Starting over with new hens?

[21hens-incharge]

You have solar lights....hmmmm... Do they stay on after dark? If they do that could be another issue. The hens need the full dark to rest and just like people they get cranky when kept up.
I had rope lights in one on a timer that was set for one hour before sun up and one hour after sundown. It made things worse, much worse.

Just something I learned with mine.

 

[tcarter]

You have solar lights....hmmmm... Do they stay on after dark? If they do that could be another issue. The hens need the full dark to rest and just like people they get cranky when kept up.
I had rope lights in one on a timer that was set for one hour before sun up and one hour after sundown. It made things worse, much worse.

Just something I learned with mine.

Oh my goodness! Yes the lights are on to "extend the daylight" to make it more like summer hours. Someone suggested that to help keep egg production up! If the light is not on at sundown I notice the hens pile up on the ladder and don't want to go in. They like the light at roosting time, but maybe I better cut my light off earlier. One hour after sundown might work fine. Thanks a bunch! I will try it! Two Buff hens will be leaving this weekend. I found a nice home for them. That will get my numbers down to 5.

I don't have a rooster. Is there a definite need for one? I would prefer hens if possible. Thanks!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Roosters serve two main purposes. Fertilize the eggs and early warning of predators. If you do not plan to hatch babies out I would not worry about needing a rooster. The top hen will usually take on the warning everyone job.
I swear my itty bitty cochin thinks the sky is falling all the time. We have hawks in the area regularly.
We had a hawk come down on top of my largest hen this summer. No one gets out of the run anymore unless I can stand right there with them. Even then there was an american kestrel making a valiant attempt at all the white hens. With me right there, it acted like it could not even see me.

But then I digress....

With 5 hens you should be doing much better for the coop size.

 

[hardscaper87]

I have read when supplementing extended light for laying hens it is best to have it on a timer that comes on in the morning up to 6 hours before daylight rather than having your hens stay up late per say. The main point of the waking them up early was the eggs were laid earlier in the day. Not sure of the merit of the info as I have not experimented myself. If I were you I would try and wean them off of extended light all together. My white leghorn hens had molted all December and started back laying on Christmas Day! I'm in northern Kansas with no supplemental light.

The one question I do have for you tcarter is what is your hens current egg production and do you feel the extra light is helping?

 

[tcarter]

I have read when supplementing extended light for laying hens it is best to have it on a timer that comes on in the morning up to 6 hours before daylight rather than having your hens stay up late per say. The main point of the waking them up early was the eggs were laid earlier in the day. Not sure of the merit of the info as I have not experimented myself. If I were you I would try and wean them off of extended light all together. My white leghorn hens had molted all December and started back laying on Christmas Day! I'm in northern Kansas with no supplemental light.

The one question I do have for you tcarter is what is your hens current egg production and do you feel the extra light is helping?

I now have 7 hens. Egg production has not changed very much from summer. Some days I get 3 eggs and some days I get 6, but 4 on average. My one hen that got pecked on really bad (lost all rear feathers and bloody) stopped laying. After being separated to grow feathers back I am waiting to see if she will start laying better. None of my hens have molted yet. My light is on a timer. It comes on at 6am, goes off at 8am, comes on at 6pm and goes off at 7pm (changed from 9pm).

 

[hardscaper87]

Have you experimented with hot pick or pick stop, supposed have cayenne pepper in to discourage picking. I have also supplemented my birds with flock fuel purchased at orschelns. Extra fat and protein would never hurt a hen that is recovering her feathers.

 

[tcarter]

Have you experimented with hot pick or pick stop, supposed have cayenne pepper in to discourage picking. I have also supplemented my birds with flock fuel purchased at orschelns. Extra fat and protein would never hurt a hen that is recovering her feathers.

The only thing that slowed down the feather picking was Desitin. However, as soon as it starts to wear off in a day the picking starts. It is also messy. I tried pick no more and that didn't work. I tried Corona cream, and that didn't really work either. Now most of her back feathers are back. I just pray she doesn't get beat up again when she goes back in the group. I'm reintroducing slowly. She is next to the original group now for the week. I will sneak her into the hen house at night probably Monday.

 

[pdirt]

As for having the lighting come on just in the morning and not in the evening so the eggs are laid earlier, I can say this does work for us. The light comes on at 3:30am and goes off at 9am (it could go off earlier as it is plenty light by then, but that's just what I had it set to) and most of the eggs are laid by 9 or 10am. I haven't experimented having the light later in the day to see if they would lay later or not.

After two winters with supplemental light, I think next winter we will go without the extra light to give them a break. Most of the birds will only have had one season with the extra light, but there are a few that have had two winters.

 

[hardscaper87]

So is it assumed that the two buffs are doing the picking or have you witnessed others as well.? It is boggling my mind as to why these ladies shouldn't be thriving. As to egg production, i wouldn't ask for better, it did pop into my mind about my parents free range flock not having a roo for over a year. Hens seemed to be fine but at the top of the pecking order was a few hens that didn't mind taking over as leaders. We had noticed a hen to take on the flock as a roo would, even mounting other hens and watching for predators., I wonder if a rooster would balance the flock.? Also they are super easy to come by, and maybe the same type of one of your hens so could hatch a few also

 

[tcarter]

So is it assumed that the two buffs are doing the picking or have you witnessed others as well.? It is boggling my mind as to why these ladies shouldn't be thriving. As to egg production, i wouldn't ask for better, it did pop into my mind about my parents free range flock not having a roo for over a year. Hens seemed to be fine but at the top of the pecking order was a few hens that didn't mind taking over as leaders. We had noticed a hen to take on the flock as a roo would, even mounting other hens and watching for predators., I wonder if a rooster would balance the flock.? Also they are super easy to come by, and maybe the same type of one of your hens so could hatch a few also

The two Buffs are the leaders and they graze on feathers. They purposely pluck and eat them. They stalk the other hens. It is not all day long, but it is common. Those two are leaving tomorrow and I hope the new owners have better luck. They are aware of the hens' history. I have a Sussex that plucks the soft feathers near the vent. She is not aggressive, though. One of my Columbian Wyandottes will eat feathers if the big Buff hen pulls one off and starts walking off with it like it's a treat. Hens always say, "Hey! What do you have there? I want it!" I have yet to see the CW pluck, but the proof will come when I observe the flock back together with the two leaders gone and the two Sussex sneaked back in. A new pecking order will begin. I pray they do not fight!