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Barnyard Buddies:  My girls just aren't laying  |
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CherryPie
True Blue Farmgirl
935 Posts
Kimberly Ann
Puyallup
WA
USA
935 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 25 2009 : 07:34:06 AM
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My two chicken girls aren't laying. They are well past the age to start but neither the Rhode Island Red or the Blue Cuckoo Marans has shown the least interest in laying. I know the darker days can have an effect but I wonder if they will shut down all winter? I especially expected the RIR to lay, but no dice. 
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher
http://beesinourbonnetsintheburbs.blogspot.com/ |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2009 : 08:09:59 AM
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Kimberly, we should start a club. Same thing going on here. Mine are 7 month old Buffs. I am getting 1 egg a day and thrilled to get it. But come on girls! Everyone says to put a light in the hen house. I still need to do that. Haven't gotten around to it yet.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
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gramadinah
True Blue Farmgirl
3557 Posts
Diana
Orofino
ID
USA
3557 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2009 : 09:31:37 AM
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Light Light Light Light you have to give them 12 to 14 hours a day of light to get eggs.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #273 |
Edited by - gramadinah on Nov 25 2009 10:49:10 AM |
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Windsong
True Blue Farmgirl
309 Posts
LaVonna
Decatur
Tx
309 Posts |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2009 : 11:07:13 AM
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I have never had to put a light on in my chicken house in order to get eggs. I am wondering if where you girls are getting your chickens from are not bringing in fresh breeding blood, and they are getting so inter-bred that they aren't worth beans. IMO, if you want good layers, why not get egg production hens, like sex links, they were created by crossing RIR's, Buff Orpingtons and another breed which escapes me right now. They lay all year long, hot, cold, less daylight, more daylight, they are not broody, and they start laying at about 5 months of age.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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CherryPie
True Blue Farmgirl
935 Posts
Kimberly Ann
Puyallup
WA
USA
935 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2009 : 1:24:46 PM
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I'll definitely try the light and see if that helps.
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher
http://beesinourbonnetsintheburbs.blogspot.com/ |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Nov 25 2009 : 3:27:29 PM
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I have had the black sex links and had the same problem. They just don't lay in winter here. I have had all kinds of chickens. I am just having bad luck with all the chickens I've had lately. Except the game hens. Now they layed eggs and set on them and I still have lots of them running around here. 10 of them are roosters and only 2 hens left from all those eggs hatched.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Windsong
True Blue Farmgirl
309 Posts
LaVonna
Decatur
Tx
309 Posts |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Nov 27 2009 : 07:29:57 AM
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I agree Light,Light,Light! Those girls need at least 14 hours of light. I have my timer set to come at 3:00 in the afternoon just because we have a lot of darker days here in Oregon and it stays on until 9:00 pm. My girls lay all winter long. Sometimes they are a little inconsistant, but I am getting eggs!
Kristen-I have had a couple different set of buffs and both started laying at 20 weeks. The first set turned 20 weeks in the middle of January and the other in the middle of December. I think you need to go and have a talk with those girls!
Lillian |
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Beverley
True Blue Farmgirl
2707 Posts
Beverley
atlanta
Michigan
USA
2707 Posts |
Posted - Nov 27 2009 : 10:28:05 AM
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Teresa, since you live in CAlifornia you probably get a lot more light all winter than some of us. I have to put a light on mine with a timer to have them lay in the winter and mine are egg layers. I have it turn on at 6 am and go off at 8 pm. The ones I have right now are americanans and they are just old enough to start laying and with the light the did, but last year I had chickens that I let free range and they stopped all winter cause here in michigan we never get the sun other states do and this year it has been just rainy and dreary so if I did not have the light in there I would not get any again.
