New Massive Egg Production

[J&D Chickens]

Quote:
Unfortunately our jobs do not allow for 3 to 4 times a day collection.

My husband collects them at night after work. But sometimes with kids we aren't home every night so it turns out to every other night. If I have table scraps from dinner, I will take them out and they are collected more than the normal 2 days.

 

[J&D Chickens]

Quote:
So sorry for ticking you off Farmergreen. I was just posting a question. We didn't put the heat lamps out there for the mass production of eggs, we did it for their comfort and warmth. And I definitely don't have an egg farm. With the purchase of new hatchlings, these won't make it to a year because they will be on the dinner plate.

 

[Fred's Hens]

J&D Chickens :

So sorry for ticking you off Farmergreen. I was just posting a question. We didn't put the heat lamps out there for the mass production of eggs, we did it for their comfort and warmth. And I definitely don't have an egg farm. With the purchase of new hatchlings, these won't make it to a year because they will be on the dinner plate.

The question you asked, in essence, was "So, if this is winter, why are we getting so many eggs?"

Part of the answer is that the while you intended it for comfort, inadvertently, the extra heat and extra light turns on the chickens' production through an artificial environment. Simple question and simple answers given.

Most knowledgeable folks here will tell you that the birds simply do not need any heat. Period. Wild birds do just fine and so will our hens, to temperatures far, far lower than the 20's you were concerned about.

Add to that the reality that many see pushing hens in the winter as tantamount to a harmful action. Where the fine line is of where such things constitute reckless or abusive behavior toward animals is far, far above my pay grade. Just be aware, as I am sure you are, that some posts draw out folks who hold deeply held and strong opinions on anything that involves what they perceive to be questionable husbandry practices. I accept your answer that your hens are headed to the freezer so such issues are meaningless. Not everyone will agree.​

 

[Farmergreen]

You didn't tick me off. I am just stating a fact.
As for comfort. please take a look at this. When you climatize an animal to something that's not normal it henders thier appility to survive in nature when it hits hard. We do it to ourselves as well.
I may be a new egg on here but I have been raising some kind of chickens all my life. I think the first thing I ever sat in as a baby was chicken poop LOL.
Tending your animals is what it is all about. I love to go out in the mornings just as the roosters begin to crow and check on everyone. I don't just get some birds and throw them in a pen. I spend time making sure they have wind breaks and inclosed areas to get in but we can over do it sometimes and end up killing them with kindness.
Same with my rabbits, ducks, guineas, goats, and dogs.

Oh how many chickens you keep?
Also most of my fryers never make 6 months!! I do eat my animals. That's what I raise them for.

I am guilty as charged Fred I guess working in the egg farm turned me into a radical animal rights nut LOL.
Raising chickens or any other animal like they are raised in mass production is abuse as far as I'm concerned.

 

[J&D Chickens]

Thanks Fred for the comment. Unfortunately I was just posting a question and didn't realize it would piss people off to post negatively. Simple information would have been nice. Kinda makes me not want to post on here anymore, which sucks because I like the pics, comments and comradery. But definitely didn't feel the love tonight. Oh well, on with life.

 

[Farmergreen]

I've been on here for awhile I guess you have missed some of the meaner ones on here. I thought I was being pretty nice.
Sorry. Don't go away you'll learn a lot on here. I have.