My chickens are Freeloaders!! Update!! We have an egg! Pic included!!

[JoMama]

I have 6 pullets. 1 RIR, 1 Barred Rock, 1 Americauna, 1 Buff Orphington, 1 Black Australorp, and 1 White Crested Black Polish. 3 are 10 months old and 3 are 9 months old. I was just starting to get eggs in November and as soon as December hit, nada. I'm in Southern California, so it's not super cold. I use layer feed and also give oyster shell. My coop is located on the side of my house, and they free range from sun up to sun down. My husband built me a gate to keep the dogs out. I have 2 Boxers, and I swear my female was a bird dog in a past life. She killed two chickens previosly, before we relocated them into their own area. My dogs keep the cats away. At first I was worried about them being out as there is not a roof, just a 6 1/2 foot fence, so it's all enclosed between the house and fence. The area runs the whole length of my house. I just bought a light and timer to put in their coop. It's been on for about 4 days. I used a red lightbulb, because I read that you need a warm wavelength light red or yellow. I have it set to come on 3 hours before they come out of the coop, and 3 hours after the come in to roost. According to the news I am getting 10 hours of sunlight, but think it's less because the area doesn't get full sunlight all day long due to shading. Is this the right thing to do? The red bulb is just a bulb from walmart, and didn't specifically say warm wavelength. Do I need a different one? I'm putting a lot of work into these girls and I wan't some eggs! LOL! I know chickens need time to moult, so I hope 2 months was long enough. How long does the light have to be going before I will see some eggs??

 

[3goodeggs]

welcome to BYC! and, sorry, I don't know when they will start laying for you, but I bet it will be real soon. Keep the faith, unless they are all crowing, then it will happen sooner or latter!

 

[JoMama]

Thanks! No crowing allowed! LOL! I had to get rid of an Americauna because "she" was crowing and mounting the others. It had been sexed and I was told it was a pullet. Nope. LOL! My girls are loud enough as it is, I can't have any crowing going on! I don't want my neighbors to hate me.

 

[rancher hicks]

Are they eating free choice or are you giving them a certain amount each day? I have a friend who is not feeding them enough to encourage laying and she gets nothing. Mine have access to layer 24/7 and get scratch each morning and sometimes at night if it's really cold. Plus snacks of bread and greens.
It could be the amount or lack thereof.

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, chickens gotta lay til the day that they die, can't help loving those chickens of mine.

 

[JoMama]

The eat free choice. I feed them layer pellets, with oyster shells mixed in. When I buy the 50 pound feed, I will mix in about 2 pounds of oyster to it. Should it be fed seperate? I don't give scratch. I assumed this was just a treat, and not required. Do they actually need it? If so I will get some. I also give apples, corn on the cob, or cucumbers (not all at once lol!) at least 2 or 3 times per week. They had watermelon when it was in season which they loved! What kind of greens should I give them? I give romaine lettuce and spinach to my bunnies, would this work for them? Thanks so much for the info. This is my first time having chickens, and I am learning as I go.

 

[fordmommy]

and I think it would be soon. Does anyone "squat" when you go near them? Or a little chicken dance? Those are good signs that it wwould be soon. And how big are their combs???

 

[JoMama]

No squatting or dancing! LOL! They just run at me. More likely they are just running towards the gate to escape! LOL! They all seem to have different sized combs. I was looking at my Americauna today and wondering why hers is so much smaller than others. I assumed their combs were different sizes as they are all different kinds. I will look closer tomorrow.

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
How are they doing w/ the pellets? I tried that and they didn't like them and weren't eating as much. Grit I have in a seperate dish screwed to the side inside the coop. Chickens like all kinds of greens spinach is good for calcium. Dark greens have are better for us all. They are affected by the cold. I do have a light inside to extend the daylight hours. It's on a timer to go on at 5am and off at 7pm. or there abouts. Sounds like your doing ok on the feeding part though.
Oh scratch I give in the morning and sometimes at night when it's really cold. The corn helps generate heat to keep them warm. This according to Practical Poultry magazine. Nest size is important too. Not so big they can do a dance but small enough they can just turn around. I honestly think mine are too big as I had two hens side by side doing their thing.

 

[Bandit]

I had a freeloader BO and after a while I started giving everyone Black Oil Sunflower Seeds as a treat (BOSS). I had to hand feed them each individual one till they got the idea but then they started loving it. Two weeks later the freeloader started laying for the first time. Coincidence? I don't know, but worth a try. Walmart has it for a good price. It's over in the garden section.

 

[JoMama]

I got an egg!!! It took about 9 days for the light to work, but it did! I went to lock the girls up last night and found an egg in my BR Sweet Pea's nest! I was so excited!!! Yay!! If it worked on one, I'm hoping the other 5 will follow suit! Sweet Pea was the only one who laid for me before the winter hit. I can't wait to see who lays next!!