The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: twizzel on October 14, 2013, 04:02:09 pm

Title: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: twizzel on October 14, 2013, 04:02:09 pm
 :excited:  My 22 hens are still producing between 9-13 eggs a day, given that 6 go off for a wonder all day and only return in the evening, I think that's pretty good! I wasn't expecting them to keep laying this late and they did start to slow down in September, so I told everybody that was having eggs off of me that there were no more... then my girls started laying again :innocent:  although the 4 light sussex stopped months ago, but they are very old. The hens that are still laying are my ex free range farm hens that I bought for £1 each, had them since January and will get 10 or 15 more this January too (if I can find enough space to house them teehee)


My lovely duck is still laying 5 eggs a week too!


Anyone else been pleasantly surprised by their chooks still laying in Oct?
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: AndynJ on October 14, 2013, 04:11:06 pm
that's good, we are getting 4 from 22 rare breed 4 from 11 ex farm hens and 7 from 8 Maran's
Reduced layers 2 weeks back they are now on sprouted barley with 1kilo 1/2 & 1/2 of layers in the 3 runs, all go out to meadow in the afternoon.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: twizzel on October 14, 2013, 04:33:44 pm
Are Marans good layers? I swapped my evil Light Sussex cockeral for 3 Maran cockeral chicks which have turned into nice cockerals, wondering whether to find some pure maran hens for next year too...
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: happygolucky on October 14, 2013, 04:49:53 pm
I got 2, fom 2 birds the  a day before they left so that's that...its off to the shops for eggs now
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Mrs Pea on October 14, 2013, 04:57:23 pm
I'm getting between 6 and 9 a day from 46 hens, although a lot of my girls are youngsters I hatched this year and won't start laying till next year.  Well I'm hoping they will because at the moment I'm selling the eggs as fast as they lay them and some people are even ordering in advance  :D Did get 9 duck eggs today  8)

Lisa
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: doganjo on October 14, 2013, 05:50:43 pm
I have 6 hens, 4 of them oldies - only 2 eggs a  day just now.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: goosepimple on October 14, 2013, 07:49:16 pm
I got 10 eggs from Tesco the other day, my rotten lot are just not doing the business just now, gave them fruit cake this week and curried rice (we only eat the eggs ourselves before anyone starts) so see if that does the trick.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: PJB on October 14, 2013, 07:50:11 pm
No unfortunately my hens and ducks have all stopped laying.
Ridiculous, my wife bought some this weekend!!!!! that hurts.
pjb
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Fleecewife on October 14, 2013, 07:51:08 pm
At least most of you have some eggs - we haven't had a single one for a couple of weeks now, and don't expect any til after Christmas, when the oldies should come back into lay and the new wee ones should get going.    There are some smart new feathers coming through though.
 
Meanwhile, I can't bring myself to eat eggs from anywhere else, including free range.  We buy them, but only OH eats them.   I think I'll rummage in the freezer because I have some frozen ones in there.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: sokel on October 14, 2013, 07:51:35 pm
I am getting 2 every other day from 26 birds  ::)
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: mowhaugh on October 14, 2013, 08:05:07 pm
Mine were laying well before we went away on holiday, will be interesting to see if they still are when we get home.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Sbom on October 14, 2013, 08:06:49 pm
We get one a day from twenty odd! It's rubbish :innocent:
Just found a broody sitting on twenty eggs, grrrr
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: ZacB on October 14, 2013, 08:45:39 pm
Keep an eye out for red mite. This I find can cause the egg production rate to drop considerably.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: HesterF on October 14, 2013, 10:19:58 pm
Two young ducks (last year's hatch) stopped for moulting and have started again and are both laying daily and have been since the beginning of September - I think both must have topped 150 eggs since March which is way better than I was expecting. Chickens I'm getting three a day from five hens (have others but all this year's hatch) which is about the best it's been this year given they've been taking it in turns to be broody. I keep thinking they're about to stop and one has been moulting but then had to sell a few the other day because I realised I'd built up over six dozen eggs which is too many for us ever to clear!

