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Barnyard Buddies:  new hens finally laying  |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 18 2008 : 03:42:29 AM
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YEA!!
When I opened the coop I finally found a small but perfect brown egg. YEA!
The other 13 ladies should start in too, so the "drought" will end, and all my customers can have their eggs MUCH sooner!
Funny thing is, I placed a golfball in the nest a few days ago and it's vanished! Sure hope that snake doesn't return |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
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azgardengirl
Farmgirl in Training
13 Posts
Camille
Gilbert
Arizona
USA
13 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2008 : 2:51:31 PM
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| That is awesome. We have 3 little bantams and I am so excited for them to start laying! A couple more months though... |
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Cheryl Severeide
Farmgirl in Training
44 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2008 : 4:58:02 PM
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Congrats on the egg count... Hubby & I will be building our chicken coop & yard this fall , as just got moved in and planted a garden..... Checking the best location in the back yard. We checked with the co-op and were told February the new catalogs come out & we can order our chicks then, So we have time to get the coop built. Question? How many nests do we plan for if we get 8-10 chickens?
How much space will we need to house these? and whats the best layers to get?
Life situations and circumstances change quickly, often without notice... Take each challenge with a positive attitude. |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2008 : 9:53:08 PM
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how wonderful! i cant wait till my adies start laying! they are only 39 days old lol.
peace connie in alaska |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2008 : 9:54:54 PM
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oops make that my ladies* lol my fingers cannot spell as well as my brain!
peace connie in alaska |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2008 : 10:28:57 PM
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How fun!! It is always so fun to find your first egg. I still have loved it when I have started a new flock (like 6 years ago when we moved here) and get that first one from the new girls. Congratulations!!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2008 : 05:22:06 AM
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Anna- Congratulations! I'm still waiting for mine to start. Even living in luxury hasn't given them the incentive to lay. ;)
Karin
Farmgirl Sister
# 18 :)
Wherever you go, there you are.
www.madrekarin.blogspot.com
www.madrekarin.etsy.com |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Jul 22 2008 : 12:12:55 PM
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Cheryl: you need one nest per 3-5 hens. They will take turns laying in the boxes. Good luck!
harvest farm & market web site coming soon |
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Alseafarmgal
Farmgirl in Training
38 Posts
Rebecca
Alsea
OR
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - Jul 22 2008 : 11:39:53 PM
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Two of my hens laid their first egg yesterday.  One of the eggs had no shell just the membrane. But I wasn't expecting them to start laying yet and hadn't built their nest box, so of course they laid it on the floor.  So dh and I built a nest box and put it in the coop. Today we had two eggs on the floor with no shells.
How do I get them to use the nest box? and why do they have no hard shell?
Becky
"Live your Dreams"
www.renfrophotography.com |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2008 : 06:45:56 AM
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Thats sounds dietary... what kind of feed are you ginving them again? The shell is made up of calcium and protein. So you may have to add that to their diet. Whats the percentage ratio of protein the feed your giving them?
harvest farm & market web site coming soon |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2008 : 07:06:39 AM
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Oh, nest boxes need to be dark. Chickens love dark places. Make sure its comfy too, lots of straw. Try to keep putting them in there so that they know where it is. They may not be using it becasue they arent familiar with it yet.
harvest farm & market web site coming soon |
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Alseafarmgal
Farmgirl in Training
38 Posts
Rebecca
Alsea
OR
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2008 : 07:52:20 AM
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Dawn....Thanks. I'm feeding them 20% organic layer pellet. I'm picking up some oyster shells for them today.
I'll keep working with them so they get used to the new nest. I built 3 partitioned nest 18x18 with slopped roof. With a little roost so they can get in. It looks pretty dark.
Thanks for the help....I'll keep ya posted to what works.
Becky
"Live your Dreams"
www.renfrophotography.com |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2008 : 07:56:37 AM
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It all sounds good... when I get to work today I'll ask what else can be done for ya. I know when they first start laying the shells are very soft until the hens mature to about 17-20 weeks old... 20% sure sounds like enough. If all else fails I resort back to my old time soft shell trick: a handful of dry cat food 2-3 times a week.
harvest thyme farm & market web site coming soon |
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Brew Crew
True Blue Farmgirl
676 Posts
Molly
Arizona
676 Posts |
Posted - Jul 23 2008 : 10:37:31 AM
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How exciting about your new eggs! I've had my share of squishy, lumpy, wavy, uneven eggs at our henhouse. Don't know that it's necessarily always dietary, but that would be a good place to start. We recently had one like you described, with no shell. The kids thought it was hilarious and played with it untill......ewwwww.
