My Girls

[chick rookie]

These are my girls, They all have names, all 21, but I can't get them to stand alone so that I can tell ya which is which. 5 are rescue hens the rest I got from a feed store as babies. I only get 10 to 13 eggs a day and I still aint figured out why? 3 of the rescues are old ( the white ones ) and Blue (you'll know her when you see her) was permanently handicapped, So I don't except eggs from them, but the rest are all 6 mths old and older. So I don't know y I'm not getting more eggs?











the top pic is Meriaha and Heidi, the bottom is Princess, she is the only one of her 11 sisters to survive a predator attack. She is a great mamma. 1 batch of 10 so far.


,These are 3 of the rescues, they were actually standing together

 

[TwoCrows]

You have a beautiful flock!!

 

[chick rookie]

thank you

 

[theoldchick]

Wow! Lots of chickens you have. Once they settle in and complete their molt you will see more eggs. Make sure the diet is appropriate for them: laying pellets and various other foods. If they are free ranging remember during the cold months there are less insects to eat so supplementing the diet is acceptable. Shorter daylight hours will also decrease egg production. Parasites can also effect the pullet's health and decrease egg production.

Congratulations on your flock!

 

[chick rookie]

Wow! Lots of chickens you have. Once they settle in and complete their molt you will see more eggs. Make sure the diet is appropriate for them: laying pellets and various other foods. If they are free ranging remember during the cold months there are less insects to eat so supplementing the diet is acceptable. Shorter daylight hours will also decrease egg production. Parasites can also effect the pullet's health and decrease egg production.

Congratulations on your flock!

they are getting scratch, layer crumble, dried meal worms and table scraps, plus the get what ever they find scratching around on the ground. They have 2.5 ac they get to roam on during the day, with the horses goats and the dogs. But they go on lock down at night. Thinking about giving them a supplement (vitaim) but I don't know if I really need to.

 

[theoldchick]

Vitamin supplements can help an ailing bird, but generally a flock whom is free roaming should be fine. Wild bird seed with sunflower seed is a good way to add micro-nutrients to a flock. I think once your flock is finished molting and when the sunlight increases you'll see more eggs. Also, look around for hidden eggs. Many folks on this forum with free roaming flocks are always reporting in with huge batches of hidden eggs.

It's like having an Easter Egg hunt every day!

 

[chick rookie]

Vitamin supplements can help an ailing bird, but generally a flock whom is free roaming should be fine. Wild bird seed with sunflower seed is a good way to add micro-nutrients to a flock. I think once your flock is finished molting and when the sunlight increases you'll see more eggs. Also, look around for hidden eggs. Many folks on this forum with free roaming flocks are always reporting in with huge batches of hidden eggs.

It's like having an Easter Egg hunt every day!

they get wild bird seed some cause I feed the birds and have noticed the hens scratching around under the feeders, So good to know it's doing them some good. You keep talking about molting, aint that when they lose old feathers and get new? Mine went through that this summer all but the babies, well they are about 6 mths old now, will they do that in the winter? How would I keep them warm if they do?
I have daily ee hunts... lol I really think it' fun and when the grand kids come over I give them a quarter each egg they find, don't know if they like the hunt, or just want the money... lol? I have 10 girls that use the nesting box and 3 that I have to go hunt down on most days, but I have went out and not found a single egg in the boxes.. lol but I pretty much got the favorite spots down...

 

[theoldchick]

Some people will put some sort of clothes (chicken apron) on molting chickens but I watch mine closely, make sure they are eating well, and supply a draft free coop for them to use. When it comes times to roost they all scrunch up together for warmth, so the 'baldies' stay warm.

 

[chick rookie]

I didn't know they made chicken clothes... that's cool, I looked it up after I read your post. I think I will get one for "just in case" could have used one last spring, my rooster had 1 hen bald and I had to move her to get him to leave her alone. She didn't like it. but it was best.

 

[chick rookie]

first "hen shovel" of the year... I hate winter!!! After I warm up I'm going back out and finish the rest of the run.