H
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: chrismahon on October 15, 2013, 05:12:55 am
All ours are moulting so we were getting 2 eggs from 23 -just the TNN's I think. But they have started again now and a few of the 4 year old Wyandottes are laying -easy to tell by the noise they make before and after!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: taz08 on October 15, 2013, 05:27:41 am
Geting a couple of doz per day  outa 70odd birds ,, got 30 odd moulting tho soo not bad :excited:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Steph Hen on October 15, 2013, 08:14:29 am
Last year my July hatch started laying in November, so I'm hoping my June hatch from this year are due to start soon? Who knows!

Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Small Plot Big Ideas on October 15, 2013, 09:33:23 am
This is a sore point for us as we have 8-10 potential egg laying hens but barely 1 or 2 eggs a day.


In the past the hens have been completely free range and by mid-morning they disappear into the woods. We suspect they are stockpiling eggs somewhere - either that or we have clever chickens that can hold eggs in for weeks on end!

Every month or so we eventually track down one of them sitting on a clutch and have to dispose of 10-12 eggs which is getting just a little disheartening


The latest plan (as detailed in my blog (http://smallplotbigideas.co.uk/2013/10/13/expansion-of-chicken-lane/)) is to fence them in for at least part of the day to encourage them to use the nest boxes provided. I don't have much hope for success but it's worth a try and we have to do something...  ::)
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: funkyfish on October 15, 2013, 11:43:48 am
I got 3 CLB x eggs and 2 IG cross and one from our Light sussex. Actually had a duck egg to!- have 8 ducks, this is the first egg in six months...
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Daisys Mum on October 15, 2013, 11:51:22 am
Some of mine are moulting but out of 40ish I am getting between 12-18 eggs a day.
Ducks zilch and they eat a huge amount of feed, they always seem to be starving, hopefully wil be able to get wheat and barley for everyone soon .
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: ellied on October 15, 2013, 01:14:58 pm
My 20 odd had dropped to 2-3 a day but then I discovered a stash of 13 so they'd not stopped as much as I thought  ::) and I made quiches for the freezer with any that didn't float (and the 2 I broke when I fell coming out of the undergrowth!). 

Since then I'm back to finding 2-3 a day..  I don't believe that's it but as I just had 46 round bales of hay delivered I guess I won't be finding any more until February as they'll shift operations into the stack gaps within a day or so  ???   I don't mind too much as I am sick of eating excess eggs, but I've 3 customers that like to keep buying through the winter so I don't want to lose them if possible..
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Clansman on October 15, 2013, 04:45:41 pm
I've just picked most of my female birds up in the last few months but the older ones are starting to lay well now.

I do have them on 16 hours lighting though   ;D
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: happygolucky on October 15, 2013, 05:33:36 pm
I wonder if the black rocks will still be laying?  they were but they soon come into malt, then they look horrid and  like they will make the oven without plucking!!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Sudanpan on October 15, 2013, 06:20:20 pm
Our 2 copper marans are still laying every day. The cream crested legbar essentially never got into the swing of it - I think she may have laid for about a month bbut not since. The other copper maran is still being mum to the 5 week old chicks
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: caracroft on October 18, 2013, 09:40:21 am
My 12 hybrids are still giving me 9 a day at the moment.  Didnt realise how lucky I was!!! :excited:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: FrostyM on October 18, 2013, 10:49:18 am
From our "laying flock" of 10 hens and 4 ducks we are getting about 5 a day and our "meat breeding flock" of 5 la bresse hens and 2 cockerels we are getting 4 or 5 a day. Smallish eggs from the la bresse but they are steadily growing in size. They are a great dual purpose bird. I would consider saving a few girls from the freezer in next year's batch to use as replacement layers.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: ZaktheLad on October 18, 2013, 11:15:23 am
We are getting 3 from 7 - our few hens are moulting like mad!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: bloomer on October 18, 2013, 12:47:36 pm
we have 2 in our laying group left


and they are averaging 5 each per week currently


a far more exciting game is when will my youngsters start laying (born end of july) will i get any pretty eggs before Christmas or will they make me wait till spring!!!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: in the hills on October 18, 2013, 12:54:41 pm
 :'(  1 teeny weeny egg per day from a teeny weeny bantam.


