Home Egg Watch...how long before my chickens lay?

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/7/2009 4:47:59 PM
Author: Steel
I am having lots of trouble posting & adding photos today. So this will be the last photo. Again sorry about the quality.

I wrote that DH Shoo'ed the chucks out this morning and they stayed out until 5pm ish when it began to rain heavily so helped them back into their coop. They looked happy scratching and pecking aount the pen. I wonder if they ate any worms or slugs?

Oh I can GUARANTEE you they would have eaten some worms and slugs, those are a great delicacy if one is a chickie!

My Mildred is rather partial to mice, I caught her scoffing down a dead one once and also I saved a little live one from her beak. He was squeaking his head off and Mildred had him in her beak looking for somewhere quiet where she could eat him undisturbed. Thankfully I was able to rescue him, poor little dear!

 

[Lorelei]

Have the girls got cracking and produced anything yet??

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/9/2009 5:38:10 AM
Author: Lorelei

Have the girls got cracking and produced anything yet??

Day 8. No Eggs

.

But they are drinking an awful lot. Perhaps they are gearing up to pop something out?

They have refused to come out of their pen today. They beady eye me and booorawk if I try to grab them.

Never mind egg watching/counting; if this were a beady eye dirty look count we would be well over 1000+

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/9/2009 11:47:47 AM
Author: Steel

Date: 5/9/2009 5:38:10 AM
Author: Lorelei

Have the girls got cracking and produced anything yet??

Day 8. No Eggs

.

But they are drinking an awful lot. Perhaps they are gearing up to pop something out?

They have refused to come out of their pen today. They beady eye me and booorawk if I try to grab them.

Never mind egg watching/counting; if this were a beady eye dirty look count we would be well over 1000+

LOL! Petulant little madams!

Still scratch from them?

 

[bee*]

ooh I hope you get your eggs soon! I remember when we got our new hens in the spca it took them about a month before they started producing them regularly, but once they did, we got tons. All the staff were having eggs for lunch!

 

[Lorelei]

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/10/2009 5:59:38 AM
Author: Lorelei

Day 9. No eggs

.

But, there is news to report. I was sleuting around their coop this evening and discovered a receipt for egg-bay. Agnes & Ethel have ordered a book ''egg laying for dummies'' and ''and idiots guide to laying an egg''.

, no really. I think they might be gearing up to lay. Their chicken rubber glove (bit on top) is turning bright red as are bits by their cheeks.... So exciting!

Eggcellent

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/10/2009 2:53:51 PM
Author: Steel

Date: 5/10/2009 5:59:38 AM
Author: Lorelei

Day 9. No eggs

.

But, there is news to report. I was sleuting around their coop this evening and discovered a receipt for egg-bay. Agnes & Ethel have ordered a book 'egg laying for dummies' and 'and idiots guide to laying an egg'.

, no really. I think they might be gearing up to lay. Their chicken rubber glove (bit on top) is turning bright red as are bits by their cheeks.... So exciting!

Eggcellent

That is most eggciting!! Lets hope they work it out soon!

I had a thought.....Have you checked all around the coop for places they might be laying? I know I have provided all kinds of things for egg laying purposes which have always been deemed unsuitable by the ladies themselves, such as lovely nesting boxes lined with straw -

say they. Although crazy Jethro has made a nest on top of some cardboard boxes in the garage....

 

[Lorelei]

 

[Delster]

Come on chickies! Lay!!!

 

[Lorelei]

COOEE Del!!!

 

[Steel]

Hi Lore,

Day 10....No Eggs.

I hope to get some new pictures soon..of the chucks I mean. Obviously not of the eggs - there aren''t any.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/11/2009 3:52:52 PM
Author: Steel
Hi Lore,

Day 10....No Eggs.

I hope to get some new pictures soon..of the chucks I mean. Obviously not of the eggs - there aren''t any.

 

[Delster]

Date: 5/11/2009 3:48:55 PM
Author: Lorelei
COOEE Del!!!

