When are the eggs coming!?

[Gloria's Gang]

I have six pullets ( RIR, buff orp., PBRock, Austrolorp, Blue Cochin, GL Wyandotte) that are all 21 weeks old. Still no eggs. When should I switch from grower pellets to layer pellets. Thanks for any input.

 

[the lemon tree]

Personally, I'd start the transition now so they build up a supply of calcium before they start laying. Some people might say to hold off until you see the first egg, but I switched mine at 18 weeks, got the first egg at 20 with no apparent bad side effects.

 

[Gloria's Gang]

I will start the layer pellets, thanks for the advice.

 

[PortageGirl]

Yep, I started feeding half and half when the starter was running low, then 70-30, then more and more till they had all layer and the starter was all used up... I hate waste! there was a few eggs while they were still eating the starter... and if it's medicated, you can't eat them, so if you want to eat your first eggs, get them transitioned over! (medicine free for at least 2 weeks, before you ask!)

 

[Gloria's Gang]

In addition to the six pullets, I have one black sex link that we "adopted" this spring. She was one in April. I get one egg a day from her and I feed her layer pellets. Since all the girls are together I have one feeder with layer and one feeder with grower and toss handfuls of mixed onto the ground. So the babies have been getting both for some time. They also free range 1/2 the day so they gets lots of goodies too. The older hen has started missing a day here and there, is that because the days are getting shorter? Should I put a light in there soon to make up the daylight?

 

[SC_Hugh]

OK Gloria, the race is on!

This month, I switched my 3 hens (+ 1 roo) over to a 50/50 mix of grower/layer crumbles...so the egg race is on! (East Coast vs. West Coast). My wife grew up in MD, and I have seen first hand her competitive East Coast spirit. I really can't wait to see my first egg! Best of luck to you.

My two Dominiques will be 22 weeks tomorrow and my Blue Cochins are 20.5 weeks. My Cochin hen is just starting to grow longer wattles, but still getting redder. My 2 Dominique hens have full red color on wattles and combs...and squawky.

Tomorrow, I will open up their nesting boxes and fill with shavings for the first time!

Keep me updated,

Hugh

 

[Gloria's Gang]

This should be good!
My issue is I won't know who the layer of the egg is. I doubt it will be Sylvia, my blue cochin. Her comb is small and pale still compared to the others, although she is huge. She also seems a bit slow, always the last in line and not the smartest of the bunch. Poor thing. She is beautiful though. Her beak is half black and half cream colored. I think that is a fault. What does yours look like?

Kristina
(AKA Gloria)
Gloria is my golden laced wyandotte

 

[FarmerBrowneggs]

I have three Red Comets, 2 Americaunas, 2 Australorps, and 1 (thought it was a hen) Barred Rock rooster. I switched all the birds over to laying pellets, and was wondering if the rooster can be raised successfully on the same feed? He is one big bird I named big foot. Has the biggest feet I ever saw outside my sons. All the birds are around 22 weeks old today, and haven't started laying yet.

JB

 

[PortageGirl]

yep, he'll do fine on the layer rations.

 

[SC_Hugh]

Gloria's Gang :

This should be good!
My issue is I won't know who the layer of the egg is. I doubt it will be Sylvia, my blue cochin. Her comb is small and pale still compared to the others, although she is huge. She also seems a bit slow, always the last in line and not the smartest of the bunch. Poor thing. She is beautiful though. Her beak is half black and half cream colored. I think that is a fault. What does yours look like?

OK Kristina, no egg for me today, but the race is ON!

My Blue Cochin hen is just like yours and sweet as honey, so I named her Honey (formerly named Cleopatra). She is always last in line, but she also sometimes goes on the offensive using her size as an advantage. Her beak is 1/2 black on top and then 1/2 cream near the tip of her beak. Her boyfriend rooster is named Blue (short for Bernard Lewis, formerly named Little Ricky, formerly named Rickie Lee when we were hoping that he was a she). Blue has a mostly solid black upper beak with some cream/black mixed on his lower beak.

Two pics of Honey from a month or two ago:

1 pic of Big Blue:

I need to take some new pics soon. I am sure that one of my two Dominiques will lay first before Honey does. Lots of squawking going on, but no sign of egg salad.

I really like Honey's different personality, it they were all the same, it wouldn't be as fun.

--Hugh​