When shoul my hens start laying?

[keljonma]

Well, you could try putting golf balls or plastic or wooden eggs in the places you want them to lay. It seems to always work for us.

In the second row down, there is a pic of 3 of our ladies determined to use the same nest box..... You would never know we have 9 nest boxes, counting the one that we use for broody hens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/keljonma/page4/

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
I have a couple of things in their coupe for them. The one Cochin that layed at the previous owners place layed in a flower pot, so I put a similar one inthe pen. I also have an old steel wheel without the tire onit sitting ont he ground with straw in it, they seem to like sitting in it. The last "nest" is a plastic bin similar to the cat littler box. I have seen my hens in all of these and also sitting in the corner of the house all huddled up. One thing that is a little funny, I have two Cochin hens. When one is sitting the other kind of guards it and won't let any other chickens around it. I have been looking for eggs after that but never see any.

I was told they start spending alot of time in and out of the nest boxes and also arranging the nest prior to them startign to lay for the 1st. time . I guess this is a playing game , wait and see and SHOW AND TELL MAYBE ... LOL

 

[peaceful]

Hi. I was just in the feed store yesterday and was told that the pullets/hens should only be switched to the layer feed from the grower feed when you start getting 30% of the number of hens in eggs per day. ie. if you have ten hens, wait until you are getting 3 eggs per day from the group, then start the layer feed. The reason was explained to me: the layer feed is very high in calcium and if the hens haven't started laying yet then the excess calcium can cause build up in their vents and actually cause trouble with egg laying.
CORRECTION: It's when you get 10% (not 30%), see my follow up post below

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
CajunLizz wrote :
We lined all one wall inside the coop with these deep black milk crates . We will be attaching the crates to the wall about 18 inches off the floor . Hens love them and I filled them 1/2 way full of pine shavings and hens arrange their nest as the choose . Also the floor to the coop has pine shavings . Shavings DEEPER under the roosting area . Roosting area is on opposite wall AWAY from the nesting boxes . NO POOP in the nesting boxes . WORKS WELL for all concerned .

 

[blueskylen]

I can't seem to keep my girls from roosting on top of the nesting boxes - i have a roost pole, but nobody uses it - the only other place they like to sit is on top of the pole fan that I have in there and they kind of fight over it until 2 of them get on top and can't be forced off.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
MOVE the nesting boxes at least 18 inches off the floor , and BUILD them a roosting area AWAY from the nest boxes . READ my previous post .

 

[keljonma]

Quote:
I've never heard of the percentage thing. Also, I have never heard that one before about calcium build up in the vent. The vent is the outside opening of the cloaca, through which a chicken emits eggs and droppings from separate channels. (From the BYC Glossary of Terms) Are you sure he didn't say kidney or liver? Excess calcium given to young chicks can damage their kidney and liver.

Regardless, your hens will need calcium and other vitamins/minerals to lay healthy strong eggs. Personally, we start switching our flock from starter/grower to layer when they are about 20 weeks of age. We also provide oyster shell at this time.

 

[keljonma]

Quote:
If you have a flat top nest box, you can angle the top, so that they can't sit on it. And I agree, roosts should be higher than nest boxes and on a separate wall, whenever possible. You may not get everyone to stop sleeping in the nest boxes, but the majority of them should. For the slackers, keep removing them from the nest boxes and place them on the roosts. Eventually, they should get the idea. I found putting roosts in the brooders when the birds are still young chicks really helps them prefer roosting.

 

[peaceful]

Correction! I went back to the Farmer's supply store and it is when you get 10% (not 30%, I remembered it wrong) of the number of hens in eggs per day that you switch over to the layer ration. Thus if you have ten hens, when you start averaging one egg a day that is when you switch over to the layer ration from the grower ration. I asked her how she knew this and she said she has worked in feed stores for years and this was just some of the knowledge they told the customers when they started buying the layer ration.
I could be wrong about how the calcium causes problems if started too early. I'll try to go back and ask about that.
Regarding roosts for blueskylen, maybe try some wider flatter roosting material rather the the pole (eg. 2x4 with sanded edges or the like). I've heard somewhere that they can prefer that to poles and the poles (especially if they are too small) can be hard on their legs and feet.

 

[skeeter]

I hatched some out valentines day and they are laying now and have been for better than a week,I guess i got lucky