New 19 week old pullets - signs of stress/not using roosts?

[jthornton]

I count 6 eggs... . That's some good looking eggs, what breed are they?

JT

 

[Ted Brown]

I count 6 eggs... . That's some good looking eggs, what breed are they?

JT

The 1st egg left side is from yesterday. When I took the shot I thought the same but had already downloaded the shot. Sister said do it again but I was lazy, your comment made me realize being lazy is not good (original pic deleted above with new pic added); we are still in the stage of writing on each egg the date, ~time and location).

The hens are ISA Browns Hybrid. Common in my area, the day (Sept. 13th) I picked them up they were in a group of 320 that had been delivered that morning. They seem robust, fun and interesting.

 

[aart]

Sister said do it again but I was lazy, your comment made me realize being lazy is not good (original pic deleted above with new pic added)

 

[Ted Brown]

This is our second day of



We originally got 7 pullets, 19 weeks old, on September 13th. This past week we went from 4 eggs daily for four days straight to 5 for two days to 6 for the past two days.

I bought higher protein growth feed for our 8-15 day old chicks and we have been mixing the mash 50%/50% with the higher protein feed for the pullets; perhaps this has something to do with the increase in eggs but I prefer to think that they are content in their coop and that Prince Woods was correct when he said that the coop promotes healthier birds that lay more eggs.

BTW no artificial light and our days have just fallen short of 12 hours of daylight per day.

 

[jthornton]

My Rhode Island Reds started off with a bang and laid above 90% when all 9 were laying. Then it did a bit of a up/down for a while. This is my 2+ year records of them. I'm down to 7 hens now, one turned out to be an egg eater and gave Sidekick away and Veronica died one night a couple of months ago.



JT

 

[Ted Brown]

Today, for the first time, we got 7 eggs! Means that all 7 of our pullets (arrived on September 13th @ ~19 weeks old so now 25 weeks) are laying. We celebrated (whatever did we do before we had chickens?).

 

[jthornton]

We celebrated (whatever did we do before we had chickens?).

Having chickens is very interesting for sure. I get a kick out of each one's different personality. Even though I had 9 Rhode Island Reds from the same hatch by the time they were 6 months old I could tell them apart and started to name them.

JT

 

[Ted Brown]

Having chickens is very interesting for sure. I get a kick out of each one's different personality. Even though I had 9 Rhode Island Reds from the same hatch by the time they were 6 months old I could tell them apart and started to name them.

JT

We are much the same re enjoyment although do find some more interesting that others. We have marked each with coloured zip ties on legs, have named each one (and some of the chicks as well) and have noted distinguishing marking on each. Problem is that they are still developing and the markings either change or are mimiced by others.

 

[jthornton]

Problem is that they are still developing and the markings either change or are mimiced by others.

The way I tell them apart is the comb, each one is like a finger print. I pick some feature of the comb and associate it with name. For example Molly has a feature on the back of her comb that looks like a double blade axe so she got named Molly Hatchet.

JT

 

[Ted Brown]

@jthornton

We did know that combs are the best identifying area (I believe you had mentioned it) and we are slowly learning individual differences. Early on their combs/waddles were smaller and without the red colour, those differences were harder to spot.