pullets laying daily

[tomfromsc]

Last summer I bought two Orpington hens with the 5 chicks that they hatched [they were from more than one hen obviously that's the picture in my avatar] , I wanted to raise a few chicks purely for entertainment and add a few hens to my flock at the same time . The 2 Orp hens worked out fine both laid daily soon as they weaned the chicks and the chicks grew rapidly and all 5 were pullets 1 black star , 1 Delaware , 2 red sex links and 1 silver penciled sex link this was my first problem , I didn't expect that and was not prepared for 5 more hens but luck of the Irish there they were so now do I build a bigger coop or cull a few of the older hens ...my second problem , the wife named them all so there will be NO culling. In my novice thinking I thought I would have to cull a few of the chicks { the unnamed ones } for being roosters , no such luck. well at 22 weeks the pullets started laying 4 lay every day and at 24 weeks all 5 are laying. So now I have a larger coop and everyone is happy . I have diversified my little flock . The question in my mind is was this just my beginners luck or if I fall victim to chicken math again and want to be entertained again is there a chance this will happen again.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I personally would sell off a couple or 3 of the pullets for $30 each and keep the older girls.

Maybe those chicks were adopted from the feed store and sexed as pullets??

No, I wouldn't expect to get all pullets from any future hatch.

Also note when they first start laying is when they are most prolific. Even breeds that won't lay daily, often do for the first several months.

Yes, I see lot's of chicken math in your future!

 

[JedJackson]

Last summer I bought two Orpington hens with the 5 chicks that they hatched [they were from more than one hen obviously that's the picture in my avatar] , I wanted to raise a few chicks purely for entertainment and add a few hens to my flock at the same time . The 2 Orp hens worked out fine both laid daily soon as they weaned the chicks and the chicks grew rapidly and all 5 were pullets 1 black star , 1 Delaware , 2 red sex links and 1 silver penciled sex link this was my first problem , I didn't expect that and was not prepared for 5 more hens but luck of the Irish there they were so now do I build a bigger coop or cull a few of the older hens ...my second problem , the wife named them all so there will be NO culling. In my novice thinking I thought I would have to cull a few of the chicks { the unnamed ones } for being roosters , no such luck. well at 22 weeks the pullets started laying 4 lay every day and at 24 weeks all 5 are laying. So now I have a larger coop and everyone is happy . I have diversified my little flock . The question in my mind is was this just my beginners luck or if I fall victim to chicken math again and want to be entertained again is there a chance this will happen again.

You got really lucky. Eggsighted may be right-- the previous owners may have put sexed pullet chicks under the hens, especially since you say they don't look like crossbreeds.

As for keeping or selling, you will have to do what is right for your family. If your wife can part with some of the pullets, then that may be the best bet if you are overwhelmed. Otherwise, eggs can be sold or given to friends.

 

[tomfromsc]

Yes, I see lot's of chicken math in your future! [/QUOTE]
Thanks for your thoughts , At this point they all have names , so they are all family and yes more chicks will probably be in future

 

[getaclue]

Now is a very good time to start saving for building materials, and figuring some plans to increase either the number of coops you have, or the size of your coop.

 

[tomfromsc]

You got really lucky. Eggsighted may be right-- the previous owners may have put sexed pullet chicks under the hens, especially since you say they don't look like crossbreeds.

As for keeping or selling, you will have to do what is right for your family. If your wife can part with some of the pullets, then that may be the best bet if you are overwhelmed. Otherwise, eggs can be sold or given to friends.

Thanks for you thoughts ...the lady I bought them from put an add on Craigslist and when I picked them up she said the only rooster she had was a BR but she had several breeds and probably other hens put eggs under the broody.I think she may have had other roosters he didn't know about because they all free-ranged .She told me "I have so many I can't keep track anymore ". The two red pullets look like RIR and the white one looks like a Delaware the black one looks like a Back Star the silver penciled one is a cross of some kind but is a huge bird and very timid , at 6 months she is bigger than my Brahma rooster who is 2 years old. I only have pictures to compare on the breeds determination and being a novice can only say what I think they look like .