Utah!

[Sphinx]

The only thing I've done to "train" the chickens to lay in the nest boxes is I put a golf ball or two in there before they started laying. But, even when I hadn't done that, I once acquired an adult hen, and she automatically went to the boxes, and the others kind of followed suit.

kidasoto, others have talked about using the curtains, and once they put them up, the hens don't go in there except to lay. It hasn't been a problem for me. By getting red in the face, they're referring to the fact that pullets that aren't ready to lay yet have pinkish combs, and the skin around their eyes is kind of pinkish. As they get more mature and ready to lay eggs, their combs gradually turn from pink to red. It's a good sign of when a chicken is getting old and mature enough to begin laying eggs.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

What do you guys mean by getting red? My girls arent laying yet and im not sure when they will. They keep on sleeping in and pooping in the nesting boxes. Ive put up a curtain but they just keep on going in. Any ideas to get them not to sleep in them?

The wattles and combs turn bright red prior to laying, sometimes a few weeks before....also when you reach for them they squat, like they are ducking from something over their head....this is their instinct to take a stance for the rooster to mate with them, the squatting starts a week or two before the first egg usually. No ideas on the next box sleeping, but I have had juveniles do that and they just stop on their own when they realize the nests are for eggs. I have never had laying pullets do it, so they might stop on their own in time.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

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Anybody want a EE pullet/layer?

If anybody wants this girl I am headed to SLC on Saturday.......can drop her off along my route from Logan. Or meet you at Raging Waters. I have had her on KSL, not much luck.

 

[kidasoto]

OK mine are definitely turning red. My BO is the reddest.

Well today is my 9th wedding anniversary. My dd Tarah (8) said that she would take care of Elsie (7mon) for me today for my anniversary. She said she would do all the diapers, put her down for naps, and everything. I asked about when Elsie was hungry she said she would bring her to me so that i could nurse her. She is such a good girl. Its going to be an interesting day.

 

[MoriahQuilts]

OK mine are definitely turning red. My BO is the reddest.

Well today is my 9th wedding anniversary. My dd Tarah (8) said that she would take care of Elsie (7mon) for me today for my anniversary. She said she would do all the diapers, put her down for naps, and everything. I asked about when Elsie was hungry she said she would bring her to me so that i could nurse her. She is such a good girl. Its going to be an interesting day.

Happy Anniversary!! I hope its wonderful - sounds like you're off to a good start with Tarah.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Happy anniversary!! That is awesome!

I got a nice egg from LaVerne this morning. Cute speckles on a nice dark olive egg. Hope the trend continues. They are getting really nice sized for a month or so of laying! Wish some more would start, should be anyday now on my BA, and my BSL is looking red too =)

 

[Sphinx]

Awww, that is so sweet of your daughter to offer to do that, kidasoto. I am interested to hear how the day goes. Do you and your dh have plans, other than enjoying a child-lite day?

Lisa, remind me why you're getting rid of your EE pullet? I have to admit I'm kind of thinking of giving my gift chicken back to my neighbor- she's a mean chicken. Last batch of chickens kept her down, but she's awfully mean to my new babies, and they can't bully her the way she needs to be.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

This is ShirLee. She lays brown eggs with dark speckles, instead of Olive like LaVerne....I got the two from Cynthia and figured I would keep the one with the coolest eggs, and she started picking on LaVerne and it will not stop, so she has got to go. I would not call her mean at all, she is sweet to the others and with the humans, but she just picks on LaVerne for some reason, and I really really like LaVerne because of the olive eggs. She also chases my Lav around. But has not "picked" at her. I think if her and Laverne are apart she could be a really good girl. To Shirlee's Credit, LaVerne is possibly my dumbest chicken, and I can see why she would get on ones nerves. She lays on her back with her legs up in the air to sleep. It is really weird, and she (LaVerne) gets in the nests with the others when they are laying and it bugs them But I love my LaVerne So I vowed if she did not quit picking at LaVerne, Shirlee would go. She is a FBCM/Amer. cross born in November 2011.

**I should add here, here eggs are really nice, they are brown with speckles (most of the time, some are smooth) and they look similar to the Welsummer eggs. Not chocolate, but deeper brown. She lays almost every day, and they should be big nice eggs when she gets older, they are already looking M-L size, most L.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

I have a buff orp that quit laying for almost 6 weeks now that I will also give to anyone who wants a nice chicken dinner (humanely processed of course!) , or to wait her out and see if she starts again, she is only a year old so I do not know what her deal is. She sits in the nest every morning as if to lay, then leaves, with no egg? She is good sized.

 

[Joybells]

I'm really interested in both of them, La Casa de Pollo. I'm currently near Taylorsville, visiting with some family for a while.