laying progress

[flock4mebane]

hello all,
I cant remember if i had posted since the girls started laying, so forgive me if i repeat anything.
so i got four pullets at 20 weeks old the last week of June.
Sat. July 20th we got our first egg(we were actually out there when it happened so we were able to witness it.
and after that they just started flowing as so-

20th 1 egg
21st 1 egg
22nd 1 egg
23rd 0 eggs
24th 2 eggs
25th 2 eggs
26th 3 eggs
27th 2 eggs
28th 2 eggs
29th 4 eggs
today uncounted until i get home from work.
so, as you can see it was difficult to tell during that first week who was laying. by day 9 all four were laying so now its impossible to tell who is who.
we have figured out that the Rhode Island Reds eggs are pinkish-light brown, and the black Orpington's are light brown with dark brown speckles. we have gotten 18 eggs to date and are very pleased. i am now gathering supply's to build a shed style coop which will accommodate the girls through the " cold months" here in North Carolina.wish me luck and i will try to post updates.
oh I should also mention that these chickens have managed to bring my ten year old daughter around to the idea of working with dad and being very responsible. she stays next door at her grandmothers house while her mother and i are at work, and she checks on them every day collecting eggs and filling the food container, as well as refreshing the water and adding ice on hot days. we have had a mild wet summer so far but it is now shaping up to be a really nice summer(not too hot!). with all these eggs we are hoping to off set the cost of feed which we don't use much because we give them grass trimmings and allow them to free range a bit each night before bed time. so far in month one of having chickens we have managed to keep the feed cost at about $20.00 and treats/upkeep at about $15.00
breakdown
25# bag of layer pallets $9.49 lasts two weeks or so depending on time they spend free ranging(weather).
25# bag of scratch $7.79 last a month or more (give a couple of hand fulls a day)
3 sq. yard bag of pine shavings $5.99 lasts a month in this coop will need more in new coop.
grass trimmings=free
grasshoppers and lightning bugs=free
meal worms $4.99 bag (1,000)
so far so good if i could sell at $4.00 a dozen i may be able to off set those costs completely.
wish me luck. and good luck to you all with your chickens.

 

[upthecreek]

hello all,
I cant remember if i had posted since the girls started laying, so forgive me if i repeat anything.
so i got four pullets at 20 weeks old the last week of June.
Sat. July 20th we got our first egg(we were actually out there when it happened so we were able to witness it.
and after that they just started flowing as so-

20th 1 egg
21st 1 egg
22nd 1 egg
23rd 0 eggs
24th 2 eggs
25th 2 eggs
26th 3 eggs
27th 2 eggs
28th 2 eggs
29th 4 eggs
today uncounted until i get home from work.
so, as you can see it was difficult to tell during that first week who was laying. by day 9 all four were laying so now its impossible to tell who is who.
we have figured out that the Rhode Island Reds eggs are pinkish-light brown, and the black Orpington's are light brown with dark brown speckles. we have gotten 18 eggs to date and are very pleased. i am now gathering supply's to build a shed style coop which will accommodate the girls through the " cold months" here in North Carolina.wish me luck and i will try to post updates.
oh I should also mention that these chickens have managed to bring my ten year old daughter around to the idea of working with dad and being very responsible. she stays next door at her grandmothers house while her mother and i are at work, and she checks on them every day collecting eggs and filling the food container, as well as refreshing the water and adding ice on hot days. we have had a mild wet summer so far but it is now shaping up to be a really nice summer(not too hot!). with all these eggs we are hoping to off set the cost of feed which we don't use much because we give them grass trimmings and allow them to free range a bit each night before bed time. so far in month one of having chickens we have managed to keep the feed cost at about $20.00 and treats/upkeep at about $15.00
breakdown
25# bag of layer pallets $9.49 lasts two weeks or so depending on time they spend free ranging(weather).
25# bag of scratch $7.79 last a month or more (give a couple of hand fulls a day)
3 sq. yard bag of pine shavings $5.99 lasts a month in this coop will need more in new coop.
grass trimmings=free
grasshoppers and lightning bugs=free
meal worms $4.99 bag (1,000)
so far so good if i could sell at $4.00 a dozen i may be able to off set those costs completely.
wish me luck. and good luck to you all with your chickens.

Congrats to you guys !!!!!

 

[flock4mebane]

another update is way past due. so as of 8/22 our egg count hit 100!!!!!! can you believe it? 32 days and 100 eggs already! so we got off to a slow start the first egg was July 20th by July 29th we were sure all four of our girls were laying.(first day we got four eggs.) by the 22nd of august our total hit 100 these girls are real egg producers. we love it we were able to give away about six half dozen packs to get the hype built, and now i have a running list of people who want a dozen as soon as they are ready. we have had about eight that were cracked when we got them from the nester.(we boil, crush and feed them to the girls) i got one oops bedtime egg last week that was under the roost in the morning and had no shell on it the shell was a few Inches away. that was kinda cool seeing the inside with out breaking the sack/shell. so now there are few days we don't get four eggs a day and the girls have warmed up to us nicely. my 10 year old daughter was able to catch hold and pet one of the Orpingtons for a while Saturday morning and now she runs right up to us when we are near. i think i have heard that Orpingtons are very social and now i see it! when being pet she leans toward your hand to guide you where she wants to be rubbed its hilarious. what a character!!!. thanks again to all the many members who post experiences and pic of their situations making it much easier to fix problems which have been encountered in the past by others.lovin byc.