The New Flock 2021: Back to Basics

[speckledhen]

Looks like some more of my Dirty Dozen Gang are not going to be around much longer. Rayna has been going to a nest for weeks, sitting and sitting, no egg. Juliette, who I thought was actually dying, has gained all her weight back and looks beautiful but she has been on a nest a couple of times, no egg. And I was pleased to see Layla on a nest for quite some time, but she left, no egg. All three of them were on nests this morning, have not seen that sight in months, but I picked up Layla when she left the nest and she is definitely quite bloated. I would never recommend Cackle's EEs to anyone because of these awful malfunctions. I lost Ripley very early on, then Scarlett. I hope that Shelby is okay because she lays the largest eggs of all and they are a pretty sky blue. This is always my luck with hatchery stock. I really thought EEs, being of mixed genetics, might have better health and longevity, but apparently not these. The bantam Cochin hens are just always broody or not laying because they were recently broody.
With all these EEs going down, where on earth will I get eggs? Geez. I guess I'll have to hatch from the Omega Rocks when they begin laying, which won't be for quite awhile.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's too bad Cynthia. Hopefully it's just taking a while for your gals to get producing those eggs. Sometimes those hatchery birds are a necessity evil just to get some eggs.

You could do what I have done and keep hatching bantam eggs until you end up with like 50 bantam hens so you get a dozen eggs a day out of them.