laying times of day

[dftkarin]

I have 4 pullets that were hatched on 7/9/08, live in New England and have no added light in the coop. My australorp started laying on 1/2 and has layed an egg almost every day (I guess 2 out of every 3 days) but the times have been a lot longer than 26 hours apart. Yesterday one of my barred rocks layed her first egg (around the same time that the australorp was laying her egg for the day) and so today I sort of expected two eggs but I only got one. When chickens are just starting to lay, are the times between eggs longer than they might be when they really get going? I check the nesting box dozens of times per day, and if an egg were left for longer than an hour it would certainly freeze. What should I expect in these early egg days?

 

[katrinag]

Hens lay ever 24-26 hours. New layers take time to get the plumming straight.

 

[ashyannehand]

I have Barred rocks, buff orphs and they all lay diffrently. I have eight girls right now and even in the summer I rarley got 8 eggs in one day. I would get 6 or 7. I am down to 3 or 4 now due to the winter. Most chickens do not acutally lay every day so it will vary. They will also lay different times of the day. Mine seem to trade from early morning at times to late in the day at times. I am not sure what to tell you about freezing eggs. I live in Mississippi and do not have that problem, but have the opisite in the summer with it being over 100 degrees some days. I hope someone else can pipe in and make a suggestion. Either way - congrats on your eggs and good luck!

 

[digitS']

I have read that up to 40% of the 1st ova are reabsorbed and never become eggs.

The 26 hour or 30 hour idea is under ideal circumstances. Hens are "cued" as to when to start the process by light. If they don't get a sufficient number of hours, the cycle will be extended.

Eggs have a lower freezing point than water - natural antifreeze, apparently

. It is something like 28°F. In an unheated, insulated coop - I haven't had one freeze so far (or not hard enuf to break). Subzero highs on a few days but, yeah, I check 3 or 4 times a day.

My BR's are larger but not older than the Aussies and layed a week or 2 earlier. Is it possible that the 1st to lay is the chubby girl

?

Steve

 

[dftkarin]

thanks for the responses! I guess I'll just keep checking frequently and just be thankful for any eggs I find!

 

[DDRanch]

When my hens started laying, I got eggs every other day, sometimes every 3 days as they matured. I have several different breeds and they all seemd to have their own timing for egg laying. Good to check on a regular basis, but don't worry, they just need some time to grow up.

When they moult they will not lay at all and after the moult, it generally takes some time for them to get back in a daily egg routine.

Anne