Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[BullChick]

So you have to replace it every 4-5 yrs? Thats crazy. Was it a farm accident that you lost it in or a poker game?

Strip poker went a little too far.

Ya'll are crAzy!   

So from first molt through that year forward is supposed to be best production or am I totally confused (it's my general state of being!)? 
My first flock was a Jan 2015 hatch. First egg was May 2015 and successively thereafter from each hen. None of them have molted yet. 

I know that they don't really molt their first year, but I'm going to say this year is their best. Somewhere in all of my notes, I am sure I have the correct answer. Somewhere, I even know exactly how many fewer eggs each year will bring. Buuuuut I have no idea where those notes are. :-D

 

[Chaos18]

Strip poker went a little too far.


I know that they don't really molt their first year, but I'm going to say this year is their best. Somewhere in all of my notes, I am sure I have the correct answer. Somewhere, I even know exactly how many fewer eggs each year will bring. Buuuuut I have no idea where those notes are. :-D

I lost my teeth once in a poker game down on the Mississippi river.

Sounds like your notes are in a safe place......I can't usually remember my safe places either.

 

[TillyPeeps]

We just want 'em for pets, and organic eggs. We've been considering it off and on for years, but there is an upcoming Q&A session on the subject being presented by a Purina rep. at a local feed store, so the Wife and I are going to check it out Friday, after work. We will hopefully get some questions answered, but we also understand the speaker's "motivation" . . . . .

We just want to find a nice, hearty breed to start with. A friend has raised a bunch of different breeds, has had no trouble with any of them, but prefers the Americaunas (sp?). He said they are pretty sturdy and healthy - and lay blue eggs! From what I've read on my own - they are difficult to sex, though. Our neighbors are close enough that it wouldn't be cool for us to have any roosters.

I understand that, as long as there is more than one - they won't freeze to death in the winter, but I wonder how to maintain drinking water for them without it freezing - unless what they can get each day before it freezes is enough?

We are trying to eat healthy and organic, and avoid chemicals and GMOs in our food. This will be an important factor in selecting food and supplies for our feathered friends, as well. The folks at our local feed store are very friendly, and helpful, but it is great to gather intel from a broader group.

Thank you all very much for your replies, and input - it sure seems like I joined the right group!

Then @dheltzel has a perfect solution for you by creating a sexlink by cross ameraucanas to California greys. They look like ameraucanas, lay blue eggs, and can be sexed as day old. I got one from him two weeks ago, and she is a super friendly bird. He also has autosexing cream legbars laying blue eggs. I also love his Rhodebars as great layers and super friendly birds.

You can get a heated dog bowl from TSC or find ideas about DIY heated waterers by searching this website to prevent water form frozen.

 

[dheltzel]

Then @dheltzel has a perfect solution for you by creating a sexlink by cross ameraucanas to California greys. They look like ameraucanas, lay blue eggs, and can be sexed as day old. I got one from him two weeks ago, and she is a super friendly bird. He also has autosexing cream legbars laying blue eggs. I also love his Rhodebars as great layers and super friendly birds.

You can get a heated dog bowl from TSC or find ideas about DIY heated waterers by searching this website to prevent water form frozen.

X2 on the heated dog water bowls. They save so much time, I use about 20 of them all winter. No way could I keep the number of birds we have now if I had to haul out the bowls and jump up and down on them to break out the ice.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Ya'll are crAzy!

So from first molt through that year forward is supposed to be best production or am I totally confused (it's my general state of being!)?
My first flock was a Jan 2015 hatch. First egg was May 2015 and successively thereafter from each hen. None of them have molted yet.

I read an articles that did a research and found average egg production drops about 10% per year for leghorns. But leghorn and other production layers usually die early because ovary cancer is so common in them.

 

[dheltzel]

Got the chicks in about 1 PM, they are in the brooder but making an awful racket, I changed to a bigger bulb in case they are cold, no change. I gave them grogel and water, normally I would withhold food until they had time to eat all the grogel and assimilate it, but these little ones were HUNGRY !!! Once I scattered starter around they got quiet and busy eating.

I'm very happy with the mix of chicks. Some chanteclers, including 2 partridge ones that are the most adorable chocolate brown striped chicks. A lot of silver Ameraucanas, a color I really want to work with because the hens are beautifully patterned (like a welsummer, but silver instead of gold.). And they sex out early, not that I'm culling any of these males, I may free range some on the farm to contribute their good looks to the farm flock. Also a lot of blacks and a few lavenders.

 

[dheltzel]

I read an articles that did a research and found average egg production drops about 10% per year for leghorns. But leghorn and other production layers usually die early because ovary cancer is so common in them.

I suspect it's a steeper drop off than 10%. Up until their first molt would be considered their first "year". Normally chickens molt once a year, not always in the fall, but typically. Under wild type conditions, chicks mature the calendar year they were born and start laying in spring of the following year, then lay until molting that fall. They start up again in the spring for their second year.

Of course we mess this up with lights and high protein feeds to keep them laying longer.

 

[Chaos18]

Got the chicks in about 1 PM, they are in the brooder but making an awful racket, I changed to a bigger bulb in case they are cold, no change. I gave them grogel and water, normally I would withhold food until they had time to eat all the grogel and assimilate it, but these little ones were HUNGRY !!! Once I scattered starter around they got quiet and busy eating.

I'm very happy with the mix of chicks. Some chanteclers, including 2 partridge ones that are the most adorable chocolate brown striped chicks. A lot of silver Ameraucanas, a color I really want to work with because the hens are beautifully patterned (like a welsummer, but silver instead of gold.). And they sex out early, not that I'm culling any of these males, I may free range some on the farm to contribute their good looks to the farm flock. Also a lot of blacks and a few lavenders.

I don't suppose you took a picture of the Partridge Chanteclers did you? I've got some cooking right now.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I suspect it's a steeper drop off than 10%. Up until their first molt would be considered their first "year". Normally chickens molt once a year, not always in the fall, but typically. Under wild type conditions, chicks mature the calendar year they were born and start laying in spring of the following year, then lay until molting that fall. They start up again in the spring for their second year.

Of course we mess this up with lights and high protein feeds to keep them laying longer.

I couldn't find the original article but I find the chart here:
http://blog.chickenwaterer.com/2012/09/how-many-eggs-to-expect-your-chickens.html

You are right about steeper drop during the first two years, then the drop becomes slower. So 10% is actually an average number. A 10 year leghorn can still be about 20% productive as the first year pullet, but she is only 80% at the second year.

 

[chxmama]

I couldn't find the original article but I find the chart here:
http://blog.chickenwaterer.com/2012/09/how-many-eggs-to-expect-your-chickens.html

You are right about steeper drop during the first two years, then the drop becomes slower. So 10% is actually an average number. A 10 year leghorn can still be about 20% productive as the first year pullet, but she is only 80% at the second year.

Will check out the link - thanks!