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett Beverley with an extra E...
http://bevsdoggies.googlepages.com/ |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Nov 27 2009 : 10:55:21 AM
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Beverley, I did not think about the way north north/east girls not having enough light, I just wonder if giving them artifical light all year, into the night would be unhealthy and cause un-needed stress. It just reminds me of the commercial egg farms, and the laying hens have very short life spans, and "no" i'm not saying thats how you all are treating/raising your hens, I just do everything as natural as possible.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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Beverley
True Blue Farmgirl
2707 Posts
Beverley
atlanta
Michigan
USA
2707 Posts |
Posted - Nov 27 2009 : 12:02:00 PM
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I usually try and let me girls rest in the winter because we don't have the light but this year since these hens are just old enough to start laying I was hoping it would not hurt them to lay during the winter. and now that I know that in warmer climates like CA that have more light year round and the hens keep laying I don't think it will hurt them at all to lay through the winter this year. I really like my americanans and the pretty blue-green eggs they lay. I have such pretty eggs to collect all the time...hehehehehe They are really docile and nice hens too. I carry them all over when I am outside and they let my grandkids carry them all over too. way to cool chickens...
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett Beverley with an extra E...
http://bevsdoggies.googlepages.com/ |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Nov 27 2009 : 5:54:42 PM
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Beverley, i know i don't get as cold as you do, or as alot of others, but we do get cold, down to 0 or less on occasion, teens at night, and 20's during the day, my elevation is 3800, so we do get snow also, althou with this drought, who knows, lol.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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KellyWall
True Blue Farmgirl
336 Posts
Kelly
Apison
Tn
USA
336 Posts |
Posted - Nov 27 2009 : 6:03:46 PM
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My hens are still laying, I have 6 and am getting 5-6 eggs a day. However my pesky Lab is sneaking in the hen hose and eating the eggs!! Any solutions for that problem??? I need help, I want my eggs back!She is getting in while I leave the door open so they can free range during the day, they can go back in to lay and go back out, I want my hens to have room to roam but that darn dog!
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Nov 27 2009 : 8:40:03 PM
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Put a hen size doggy door in the full size door, one the lab won't fit in. Unfortunatly, once a dog starts stealing and eating eggs, its almost inmpossible to break the habit. One thing I heard works sometimes is getting bitter apple spray from the pet or feed store and spaying some eggs and letting him/her grab those, icky, nasty taste , hard to get out of mouth, you might have to do it a few times to get the message across thou, good luck.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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KellyWall
True Blue Farmgirl
336 Posts
Kelly
Apison
Tn
USA
336 Posts |
Posted - Nov 28 2009 : 4:10:50 PM
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| Thanks, that sounds better than filling one with hot sauce like my FIL suggested! |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Nov 28 2009 : 5:07:07 PM
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Kelly, the dogs nose would have told him not to bite into hot sauce, long before he bit anyway, lol.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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vtstevens
True Blue Farmgirl
88 Posts
Virginia
Woodinville
WA
USA
88 Posts |
Posted - Nov 29 2009 : 9:47:44 PM
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Kimberly, concerning your pullets that have not begun to lay eggs, if they reach egg laying maturity while the days are shortening toward winter equinox, then they may not begin laying until the next spring. If they matured to laying age while the days were lengthening, then they can start laying before the following spring.
I don't suffer from stress. I'm a carrier.
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Edited by - vtstevens on Nov 29 2009 10:43:28 PM |
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CherryPie
True Blue Farmgirl
935 Posts
Kimberly Ann
Puyallup
WA
USA
935 Posts |
Posted - Dec 01 2009 : 5:01:54 PM
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Success!! The light must have done the trick because we found our first egg today from our RIR:
Oh my goodness, I'm as proud as if I laid it myself. 
Kimberly Ann
Farmgirl Sister #225
Crochet Geek, Newbie Fiddler, Would-be Farmer, Backyard Chicken Rancher
http://beesinourbonnetsintheburbs.blogspot.com/ |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Dec 01 2009 : 7:28:40 PM
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Yeah!! An egg! That's great. I'm still getting 1 egg a day here. Aren't those first eggs the cutest?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Barnyard Buddies: My girls just aren't laying |
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My girls just aren't laying