Had to buy some eggs  :o  .... they were yuk


Would buy a few pullets to lay over winter but we still have the dreaded mite so doesn't seem fair.  :(
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Stereo on October 18, 2013, 01:19:51 pm
15 to 18 from 30 odd birds. Mix of ages but I've got 7 hybrids just coming up to lay so I'm hoping they will keep us going through winter. Lots of moulting going on at the moment.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: 17AndCounting on October 19, 2013, 11:43:10 pm
From 11 hens we had 4 eggs today and 3 yesterday - but earlier in the week we were getting 6 or 7 a day. I guess they don't like the change in weather!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: northfifeduckling on October 20, 2013, 09:14:40 pm
all but 1 of mine are moulting in different stages, out of 5 I get 0 - 2 eggs a day at the moment. I am expecting them to stop for the winter break soon :chook: :&>
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: lucan rowan. on October 20, 2013, 09:21:54 pm
im still getting a few but its definitely slowed, and a few birds are moulting.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: taz08 on October 21, 2013, 12:31:45 pm
well.. my hens think its spring,, got 3 doz already this morning and the afternoon shift away to sit ,,sooo will add  up later  :fc:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: devonlad on October 21, 2013, 01:23:38 pm
averaging 3 a day from 10 hens, 3 are in full moult so I spose its 3 from 7 really. we have a couple of pensioners who probably don't pop out too many these days. our black rocks seem to go on forever and our 1 Maran despite being older than most is still laying well
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Louise Gaunt on October 21, 2013, 01:34:36 pm
My six are all moulting like crazy, it looks as though some serious fight has gone on every morning the number if feathers in the house! Averaging 1 egg per day, not good as I barter eggs for accountancy services!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: caracroft on October 21, 2013, 01:49:40 pm
   
well.. my hens think its spring,, got 3 doz already this morning and the afternoon shift away to sit ,,sooo will add  up later  :fc:

Same here my 11 are giving me 10  a day now !!  Lets hope it keeps up  :fc:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: taz08 on October 21, 2013, 05:23:34 pm
finl count today ,,,, 42  eggs outs 70 odd hens  ,, thought half were still moulting ,,
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: sokel on October 21, 2013, 11:42:38 pm
I got an egg today !  Nearly went into shock when I saw it as not had one for a week  :fc: it's a sign they are going to start again
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: fiestyredhead331 on October 24, 2013, 07:32:25 pm
not mine thats for sure  >:(

getting 6-8 eggs from 75 chickens for the last 4 weeks  but I suspect the hoodies (feather variety not to be confused with young adults wearing hooded tops) are getting as many again  >:(  most of mine are done moulting but for a handful. none of my ducks are laying at all.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: mab on October 24, 2013, 07:55:18 pm
usually two eggs /day from my two hens, but they're only a year old so in full production, and not moulting yet.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: hughesy on October 25, 2013, 08:20:28 am
Our 30 or so RIR and Ixworths are squeezing out 8 or 10 a day at the moment. Mostly small eggs from this years birds that have started to lay quite recently. The older birds are moulting.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Clansman on October 25, 2013, 05:19:41 pm
Huge increase in production here yesterday!  :excited:

I've been getting 1 or 2 eggs a day for the last 3 weeks or so but yesterday I had 4!  :excited:

Looks like two of the younger pullets have just started going by the egg size.

 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: leaswood on October 30, 2013, 12:51:02 pm
ive been lucky to date..8 layers mainly 8 eggs on a daily basis, 7 on occasion, 6 on the odd time but never less than 5 since day 1..

lost one hen yesterday and one is injured but ive collected 6 eggs today..

weirdly im getting a lot of double yokes too..must be doing something right i guess

Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Clarebelle on October 30, 2013, 03:33:26 pm
I'm down to 3 eggs a day from my 6 quail. Haven't decided yet whether to keep the flock through winter when they have all stopped laying or put them in the freezer and start again in the new  year.  :chook:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Victorian Farmer on November 06, 2013, 10:54:43 am
give the hens in moult dog food and tonik and get them back in condition before  it gets to cold .
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: james154 on November 06, 2013, 11:12:47 am
im getting 1 a day from 3 birds
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: benkt on November 06, 2013, 03:53:03 pm
Ours have now pretty much come to a halt this week except for the commercial hybrids. A couple of young cream legbars are still managing an egg every other day and theAylesbury ducks are still going well, maybe 5 eggs from 8 ducks but thats about it.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: twizzel on November 06, 2013, 03:54:09 pm
My duck that was laying has now stopped, most days I'm getting 4 or 5 from my ex commercial hens but the last couple of days it's been 2. :( looking very bedraggled, I must get them some tonic for moulting this week.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: HesterF on November 06, 2013, 10:04:49 pm
First day of no duck eggs today, chickens slowing.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Possum on November 08, 2013, 08:54:18 pm
All of mine stopped in October during the moult. But yesterday one of the golden dutch bantams laid an egg and she did the same today. Not much, but it's a start. :fc:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: northfifeduckling on November 26, 2013, 01:20:38 pm
I'm getting one every few days from the girl that decided not to moult this year  ??? . Hope she's not going to change her mind over the next few months... ::) :chook: :&>
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: HesterF on November 27, 2013, 12:11:53 am
I'm still getting eggs from a couple of hens that have yet to moult as well and beginning to worry they'll be bald when it gets really cold. I think the late spring and autumn have confused them as much as it has the plants.

H
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Clarebelle on November 27, 2013, 07:04:11 am
I moved my quail from their eglu to a large rabbit hutch at the weekend and I thought this might put them off lay but yesterday I had two eggs from them, bless them!  :chook:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: nicandem on November 27, 2013, 07:53:47 am
so far my 4 hybrids are still laying although now getting 3 per day mostly
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Rosemary on November 27, 2013, 07:56:59 am
Ours are laying a few - the old girls are moulting and the youngsters haven't started yet. Egg sales still coveing costs though, which is good enough.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Foobar on November 27, 2013, 09:39:57 am
Was 1 or 2 from 6 for the past few weeks but getting up to 3 or 4 from 6 now. Those that have been moulting are starting to lay again, to my surprise! :)  (Mix of hybrids and pures)
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: hughesy on November 27, 2013, 05:23:52 pm
It's gone from bad to worse here. Our 30 odd hens have laid 11 eggs this week so far.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: thestephens on November 27, 2013, 08:03:48 pm
we are getting about 4 max from 8 hens a day, foxy loxy got 5 of my lovely chocolate orpingtons a couple of weeks ago, are POL impossible to buy at this time of year and when would people start hatching eggs again (hoping to get a new incubator from Santa)
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: sabrina on November 27, 2013, 11:22:34 pm
Mine have stopped at the moment.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: fiestyredhead331 on November 28, 2013, 01:19:31 am
well after a couple of months of naff all eggs, mine have gone into overdrive overnight, 30+ from 76 hens and rising, even the ducks have finally started, they must have overheard the conversation in the kitchen the other night about having duck for christmas dinner this year for a change!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Cjnewton82 on November 28, 2013, 06:52:51 am
My hens stop for around a week about three weeks ago but have started up again. I only have 4birds at the mo but I'm
Getting 3 or for everyday.
The only change I made from then till now is I have been feeding them turkey growers because mine are not going to get throw before Xmas
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: mowhaugh on December 01, 2013, 01:32:36 pm
Mine had dropped off to 4 eggs a day (9 hens) but I have had 7 this morning.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: doganjo on December 01, 2013, 05:37:32 pm
I'm only getting 1 or 3 a day from 6 hens, although four are quite old, but all of a sudden my quail have gone ballistic - 2 eggs a day last three days and an extra one - I'm sure he's boy, so could one of the girls laid 2 in one day. I wonder?  :thinking:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Eve on December 01, 2013, 06:14:17 pm
Yes, doganjo, quail do sometimes lay 2 eggs a day.  :yum:


