OK 19 weeks and still NO EGGS!!! GRRRR! **EDIT**(We HAVE EGGS NOW!!!!)
- Thread starter mommystayshome
- Start date
We lost the OP days & days ago (maybe she will be back when her pullets gain a few more weeks of age
).
Okay, I began adding supplemental light when daylight hours dropped below 11 back in October. The coop window was replaced with an insulated door a short time later so that it will stay a little warmer in there.
The 4 birds have had 20% protein Flock Raiser free-choice since they came off their starter at about 8 weeks. I began offering oyster shells after the 1st egg showed up. With things from the kitchen I'm guessing that they are now getting well over 500 calories each/day, right now. We have had high temps in the single digitS° on most days over the last few weeks.
One BR pullet began laying about the 1st of November at 21 weeks of age. Another BR & an Australorp joined her in laying within a week or 2. The other Aussie began laying at 26 weeks at the end of November.
Over the 21 days of December, the 4 pullets produced 69 eggs. I'm happy with them
.
Steve
Okay, I began adding supplemental light when daylight hours dropped below 11 back in October. The coop window was replaced with an insulated door a short time later so that it will stay a little warmer in there.
The 4 birds have had 20% protein Flock Raiser free-choice since they came off their starter at about 8 weeks. I began offering oyster shells after the 1st egg showed up. With things from the kitchen I'm guessing that they are now getting well over 500 calories each/day, right now. We have had high temps in the single digitS° on most days over the last few weeks.
One BR pullet began laying about the 1st of November at 21 weeks of age. Another BR & an Australorp joined her in laying within a week or 2. The other Aussie began laying at 26 weeks at the end of November.
Over the 21 days of December, the 4 pullets produced 69 eggs. I'm happy with them
Steve
- Jul 2, 2008
- 8
- 0
- 7
I have five Buff Orpington girls that are 32 weeks old.
They have been fed Layena since about 20 weeks. No artificial light. They have a lovely, insulated coop, and nice pen, and get out to free range for a few hours every afternoon. They are spoiled rotten.
One girl has been laying for a good five or six weeks. One large brown egg per day, always in the same nesting box (although the first few were dropped at random around the coop).
A second hen just started laying a couple days ago. She has laid two eggs, in the chicken yard. I think they sneak up on her.
and she hasn't figured out what is happening yet. I hope she will begin laying in the nexting boxes soon.
Soooo, out of five chickens that I raised as peeps together, one started laying around 27 weks, the second at around 32 weeks, and the other three still not laying at all.
Yes, I would agree that each of them are individuals.
They have been fed Layena since about 20 weeks. No artificial light. They have a lovely, insulated coop, and nice pen, and get out to free range for a few hours every afternoon. They are spoiled rotten.
One girl has been laying for a good five or six weeks. One large brown egg per day, always in the same nesting box (although the first few were dropped at random around the coop).
A second hen just started laying a couple days ago. She has laid two eggs, in the chicken yard. I think they sneak up on her.
Soooo, out of five chickens that I raised as peeps together, one started laying around 27 weks, the second at around 32 weeks, and the other three still not laying at all.
Yes, I would agree that each of them are individuals.
It may also have to do with environment. My pullets usually always start at 16-17 weeks. however, my buddy has gotten clutchmates to my chickens and his always wait 25-26 weeks on the same feed and everything! Sometimes chickens are just weird!Just be patient. They will lay.
Quote:
Don't forget them famous laying Pellets .
Don't forget them famous laying Pellets .
greenest lawn ? In less than 3 weeks I have nothing but dirt left after my girls got a whole of it . Bare
Quote:
I didn't think I fell into this range until I looked at my calendar. My 10 hens are between 28 and 29 weeks and 8 of them are laying. The first started laying at 25ish weeks, the second at 27 and the rest started within the last 2 weeks. So we are well inside of 30 weeks.
The first to lay was a Buff Orpington, the second, an Ameracauna/EE. One of the most recent was my Cal. White who I thought would lay first. I also have Speckled Sussex and RIRs who are all laying. The two hold outs are an Americauna (who almost died when she was a chick and is developing slower) and a Gold Star/Sex link that has very little comb and wattle.
