North Carolina

[nursebecky99]

Give them some more time.....they just had a big change in their lives in more ways than one Are you using the same bedding as they were use too?  Mine didn't like the shavings.(had never seen it) so I went to a farmer and got some straw...NOT hay.  I use it only for their boxes with sand on the coop floor. Didn''t take them too long before I started seeing them be more active around their nest and after another day of two (I also added a couple of ceramic eggs)....I started getting some eggs.  Hope its just that simple......good luck

I thought about that, and actually have gone to finer shavings now. The previous owner had cedar and I know that's a no-no. The girls are also not good about sleeping on the roost. I blocked nest boxes for a week, and now 3 out of 4 are sleeping on roost, one hold out is still in the nest box though. Its a short coop, so the roost is only about 6" higher than the floor.

I've considered getting some additional light out there, but it means using drop cords from the house. What kind of light is best if I do that?

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Good morning folks

I had an enjoyable time in Knoxville at a rather large show.
Met some very interesting folks and even was smart enough
to learn a bit about chickens. Seen some Marans eggs of the
number shades so I know what number my girls are laying.
Looking forward to the show next weekend at the Johnson
County Arena outside of Smithfield/ Four Oaks.

hope everyone has a good day

 

[jtbass2756]

Worked outside today! Got a good amount of the compost system constructed. Spent some time with the 6 week olds and started a new pen! Busy day! Time for egg nog with vodka!!!

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Sounds like that would be well deserved......get a hot shower first, into some pj pants/t-shirt..THEN sit down with your eggnog with vodka.......

.

 

[jtbass2756]

My barred rocks have starting laying again, tiny little eggs...but mine are low cholesterol, no yolks! What am I doing wrong?? These girls are 18-ish mos old per the previous owners.

You are not doing anything wrong! It just takes a little while for their systems to finally get into full gear..

. And it will take a while so get out one of those "big" bag of patience!!!

Besides, I would not believe the age from the previous owners... Mine didn't know for sure what age mine were so I used his "guesstimate" but I really watched and looked for physical signs of age. Check out the color of the combs/legs etc. The older a young pullet gets redder. As they start aging out of laying, sometimes as young as 2 yrs, the combs/legs/etc will start bleaching out as they start losing the calcium....I'll see if I can find a good reference for you and get the url to you.

 

[nursebecky99]

[COLOR=800080] You are not doing anything wrong!  It just takes a little while for their systems to finally get into full gear.. . And it will take a while so get out one of those "big" bag of patience!!!      [/COLOR]

[COLOR=B22222]Besides,[/COLOR]  [COLOR=FF8C00]I would not believe the age from the previous owners... Mine didn't know for sure what age mine were so I used his "guesstimate" but I really watched and looked for physical signs of age. Check out the color of the combs/legs etc. The older a young pullet gets redder. As they start aging out of laying, sometimes as young as 2 yrs, the combs/legs/etc will start bleaching out as they start losing the calcium....I'll see if I can find a good reference for you and get the url to you.[/COLOR]

Thanks so much, I had no idea how to tell if my girls were entering chicken menopause! Haha. I appreciate the support and info. The one who is laying, has beautiful red comb and wattles, the others look a bit pale...

 

[ramirezframing]

When molting, a chicken whether a male or female can look a little pale in the face. It can also look like this when it's sick/ has a lot of bugs.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Good morning folks

After yesterday's cool drizzle I am still chilled..... where's a hot
flash when you need one? This 'getting older' is really starting to
irritate me.

Another busy week........need to cook some pastys, make a dessert
and dish it into serving for the show next weekend. Somewhere in there
I need to get up the birds I am taking and get them cleaned up. Nothing
like feeling rushed to let you know you are still alive.

hope everyone has a good day

 

[jtbass2756]

Good morning folks

After yesterday's cool drizzle I am still chilled..... where's a hot
flash when you need one? This 'getting older' is really starting to
irritate me.

Another busy week........need to cook some pastys, make a dessert
and dish it into serving for the show next weekend. Somewhere in there
I need to get up the birds I am taking and get them cleaned up. Nothing
like feeling rushed to let you know you are still alive

hope everyone has a good day

You really live a busy life Coop Scoop. Had to laugh a little about your attitude of getting older...LOL...I too get frustrated with it.... My mind is still about 20 yrs old when I'm thinking about what I need to get done but AFTER I work on whatever it was.......I get down right "(excuse my french) ****** off because my body feels every bit of the 65 years it really is!

 

[jtbass2756]

Thanks so much, I had no idea how to tell if my girls were entering chicken menopause! Haha. I appreciate the support and info. The one who is laying, has beautiful red comb and wattles, the others look a bit pale...

I looked around and copied 2 different sources that pretty much says the same thing..don't know if this will help you anymore than you already know but .....
-------------

1: no rock bottom guarantee on the hens.... you can, however, look at the vent. if it is still pink and moist, you at least know they are still within laying age. if not the old gal is pretty much a pet or sustanance

2: Another common and fairly accurate way is to inspect the vent, this method will not tell you their age in months but will help with their egg laying ability. Just inspect the vent of the hen if it is pink and moist the hen is still a good young layer, if the vent is whitish and dry the hen is older and probably not laying often or well. I have used this method and it does work pretty good.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Good morning folks

Dang it's cold outside!!!!!

We lived in Michigan for nearly 12 years, 7 of those in the UP.
I loved it and working outside in the snow was exhilarating.......
life was grand. I always thought winter in the lower peninsula was
a bit colder and that was because it had less snow to insulate things.
I am to the point of understanding the folks that were called 'snow birds'.
Older folks who went south for the winter..........I'm feeling a need to be
a snow bird.

hope everyone has a good day