The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Bionic on April 25, 2012, 11:30:23 am
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I bought 4 POL hens 2 weeks ago. I didn't actually expect them to lay for a couple of weeks anyway but could this cold rainy weather be holding them up?
I speak to them each day asking where my eggs are but I'm not getting much response ;)
thanks
Sally
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I think that when you buy POL pullets they can vary quite a lot in age. POL may span a few weeks depending who you get them from. If they are hybrids I dont think that the weather would affect them too much. We bought a couple of POL hybrids in the autumn knowing that they would come into lay even though it was cold and provide eggs while the pure breeds had a rest through the winter. If they are pure breeds they do seem to wait for the warmer days.
Keep talking to them and they will lay soon :D
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POL is a very vague description which describes pullets 16 weeks or older. Depending on breed they could start laying anything from 22 weeks onwards, some take as long as 32 weeks. If they are hybrids they should start laying around 22 weeks. I would ask the breeder the exact age if possible. They do usually take a week or two to settle in anyway and bad weather doesnt help.
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They'll be fine, relax, our first lot took over a month to start laying, like all of us they prefer a bit of sun and warmth to get mobilised :D
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Mine are put off laying by it being too wet, too dry, too windy, too still, too hot, too cold....... ::)
Yours'll get to it before long I'm sure :)
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hi
what are their combs like? also feel her pelvic bone for size of gap, it'll give an idea of how close
Mx
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I had 20 Rhode Rocks delivered this lunchtime from AA McIntyre - and four had laid by tea-time ;D
Sorry, I know that's not helpful, but just needed to share. :chook:
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I had 20 Rhode Rocks delivered this lunchtime from AA McIntyre - and four had laid by tea-time ;D
Sorry, I know that's not helpful, but just needed to share. :chook:
;D ;D ;D ;D
when we got our hybrids we had 3 eggs on the way home !!!!! ;) i always new my OH driving was bad!!!!! must of scared them
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You go down to them with a packet of Paxo in one hand and an egg box in the other and say "Now girls, which is it to be..........? :D :D
Seriously, though as said, they'll lay when they're ready, be patient.
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I had 20 Rhode Rocks delivered this lunchtime from AA McIntyre - and four had laid by tea-time ;D
Sorry, I know that's not helpful, but just needed to share. :chook:
No Rosemary, thats not helpful :(
I think I need to give mine a stern talking to. It looks like the paxo or the egg box trick coming up ;D
Sally
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Positive thinking Bionic ..... yours have yet to lay ...... so ...... you know that they are POL and not older hens and they will have years of laying ahead. And you know what they say about anticipation! ;D
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I think a lot of breeders/suppliers use POL as purely an age term and nothing to do with whether the individual pullet is ready to start laying or not, which is never very helpful for the buyer. That said, this weather is playing havoc with my lot...the only ones still laying daily are the sabelpoots.
Where're you keeping your hens, Sally?
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Pootle,
I have 2 light sussex, 1 black rock and 1 bluebelle and they are kept in a coop with a small run but the run door is always open so that they have free range. Actually they rarely stray from the area around their coop though.
Sally
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Mine started around the 22nd week but it was wonderful weather .
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Thanks Sabrina,
I think mine were about 17 weeks when we got them so 19 weeks now. I will wait another 3 weeks and then threaten then with the paxo ;D. Hopefully by then we will be having some nice weather too.
Sally
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Oh ...... plenty of time Bionic. Are the Light Sussex pure breeds or a hybrid based on a Light Sussex?
We have had many Black Rock over the years. They have all been wonderful, hardy layers. When we bought a couple of hybrids in the Autumn, my daughter chose Bluebelles. They came into lay in Nov. and have been laying right through the winter. Our pure breeds, regardless of the time of year, have all taken a little longer to mature and begin laying.
They may venture further afield in time but sometimes that can be problematic! Mine get everywhere and it can only be a matter of time before Foxy Loxy discovers they have found the wood. >:(
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in the hills,
I was told they are Light Sussex by the breeder but don't know if that means they are pure bred or not. To be honest it probably wouldn't have mattered to me either way. I just wanted something that would lay eggs ;D
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;D
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Pootle,
I have 2 light sussex, 1 black rock and 1 bluebelle and they are kept in a coop with a small run but the run door is always open so that they have free range. Actually they rarely stray from the area around their coop though.
Sally
At 19 weeks they're still practically babies ;D Some lay by then, others take much longer to come into lay. If you've got any way of keeping them in a shed while the weather's so bad that might encourage them but they might just not be ready yet.
Are their combs and wattles red? Have you checked their pelvic bones?
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one of my first rir took till 28wks, bought at pol 16wks, so i didnt get an egg for 3 months :D
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As first time hen keepers,last year we purchased pol at 16 weeks in the view of learning how to handle them and get to know normal behaviour etc before the started laying which has it's own health worries to watch for.
One of ours didn't start laying until around 30 weeks.
The first egg will be worth waiting for bionic :yum: sit back and enjoy their antics in the meantime :thumbsup: