The Legbar Thread!

[ChicKat]

I weighed the eggs and they come in at 1.5 oz.

That is good solid data and that makes it "small" indeed. Sooo next set of questions, what feed are they getting and what's the water source. Read on BYC some long time ago that the watering is more essential to the eggs than the feed, because eggs are made of such a big percentage of water....

I had three CLs at POL that I bought from someone on Craig's list - and I think that their developmental growth didn't supply them with all the nutrition they needed....of those three only 1 was successful at laying eggs.

My current chicks - hatched at Christmas are ginormous - over 2# already big, big for chicks...Regarding my others, Now I think I may have too much protein in my chicken's feed - my old ladies are starting to kind of waddle when they walk...Maybe too that is partly why the yolks are so big. My CL hens seem just about right, and they are a good weight for a layer...their eggs are about 2oz.

IMO - the CL does lay a smaller egg compared to say an EE or a Golden Comet here...they were both jumbo layers... It could be the newness of the breed, that they are smaller than their best desired weight and some folks hatching from pullet eggs..which may tend to create a smaller grown chicken - just surmising here. In subsequent generations it could be that the egg sizes will increase..and the egg size will probably be a bit bigger after the first molt. --

Lately the performance aspect of the breed has sort of taken a back seat to other characteristics, so I'm really glad that you brought this up so it can get some focus. Did you say that they have been laying for awhile now? -- So the other question is frequency of eggs. I think I would almost prefer a daily layer even if the eggs are small, and work on increasing the size of eggs.

 

[Chickencame1st]

That is good solid data and that makes it "small" indeed. Sooo next set of questions, what feed are they getting and what's the water source. Read on BYC some long time ago that the watering is more essential to the eggs than the feed, because eggs are made of such a big percentage of water....

I had three CLs at POL that I bought from someone on Craig's list - and I think that their developmental growth didn't supply them with all the nutrition they needed....of those three only 1 was successful at laying eggs.

My current chicks - hatched at Christmas are ginormous - over 2# already big, big for chicks...Regarding my others, Now I think I may have too much protein in my chicken's feed - my old ladies are starting to kind of waddle when they walk...Maybe too that is partly why the yolks are so big. My CL hens seem just about right, and they are a good weight for a layer...their eggs are about 2oz.

IMO - the CL does lay a smaller egg compared to say an EE or a Golden Comet here...they were both jumbo layers... It could be the newness of the breed, that they are smaller than their best desired weight and some folks hatching from pullet eggs..which may tend to create a smaller grown chicken - just surmising here. In subsequent generations it could be that the egg sizes will increase..and the egg size will probably be a bit bigger after the first molt. --

Lately the performance aspect of the breed has sort of taken a back seat to other characteristics, so I'm really glad that you brought this up so it can get some focus. Did you say that they have been laying for awhile now? -- So the other question is frequency of eggs. I think I would almost prefer a daily layer even if the eggs are small, and work on increasing the size of eggs.

ChicKat--thanks for the feed back.

My CL hens have been laying since September,
I will weigh the hens.
I am feeding the Layena Purina Omega 3 pellet, Nearly a daily egg, I do offer oyster shell even though the feed says it is not required; the local grovery provides outdated produce so plenty of fresh leafy vegetables right now in winter; supplement some with scratch
Water--I have two different 5 gallon waterers with a total of 10 nipples per bucket
These hens are about 10 months old.
They are not crested--I took them from a breeder just for the eggs not breeding, And now they are puny,

I will weigh the hens and post pics as well. They look like a pretty good sized bird for their age.

The eggs are consistently that size. The shell is sometimes more often rough and not smooth.

Any additional feedback is great.

Thanks

 

[HaplessRunner]

My experience with the air cell changes during the course of incubation is that they do become markedly larger. Since I dry hatch, humidity levels generally runs from 22-35%. So I do get some significant changes in air cell size. I increase the humidity levels once the eggs go into lock down.

