Will pullets start laying or is it late in the season

[Duckfarmer1]

They surprised me with their tolerance to cold, stress, etc. considering the open skin. I have one who has zero feathers around her neck and she looks a little odd since the rest have beautiful feather ruffs surrounding the front neck. Are you trying to get that type of appearance as opposed to the feathers?

How old are they if the one has no feathers..I’m asking because I has a runt duck who is 7 mths old and still not full feathered...Miss Lydia suggestioned I used B complex

 

[munchkinlover]

I guess we must have patience but they will start laying, it just seems like it takes awhile. One of my leghorns layed an egg yesterday and today, but I am still waiting on the rest to start, too.

Waiting is hard, isn't it? And I' glad that egg laying isn't contingent on my rooster being successful. He doesn't seem to have down how to pin one. Bless his heart....it's comical.

 

[munchkinlover]

I have 3 nesting boxes attached to the back of my coop. Outside. Do I need to drill holes in each box and where? Top, bottom, sides, and how many?

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I have 3 nesting boxes attached to the back of my coop. Outside. Do I need to drill holes in each box and where? Top, bottom, sides, and how many?

Can you Show a Picture...we have our nesting boxes attached outside..the hens either walk up a ladder or fly in the hole..then they walk down a hallway and pick which box..we have 12 adult hens..8 boxes in their coop..they only use the two end boxes,,drives me crazy..lol

 

[feathermaid]

Wowww I’ve never heard this before and I have a cockerel also and I’ve just been feeding them all layer feed

Yep, layer feed has a higher calcium content (of course!) than regular feed, and that additional calcium can sometimes be harmful for males over time since they don't have a choice to avoid it. There's been some heated discussion on BYC about it but I would rather be safe than sorry.

I'm sure you could do a thread search but all I have saved for reference at the moment is an excerpt from this article:
"Cockerels and non-layers should ideally not eat layer feed, as the high percentage calcium in layer feed can cause long term health problems, such as kidney damage (in young birds and chicks) and gout. Many poultry keepers can and do feed cockerels the same feed as their active layers with no apparent adverse effects on their health. Some birds however are genetically predisposed to an inability to process excess uric acid, so some cockbirds will develop issues from eating layer feed and some can do it all their lives and never have a problem. Non-laying birds should be fed an "all flock" feed and in the case of a mixed age flock consisting of non-layers and active layers, the layers should be offered a calcium supplement in the form of crushed oyster or egg shells, offered on the side (do not mix it with their feed)."

How old are they if the one has no feathers..I’m asking because I has a runt duck who is 7 mths old and still not full feathered...Miss Lydia suggestioned I used B complex

They have Naked Necks (Turkens)... bred to be featherless only on their necks.

 

[J99]

Ok well I did read articles on this after Inread your comment and I did learn some things thank you very much, but a I think he’ll be fine from what I’ve read and I’m going to look into the all flock feed and see but he’s my only male and I have 30 pullets . I do give them oyster shell and grit and vegetables etc and he loves strawberries but I’ll keep an eye out and I may switch unless the price is different.
Now about the hen boxes , why would I need to drill holes in them??
I’m waiting for my pullets to lay any day now

I hoping that my buffs start laying in the next week or so. Thank you

look at my wyondotte and Buff checking out the fake egg Lolol and mine squat and squawk

 

[smfarman]

Ok well I did read articles on this after Inread your comment and I did learn some things thank you very much, but a I think he’ll be fine from what I’ve read and I’m going to look into the all flock feed and see but he’s my only male and I have 30 pullets . I do give them oyster shell and grit and vegetables etc and he loves strawberries but I’ll keep an eye out and I may switch unless the price is different.
Now about the hen boxes , why would I need to drill holes in them??
I’m waiting for my pullets to lay any day now


look at my wyondotte and Buff checking out the fake egg Lolol and mine squat and squawk

I am not to experienced, but I have 28 pullets and 2 cockerels but due to age ranges from 6 weeks to 25 weeks plus 2 cockerels is why I feed an All flock feed and oyster shell on the side as their needs are different. I do agree with feathermaid. Good luck with your flock.

 

[smfarman]

I hoping that my buffs start laying in the next week or so. Thank you

Today one of my Buffs was checking out the nesting boxes, then later this evening being singing, so hopefully she will start soon. Here is a pic