I'm being ROBBED

[CMV]

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X2 I was going to say this but you beat me to it!

I was going to also mention this. My EEs are hatchery stock and I'm not sure what they are throwing into the mix these days, but my EEs are overall much smaller than any other production birds I have. One off my EEs has been laying for a while and her eggs have not increased in size that much. All the other birds of the same age are laying much larger eggs. I am not complaining, mind you. I love the colors. The size leaves a little bit to be desired, though.

 

[AKsmama]

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This statement is not necessarily true. I have 31 pullets who were hatched in July 2010, so they are all coming into lay or are already laying now. We got our first egg on Thanksgiving Day and are now getting anywhere from 15-20 eggs a day. They're going to start laying when they're ready, winter or not.

 

[rancher hicks]

How large an egg a chicken lays does not just depend on breed. It depends on genetics. I have a medium sized friz a cross betwn a CM roo and a bantam hen. She lays eggs closer to a bantam size egg and sometimes even smaller than her mum. I have a runt Dominique and she lays smaller than the breed should. A standard Dominique egg is medium sized. Point being all breeds do not lay large or extra large eggs, nor all hens within a breed.

As for when they lay, chickens lay when they feel like it. Though age is a more determining factor than season. A 20-24 wk old hen should lay no matter what month she was born in. Provided she is on a proper diet. Early eggs will be smaller but may not reach double yolk size depending on the breed. My EE's lay a large enough egg but not as large as my Delawares and I'm sure they don't lay as large an egg as a "production" golden comet or RIR.

Double yolks while nice are not a good thing as far as a hen is concerned. She is more likely to experience prolapse when laying an oversized egg. Also she is more likely to become egg bound. Both of which are "usually" fatal. Please don't anyone come back with "my hen had prolapse and she survived". I said usually.

Once again I 'd like to suggest Practical Poultry magazine. It's a great magazine with lots of health information and now to my joy available for subscription here.. Yippee $71 a year but worth it to me. And of course Back yard poultry magazine, cheaper and just as good. I can never wait for the new issue to come out.


"Chicken on Wayne", "chicken on Garth"

Rancher

 

[KensingtonHens]

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This is what I was thinking. We may just have to wait til spring. That's ok.

 

[KensingtonHens]

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You may have to lay a plastic egg where you want them to lay. How are the nesting boxes constructed, and what do you feed them ?.

Hi! I put a golf ball in, it's what I had handy. Their nesting boxes consist of low sided ceramic bowls with DE and pine shavings. And they are on laying pellets. We started using a light just last night, the wait is frustrating but it teaches me patience.