Minnesota!

Frostbite damage will be an issue for any in our climate that keep chickens with single combs. It is not as bad for hens as cocks but can affect hens as well.
My serious suggestion to all is keep chickens that have Rose, Pea or Cushion combs, or if you feel that single comb breeds are what you want then provide heat in the coop.
I have been to all sections of the U.S. with the exception of Alaska. That said, I am not very fond of Florida for a number of reasons. Although I am retired, my wife owns and runs her own landscape construction company. She thus far refuses to sell out and retire, and so I fear I will never be able to move to a more hospitable climate.
So for now I will keep chickens that thrive in this climate.
Yes, live and learn. First year with chickens. So far my SLW'a and EE's are good to go. The single comb chooks, BO and Gold Commet have frostbite. I feel bad for them. Will stick to very small combs from now on. Hate this worry.
 
My last chicken to start laying, baby one of my EE's started about 5 days ago. Kind of worried though, her eggs are huge. all the others when they started had golf ball size eggs, hers are at least a large. should I be worried about the size of these so early?
 
My last chicken to start laying, baby one of my EE's started about 5 days ago. Kind of worried though, her eggs are huge. all the others when they started had golf ball size eggs, hers are at least a large. should I be worried about the size of these so early?

No don't be worried. I have had some girls that also that have laid pretty large eggs when they started laying. Also double yolk eggs aren't uncommon when pullets start to lay. I had one girl that hadn't been laying very long and one day when I went out to the coops to collect the eggs there was one huge egg. I brought it into the house. After taking a few pictures of it I cracked it open and it was a double yolk with another egg inside it. I then broke open the other egg and it was also a double yolk, so I got an double yolk egg inside a double double yolk egg. I couldn't believe it an egg with 4 yolks. I took lots of pictures. Here is a picture of the egg.
 
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No don't be worried. I have had some girls that also that have laid pretty large eggs when they started laying. Also double yolk eggs aren't uncommon when pullets start to lay. I had one girl that hadn't been laying very long and one day when I went out to the coops to collect the eggs there was one huge egg. I brought it into the house. After taking a few pictures of it I cracked it open and it was a double yolk with another egg inside it. I then broke open the other egg and it was also a double yolk, so I got an double yolk egg inside a double double yolk egg. I couldn't believe it an egg with 4 yolks. I took lots of pictures. Here is a picture of the egg.
Oh good, thanks! this is my first time with chickens and everything is a worry! lol That is some egg!
 
No don't be worried. I have had some girls that also that have laid pretty large eggs when they started laying. Also double yolk eggs aren't uncommon when pullets start to lay. I had one girl that hadn't been laying very long and one day when I went out to the coops to collect the eggs there was one huge egg. I brought it into the house. After taking a few pictures of it I cracked it open and it was a double yolk with another egg inside it. I then broke open the other egg and it was also a double yolk, so I got an double yolk egg inside a double double yolk egg. I couldn't believe it an egg with 4 yolks. I took lots of pictures. Here is a picture of the egg.


That is utterly amazing!


I went out at 8 am to gather eggs and let the birds out early today, thinking the guinea were being egg eaters.

There was not one egg in the nest box! I doubt the guineas ate them, I would think I would find some trace of eggs or shells if they did. I went out at 11 am to gather eggs and to feed food scraps to the chickens, 2 eggs! That's all!.

33 pullets and 2 eggs! The chickens were all inside the coop when I went out. It is a nice day here, 18 degrees above, light snow and feels warm outside, yet they were all inside and only 2 eggs.

I am worried, these are chickens all hatched June 1st, they should not be molting, they should be laying. They are all eating and drinking well. I gave them fresh water yesterday, which showed their normal use of water.

I have feeders outside and inside the coop, besides feeding them left overs and scratch outside. The inside feeder showed heavier use than normal, which is understandable with the colder weather we had.

I do have a couple pullets with some feather missing on their backs, but I attribute that the poorly mannered guineas. Do pullets go through a molt?


I even checked the artificial light and timer I have hanging, it appears to be working...


Any Ideas?

I have people wanting eggs and no eggs! I being an idiot had too many eggs on Wednesday so I gave away 3 dozen to a good friend.....DUMB of me. I will only give away eggs on a Monday from now on. I count on 2 dozen eggs a day when I only get 2-4 it hurts....

I thought this mellowing weather would help..... (ranting whine over) Thanks for listening..
 
2 of mine Molted, they were born the week of may 1st. one molted slightly, the other was very heavy. all feathers on her face, neck and alot on her back and butt. None of the other girls molted at all. I think the heavy molter might have done it cause she was sick for about 3 weeks to a month, and then started to molt. I think the sickness took alot out of her (sour crop along with diarrhea). most of mine are missing a few feathers on their backs, but I have a couple "feather pickers". Terrible.

Could something be stressing them out? is there any wild animals around getting any of your chooks? or scaring them?

Do you have your artificial light come on earlier in the morning? or do you have it stay on to extend the day? I've heard that extending the end of the day can be stressful as they can be caught off guard and off roost when it goes off, then of course be scared.

Just spit balling here, I got no answers. I get maybe 0-3 eggs a day out of my 6 i'm ok with that.
 
That is utterly amazing!


I went out at 8 am to gather eggs and let the birds out early today, thinking the guinea were being egg eaters.

There was not one egg in the nest box! I doubt the guineas ate them, I would think I would find some trace of eggs or shells if they did. I went out at 11 am to gather eggs and to feed food scraps to the chickens, 2 eggs! That's all!.

33 pullets and 2 eggs! The chickens were all inside the coop when I went out. It is a nice day here, 18 degrees above, light snow and feels warm outside, yet they were all inside and only 2 eggs.

I am worried, these are chickens all hatched June 1st, they should not be molting, they should be laying. They are all eating and drinking well. I gave them fresh water yesterday, which showed their normal use of water.

I have feeders outside and inside the coop, besides feeding them left overs and scratch outside. The inside feeder showed heavier use than normal, which is understandable with the colder weather we had.

I do have a couple pullets with some feather missing on their backs, but I attribute that the poorly mannered guineas. Do pullets go through a molt?


I even checked the artificial light and timer I have hanging, it appears to be working...


Any Ideas?

I have people wanting eggs and no eggs! I being an idiot had too many eggs on Wednesday so I gave away 3 dozen to a good friend.....DUMB of me. I will only give away eggs on a Monday from now on. I count on 2 dozen eggs a day when I only get 2-4 it hurts....

I thought this mellowing weather would help..... (ranting whine over) Thanks for listening..
Frankly, I am surprised that you haven't been getting fewer eggs these last couple of weeks anyway. Makes me a bit jealous.
 

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