Pullet laying every day - did I just get lucky? or will she stop?

maryn7

Songster
Apr 29, 2020
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NE Illinois
My olive egger started laying last week. According to the hatchery, she's supposed to lay between about 200-250 eggs a year (she's an Ameraucana x Cuckoo Marans), so I was expecting her to lay a few times a week. Maybe less often than that as she got used to it. But we've gotten an egg every day for the last nine days. (44g at the start, now up to 47-49g per egg.)

Is she just working hard now to get out the kinks before she sets into a more casual laying rhythm? Or is she just eggstra (I'm so sorry) productive for an OE?

I obviously can't stop her laying this often, but will it shorten her lifespan, etc. if she's trying to go for 365?


(Also are these egg songs going to get shorter as they get better at laying? We're at several hours of screaming a day from her and, now, also from my barred rock, who hasn't laid, but is getting close. We're in a city, and I'm about ready to file a noise complaint against myself.....)
 
Can't blame a noisy girl for singing her own praises, can you?

I have Easter eggers. not any olive eggers, but they are pretty reliable daily layers until lately when everybody here is molting and the days are getting shorter.

I don't know about shortening her lifespan, but it may shorten the number of years she will be productive, My understanding is that a hen has a finite number of potential eggs in her body, and when she's laid them all, she's laid them all.

Good luck with your little opera singers!
 
Laying (almost) an egg a day isn't uncommon for hens. However, the number of eggs a year is affected by molting and winter. During molting the hens are likely to stop entirely for a couple of weeks. Similarly, with less light in winter the hens will be less productive or completely stop. With this in mind, her annual egg production could be in the 200's even if she's laying one a day in spring/summer.
If you're concerned about her over exerting herself, you can keep the artificial lighting to a minimum when winter comes to keep her egg-laying rhythm natural.
 
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Similarly, with less light in winter the hens will be less productive or completely stop. With this in mind, her annual egg production could be in the 200's even if she's laying one a day in spring/summer.

Ah right. I hadn't considered that - makes sense that she might lay all the time when the light is good/no molt and then take her breaks, bringing her average down.

Thought the BR was going to be next, but my RIR laid this morning! She's been the best, friendliest, low key chicken over all. Not even any song from her, just - I assume - the quiet satisfaction of a job well done.

Right after she finished, my BR went into the other nesting box for a while, but no results yet. *Whole lotta egg song though when she wrapped it up*.

And the whole time the OE was freaking out - I think she was concerned her sisters wouldn't be finished in time for her to lay about 9:45a. This was at 7:45a and the BR wasn't even in the box she lays in (she immediately went to check that one out, of course.)

They do not lack for personality.

I know some of y'all have much bigger flocks, and I don't know how you do it! I am outnumbered here with just three. (Translation: I have spoiled these girls and this is what I get.)

Thanks for all the advice!
 
I have 28 layers. Some of them get excited when their sisters lay, and sing in congratulations (I assume, lol). Sometimes one of the roosters (I have two) sing along, voicing their pride in a job well done (I anthropomorphize, I know!). Sometimes a girl tries to lay and fails, then she hollers in frustration. Egg laying is a noisy business! Fortunately I live in the back of beyond so it doesn't bother anybody, least of all me, I love the racket. Beats the socks off city noises!
 
So, are you saying spoiled hens is a bad thing???? Not in my book. Their personality and entertainment value are every bit as wonderful as their ability to provide delicious eggs.

I'm saying I spend much of my responding to the whims of three pullets! My cats are the same way, so I've identified myself as the common denominator in the work-from-home chaos here. :)

(As a first time chicken raiser, I *did* think chooks would be more boring than they are...)
 
I have 28 layers. Some of them get excited when their sisters lay, and sing in congratulations (I assume, lol). Sometimes one of the roosters (I have two) sing along, voicing their pride in a job well done (I anthropomorphize, I know!). Sometimes a girl tries to lay and fails, then she hollers in frustration. Egg laying is a noisy business! Fortunately I live in the back of beyond so it doesn't bother anybody, least of all me, I love the racket. Beats the socks off city noises!

My Leghorn not only sings when she lays, she sings when anyone else goes near the nesting boxes. Just the idea one of her sisters might be thinking about laying is enough to get her going. 😂
 

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