INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[browncow15]

DH talked me into 12!


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[Quinstar]

Quick question about free range birds and egg laying. I know that some of my girls have to be either laying or close to laying. They are between 20-23 weeks old and I have seen a few of them squat as well as heard the "egg song". However, they are out and about from about 8am-8:30pm and don't really hang out around their coop and run as they prefer the front yard which has more protection and as well as being close to my neighbors coop and chickens. They have some temp nesting boxes in their coop, but I'm just not convinced that they will use them. Do you think I should leave them in the run/coop for a few days to see if they are laying? I'm kind of wondering if they aren't either laying around the yard (which is a good 2 acres that I don't want to search) or even hopping into my neighbors coop and laying there.

Thoughts?

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Quick question about free range birds and egg laying. I know that some of my girls have to be either laying or close to laying. They are between 20-23 weeks old and I have seen a few of them squat as well as heard the "egg song". However, they are out and about from about 8am-8:30pm and don't really hang out around their coop and run as they prefer the front yard which has more protection and as well as being close to my neighbors coop and chickens. They have some temp nesting boxes in their coop, but I'm just not convinced that they will use them. Do you think I should leave them in the run/coop for a few days to see if they are laying? I'm kind of wondering if they aren't either laying around the yard (which is a good 2 acres that I don't want to search) or even hopping into my neighbors coop and laying there.

Thoughts?

Neighbor's coop, not likely. Around the yard, under shrubs, among weeds, any hiding place, very likely.

Leave them cooped/run up for a couple of days. That will tell the story.

They can find the darnedest places to nest, but if you are going to free range and want the eggs, you will have to do the "search and enjoy" routine.

John

 

[Old Salt 1945]

Pipped ---- I've been reading up on Marek's Disease. How prevalent is it in this area? Do you vaccinate? If so where, what, how, when, etc.

25 of my chickens are Marek vaccinated. 5 are not.

Should we be concerned about attending poultry shows?

Coccidiosis too.

John

 

[Old Salt 1945]

My eggs have been in the 50 gram range. I got a little one of only 30 grams.
It turned out to be a double. Must have been from a very young rooster.

John

 

[Old Salt 1945]

I bought 2 2-month pullets of the Crested Cream Legbar persuasion.

I invite knowledgeable comments, good or bad, on their adherence to the CCL standards and their suitability for breeding.

Too Fast, that's for KNOWLEDGEABLE folks...........Oh, OK, go ahead, if you must.

To my eye, the one on the right has no cream color on the neck. Also, I thought it was to extend down the chest.

They are young, so it may develop, but I don't see it.

John

 

[Quinstar]

Neighbor's coop, not likely. Around the yard, under shrubs, among weeds, any hiding place, very likely.

Leave them cooped/run up for a couple of days. That will tell the story.

They can find the darnedest places to nest, but if you are going to free range and want the eggs, you will have to do the "search and enjoy" routine.

John

I don't suppose there is any way to "train" them to return to the nesting boxes to lay? What if I placed a few around the property? Do you think they might use those instead of random spots? At least then I'd know where to look.

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

The temps sure are crazy. Our current forecast is for a high of 87 today, 93 tomorrow and a high of 69 on Friday! I'm sure the animals will appreciate the cooler weather after the next couple of days. I should get out & pick beans & tomatoes & water the garden while it's still cool & then get my canning done before the kitchen heats up too much -- I hate having to turn on the AC for just a day or two.

Definitely not looking forward to tomorrow temps !!!

DH talked me into 12!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

Sure he did !!! and you had nothing to do with it !!!

Quick question about free range birds and egg laying. I know that some of my girls have to be either laying or close to laying. They are between 20-23 weeks old and I have seen a few of them squat as well as heard the "egg song". However, they are out and about from about 8am-8:30pm and don't really hang out around their coop and run as they prefer the front yard which has more protection and as well as being close to my neighbors coop and chickens. They have some temp nesting boxes in their coop, but I'm just not convinced that they will use them. Do you think I should leave them in the run/coop for a few days to see if they are laying? I'm kind of wondering if they aren't either laying around the yard (which is a good 2 acres that I don't want to search) or even hopping into my neighbors coop and laying there.

Thoughts?

Do you lock them in the coop at night ?? If so my always go back in to lay . You might try feeding them close to the coop, so they will go back over by it.

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

Pipped ---- I've been reading up on Marek's Disease. How prevalent is it in this area? Do you vaccinate? If so where, what, how, when, etc.

25 of my chickens are Marek vaccinated. 5 are not.

Should we be concerned about attending poultry shows?

Coccidiosis too.

John

Mereks can be brought in from wild birds , so can be every where. The vaccine does not prevent it, it just prevents the tumors from forming, so your birds can still get it.

My eggs have been in the 50 gram range. I got a little one of only 30 grams.
It turned out to be a double. Must have been from a very young rooster.

John

I can't get an egg from my roosters , they lazy slackers !!

I bought 2 2-month pullets of the Crested Cream Legbar persuasion.

I invite knowledgeable comments, good or bad, on their adherence to the CCL standards and their suitability for breeding.

Too Fast, that's for KNOWLEDGEABLE folks...........Oh, OK, go ahead, if you must.

To my eye, the one on the right has no cream color on the neck. Also, I thought it was to extend down the chest.

They are young, so it may develop, but I don't see it.

John

I don't know what the standard is for them, but I think they are very pretty.

 

[Quinstar]

Do you lock them in the coop at night ?? If so my always go back in to lay . You might try feeding them close to the coop, so they will go back over by it.

They are currently confined to the coop/run at night since it's quite predator proof and their food and water are inside the coop. I'm planning on putting a feeder and some water under the coop as well since it's raised, but haven't gotten around to it yet.