She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[ronott1]

I had read that first years have a higher tendency to lay through winter. I was wondering how accurate that was. My second coop have only been laying for 2-3 months and I was hoping that a majority of them would continue. At least enough to supply us with eggs so we don't have t buy from the store.

Ok, so I've read tons of stuff on lighting and layers. I know there are many people that use artificial lights in the coops at winter to keep some layers laying. My sister does this with at least one coop. I've also read the opposing view point that hens need this natural downtime. It's a healthier process to let them molt and go through the non laying phase that winter brings. I, personally do not have coops with electricity and will not be running electricity out there to light the coop. (Unless we end up with cold so bad they need the warmth.) But I am curious as to other's opinions and what they do during the shortened day time period.

Chickens are descendant from Jungle Fowl, which is close to the equator. We have domesticated them and moved them north so they are already not in their natural lighting environment.

Adding lights will not harm them--but it will make them run out of eggs to lay sooner. A Hen can only lay so many eggs since they only have so many--mostly one ovaries worth. Hens are born with all the ovum they will ever have. About half of them are male and half are female too.

Weird facts about chickens!

 

[meganhundley]

Candled real quick a minute ago, most have drawn down a good bit, others are starting to. And... I lost 2 more This is so frustrating.

 

[ronott1]

I really wish I hadn't washed these, I'm really kicking myself for it now.

You can wash eggs--Manna pro sells an egg wash that has instructions for washing hatching eggs. I have not seen hatch problems from washed eggs.

If they are covered with poo, then wash them. If they look clean than incubate them without washing them.

 

[ronott1]

Candled real quick a minute ago, most have drawn down a good bit, others are starting to. And... I lost 2 more

This is so frustrating.

Hang in there--It is all part of the process.

 

[rossfam06]

I still hold my hands up to see which 1 makes an 'L' to figure out which 1 is my left

Ahahahaha!!!! . Don't be ashamed.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



LADY GREY LAID HER FIRST EGG!!!!

Yay!!!!!

Ah, man that sucks!! So sorry!

Just set it air cell up and keep an eye 0ut for any oozing... if it oozes, get it out of there...

x2

Cracks in the shell really aren't a problem, it's if the membrane gets a hole in it that it oozes... I got a cracked shipped egg once and it didn't ooze, developed and hatched a healthy chick... so keep your
Hope so... some mucky eggs hatch out just fine and healthy, but just wanted you to be aware...
Well... shucks...

*sunburn reddens more*

Megan is right. You are super deduper!!!!

 

[kwhites634]

I had read that first years have a higher tendency to lay through winter. I was wondering how accurate that was. My second coop have only been laying for 2-3 months and I was hoping that a majority of them would continue. At least enough to supply us with eggs so we don't have t buy from the store.

Ok, so I've read tons of stuff on lighting and layers. I know there are many people that use artificial lights in the coops at winter to keep some layers laying. My sister does this with at least one coop. I've also read the opposing view point that hens need this natural downtime. It's a healthier process to let them molt and go through the non laying phase that winter brings. I, personally do not have coops with electricity and will not be running electricity out there to light the coop. (Unless we end up with cold so bad they need the warmth.) But I am curious as to other's opinions and what they do during the shortened day time period.

The last flock of hens that I had over the winter, b4 the coons wiped me out & I had to start over, consisted of 11 birds; I consistently got 5-7 eggs,day, with no artificial light or heat. Granted, we're a bit warmer than northern NY, but not that much, plus, being in the foothills of the mountains, we're subject to some pretty nasty windchills.

 

[rossfam06]

The last flock of hens that I had over the winter, b4 the coons wiped me out & I had to start over, consisted of 11 birds; I consistently got 5-7 eggs,day, with no artificial light or heat. Granted, we're a bit warmer than northern NY, but not that much, plus, being in the foothills of the mountains, we're subject to some pretty nasty windchills.

I remember in Alaska that we old get frozen eggs that busted because of swelling. Lol!!!! I am so thankful that I don't have to worry about that here in Savannah.

 

[meganhundley]

You can wash eggs--Manna pro sells an egg wash that has instructions for washing hatching eggs. I have not seen hatch problems from washed eggs.

If they are covered with poo, then wash them. If they look clean than incubate them without washing them.

These were REALLY nasty when I got them. I originally had 30, 1 was cracked when I got them and I didn't know it and because they were covered in big chunks of poop and dirt I washed them and when I did I broke the cracked egg open. So then I was down to 29. I set all of those and over the last 20 days I've lost all but 9. I washed them with just water though, cause I didn't know what else to use and I didn't have any real egg wash stuff, just enough to get the nasty mess off of them. But I wish I had just brushed the biggest part of it off and set them without washing. I've lost 20 eggs over 20 days.

 

[kwhites634]

I remember in Alaska that we old get frozen eggs that busted because of swelling. Lol!!!! I am so thankful that I don't have to worry about that here in Savannah.

No stranger to frozen eggs here, either. They wind up in the bottom of the run, surrounded by birds all too happy to "police" the area.

 

[ronott1]

These were REALLY nasty when I got them. I originally had 30, 1 was cracked when I got them and I didn't know it and because they were covered in big chunks of poop and dirt I washed them and when I did I broke the cracked egg open. So then I was down to 29. I set all of those and over the last 20 days I've lost all but 9. I washed them with just water though, cause I didn't know what else to use and I didn't have any real egg wash stuff, just enough to get the nasty mess off of them. But I wish I had just brushed the biggest part of it off and set them without washing. I've lost 20 eggs over 20 days.

You can use a weak bleach solution to wash eggs.

Look that up, it is a ratio of bleach to water--we are never supposed to use straight bleach for anything!

Ok, weak bleach solution:
in a solution using 2 teaspoons of Clorox Regular-Bleach per gallon of water.
Read more at https://www.clorox.com/cleaning-and...to-clean-a-cutting-board/#kqdW8iOGBEfb9qQl.99