Illinois...

[NotAFarm]

How are everyone in Illinois's hens doing at egg laying this winter? Ours, (2-1/2 and 3-1/2 years old) went on break in October and haven't resumed yet. I think they've forgotten how.

Hens aren't laying much. They range in age from 4 1/2 to 1 1/2 years old and are 2 German Line New Hampshires, one Araucana and 10 Icelandics. Some just taking a break after a fall molt and two each raised a chick hatched the last week of September and then molted so haven't started back. Three Icelandic pullets hatched the last week of June started a couple weeks ago when we had that run of 40F weather. Another pullet (one of three Icelandics hatched the last week of July) started yesterday, so the other two should start soon. No extra light or heat in their coop. Up with the sun and on the roost by 4:00.

Some of the hens are starting to show color in their combs and wattles so they will start laying soon.....I just hope they don't go broody until AT LEAST March 15th!!

 

[Gargoyle]

Mine all finished their molt a month ago, they're looking fluffy and happy. This was on Xmas day, enjoying some sunshine.

 

[Faraday40]

Hens aren't laying much. They range in age from 4 1/2 to 1 1/2 years old and are 2 German Line New Hampshires, one Araucana and 10 Icelandics. Some just taking a break after a fall molt and two each raised a chick hatched the last week of September and then molted so haven't started back. Three Icelandic pullets hatched the last week of June started a couple weeks ago when we had that run of 40F weather. Another pullet (one of three Icelandics hatched the last week of July) started yesterday, so the other two should start soon. No extra light or heat in their coop. Up with the sun and on the roost by 4:00.

Some of the hens are starting to show color in their combs and wattles so they will start laying soon.....I just hope they don't go broody until AT LEAST March 15th!!

Is that an Icelandic? She's pretty!

 

[LinaNate]

I've been getting 1-2 eggs a day
My layers are on the older side. I've got 1 Arucauna/ easter egger that is 4 yrs old and 4 RIRs that are about 3 yrs old, 2 sexlinks that are 1 yr old and close to 20 that are just 16 weeks old and 8 that are just 7 weeks old. We just quit moved out of the city so we have a big gap in flock age right now.
No blue or green eggs since like Aug for us too. I thought ours were just old. Happy to hear others are taking a looooong break too I believe my eegs are coming from my two younger sexlinks and I can't wait for my fall chicks to begin laying! In the meantime I've got a newborn lamb to nurse, some mail order Silkie eggs to baby and some goats to get bred.

​

 

[NotAFarm]

Quote: Yes, she is an Icelandic. She will turn two in the spring.


Here is my sole Araucana, pic taken Christmas Eve day, she will also turn two in the spring. She was hatched from eggs I got from BYCer RaynDebi. All others in this pic are Icelandics.

Here is one of the German Line New Hampshires that I got from BYCer kathyinmo. She and her sister will be 3 the first week of April. This picture is from July, I don't have any more recent pics of them.

 

[NotAFarm]

I've been getting 1-2 eggs a day
My layers are on the older side. I've got 1 Arucauna/ easter egger that is 4 yrs old and 4 RIRs that are about 3 yrs old, 2 sexlinks that are 1 yr old and close to 20 that are just 16 weeks old and 8 that are just 7 weeks old. We just quit moved out of the city so we have a big gap in flock age right now.
No blue or green eggs since like Aug for us too. I thought ours were just old. Happy to hear others are taking a looooong break too I believe my eegs are coming from my two younger sexlinks and I can't wait for my fall chicks to begin laying! In the meantime I've got a newborn lamb to nurse, some mail order Silkie eggs to baby and some goats to get bred.

​

Cute kid!!! What kind is it?

 

[Faraday40]

Yes, she is an Icelandic. She will turn two in the spring.


Here is my sole Araucana, pic taken Christmas Eve day, she will also turn two in the spring. She was hatched from eggs I got from BYCer RaynDebi. All others in this pic are Icelandics.

Definitely like those Icelandics!

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Ever since I added the legbar pullets to the coop, my 3 older girls have been laying 2-3 eggs everyday. I leave the garage light on til 6-7 pm, then lights out. Then I let them out at 730 or so in the morning. Happy Mama over hear. I have been leaving the coop door open for the last week

since it has been so nice. They pick the coldest day to start coming out. Here are 2 of the boys venturing out. Beneath their feet lies a poor hosta I never put in the ground. It kinda grabbed root there so I wasn't moving it, at least not til spring.

 

[LinaNate]

It's a "hair" lamb... Not sure the specific breed. It's two days old now. I'm not even a shepard! A fellow farmer has the sheep herd. They are the kind that don't need shearing. I keep pure bread french Alpine goats.

 

[NotAFarm]

It's a "hair" lamb... Not sure the specific breed. It's two days old now. I'm not even a shepard! A fellow farmer has the sheep herd. They are the kind that don't need shearing. I keep pure bread french Alpine goats.

Oops, I saw "some goats to get bred" and missed the lamb part!

French Alpines?! We need to see pictures!