FWIW, my hatches have greatly improved since I moved to the dry hatch method. I have another 30+ CLB eggs in the incubator in three waves so I will get more info on hatching soon.

 

[KPenley]

I just weighed the eggs from this week. My girls who started laying between March and November of last year are laying 2.0-2.2 ounce eggs. Interestingly, they are different shapes and look to be different sizes, but very close to each other in weight. The pullets' eggs, who started in the last couple of months, are weighing in at 1.6 ounces.
I get roughly 5 eggs a week/hen when everyone is at full speed, winter not so much. I feed Layena Layer pellets mixed with whole grains, garlic, and warm water. This soaks overnight or all day to lightly ferment it (a bit left over from the day before helps it to ferment quickly).

If your girls are looking puny, have you checked them for common problems...ie parasites, fecal check for worms, etc?

Kathy is so right about nutrition playing a huge part in both bird size and probably egg size as well. A lot can be done correct past nutrition deficients in just a generation or two. For example, I had to wait 31 weeks for my first hen to lay ( it was over winter too though). Her daughter laid at 26 weeks, and her grand daughters are over two and 1/2 pounds at 11 weeks and will probably lay earlier than their mom. Each generation seems to be about 1/2 a pound larger than their mothers at the same age as well! It's so exciting to see positive changes! Best wishes!

 

[KPenley]

@Tony, what do you raise the humidity to at LD? Sadly I lost a bunch of chicks the last hatch, shrink wrapped, but I think it's because I took the early hatchers out when they were a day old. TIA

 

[HaplessRunner]

@Tony, what do you raise the humidity to at LD? Sadly I lost a bunch of chicks the last hatch, shrink wrapped, but I think it's because I took the early hatchers out when they were a day old. TIA

Kestlyn,

I raise the humidity to 60-65% upon lock down. I also do not hesitate to help some of them get out of the shell if they are not progressing or taking what I consider an extended period. I will take early hatchers out too rather than letting them play soccer with the remaining unhatched/in process eggs. I have warm water handy and a spray bottle to reinsert humidity as quickly as I can.

If I have pipping and no progress, I will carefully start to remove some of the shell. Have the warm water spray handy if you find signs of shrink wrapping. And always take care where you spray so as not to inadvertently drown the chick. Avoid causing bleeding if you can and wait if needed for yolk absorption. Just the basics, but I have saved a number of chicks by paying attention. I have also learned from losing chicks too.

Tony

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Kestlyn,

I raise the humidity to 60-65% upon lock down. I also do not hesitate to help some of them get out of the shell if they are not progressing or taking what I consider an extended period. I will take early hatchers out too rather than letting them play soccer with the remaining unhatched/in process eggs. I have warm water handy and a spray bottle to reinsert humidity as quickly as I can.

If I have pipping and no progress, I will carefully start to remove some of the shell. Have the warm water spray handy if you find signs of shrink wrapping. And always take care where you spray so as not to inadvertently drown the chick. Avoid causing bleeding if you can and wait if needed for yolk absorption. Just the basics, but I have saved a number of chicks by paying attention. I have also learned from losing chicks too.

Tony

X2 good advice. I also run not quite completely dry but 20-30% humitidy and then 60% on day 20. since I stagger hatch I don't bump the humidity up when I take the eggs out of the turner on day 18 but I'm still having really good hatches. I also do not open the incubator until the day after hatch if I can help it so I don't have to assist "shrink-wrapped" chicks as much. It's opening the bator that causes me shrink wrap problems for the ones still hatching.

 

[ChicKat]

ChicKat--thanks for the feed back.

My CL hens have been laying since September,
I will weigh the hens.
I am feeding the Layena Purina Omega 3 pellet, Nearly a daily egg, I do offer oyster shell even though the feed says it is not required; the local grovery provides outdated produce so plenty of fresh leafy vegetables right now in winter; supplement some with scratch
Water--I have two different 5 gallon waterers with a total of 10 nipples per bucket
These hens are about 10 months old.
They are not crested--I took them from a breeder just for the eggs not breeding, And now they are puny,

I will weigh the hens and post pics as well. They look like a pretty good sized bird for their age.

