lay through that mild winter without the aid of light in the coop. Three of the hens are Barnavelder crossed with Spangled Hamburg and the other one is Cochin crossed with Barnavelder.

So far the books I have on chickens do not address the start of laying in "scientific" or observational terms.

 

[Douza]

Always interesting to hear about other experiences. It is a great surprise for me. I don't know why but I just expected that they wouldn't lay until April when the days are really longer . I think that we have only gained 45 minutes of daylight since December 21st. I will also have to start weighing the eggs.

I also have two Americaunas. They started laying early...like 4months. I have a goldish orange girl I think she might be Swedish ?.? She never laid last year. Is it possible that she is a late bloomer or potentially just won't lay?