How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

[April Barta]

Tiny first egg isn't unusual, especially for a girl that lays early.

Hubby is an enabler!!! I wouldn't get more chicks now if I were in your muck boots. 17 will give you a LOT of eggs. I am curious to find out if these girls that hatched last fall go through their first adult moult this coming fall. Generally speaking, unless given supplemental light in the winter, they moult in the fall then shut down until Feb or Mar. Chicks hatched in the spring typically (don't tell my 2017's, they will get a guilt complex) lay all through their first winter and the following summer before moulting in the fall and shutting down. I'd wait to get more until at least next spring.

Bear in mind that grocery store eggs in many states can be as old as "packed 45 days ago" and still be good weeks after. You can start stocking up eggs before they moult to carry yourself through the "dry spell".

Hubby likes to build things once... so he knew in time I’d want more and bigger so he just facilitated sooner! Lol!!!

I was wondering that too for the molt. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes later this year. I liked having chicks through the winter and getting eggs at Easter. This was great! So I probably won’t get chicks until Fall 2019. Probably. Lol!

 

[bruceha2000]

Smart hubby! I would see if your girls bail on you this fall. If so, wait until spring '20 to get chicks otherwise you have lost the "first winter lay" that MOST pullets do. ALL of my 2012 and 2015s did, only one of the 2017s did (the Barnevelder). They all started in Sept or Oct but most quit in Nov/Dec. A possible difference - the '12s and '15s were early June hatch, the '17s late April.

The ones you have now should be laying well before Easter at least the next couple of years. Even my 5 remaining '12s are laying now, though at a much reduced level from the first 3-4 years. The 15's and '17s are cranking them out. I got 13 eggs on the 4th, 9 yesterday though one was thin shelled and smashed flat under the other 6 in that nest. I know only that it was brown.

 

[April Barta]

Smart hubby! I would see if your girls bail on you this fall. If so, wait until spring '20 to get chicks otherwise you have lost the "first winter lay" that MOST pullets do. ALL of my 2012 and 2015s did, only one of the 2017s did (the Barnevelder). They all started in Sept or Oct but most quit in Nov/Dec. A possible difference - the '12s and '15s were early June hatch, the '17s late April.

The ones you have now should be laying well before Easter at least the next couple of years. Even my 5 remaining '12s are laying now, though at a much reduced level from the first 3-4 years. The 15's and '17s are cranking them out. I got 13 eggs on the 4th, 9 yesterday though one was thin shelled and smashed flat under the other 6 in that nest. I know only that it was brown.

Good point! I guess we’ll see what their habits will be like come fall/winter. But I like the plan of adding more every couple years. That way I’m not out any layers when they slow down in their later years.

 

[bruceha2000]

Right, that is my plan as well. Trying to figure out if I should get more now or wait until next spring. Never know when you may lose one to a predator or odd disease or how long the older ones will continue to contribute.

Even if all 5 of my oldest girls quit, I still have 6 that are not quite 3 Y/O and 6 that are almost 1 Y/O. The unanswerable question is "how many of the '12s & '15s will still be laying reasonably NEXT spring and summer. Do I need another half dozen now to make sure I have plenty of eggs spring and summer of 2019???

 

[April Barta]

Right, that is my plan as well. Trying to figure out if I should get more now or wait until next spring. Never know when you may lose one to a predator or odd disease or how long the older ones will continue to contribute.

Even if all 5 of my oldest girls quit, I still have 6 that are not quite 3 Y/O and 6 that are almost 1 Y/O. The unanswerable question is "how many of the '12s & '15s will still be laying reasonably NEXT spring and summer. Do I need another half dozen now to make sure I have plenty of eggs spring and summer of 2019???

Yes always! Lol. I say better to be prepared! Plus... chicks!!!!

 

[pennyJo1960]

looks I may top out at 14 for the main coop

 

[karenerwin]

I've been getting between 10 and 17 eggs a day. Got back from Arizona on Monday and discovered that one of the hens has gone broody and one of the turkey hens has a prolapsed vent. I had to butcher the turkey. Amazingly, the turkey hen that was almost killed at 8 weeks is the one that we still have. She is missing most of her middle toe on one foot but that is her only remaining injury. Well that and the skin on her head grew back a little weird.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I've been getting between 10 and 17 eggs a day. Got back from Arizona on Monday and discovered that one of the hens has gone broody and one of the turkey hens has a prolapsed vent. I had to butcher the turkey. Amazingly, the turkey hen that was almost killed at 8 weeks is the one that we still have. She is missing most of her middle toe on one foot but that is her only remaining injury. Well that and the skin on her head grew back a little weird.

Good to see you again

 

[Spartan22]

33 Eggs Today and more snow

 

[pennyJo1960]

33 Eggs Today and more snow

Your new avatar is that your pooch cute