I need to whine

[debilorrah]

We are feEding them laying mash and scratch. And peaches. and broccoli. and lettuce, cantelope, egg shells, cilantro, radishes, olums. NO they aren't spoiled AT ALL!

 

[Linda in San Diego]

Seems to me that expecting 1 hen to lay 4 eggs a week is in line with what I have read. So 4 * 4 =16, more than reasonable.

But then I did the math for my Delightful Dozen. 12 * 4 = 48 eggs per week. 4 Dozen Eggs a week, MINIMUM? What was I thinking!

 

[newbiechicken]

Debiraymond - got an egg yesterday. We have at least one afternoon layer. Thanks for sharing about your chicken coop - I was sure it was the size of the coop that was causing them not to lay. We're building a slightly bigger one this weekend, anyway, because ours won't really protect them too well this winter.

Do you have a rooster? We got the ugliest turkin rooster you've ever seen. Beautiful crow, though.

 

[debilorrah]

We do have a roo - a big one and still growing. As soon as I can get this web page to cooperate I will be posting his pic with hopes of finding out what breed he is. We have turken hen and she is a little snot!

 

[jossanne]

Quote:
With my first flock of hens, I was giving them lots of fruits and veggies, and a lot of kitchen scraps. They weren't very interested in the layer feed, with all the goodies around. They practically quit laying because of a shortage of protein in their diet. When I quit giving them all the apple scraps (I was canning apples that fall) they started laying like crazy. I wonder if your hens are eating enough layer mash to get the protein required for egg production...

 

[debilorrah]

Oh my - they have two full pans of it all day long. Because we work during the day, they don't get treats until the evening when we come home. We do limit the amount we give them, just like to give them a variety. They eat the laying mash like it's going out of style. And they peck at each other so they think they have it all to themselves.

 

[debilorrah]

2 eggs yesterday! I guess they are finally over whatever it is I did to them!

 

[shy]

I was surprised by my two hens. The GLW started laying first. She does an egg every other day. My D'uccle bantam, is a week younger. I really didn't expect much from her. She started laying a week after my GLW. Funny thing is, the d'uccle has been laying an egg every day...beating the GLW (who is supposed to be a better laying breed). Also the GLW is twice the size of the little bantam. Yet her eggs are not double size the d'uccle's.

I have some black sexlinks and some red sexlinks. I can't wait for those babies to start laying. Still have a couple months to go.