Newbie

[jimmy trees]

Hello All
We are first time chicken owners and are having great fun watching our girls grow and develop their own behaviors. We have 6 RIR's that are about 20 weeks old today ( as best as we know). Annie has a very large comb and waddles and seems more mature. Anna has a large comb and waddles but clearly smaller than Annie's. The rest are developing at about the same rate which seems to me to be a 2 or 3 weeks behind these two. We have gotten 8 eggs so far (1 per day). I have seen Anna sitting in the nest box at least 4 times. The other times the egg was sitting there before we let them out in the morning. They free range all day with access to the coop all day. They are sometimes 3 neighbors away (about 300 feet from the coop). Anna has come out and gone back to lay a few times.

So my questions are:

As they are all at the 20 week mark and one is laying could I start them on layer feed? The bag of grower is about 1 week from done.

Is it safe to assume that the eggs are all from the same chicken (Anna)?

Is it normal that 2 of the 6 would look so much more older than the rest?

I had more questions when I sat but they elude me now so I will leave it at that.Thanks in advance

Jim

 

[mickey328]

Hi Jim, Welcome to BYC!

Now would be a great time to switch to layer feed; if they aren't all laying, they soon will be. I'd recommend a gradual change...start mixing in the layer feed with the grow feed, increasing the layer and decreasing the grower till your remaining grower feed is gone and you've changed totally to the layer feed. An abrupt change in any animal's diet can create tummy issues.

Have you been checking their range? If they're starting to lay, they may have made some nests outside somewhere. Have you observed any other than Anna exploring the nesting boxes? That would be a good sign as well. You might try putting a golf ball or fake egg in the nesting box...that could well encourage them.

Our girls are all the same age but their combs are all different sizes...they're not RIR's though, so I really don't know if that means anything. I'm sure some folks with more experience will be able to chime in for you

Mickey

 

[jimmy trees]

Hi and thanks for the welcome.
They seem to have a regular hang out under some pines about 300 feet from their coop. I check every couple days, no eggs. I have put golf balls in the nesting boxes and have introduced each of them 2 or 3 times. I am guessing that they mature at different rates. The first egg was Anna at 19 weeks. Annie has squatted a few times in the last 3 days. I am hoping this is a sign.
Jim

 

[mickey328]

I'm sure it is. All critters, including us, progress at their own rate. Having Anna using the box should be a big help too...the others will be inquisitive about what's going on and may well encourage them when the time comes. Sounds like you're doing everything right; bet you'll have lots and lots before too long

 

[devora]

Welcome to BYC!

If they are laying I'd stop the all-day free range for a bit. Keeping them locked in teaches them to lay in the coop and only in the coop.

They do seem to mature almost overnight sometimes. One day, a little girl, the next, a sexy fecund woman. So if some yer birds are strutting around w/ bright red lipstick the others will catch up to them soon.

 

[jimmy trees]

So that is where my wife's lip stick went. She thought I had a secret!

 

[mickey328]

ROFL!