Some of my pol have started to lay this week, yippie  :excited:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: doganjo on December 01, 2013, 06:24:11 pm
Thanks, Eve - why have they suddenly started to lay again after a break of about 5 weeks?  Not that I'm complaining  :innocent:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: ScotsGirl on December 01, 2013, 07:50:00 pm
Well I only find about 7-9 eggs from about 40 hens/ducks but the goats will eat them so I might be getting more! My white goat was covered in yolk the other week  :rant: I do have about 10 young birds so hopefully they will start laying soon.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: northfifeduckling on December 01, 2013, 09:54:54 pm
no duck eggs for a few weeks now. I found a soft shell on the main floor, maybe they're coming back slowly but from experience there are at least 2 more months to go.... :&>
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: bloomer on December 02, 2013, 08:45:58 am
my 2 older birds are still averaging 1 a day between them although its more 2/3 from one and 1/3 from the other...


still waiting to see if my marans or cream legbars will lay before christmas (mid july hatched)


want pretty eggs!!!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Steph Hen on December 02, 2013, 09:06:09 am
Just coming into lay, but found they're laying outside and dogs been eating them!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Mays on December 08, 2013, 04:39:37 pm
I am getting 2 eggs a day from10 hens, however 6 of the hens are this years hatch, and two are silkies  :eyelashes: and surprisingly it is one of those that has come into lay :love:. I am hoping Santa brings me a new Incubator, so I can start early hatching  :knit:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: HesterF on December 08, 2013, 11:20:01 pm
Looks like I won't have a break! Some yet to moult and then two of this year's hatch have just come into lay - including my Araucana - blue eggs  :excited:. Now got to work out with the five dozen eggs I had stockpiled for the break!

H
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: northfifeduckling on December 09, 2013, 07:54:18 am
Yes, I've done the same from the end of September - due to experience from previous years :roflanim: . Still getting one egg every 2 days from that 1 hen but I'm so in the habit of not cooking with them that I had to chuck some old (duck ) eggs.... ::) :&>
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Bert on December 09, 2013, 08:29:19 am
My girls are still laying  :thumbsup:  But they are black rocks and ex batts. I'm getting anything from 4 to 7 eggs a day from 14 birds. I'm happy with that, some of my blacks are knocking on a bit now  :chook:   :love:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Stereo on December 09, 2013, 02:44:47 pm
Out of 30 or so laying age birds we are getting 10 or so eggs but they do include a few Welsummers and Cream Legbars who have just stopped dead for more than a month now. Our LS, Speckledies and mungrels are doing OK, about an egg every other day and many are in moult. Starting to get a few pullet eggs from our RIR hens who are about 24 weeks now so that's hopeful.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: devonlad on December 09, 2013, 05:16:22 pm
still getting about 3-4 a day from our 10- thought the oldies are not pulling their weight I suspect
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: northfifeduckling on December 18, 2013, 03:24:03 pm
still the same - 1 hen's (of 5) every second day or so. We even had 2 duck eggs this week, which is very unusual for us (had to wait til March or later in previous years). From the shape it's from  the same duck on both days -I noticed a few trampled shells also, probably the soft eggs at the start of the season. :excited: :chook: :&>
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Marches Farmer on December 18, 2013, 04:40:50 pm
Are Marans good layers? I swapped my evil Light Sussex cockeral for 3 Maran cockeral chicks which have turned into nice cockerals, wondering whether to find some pure maran hens for next year too...

I've generally found Marans to be fairly consistent layers although they'll slow down during their second Winter.  Shell quality is generally very good.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Stereo on December 18, 2013, 05:13:56 pm
Now up to about 20 a day with lots of pullet eggs so that's good. I agree with Marchesfarmer re. Marans shell quality. Like Welsummers they are good strong eggs. You rarely get one break in your hand like you might with a sussex egg.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: fiestyredhead331 on December 18, 2013, 05:50:30 pm
a quick look at their combs should be enough to tell who is laying and who isn't....big and red for layers or pale and small for those not laying, I'm getting 30+ a day and 3-4 duck eggs a day so all looking good.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: rikkib on December 19, 2013, 08:06:30 pm
0 eggs from 22 hens what's going on?
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: northfifeduckling on December 19, 2013, 08:12:46 pm
probably just a normal winter break... :&>

Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: rikkib on December 19, 2013, 08:24:24 pm
I'm not sure never had this before all moulted late some still to feather . Banging lots of protein into them very strange year altogether
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Stereo on December 19, 2013, 08:57:38 pm
How old are they? Any evidence of egg eating?
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: chrismahon on December 20, 2013, 02:44:52 am
We still have 4 in the process of moulting but the others are starting to lay again now. It's beginning to get noisy again as they start fighting for the same nest boxes! It's been very mild in the day here and just frosty at night for the last two weeks although end of November was surprisingly bad. Many of ours are quite old being in their 4th year. Most of the eggs are coming from our younger TNN's. Guess the extra daylight we get here also makes a big difference as we let them out at 8.00am and they go in at 5.00pm.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: lord flynn on December 20, 2013, 10:17:25 am
mine all went off lay from late september until this week. they all moulted late and then we moved and its not ideal atm as the runs are relatively windswept. we are slowly getting there though and have had 6 eggs a day for the last few days. Couple of Scots Greys, the Marsh Daisies and the young araucana are now laying. The older araucana moulted last of all so not expecting anything off them yet.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: hughesy on December 20, 2013, 11:15:38 am
We've been getting 3 or 4 a day this week from 22 hens. A big increase on the 1 or even nothing we've had for the last month or so. Hopefully things are looking up.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: rikkib on December 20, 2013, 07:27:48 pm
All ages but mostly about 2 years not egg eating no red mite plenty of food seems to be a weather thing.they seem to be well featherd but very pale cones?
I'm not sure never had this before all moulted late some still to feather . Banging lots of protein into them very strange year altogether
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: northfifeduckling on December 20, 2013, 07:42:05 pm
pale combs means they're on their break. Believe it or not, after half a decade of chicken keeping I only learned that last month from Ellie...suppose I know more about ducks  :roflanim: :chook: :&>
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Daisys Mum on December 20, 2013, 08:39:54 pm
Up to 19 today from about 40 hens. I know that some of them are far too old to lay but haven't the heart to have a cull.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: dyedinthewool on December 21, 2013, 08:13:20 pm
Up to 19 today from about 40 hens. I know that some of them are far too old to lay but haven't the heart to have a cull.
I know the feeling Daisys Mum.  I've several Orpingtons that really should go but I haven't the heart to cull them as they were my first hens.
I'm getting about 4 eggs a day from 17 hens including the  6 Orpys and 6 eggs a day from 8 new POL Isa browns.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Stereo on December 21, 2013, 08:47:38 pm
I think the lesson we learned early on is to choose which hens are your pets and accept that you will feed them into dotage. We've got 7 or so that won't go ever until the croak. The rest we plan to move on while they are still viable.  I think if you leave it too late you may have a problem.

We did buy 20 ex organic layers from my local producer which turned out to be mad, stary eyed, egg eating loons. The few eggs we did get had shells like paper. They were just done. I put them on preloved for free and they went within a day to one guy. I made it pretty clear that they were not too good and would understand if he wanted them for meat but he was adamant he wanted them as layers.  Not sure if he was just trying to make me feel better and I suspect that chicken curry was on special that night.   
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: lord flynn on December 21, 2013, 09:25:28 pm
its different if you are breeding them as well, I have a couple of good layers I wouldn't breed from again and a couple of poorer (but still respectable) that I will-they both have a place. All bar one of my hybrids snuffed it this year, the last one I'll cull next autumn if she's still about (she'll be 3). some will have to go to make room for ones I'll breed in 2014. Its worth having a couple of older hens about to teach the young'uns.


