OS_Dad Island Flock

[OSDad]

Our current status is 2 cockerels and 10 hens. we harvested the other 8 cockerels and they currently reside in the freezer.

The hens are a mix of 1 Easter egger, 2 barred rocks 2 Chanteclers nd 5 production reds, listed oldest to youngest. All are about 16-23 weeks old.

Still no eggs, We look every day in anticipation.

The weather is dropping to 0 degrees Celsius over night going to 10-15 degrees during the day.

They free range the yard for at least a few hours at the end of the day.

I have moved their feeders inside and am in the works of working on hopefully an ice free waterer.

I guess Im looking for the "No worries, you'll get that fist egg any day"speech! LOL

Thanks for listening

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No worries - sorry, I couldn't resist.

Temperature has very little to do with egg laying. Things like nutrition, breed, housing and stress aside, onset of lay is strictly a function of day length and whether it is getting shorter or longer.
Birds approaching POL this time of year will take much longer to commence.

Here's an article I posted about how photoperiod affects egg laying and reproduction in general.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...chooks-and-many-many-more/11180#post_17735882

I did a survey of egg production of 4 flocks from December through March in a spreadsheet by flock with daily temps and humidity. There was no correlation between temperature and production. It may have been a small sample size but if anything, the production was better during colder spells.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

An advantage of delayed onset of lay is that their bodies are more developed and have fewer problems.
Another is that their first eggs are larger. I have three 28 week old pullets that started laying last week.
Normally when this breed starts to lay at about 22 weeks, their eggs are around 45-50 grams.
I got 3 eggs today that were 57, 59 and 70 grams. The 70 gram egg is that bird's third and her first two were about 60 or so.

 

[drumstick diva]

agree

 

[OSDad]

This is Peep, he would be about 20 weeks old now. He's going to have some beautiful colouring.

 

[OSDad]

This is Buddy, he's the main man. He would be right around 24 weeks old.

 

[OSDad]

This is Joy, she's our only Easter egger pullet. She would be right around 24 weeks.