Vermont

[robynz]

Anyone else in Vermont have lazy chickens who lay no eggs?

Seems like they have been molting forever! Though, some of my pullets are finally looking ready so keep your toes crossed.

Mine have slowed down their laying with the colder weather and shorter days... maybe that's it? I have 5 laying hens and get 1-4 eggs/day.

 

[ChiChiLady]

My girls started laying at around five months old. I researched breeds that will lay in winter despite the shorter day light hours and they are doing really well. I have 16 hens one rooster. I am getting between 4 to 7 eggs a day. Granted they are still young, born in mid May. A month ago the Wellsummers and Easter eggers (ameracuna, they have beards) stopped laying. The silver laced wyndottes, black austerlorps and a austerlorpe/ leg horn cross are all still laying eggs!! I gave three hens of the same batch to a neighbor they still have not layed eggs, having a rooster really seems to help encourage the Lady's to lay. Also I have peace of mind knowing that if any predator trys to break into my coope or get a lady during the day, that rooster is going to be on the look out and the first to sacrifice him self to protect the ladies.

 

[Keara]

so.... I have one olive-egger hen who is laying again long after she molted and regrew feathers, hopefully the other hens are not far behind her. But the pullets are still holding out on me...... **** them... I really do want to hatch!

 

[robynz]

My girls are cracking me up! They don't mind the cold at all! I'm still letting them roam during the day, and I went to close up the coop last night, I was following their little tracks in, love them!

 

[Keara]

So glad I have 4 roosters! They are working shifts, all day, to drive off a persistent peregrine falcon. Even the little bantie is doing his share. My poor blue copper marans has been blooded but is doing fine and still working to protect his girls.

 

[aceschix]

So glad I have 4 roosters! They are working shifts, all day, to drive off a persistent peregrine falcon. Even the little bantie is doing his share. My poor blue copper marans has been blooded but is doing fine and still working to protect his girls.

Sounds like you have very good boys!

 

[Noymira]

I've had no eggs for almost a month, don't know if they have quit due to lack of light or if I've got egg eaters- or a combination of both... I saw some egg eating activity earlier this fall so I'm leaning that way a bit...

I lost one chicken last night, I think to a mink or other weasel, since I can't figure out how it got in or out and only the head (and blood) is missing from one hen.

Anyone know of anywhere not too far that does custom processing? I told my hens they have until New Year's to start laying again or they were going to be chicken 'n dumplings. I don't need 16 pet chickens to care for through a VT winter without electricity in the coop, which is also 200+ feet from my house. Those black copper marans hens I got from Keara last year are looking pretty plump and tempting!

I don't mind doing a few myself, but kind of max out at 2-3 birds in one shot with my dad helping. I don't mind doing a bit of driving, but can't seem to find anything that seems promising for a smaller number of birds, especially in the winter. I may be able to borrow a plucker and round up a few more helpers if I have to do it myself, but it's hard to plan ahead for that with the weather this time of year.

If I don't figure something out soon the weasels might take care of it for me, but if anyone is going to eat those birds it's supposed to be me!

 

[LilyD]

Not sure where you are located but you may want to check into Misty Knoll in New Haven. They are the big bird processors in our area and someone had told me that they will actually process birds start to finish for people for a price. Not sure what that is but it's worth checking out I think.

Hope this helps

 

[WestVermont]

I am from Bennington just like the first poster and I am part of a great state group called vt farm and garden exchange @ http://www.vtfarmandgardenexchange.com Hopefully I will see some of you there as well. My current flock of 26 is of a few breeds and I am not sure what they all or even though I know what I ordered.

 

[WestVermont]

Heating in the winter.... I have 26 chickens about 17 weeks old in a unheated apartment brooder.... they seem to be keeping it between 50 to 55 which is not to bad... no issues with water or chickens. Hoping to move them to a coop soon though and thinking of using a e-heat panel.