Ready to Lay?

[aggiemae]

I'm also in the wait period. Our hen hatch 6 chicks on 3/14 from eggs we got from craigslist. Amazingly they are all hens! They seem to be a bit slower at developing then the incubator chicks that we raise under lights. One is especially small but she hatched from a white egg and though she doesn't have much of a comb she appears to be a leghorn mix. The rooster in all cases was a wellsummer. I once had a hen that didn't lay till she was 18 months old.

 

[aggiemae]

As to your question (sorry, i ramble...) their combs are still a bit pale. they get bright red right before they start laying.

 

[aart]

It’s absolutely possible! This particular breeder was also hatching Rumpless Araucanas (spelling?) and possibly other breeds. I’ll be pretty happy either way. This little girl is exceptionally soft and friendly.

Yes, Araucana is correct...I see no trace of those either in this bird.
I'd be bummed if I paid a premium for a certain cross and didn't get it.
At least it's a female

 

[Kzdnae]

@aart I started looking into different Marans Crosses no I found a hen online that looks like my pullets twin. It’s a Buff black tailed Marans??? Never heard of it. But the resemblance has me thinking Taco is definitely not a cream Legbar x Marans ..

 

[aart]

View attachment 1466872 @aart I started looking into different Marans Crosses no I found a hen online that looks like my pullets twin. It’s a Buff black tailed Marans??? Never heard of it. But the resemblance has me thinking Taco is definitely not a cream Legbar x Marans ..

Huh...could be....you'd have to ask the breeder exactly what the parent stock is.
Is breeder local or...?

 

[Kzdnae]

Huh...could be....you'd have to ask the breeder exactly what the parent stock is.
Is breeder local or...?

I can text if I need to. But he told me all his OEs were Marans x Legbar.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Do you have roosters?



Do you think hens lay earlier when they are being mated? I have 2 serama pullets that haven't laid yet, and my others have usually started by this point. But these 2 have never been around any of my boys. (they hatched in winter, were very small, so I kept them out of the pens)

I read a research paper a few years ago of a study done in Europe that showed pullets begin laying sooner when in the presence of roosters/cockerels. They don't have to be mated. They don't even need to be in the same pen. The pullets only need to be able to see the males.
Apparently the sexual attraction gets the hormones going and stimulates the gonads.

 

[WVduckchick]

I read a research paper a few years ago of a study done in Europe that showed pullets begin laying sooner when in the presence of roosters/cockerels. They don't have to be mated. They don't even need to be in the same pen. The pullets only need to be able to see the males.
Apparently the sexual attraction gets the hormones going and stimulates the gonads.

Thank you! That does make sense, but it would be equally understandable to say that it makes no difference. I mean, I can see both sides of the coin.

 

[aart]

But he told me all his OEs were Marans x Legbar.

I would send the pic and ask what kind of Marans?

 

[Kzdnae]

I was it his farm. They were black copper Marans. I even had one (it was killed by a stray dog at 16 weeks)