Steel how are you finding it caring for the chuckies? I''d love to have some one day, when I have the space...

 

[April20]

Date: 5/11/2009 3:52:52 PM
Author: Steel
Hi Lore,

Day 10....No Eggs.

I hope to get some new pictures soon..of the chucks I mean. Obviously not of the eggs - there aren''t any.

Lay chickies, lay!

Maybe you should put some eggs in their pen so they know what you''re looking for.

 

[cnspotts]

Ah come on girls!

My girl Tommy laid 13 eggs this year.....okay, she''s a lizards but still she''s on board. (She does drink a lot just before and after she produces those little guys too) I''m hoping you''ll have eggs soon!!! I love fresh eggs and thanks to your fabulous coop I might actually be on the road to talking hubbs into making one for us. What''s a couple of chickens when you have a squirrel living in your house on purpose? huh? lol

 

[purrfectpear]

I''m not eggzactly sure how the laying thing works, but don''t the girls need a boyfriend birdy to help things along?

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/11/2009 4:11:50 PM
Author: Delster

Steel how are you finding it caring for the chuckies? I''d love to have some one day, when I have the space...

They are a piece of cake. I just say "Honey, will you let the chucks out/in?" and off DH goes to sort them out! Same at night.

No really they are simple so far. But bear in mind that the care I have provided to date has produced beady eye dirty looks, standing and tipping over their water bowl hens....but no eggs. So I might not be a reliable source of info

.

They got their first boiled up scraps yesterday and today. Potato, carrots and bread. Yuuuuuuum

.

 

[Steel]

Day 11.....No eggs.

Not even an ickle lickle one.

Date: 5/11/2009 8:56:30 PM
Author: April20

Date: 5/11/2009 3:52:52 PM
Author: Steel
Hi Lore,

Day 10....No Eggs.

I hope to get some new pictures soon..of the chucks I mean. Obviously not of the eggs - there aren''t any.

Lay chickies, lay!

Maybe you should put some eggs in their pen so they know what you''re looking for.

Thanks April20!

We might just to that if they do not get a shift on.

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/10/2009 3:07:01 PM
Author: Lorelei

That is most eggciting!! Lets hope they work it out soon!

I had a thought.....Have you checked all around the coop for places they might be laying? I know I have provided all kinds of things for egg laying purposes which have always been deemed unsuitable by the ladies themselves, such as lovely nesting boxes lined with straw -

say they. Although crazy Jethro has made a nest on top of some cardboard boxes in the garage....

Sorry , I missed this reply Lore.

We do not let them out of the pen so unless they are courier-ing the eggs out by fox or rabbit post it is still a big fat zero on egg production.

Cardboard boxes are so useful. We have stopped buying cat toys because they knock themselves out scratching and ripping them or hiding in them or running around them. They will be sad if the chucks eventually commandeer them for laying.

Isn't it funny how animals make do; even when you make or buy an object for that egg-act purpose. Their choice is always better.

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/11/2009 10:45:12 PM
Author: cnspotts
Ah come on girls!

My girl Tommy laid 13 eggs this year.....okay, she's a lizards but still she's on board. (She does drink a lot just before and after she produces those little guys too) I'm hoping you'll have eggs soon!!! I love fresh eggs and thanks to your fabulous coop I might actually be on the road to talking hubbs into making one for us. What's a couple of chickens when you have a squirrel living in your house on purpose? huh? lol

Show off! Cnspotts..... Waaah. You can get your lizard to lay. For pete's sake and I cannot get 2 purpose 'built' hens on laying pellets to lay. Waaaaah.

No really, that is cool. Do you have a pic you could share of yoru lizard & her egg! That would be so funny. Does she mind the egg or just lay and run?


I highly recommend making the coop if your DH is really interested let me know, we prob still have the dimensions laying around somewhere (well they will be about the only things laying around here....lazy hens

) and I could try to find them to give your plans a head start.

Does the squirrel lay too....no don't tell me...I will be too upset.....

