Chickens FINALLY laying eggs!

[vfem]

How old are your birds, vfem? That is an awfully long time without eggs. My group that is over 2, has pretty much ceased laying.

I have at 3 that are over 2 years (silkies) and then I have 4 that starting laying beginning of September that I hatched out myself late winter early spring. So, 3 japanese bantam pullets & 1 silkie pullet.

I am trying to rotate out my 3 older silkies, and I want to move around some coops.... planning on getting some Marans in the bigger coop.

Right now I want eggs though! I know we had some molting going on... but this is insane!

 

[lesa]

Yep, definitely time to get some work horse egg layers in there. I know those fancy chickens are cute- but not usually good layers. As our days get longer, maybe they will remember what they are supposed to be doing! Good luck!

 

[vfem]

Yep, definitely time to get some work horse egg layers in there. I know those fancy chickens are cute- but not usually good layers. As our days get longer, maybe they will remember what they are supposed to be doing! Good luck!

Yeah.. those silkies are here just to look cute! LOL

Don't forget, my rooster won his first blue ribbon this year. I need to breed these suckers.... so I need eggs.

 

[RickF]

Thanks everyone! So far we've had about a dozen and a half eggs give or take.. This morning my daughter went out and found 3 eggs but one had a super thin shell and was broken with one of the others cracked beyond use.. Oh well.. It's raining today (probably also for you Hoodat!) and will be until about Christmas..

 

[hoodat]

I wish. We're in our second day of cloudy weather and so far we haven't gotten much more than it takes to settle the dust. My garden could really use an inch or so.

 

[RickF]

I wish. We're in our second day of cloudy weather and so far we haven't gotten much more than it takes to settle the dust. My garden could really use an inch or so.

I'll wish some rain down to you.. We're getting WAY too much (i've got several trashcans completely full of water from roof runoff) -- way over normal for the LA area -- it's been raining mostly non-stop (although mostly light rain) since Thursday with no letup in sight -- until Thursday.. Hopefully it will bring up the snow pack in the Sierra's but I haven't looked..

By the way.. I spent much of the last week down your way.. My wife was having her right hip replaced down at UCSD's hospital.. Really nice place down there. She's at home now (came home Thursday) and I'm trying to get her to take it easy..

 

[Collector]

Do you use the rain water for watering your garden? It only works here in spring and fall. i had a blue 55gal drum split when it turned to solid ice 2 years ago. Hope your DW is recovering well.

 

[RickF]

Do you use the rain water for watering your garden? It only works here in spring and fall. i had a blue 55gal drum split when it turned to solid ice 2 years ago. Hope your DW is recovering well.

Yup.. I do use it and realize it's a mere pittance with regards to our needs but it can easily last several weeks long with our front yard garden of containers. It makes me feel a bit better but they're overflowing now due to the heavy rains..

I spoke w/ my mother this afternoon on the phone and she got a weather alert up on the Oregon Coast for a water spout that was moving up the coast.. Ugg!! I guess you can never predict the good 'ol weather!

 

[vegie chicken]

thin egg shells usually means that the chooks havent got enough calcium

a good form of calcium is crushed shell grit you should get from a feed store

stores well and mice will not have a go at it

if you guys need chook info then you shoul go to back yard chickens forum

really helpful info their on a variety of stuff including chickens not laying