When did your golden comets start to lay?

[Bawkbok]

The egg on the right is a large store bought egg.

Happy the day when you no longer have to buy store bought.

 

[Chickenpoonumber2]

Happy the day when you no longer have to buy store bought.

Truth! Here in Colorado, all eggs are cage free, but I watched a documentary about egg production and how the chickens are treated and I was horrified. I don't mean to get up on a soapbox or anything but I am very excited to get away from store bought eggs as much as possible.

 

[Bawkbok]

Truth! Here in Colorado, all eggs are cage free, but I watched a documentary about egg production and how the chickens are treated and I was horrified. I don't mean to get up on a soapbox or anything but I am very excited to get away from store bought eggs as much as possible.

Cage free is meaningless really, they are still shot up with hormones and antibiotics and many have health issues due to overcrowding.

Yes, the commercial operations are disgusting. Even the "organic" are not truly so.

We have a neighbor we gave eggs to and she said she doesn't want anymore because she can't tell the difference between ours and store bought. I had to work hard to stifle a laugh.

 

[Chickenpoonumber2]

Cage free is meaningless really, they are still shot up with hormones and antibiotics and many have health issues due to overcrowding.

Yes, the commercial operations are disgusting. Even the "organic" are not truly so.

We have a neighbor we gave eggs to and she said she doesn't want anymore because she can't tell the difference between ours and store bought. I had to work hard to stifle a laugh.

Yes, cage free was a feel good law that got passed. They are still allowed to stuff just as many chickens (maybe more) into a sweat shop of a barn with absolutely no time outside and not even a window.

A friend gave me a dozen of her eggs from her chickens back in February and they were amazing!! I swear I could taste that the chickens were happy and cared for! That's about the time I started looking into getting my own chickens. Your neighbor is silly.

 

[Lizzyduff]

I came here to see if I could find out when golden comets will resume egg laying but I stayed for the fun/comedy LOL. My GC has had 1 season, first egg at about 17 weeks old...started her moult at the end of July, so we haven't had an egg from her since then. Before she moulted at the end of summer, she was our most consistent almost daily layer. Because it's her first year I wasn't sure what to expect but all my other girls are starting up again just now so I'm hopeful we will see a beautiful brown egg in the nest box again any day now!

 

[Chickenpoonumber2]

My girls didn't moult this year (first winter) so they are still laying eggs despite the 8 hours of sunlight and chilly weather. Every time I get eggs from them I tell anyone that will listen, what good girls they are.

 

[FunClucks]

A note for you, @Chickenpoonumber2 , you have pullet eggs. Your golden comet's egg will increase in size over the next few months. After about 3 months of laying, the size and shape are pretty much what she will continue to give you until she molts. So, they are baby eggs now, but give her a few months, and she will be laying adult size eggs. It will be interesting to see what size egg she turns out to lay once they are as big as they will get.

Interestingly enough, place in the pecking order and access to food can also increase the size of their eggs. Multiple feeders in "hidden" locations can make sure the lower pecking order hens get enough to eat. Type of feeder can also influence how much they eat, and if they eat more, they will give you bigger eggs. Mine prefer multiple dog bowls hidden under a plastic lawn chair or behind things that block line of sight - I think 360 degree visibility is appealing on the dog bowls. The 5 gallon bucket feeder right out in the open is monopolized by the higher pecking order birds - putting your head inside the opening to get the food is an opportunity for bullying by higher order hens, so the lower hens eat less when using that feeder. Interesting example: I had a lowest pecking order production type laying hen who was put into her own coop/run with a bunch of smaller non-laying pullets, and therefore became top hen. Her eggs increased in size by ~30% almost immediately - it was a visible increase. She was obviously much happier to be head hen than the lowest in the pecking order. No more bullying, and unrestricted access to food significantly improved her demeanor (calmer), and increased her egg size.

 

[Bawkbok]

Interesting example: I had a lowest pecking order production type laying hen who was put into her own coop/run with a bunch of smaller non-laying pullets, and therefore became top hen. Her eggs increased in size by ~30% almost immediately - it was a visible increase. She was obviously much happier to be head hen than the lowest in the pecking order. No more bullying, and unrestricted access to food significantly improved her demeanor (calmer), and increased her egg size.

This is a great testimonial - thanks for sharing.

 

[Lizzyduff]

A note for you, @Chickenpoonumber2 , you have pullet eggs. Your golden comet's egg will increase in size over the next few months. After about 3 months of laying, the size and shape are pretty much what she will continue to give you until she molts. So, they are baby eggs now, but give her a few months, and she will be laying adult size eggs. It will be interesting to see what size egg she turns out to lay once they are as big as they will get.

Interestingly enough, place in the pecking order and access to food can also increase the size of their eggs. Multiple feeders in "hidden" locations can make sure the lower pecking order hens get enough to eat. Type of feeder can also influence how much they eat, and if they eat more, they will give you bigger eggs. Mine prefer multiple dog bowls hidden under a plastic lawn chair or behind things that block line of sight - I think 360 degree visibility is appealing on the dog bowls. The 5 gallon bucket feeder right out in the open is monopolized by the higher pecking order birds - putting your head inside the opening to get the food is an opportunity for bullying by higher order hens, so the lower hens eat less when using that feeder. Interesting example: I had a lowest pecking order production type laying hen who was put into her own coop/run with a bunch of smaller non-laying pullets, and therefore became top hen. Her eggs increased in size by ~30% almost immediately - it was a visible increase. She was obviously much happier to be head hen than the lowest in the pecking order. No more bullying, and unrestricted access to food significantly improved her demeanor (calmer), and increased her egg size.

That's a really good observation, I hadn't noticed before but looking back i think you are right on the money with this. I've experienced this as well but never really paid attention enough to put into words, but this explains a lot.