SO sick of buying eggs

[partsRheavy]

1. Not enough chickens. You really should have about 20 girls or so to provide enough eggs for more than 1 or 2. Figure that a 25-chick straight run order will yield 11-12 laying hens. Or that 5 pullets of a good laying breed will get you 4-5 decent layers.

2. Some but not all are the wrong breeds. Get the Easter Egger a gal-pal or two that's Ameraucana or Easter Egger. The Ameraucanas I take care of hang out together and they do produce. Chickens are shape-ists according to Harvey Ussery.. They're happiest in the company of a few others of their own or similar breed. Try teaching tolerance to a bird brain ...

3. I don't know where you're located but if you're in a warm southern or Florida-ish place you can still build up a flock now with a bit of indoor chick care and late transfer to an outside brooder with a lamp. I would NOT attempt this now north of the southern tier of states though. In other words, LA, Phoenix, San Antonio, New Orleans, Mobile, Jacksonville YES but Reno-Billings-St Louis-Indianapolis-Chicago-NYC-DC NO!!!

 

[partsRheavy]

I now see that you're in Michigan... There isn't much you can do except plan and make accommodations for next spring's chick order. You can start them a bit early in spring if you make indoor or mudroom accommodations for them. They will hopefully start producing fall 2012.

Or if you can get some late pullets now and keep them warm enough through the winter you might get more eggs in the spring. Get maybe 30% more pullets than you think you need.

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
Hi Nigellas
Help me understand, do you have six total, of which two are bantams and you aren't expecting eggs from them, and 2 of which are Javas and that leaves Ee and BSL? From those two you are getting 1-2 eggs per day? If yes, maybe that isn't so bad. The broodys won't lay, the bantams aren't in the game.... Maybe I misunderstood. Shorter daylight hours reduce the hens laying. Maybe your chickens are doing pretty well after all.

I am a great fan of the sexlinks for thier laying ability. I also think that some of the big old breeds like BPR and RIR can take the cold weather you are facing and still produce. To increase your egg production, maybe get some egglayers. I have 3 layers, one golden comet, and two BPRs...and we are still getting 17+ eggs per week. We are in TX where the temps are warmer, but the day length has shortened for us as well.

Hope that you get it solved, but if I understood correctly, you may have answered your own question about having breeds that aren't the highest egg producers.
Can't wait to read the article from Fred's Hens.... Fred's Hens has a lot of expertise in chicken keeping.

 

[Avalon1984]

Too bad you are 2 hrs away from me, I have some extra layers, chicks and eggs I could give you

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

 

[Impress]

Quote:
I KNEW IT! This explains why my Buff Orpington treats my silkie pullet like it is her baby, and why they all go their own ways, I thought I just had a prejudice flock!

 

[GoodLuckCharlie!]

I laughed when I saw the posting title, because as my daughter and I cooked up 3 scrambled 'Java' eggs this morning, knowing we saved them the last 4 days just to get to eat them today, I was rambling about how I'm sick of buying store-bought eggs too. So of course I HAD to read your posting. The information from Fred was good reading too.

My Javas are 6 months old today, and I have them on organic soy-free feed, scratch, ACV&garlic in their water, and gluten-free, dairy-free scraps from us-except they love yogurt too. We live in Southern California, so this week its 60-70* daytime and 45-55 nighttime. We usually get an egg a day between them. So far the black Java has laid for 1 month now, the Mottled one just started laying this week, and the EE's? I'm wondering why they haven't, but I also know they are all slow-growers and I figured they'll take their time since molting season and weather changes too.

I'm right there with you with wanting the eggs. I plan to increase the flock next spring. Are you getting more Javas? Are your Javas loud, like, talkative? The EE's and Leghorns I have are pretty quiet, but the Java ladies, they are pretty noisy, especially the black one. She lets me know she's awake, she lets me know she's bored, laid an egg, wants a treat (all day really). Its funny, but I was wondering.

Good luck

Laura

 

[RedDrgn]

Quote:
I KNEW IT! This explains why my Buff Orpington treats my silkie pullet like it is her baby, and why they all go their own ways, I thought I just had a prejudice flock!

Chickens are racist!

My EE and wellie tend to stick together while the BA, BR, and DOM tend to stick together. None are ever far from each other, really, but when they do break up a bit while foraging it tends to go that way - the browns and then the contrasts. XD