Snow impacting laying behavior?

[cmom]

Maybe because we don't get snow, we have had a dusting in the past but it was gone in no time, but here most of the coyotes seem to be loners or maybe a couple. I rarely see packs.

 

[NHMountainMan]

It's possible.
How old are they, in weeks?
Here's some tips on how to tell....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

I have a couple 27wo pullets that sure look close, one even has started the pelvic spread, but no eggs yet. Am about to crank up the lights as the older girl are about done molting.

I have one easter egger and one Whiting true blue that are 21 weeks. Without a comb or waddle it's hard for me to tell if they are close to laying. They both have some reddening on the cheeks. The other pullets are 17 weeks. The soft shell egg had a slightly pink tone, but know that may not be a final egg color once she starts laying correctly. There was no soft shell egg this a.m. when I checked. I haven't tried looking at the vent / pelvis as these girls are both very skittish.
Thanks for the link!

 

[cmom]

 

[NHMountainMan]

View attachment 1974033

That's awesome! And thank you for the Oranges!

 

[aart]

I have one easter egger and one Whiting true blue that are 21 weeks. Without a comb or waddle it's hard for me to tell if they are close to laying. They both have some reddening on the cheeks. The other pullets are 17 weeks. The soft shell egg had a slightly pink tone, but know that may not be a final egg color once she starts laying correctly. There was no soft shell egg this a.m. when I checked. I haven't tried looking at the vent / pelvis as these girls are both very skittish.
Thanks for the link!

What little comb they have, you'll notice then they redden up.
I check mine off the roost at night, much easier to 'catch' then.
Soft shell could be a glitch from an older layer too.

 

[NHMountainMan]

What little comb they have, you'll notice then they redden up.
I check mine off the roost at night, much easier to 'catch' then.
Soft shell could be a glitch from an older layer too.

Could be. I hadn't realized that the oyster shell had frozen together in the feeder - so they didn't have access to extra calcium. I've corrected that boneheaded mistake.

 

[aart]

Could be. I hadn't realized that the oyster shell had frozen together in the feeder - so they didn't have access to extra calcium. I've corrected that boneheaded mistake.

Did it get wet?

 

[NHMountainMan]

Did it get wet?

yup - it hangs underneath the coop, away from rain - but the blowing snow got in it and it froze solid. I replaced it this morning and it's now out of the way of snow drifts and wind. Just a rookie mistake - didn't check it as often a s I should. your comment that it could be one of the older layers made me remember to look - so thank you!

 

[Brother bread]

It's possible.
How old are they, in weeks?
Here's some tips on how to tell....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

I have a couple 27wo pullets that sure look close, one even has started the pelvic spread, but no eggs yet. Am about to crank up the lights as the older girl are about done molting.

Add a few hand fulls of crushed oyster shells to the pen, this will help with the birds calcium intake and give them a great kickstart on egg production. The older laying birds egg production will also increase. You can find this at TSC for about $10 a 50lb sack

 

[cmom]

Add a few hand fulls of crushed oyster shells to the pen, this will help with the birds calcium intake and give them a great kickstart on egg production. The older laying birds egg production will also increase. You can find this at TSC for about $10 a 50lb sack