Hi again Jackie
Sorry, I misunderstood, I thought you had the Marans, amberlink, speckledy and something else(sorry I forgot) and then just recently added 4 hybrids(I was thinking red sex links) to them. It sounds like you have a real menagerie with those other creatures.....very exotic! I love the sound of the pygmy hedgehog! I would hope to see eggs towards about 23 weeks, but may happen sooner... or of course later.... but they will get there in their own time and you just have to be patient..... which is totally impossible I know, especially as the weeks go by and you know it's getting near!! They tease you something rotten the last few days. I kept hearing the egg song and rushing out to check half a dozen times a day only to be disappointed..
I'm into my 3rd year this time around but I had chickens and ducks 12 or so years ago. Unfortunately I slowly got wiped out by foxes last time.It was coming through the day, sometimes even when I was there and picking them off. My main flock free ranges so I have to accept that this is a risk and set it against the great lifestyle they enjoy. Thankfully this time around, apart from the odd dog attack and two visits from the fox, I have been more fortunate. I currently have about 50 chickens and 5 broody hens with chicks running around and another 2 broody hens on eggs.... beware what they call "Chicken Maths".... I started with a trio of exchequer leghorns and now look what's happened..... chickens and chicks everywhere!!!
I also have horses (I have 5 and my partner has 3) (maybe this is "horse maths") and 2 cats and 10 hives of bees (definitely bee maths!). Chickens bees and horses are definitely addictive.
Regards
Barbara