Lazy chickens.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/11/2009 10:57:14 PM
Author: purrfectpear
I'm not eggzactly sure how the laying thing works, but don't the girls need a boyfriend birdy to help things along?

Not eggzactly....

I can tell you that the chicken mating process is rather rough and usually over in 2 seconds flat!

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/11/2009 10:57:14 PM
Author: purrfectpear
I''m not eggzactly sure how the laying thing works, but don''t the girls need a boyfriend birdy to help things along?

PP, could you borrow Linda W''s granny *bat and sort my chucks out? [* Whoooooo hoooooo congrats again!]

Nope no birdy boyfriends on my watch, not until we get another coop built. Then we will breed.

Hen + Cock = Fertilised eggs + Hen''s hot bottom = baby chicks (tweet tweet)
Hen + laying pellets (or not) = Unfertilised eggs (Hen should not want to sit on it unless she gets broody) = Egg + (optional) toast soldiers for breakfast.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/12/2009 8:35:00 AM
Author: Steel

Date: 5/11/2009 10:57:14 PM
Author: purrfectpear
I''m not eggzactly sure how the laying thing works, but don''t the girls need a boyfriend birdy to help things along?

PP, could you borrow Linda W''s granny *bat and sort my chucks out? [* Whoooooo hoooooo congrats again!]

Nope no birdy boyfriends on my watch, not until we get another coop built. Then we will breed.

Hen + Cock = Fertilised eggs + Hen''s hot bottom = baby chicks (tweet tweet)
Hen + laying pellets (or not) = Unfertilised eggs (Hen should not want to sit on it unless she gets broody) = Egg + (optional) toast soldiers for breakfast. = mandatory.

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/12/2009 8:37:08 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 5/12/2009 8:35:00 AM
Author: Steel

Date: 5/11/2009 10:57:14 PM
Author: purrfectpear
I''m not eggzactly sure how the laying thing works, but don''t the girls need a boyfriend birdy to help things along?

PP, could you borrow Linda W''s granny *bat and sort my chucks out? [* Whoooooo hoooooo congrats again!]

Nope no birdy boyfriends on my watch, not until we get another coop built. Then we will breed.

Hen + Cock = Fertilised eggs + Hen''s hot bottom = baby chicks (tweet tweet)
Hen + laying pellets (or not) = Unfertilised eggs (Hen should not want to sit on it unless she gets broody) = Egg + (optional) toast soldiers for breakfast. = mandatory.

You can tell I am a novice at this.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/12/2009 9:38:27 AM
Author: Steel

Date: 5/12/2009 8:37:08 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 5/12/2009 8:35:00 AM
Author: Steel

Date: 5/11/2009 10:57:14 PM
Author: purrfectpear
I''m not eggzactly sure how the laying thing works, but don''t the girls need a boyfriend birdy to help things along?

PP, could you borrow Linda W''s granny *bat and sort my chucks out? [* Whoooooo hoooooo congrats again!]

Nope no birdy boyfriends on my watch, not until we get another coop built. Then we will breed.

Hen + Cock = Fertilised eggs + Hen''s hot bottom = baby chicks (tweet tweet)
Hen + laying pellets (or not) = Unfertilised eggs (Hen should not want to sit on it unless she gets broody) = Egg + (optional) toast soldiers for breakfast. = mandatory.

You can tell I am a novice at this.

LOL!

 

[purrfectpear]

You could start posting recipe cards for roast chicken in the coop. I know that would motivate me

 

[HeartingDiamonds]

Been following this thread with great interest and humor!!

So sorry that you have not seen any eggs yet, Steele

. I mean, those girls should be ashamed of themselves - they''re kept hens, for goodness'' sake!

PP, lol on your comment above - that would motivate me too

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/12/2009 3:45:35 PM
Author: purrfectpear
You could start posting recipe cards for roast chicken in the coop. I know that would motivate me

 

[Steel]

Date: 5/12/2009 3:45:35 PM
Author: purrfectpear
You could start posting recipe cards for roast chicken in the coop. I know that would motivate me

I want them to lay an egg not start planning their egg-scape.