So, what am I feeding them? They get a constant supply of organic layer pellets (Rogue is the brand), and they free range in my backyard all day. They have lots of grass to eat as well as a myriad of bugs and fallen foliage. They get kitchen scraps only if they are organic. They love apples.
Another important note is that I live north of Phoenix where we have 26 grains of hardness in our water. FYI, that is extremely hard water. I don't know if they are able to use any of that calcium in the water, but it is there (my husband says it is bio-available! Probably why their shells are so hard).
The weather here is probably ideal for them in the winter. It is only in the low 40s at night and high 60s or even low 70s during the day (I know, poor me
).
I don't use any artificial light. I am not providing any oyster shell, and seldom feed any scratch.
I am brand new to raising chickens, so I won't tell you that this is all the right stuff to do, it is just what is working for us so far .
I think the grass is really important. It is a key component in what a wild bird would eat. You can read more about pasture fed animals at www.eatwild.com. It was really important to me to make sure that they had access to the grass. There is a great deal of calcium and Omega 3s being provided there as well as other nutrients. They probably eat around 25-30% of thier calories in grass.
Something I recently read said that GM corn was being implicated in the infertility of animals as well as people. Doesn't surprise me and I can only guess that GM soybeans would also be problematic. Something to think about. Most feed is made up largely of these two "grains".
BTW, anyone know where I can get soy free chicken feed?
I didn't think I fell into this range until I looked at my calendar. My 10 hens are between 28 and 29 weeks and 8 of them are laying. The first started laying at 25ish weeks, the second at 27 and the rest started within the last 2 weeks. So we are well inside of 30 weeks.
The first to lay was a Buff Orpington, the second, an Ameracauna/EE. One of the most recent was my Cal. White who I thought would lay first. I also have Speckled Sussex and RIRs who are all laying. The two hold outs are an Americauna (who almost died when she was a chick and is developing slower) and a Gold Star/Sex link that has very little comb and wattle.
So, what am I feeding them? They get a constant supply of organic layer pellets (Rogue is the brand), and they free range in my backyard all day. They have lots of grass to eat as well as a myriad of bugs and fallen foliage. They get kitchen scraps only if they are organic. They love apples.
Another important note is that I live north of Phoenix where we have 26 grains of hardness in our water. FYI, that is extremely hard water. I don't know if they are able to use any of that calcium in the water, but it is there (my husband says it is bio-available! Probably why their shells are so hard).
The weather here is probably ideal for them in the winter. It is only in the low 40s at night and high 60s or even low 70s during the day (I know, poor me
I don't use any artificial light. I am not providing any oyster shell, and seldom feed any scratch.
I am brand new to raising chickens, so I won't tell you that this is all the right stuff to do, it is just what is working for us so far .
I think the grass is really important. It is a key component in what a wild bird would eat. You can read more about pasture fed animals at www.eatwild.com. It was really important to me to make sure that they had access to the grass. There is a great deal of calcium and Omega 3s being provided there as well as other nutrients. They probably eat around 25-30% of thier calories in grass.
Something I recently read said that GM corn was being implicated in the infertility of animals as well as people. Doesn't surprise me and I can only guess that GM soybeans would also be problematic. Something to think about. Most feed is made up largely of these two "grains".
BTW, anyone know where I can get soy free chicken feed?
Quote:
Does it make you feel any better that I a few of my sussexes, and both buff chantecler pullets, were hatched May 1 and are thus something like 36 wks old with nary an egg yet?
(mind you, I'm not lighting the coop any extra, and they're getting only 8 hrs daylight right now.)
I'm not worried, they'll get around to it when they get around to it, though sooner would be better than later. I think the chanteclers are just naturally late maturing (this line, anyhow) -- the cockerel has only *just now* started mounting the pullets.
Pat
Does it make you feel any better that I a few of my sussexes, and both buff chantecler pullets, were hatched May 1 and are thus something like 36 wks old with nary an egg yet?
(mind you, I'm not lighting the coop any extra, and they're getting only 8 hrs daylight right now.)
I'm not worried, they'll get around to it when they get around to it, though sooner would be better than later. I think the chanteclers are just naturally late maturing (this line, anyhow) -- the cockerel has only *just now* started mounting the pullets.
Pat
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