Our VERY FIRST EGG !! :)

[oldhenlikesdogs]

All hens start with laying smaller eggs and they slowly increase in size. Egg producers weed out any eggs that are perfect and they use them in other packaged good. Eggs are sorted into sizes so every egg looks identical. My egg take for a day is all over the place as far as shape size and whether there's gunk inside some eggs.

Producers use mostly leghorns and various sex link breeds in their operations, so yes you have some breeds used.

 

[BruceAZ]

All hens start with laying smaller eggs and they slowly increase in size. Egg producers weed out any eggs that are perfect and they use them in other packaged good. Eggs are sorted into sizes so every egg looks identical. My egg take for a day is all over the place as far as shape size and whether there's gunk inside some eggs.

Producers use mostly leghorns and various sex link breeds in their operations, so yes you have some breeds used.

one of my hens started laying a few weeks ago.. but her eggs are still small compare to the store bought eggs..

will it take months to reach full size?

leghorns ? my leghorn's eggs are pretty the extra small..

size wise she's 1/2 the size of the other 4..

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It does take about 2-3 months before you see the full size of their eggs for the first season. Their second season they will usually lay less but bigger eggs.

They need to slowly stretch out to lay bigger eggs or else they will have troubles laying them.

Leghorns are used in large scale production because they have a good feed conversion and are highly productive. They were bred solely for egg production, where dual purpose breeds like australorps and rocks were bred for both egg production as well as having some meat qualities. Ironically they aren't very good at either one, and you are better off with straight egg producers if you want eggs, and meat breeds for meat. Dual purpose breeds do have value in that they are often friendly easy going birds and many will go broody.

So your leghorn will lay more eggs, eat less feed, but not really have much meat value. Her eggs will eventually be the largest, especially based on weight comparison of your hens.

 

[BruceAZ]

It does take about 2-3 months before you see the full size of their eggs for the first season. Their second season they will usually lay less but bigger eggs.

They need to slowly stretch out to lay bigger eggs or else they will have troubles laying them.

Leghorns are used in large scale production because they have a good feed conversion and are highly productive. They were bred solely for egg production, where dual purpose breeds like australorps and rocks were bred for both egg production as well as having some meat qualities. Ironically they aren't very good at either one, and you are better off with straight egg producers if you want eggs, and meat breeds for meat. Dual purpose breeds do have value in that they are often friendly easy going birds and many will go broody.

So your leghorn will lay more eggs, eat less feed, but not really have much meat value. Her eggs will eventually be the largest, especially based on weight comparison of your hens.

you know a lot about chickens aren't you?

thank you for the value information

australorp?. that's the black one right?.. easy going ?

i can pick up the other 3.. she will run as i got close

well.. now they probably remember my face so they don't run anymore

so my leghorn's eggs will be the largest?.. even when she is a lot smaller than the other hens? interesting..


i heard of dual breeds, broiler and layers.. but my family just pick these chickens because they are "cute".. :/

next flock i think i'll go with bantams..

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

There's lots of chicken information rattling around in my brain.

I prefer dual purpose breeds myself. They are generally more friendly but they all have their own personality. Lighter breeds like leghorns tend to be more reactive and flighty, but they are all generalizations.

I absolutely adore my bantam cochins and d'uccle. If I were forced to downsize I would keep them only.

 

[BruceAZ]

i don't know a lot about chicken breed.

so beside the leghorn.. the other 4 chickens are dual breeds?

i picked up one of the brown ones.. she's pretty light.. hardly any meat on her

so if they are skinny like the leghorn then they are layers (for eggs chickens) ?

chickens destroyers of everything that is dirt/soil!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

From your other photos your hens appear to be either some version of a red sex link, a New Hampshire, Rhode island reds or production reds, you could post photo on the what breed and gender forum to get more feed back, and maybe narrow it down.

Most chickens take about 2 years to fill out and reach full size, especially larger breeds.

Chickens do make great rototillers but bad gardeners.

 

[BruceAZ]

From your other photos your hens appear to be either some version of a red sex link, a New Hampshire, Rhode island reds or production reds, you could post photo on the what breed and gender forum to get more feed back, and maybe narrow it down.

Most chickens take about 2 years to fill out and reach full size, especially larger breeds.

Chickens do make great rototillers but bad gardeners.

i thought hens are pretty quite.. but i thought wrong

i gave up after trying to train them not to make those really loud noises (not the normal clucking sounds).. but it was no use

letting them out all day is not a good idea either.. now they are eating the plants on the sides of my house.. have to get some poultry netting to block off those areas..

also they are still noisy in the early morning even when they are not locked up in the run.. making those groaning sounds that i can hear from inside the house

if the neighbors complained and i got a notice from the HOA.. then that is it for these hens..

will they stop making these loud noises as they got older? maybe in the next 2-3 weeks?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Unfortunately chickens are pretty noisy and it comes and goes. They carry quite a bit after laying and eggs, and through out the day at random times.

 

[guinealeghorn]

How old were the hens when they started to lay? I would like an estimate for when mine start laying!