So I have a 5 buff orpingtons who are now 2.5 to 3 years old, I realize that the laying will slow down at this age...
I have a broody cochin frizzle and a gold laced polish who are both 1.5 to 2 the cochin has never been a good layer but she is cute and the same is true for the polish... cute... not a good layer
Then I have a new crew of white orpingtons, black cochin, buff polish and white and black polish. These guys are all 6 mos old and laying consistently...
There are also 2 pekin ducks (one female whose sole purpose is to hide her eggs from me.
so that is the crew.... I added all of that because I am not sure if it matters or not.
It seems that from the moment the younger chickens started laying (honestly within two weeks) the older buff orpingtons stopped laying. My husband and I have laughed about it and we have decided that now that they have passed the proverbial torch to the younger girls that they are all retired.
Have you guys had this. I mean honestly I used to get these nice xl eggs from the older girls but right now my fridge is filled with small to medium eggs that I am sure are from the younger girls. Even my older polish seems to have stopped laying. I know that they are not hiding the eggs out in the field as the gate has been closed as the younger girls are not that good about coming when called yet.
It is honestly not a big deal to me as my chickens are pets as much as anything... but I am curious as to why this has happened and if it has happened to you all as well.
I have a broody cochin frizzle and a gold laced polish who are both 1.5 to 2 the cochin has never been a good layer but she is cute and the same is true for the polish... cute... not a good layer
Then I have a new crew of white orpingtons, black cochin, buff polish and white and black polish. These guys are all 6 mos old and laying consistently...
There are also 2 pekin ducks (one female whose sole purpose is to hide her eggs from me.
so that is the crew.... I added all of that because I am not sure if it matters or not.
It seems that from the moment the younger chickens started laying (honestly within two weeks) the older buff orpingtons stopped laying. My husband and I have laughed about it and we have decided that now that they have passed the proverbial torch to the younger girls that they are all retired.
Have you guys had this. I mean honestly I used to get these nice xl eggs from the older girls but right now my fridge is filled with small to medium eggs that I am sure are from the younger girls. Even my older polish seems to have stopped laying. I know that they are not hiding the eggs out in the field as the gate has been closed as the younger girls are not that good about coming when called yet.
It is honestly not a big deal to me as my chickens are pets as much as anything... but I am curious as to why this has happened and if it has happened to you all as well.