Hey all!
I have a flock of 7 "EE" pullets that are about 6 months old. Some look ready to lay soon but I've been waiting a looong time! Darn feathery freeloaders. Any tips how to tell when these EE's are ready?
Also have an Araucana x EE rooster.They all free range during the day and are locked up in their coop/run for the nite. I started using a light in the coop to extend daylight to 14 hours. at first I used a heat lamp because I was out of regular bulbs, but switched over to a regular white light since.
On Halloween I got a barred rock pullet (also 6 months old) who laid her first egg on the way home and for the first week laid in the nesting boxes almost every day, then quit. Haven't seen any eggs from her since? she seems healthy otherwise but it's been a couple weeks at least since she's laid any. Since they are free ranging I figured maybe she is just laying somewhere else and locked them all up several times, once two days in a row--nothing. Also I'm pretty sure she was laying when I had the heat lamp, and stopped laying right around when I switched lights. could that be the cause??
Is a heat lamp safe to have in the coop at all? It is a well ventilated 5x5 coop. day time temp is 45 and nights are about 25--not cold, but if it helps productivity any...
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!
I have a flock of 7 "EE" pullets that are about 6 months old. Some look ready to lay soon but I've been waiting a looong time! Darn feathery freeloaders. Any tips how to tell when these EE's are ready?
Also have an Araucana x EE rooster.They all free range during the day and are locked up in their coop/run for the nite. I started using a light in the coop to extend daylight to 14 hours. at first I used a heat lamp because I was out of regular bulbs, but switched over to a regular white light since.
On Halloween I got a barred rock pullet (also 6 months old) who laid her first egg on the way home and for the first week laid in the nesting boxes almost every day, then quit. Haven't seen any eggs from her since? she seems healthy otherwise but it's been a couple weeks at least since she's laid any. Since they are free ranging I figured maybe she is just laying somewhere else and locked them all up several times, once two days in a row--nothing. Also I'm pretty sure she was laying when I had the heat lamp, and stopped laying right around when I switched lights. could that be the cause??
Is a heat lamp safe to have in the coop at all? It is a well ventilated 5x5 coop. day time temp is 45 and nights are about 25--not cold, but if it helps productivity any...
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!