The eggs are consistently that size. The shell is sometimes more often rough and not smooth.

Any additional feedback is great.

Thanks

To springboard from what you wrote and echo what KPenley said.... some folks want to save as much as possible on feed...and if they have tons of chicken mouths to feed - they may go the cheap route...when they are growing out (I think that is what happend to my CraigsList three--I don't even know if they got any feed at all or were expected to just free-range for all their feed)... it's tough in a way when you don't raise them yourself.-- the three came into lay very late, and their eggs were small...and one never successfully and consistently produced a shell, the other one got very mean - and as pretty as they were, they both had to go. -- The third one was a superb layer when she finally started, then she had an issue, then she molted, and now she is either sporadic or hiding her eggs... she is on a short string...... Add to that she never grew very big. Still at about 3 1/2 pounds. Supposedly their genetic source was good.

Right now - I'm feeding that green-bag Purina - is it "Flock Raiser", it doesn't give rooster too much calcium, and it boosted protein when they were molting. They look really fabulous - new healthy feathers, and are laying well... Mine are fussy eaters too - so this is at least one bagged they will tolerate- and they free-range pretty much all day every day - and all of them-- especially CLs are always scratching and searching for things. So their feed is 20% protein...which may be a bit high - now that they have all finished molting and started to lay regularly again. I may cut it later with something that has less. They seem to get most of what they want from being out and about. Since Flock raiser doesn't have added calcium, mine always have free-choice oyster shells and their own egg shells crushed and fed back to them. Egg shells are good on all the eggs using this approach.

It sounds like you are doing everything exactly right and they have all they need/want. It just make take some time and some future generations to get where you want to be.When I first started raising chickens, I did notice a direct - almost 24-hour correlation between their feed and their eggs size wise. You may just try an experiment and give them some left over scrambled eggs one day and see if the next day's eggs are 1/10 ounce bigger to see if that would give you a larger egg. Otherwise - sounds like they are producing very regularly - and that is a good thing.

Recently BTW (did I already post this someplace) I purchased a jar of pickled quail eggs - can you imagine a jar of these tiny hard-boiled eggs that are already peeled? - And like someone said - taking a small colored egg and serving it up hard boiled shell and all - should/could start a new craze for foodies - little, colorful eggs - so they should go for a premium.... charge a LOT for a dozen. ;O)

 

[Chickencame1st]

I just weighed the eggs from this week. My girls who started laying between March and November of last year are laying 2.0-2.2 ounce eggs. Interestingly, they are different shapes and look to be different sizes, but very close to each other in weight. The pullets' eggs, who started in the last couple of months, are weighing in at 1.6 ounces.
I get roughly 5 eggs a week/hen when everyone is at full speed, winter not so much. I feed Layena Layer pellets mixed with whole grains, garlic, and warm water. This soaks overnight or all day to lightly ferment it (a bit left over from the day before helps it to ferment quickly).

If your girls are looking puny, have you checked them for common problems...ie parasites, fecal check for worms, etc?

Kathy is so right about nutrition playing a huge part in both bird size and probably egg size as well. A lot can be done correct past nutrition deficients in just a generation or two. For example, I had to wait 31 weeks for my first hen to lay ( it was over winter too though). Her daughter laid at 26 weeks, and her grand daughters are over two and 1/2 pounds at 11 weeks and will probably lay earlier than their mom. Each generation seems to be about 1/2 a pound larger than their mothers at the same age as well! It's so exciting to see positive changes! Best wishes!

OK so here is a random sampling so to speak of the egg weight range of the 16 eggs collected today of the 18 possible all but 2 laid an egg.

 

[chicken pickin]

I have my very first CL eggs from my trio in the incubator, 6 eggs set today (along with 20 Olive eggs). I cant wait til hatch day for the CL chicks.