The Buckeye Thread

[abmaddox1981]

Mine start 20 to 24 weeks.

Awesome! Thanks!

 

[Minniechickmama]

That may depend on when they were hatched. Getting Spring hatched chicks will get you Summer pullet eggs. If you wait to get them in Summer, then you might not see eggs until February depending on your housing set-up. Extending light hours will get them sooner than that.

 

[Sydney Acres]

I'm sure this question has been asked but there are a lot of posts to scroll through. At what age do buckeye hens start laying?

I think that depends on how old they are when the photoperiod decreases to ~12 hours (give or take), which depends on how far north or south you live, assuming they are only on natural light.

For all my winter layer breeds (Dorkings, Buckeyes, and some of my Barnevelder lines) it seems to be the same. I live 80 miles north of Seattle, so the photoperiod in late June is ~3:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and the photoperiod in late December is ~8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., with a small variance year to year (and whether the winter clouds are thin enough to even see the sun when it's low on the horizon). When I have chicks that are hatched out before the first week in June, the pullets start laying in November and continue to lay through the winter, spring, and most of the summer before molting, so ~18-24 weeks old. If the chicks are hatched out in late June, the pullets aren't old enough to start laying before that critical photoperiod drops down, and therefore they don't typically start laying until late February to late March, when the light threshold is reached. I have a group of pullets now that were hatched out on June 25th last year, and only one is laying, starting ~12 days ago. All my adult hens of these breeds started laying this year in mid January, just for comparison (we had a strange summer, so they continued laying longer before molting. The adults usually molt late summer and restart laying in November).

If you live further south, where the seasonal differences in photoperiod aren't as extreme, then there would be less influence. And if you have your pullets on artificial light to give them a 16 hour photoperiod, then seasonality doesn't influence them, and they should start to lay anywhere from 18-24 week old.

 

[abmaddox1981]

I think that depends on how old they are when the photoperiod decreases to ~12 hours (give or take), which depends on how far north or south you live, assuming they are only on natural light.

For all my winter layer breeds (Dorkings, Buckeyes, and some of my Barnevelder lines) it seems to be the same.  I live 80 miles north of Seattle, so the photoperiod in late June is ~3:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and the photoperiod in late December is ~8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., with a small variance year to year (and whether the winter clouds are thin enough to even see the sun when it's low on the horizon).  When I have chicks that are hatched out before the first week in June, the pullets start laying in November and continue to lay through the winter, spring, and most of the summer before molting, so ~18-24 weeks old.  If the chicks are hatched out in late June, the pullets aren't old enough to start laying before that critical photoperiod drops down, and therefore they don't typically start laying until late February to late March, when the light threshold is reached.  I have a group of pullets now that were hatched out on June 25th last year, and only one is laying, starting ~12 days ago.  All my adult hens of these breeds started laying this year in mid January, just for comparison (we had a strange summer, so they continued laying longer before molting.  The adults usually molt late summer and restart laying in November).

If you live further south, where the seasonal differences in photoperiod aren't as extreme, then there would be less influence.  And if you have your pullets on artificial light to give them a 16 hour photoperiod, then seasonality doesn't influence them, and they should start to lay anywhere from 18-24 week old.

Thanks! I live in Georgia. So I figured July-ish.

 

[A Nonny Moose]

Lovely weather we are having. Yesterday we had a record low for the high temp of day for the month of March since they've been keeping records since the late 1800s... the high, 5 above. From there it was all down hill. This morning it was -8 and out of the latest storm to pass through we ended up with just 6" of snow. All in all I think we've had enough winter and I'm ready for a lil global warming.

 

[Metella]

ha ha I just wrote on a similar thread here on BYC ...

You ARE experiencing global warming - which is really a change in climate that leads to extreme hots and cold and storms and a change in your averages. Right now California, Australia, Texas are all at record highs and in drought (for years running). in the NE we are in extreme polar cold .... brrrrr


I don't care if it is natural or if people are helping it along - things are changing and I am going to be ready ... planting some trees to help with storms and shade

but yah, I am D O N E with this harsh cold and my chickies are too - they are disgusted when even when let out they have to pick through ice and snow in March. Still, they are laying well for me - but giving me the stink eye like it is my fault.

 

[poltroon]

Lovely weather we are having. Yesterday we had a record low for the high temp of day for the month of March since they've been keeping records since the late 1800s... the high, 5 above. From there it was all down hill. This morning it was -8 and out of the latest storm to pass through we ended up with just 6" of snow. All in all I think we've had enough winter and I'm ready for a lil global warming.

You *are* getting global warming. It's just that all the hot air piled up at my house (plus Alaska) this winter! What we need are fans.

We are finally getting some rain, and I think we've advanced from OMG to "critically dry." We're hoping to make it to dry.

Meanwhile, I've been out making some small tractors so we can divide the chickens up better ... and perhaps get to a state where there's always a spare enclosure. I'm hoping this next prototype is The One that will be easy and inexpensive to build and easy to move and work with.

 

[Minniechickmama]

We woke up to a record low of -20 this morning, 2 degrees colder than what they were calling for which would have been a record also. Thank goodness it looks like we are out of the negative temps for this year. I am not a religious person, but I may even start praying for the fertility to start coming in my eggs. This has been beyond ridiculous trying to hatch so far this year. And please NO MORE SNOW!!! I have to go through snow waist high to get to my small coops already, and when this all melts, it is going to be such a mess!

But Metella is right, it is global warming causing such drastic changes here, the hot from the equatorial areas is pushing too high up in the northern jet stream that it is creating these huge troughs of cold air, and storms from the Pacific rim areas is pushing it harder to stay in place right over North America. I hope it all can mellow out and get back to its normal pattern soon, but who knows?

 

[Sydney Acres]

One of the nice things about threads like this is to get a personal view of what's happening all over the country. I see the national weather report on the news and it doesn't sink in the same way. Seeing how it affects peoples chickens, and what it takes to manage them in this weather, that sinks in.

I'm glad to see so many people understand that "global warming" also involves the other side of the pendulum swing, which is really severe storms and excessive cold. If only the original term had been "climate change" or "climate extremes" instead of "global warming" there might not be so much confusion. But I have to agree, I'm ready for a little more global warming, of the "I live on the west coast and it's not supposed to be this cold for so long, and I'm sick of it and need a break and just want a few warm sunny days so I can get something done" kind, not the "global warming = climate change" kind. (Yes, I know, I have it good. At least my birds still have grass to eat and I don't have to get out a snow blower to take them liquid water every morning, but the grey skies are soooo depressing. I actually enjoy the snow days more because it reflects the light and the day is brighter, although many of the birds aren't thrilled, with the exception of Buckeyes and turkeys.)

 

[Metella]

My birds would mob me for some grass ! ha ha ha


They are really mad with the way I am arranging the weather. ha ha

It is going to be 15 below zero F (not C) here tonight. Brrrrr Gave them extra rations and will feed earlier in the day tomorrow....