The Biz www.tvalahandmade.com
The Blog: http://blog.tvalahandmade.com/
The Bits www.happydalehobby.blogspot.com/
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therealshari
True Blue Farmgirl
235 Posts
Shari
Beryl
UT
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2008 : 10:55:53 AM
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We're just coming off our "first molt". In June, our egg production dropped to as low as 1 egg per day across 19 hens. Until then, they'd been laying 15 to 18 eggs a day for us. This month we're back to 8 to 12 eggs, and I expect that's where we'll stay until next year.
As for nest boxes, we have four adjoining boxes elevated, attached outside (with entry from inside), so we can harvest the eggs without entering the coop. We line our nest boxes with sheep fleece leftover from shearing our sheep. Our hens love it!
In the past year, out of well over 5000 eggs, we've had three membrane only. Also, we have had less than a dozen eggs broken in the nest in that time.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleece? We do, and you can too! Check our our new "Fleece For Sale" page. |
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Alseafarmgal
Farmgirl in Training
38 Posts
Rebecca
Alsea
OR
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2008 : 7:41:25 PM
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Thanks for the info Shari... We got two eggs today and they were in a nest. Finally headed in the right direction. I just added the oyster shells to their diet. I have 12 chickens 9 hens and 3 roosters I think. The girls share 3 nest boxes.
When the roosters get older will I need to get rid of two? or will they all get along?
I'm just so happy they figured out the nest and are putt'n shells on those eggs.
Becky
Farmgirl Sister #289
"Live your Dreams"
www.renfrophotography.com |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2008 : 12:06:46 AM
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definately get rid of 2 roosters because if you dont the poor hens will have bare naked backs from the roosters mounting them! 1 rooster to about a dozen hens is more than adequate.
peace connie in alaska |
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Alseafarmgal
Farmgirl in Training
38 Posts
Rebecca
Alsea
OR
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2008 : 08:27:28 AM
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Thanks Connie...
O.K....looks like Sunday dinner for those boys. I'll have to see who is the nice one and he gets to stay. I can't believe I ended up with three. I bought 4 Rhode Island reds, 4 Barred Rocks and 4 Goldens and I have a rooster from each group.
Becky
Farmgirl Sister #289
"Live your Dreams" "Live Creatively"
www.renfrophotography.com |
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therealshari
True Blue Farmgirl
235 Posts
Shari
Beryl
UT
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2008 : 09:40:34 AM
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Yeah, we kept a couple roosters way too long... Mom liked to hear them crow. They really made a mess of our hens.
After they targeted me a few too many times, they went to live with the Mexican family down the road. Last I heard, the dogs killed them before they became Pollo Con Arroz. Too bad, since we really did give them to the family for meat.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleece? We do, and you can too! Check our our new "Fleece For Sale" page. |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2008 : 07:16:40 AM
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AAAND, happy to anounce, yesterday evening, it was discovered that not just 1 but 5 hens are now laying!
There are a total of 14, so hopefully all will get the egg out. funny how they are surpassing the older ladies now. The pressure's on gals!
figures they start up now, just as we are about to go on vacation in 2 weeks.
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Alseafarmgal
Farmgirl in Training
38 Posts
Rebecca
Alsea
OR
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2008 : 8:09:58 PM
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Anna...Congrats on your laying hens. I'm only getting two eggs a day from our nine hens. It's so much fun to collect the eggs each day!
Becky
Farmgirl Sister #289
"Live your Dreams" "Live Creatively"
www.renfrophotography.com |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2008 : 12:14:47 PM
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I sure hope the ladies continue well into December. i would love to cash in into everyone's holiday baking. that, and I have noticed a request increase due to higher prices at the grocer.
Last year the older gals left me high and dry 'till around February. there's not much we or they can do when a yearly molt comes around. |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2008 : 4:04:19 PM
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You can try to fend off the molt by using extra lighting. I havent tried it yet, but that what they say at work. Fake 'em out with extra lighting. Maybe a timer that will swith a brooder lamp (with a lower wattage bulb) on at 5pm (winter time) and turn it off at midnight? That's almost 20 hours of daylight....definately food for thought...literally!
"I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one!"...Calamity Jane |
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Barnyard Buddies: new hens finally laying |
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new hens finally laying