I've gone from having to buy some eggs week before last (I have 11 hens, 4 pullets) to having too many for personal consumption in the last week-and they aren't all in lay yet. am starting to think about breeding pens-was tempted to sell the cockerel (I have his dad) but get far more attached to the boys than the girls!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: northfifeduckling on January 04, 2014, 04:32:13 pm
no eggs at all for the last 10 days or so, feeding 30 birds for nothing  ::) :&>
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: madchickenlady on January 04, 2014, 05:00:56 pm
Currently averaging 8-10 from 18 hens but one is an old hen recently homed with me as she was on her own, four bantams who are about three one is laying rest are poor layers at best preferring to be broody, just had one of them come off brood, must be the relatively mild weather! My three year old Amber lays nice big eggs most days and has done consistently from the start, most of my POL bought back end of last year are laying, bit hit and miss with my May hatchlings. I am currently trying to work out if the green egg I am getting is from a bought Heritage blue POL or my hatched Lavender Arucanna! Any ideas? Had a good winter really with enough eggs to see me through and some to give away as well, so I's a happy  :bunny:!
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: ellied on January 05, 2014, 09:28:39 am
Now there is a little more daylight I'm getting 3-4 a day (from 20) but had a week without any until I found a dozen in the hay barn so my few remaining customers appear to have gone to supermarkets as I've suddenly got 2 dozen dated eggs sitting unsold  :-\   

The one and only homebred chick has just started laying and already laid her first 5 eggs in 8 days which is nice - they're not that big and I initially thought the cream egg laying bantie was back in lay but no, I caught "chick" this morning practising a rather strange strangled postlaying singsong! 

One of the Sussex, the BR and one buff hen with a dark red head/neck are the ones I know are definitely producing, the RIR that had the bad wing has apparently started moult for the 2nd time in a year but the rest all now pretty much feathered up and looking good.  Some probably won't lay much, I got most of them a year ago and was told they were all at least 2 if not 3yo then so there will be a fair few 4 years old and my originals and the BHWT girls that are left are also well over 3. 
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: suziequeue on January 05, 2014, 09:54:51 am
We are getting between 4 and 7 eggs a day from 27 but three are cockerels and at least seven are still too young really and the bantams isn't laying - so 4 - 7 eggs from 16….. I'm happy with that.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: bloomer on January 05, 2014, 09:55:57 am
what's an egg???
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: devonlad on January 05, 2014, 10:06:34 am
From the 2-3 we were getting throughout most of October November and December our 10 hens have suddenly started going for it and we've had 5 for several days now. May be 2014 is a good year for eggs
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Kitchen Cottage on January 06, 2014, 04:50:16 am
2 eggs from 7 chooks... one of which is a cockerel but I have no chance of fertilised eggs because he's 1/4 size of the hens. 

1 egg is from Emily, my six year old hen, she puts the rest to shame! xx
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: hughesy on January 06, 2014, 07:47:07 am
Things are starting to look up here. After a bit of culling and parting with a few birds we're down to 20 hens and haven't had many eggs at all for a while. The last few days we've had 4 a day. Hopefully they'll be back into full swing by the end of the month. Last year I had eggs in the incubator mid january.
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: Mays on January 07, 2014, 06:01:50 pm
I have 10 hens for this season, and 7 are laying :thumbsup:

The incy is full, and I did a wee bit of candling last night, the are running at 90% fertile which I am delighted with, especially at this time of year.

and as a little bonus one of the silkie hens decided to start sitting, and has been sat tight not for over a week, so she is sitting on 6 eggs too  :fc:

I'm running on only two breeds this year; the Barred Wyandotte Bantam, and small fluffy purebred Silkies - a White cockerel, a white hen and a black hen... so I am not sure what colours I can expect from them, as they were a rescued trio and didn't have any history with them :knit:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: northfifeduckling on January 07, 2014, 08:20:55 pm
1st post-moult egg today  :excited:
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: suziequeue on January 07, 2014, 10:16:40 pm
We're now up to eight today :-))
Title: Re: Whos chickens are still laying?
Post by: kipper on January 08, 2014, 10:20:51 am
Ive had nothing for weeks then the last 10 days 2 or 3 a day from 10 hens .
Went out today to 8 eggs  :thumbsup: so well chuffed.Still nothing from my 2 ducks though