How are your hens doing?

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How are your hens doing?

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Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Feb 19, 05 5:07 pm Post subject: How are your hens doing?

Well, there's the odd hint of spring in the air. At least the days are longer and one of our hens has started laying again.

All three have had a very long break, since Autumn. They are about 4 years old and have had a longer break each year. Treacle, the Speckled Sussex, laid her first egg just before Valentines day and she's laid 5 since then and hopefully the other two will start soon.

How have your hens done this Winter?

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Sat Feb 19, 05 5:36 pm Post subject: hpw are the hens doing?
pretty goodd actually a bit of a break in nove. dec but started laying again just after christmas and now back to between 4 and 6 eggs a day from the 8 hens they are between 2 and 3 years old so not doing badly considering how muddy the poultry area is i think they are doing marvelously really

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Feb 19, 05 5:42 pm Post subject:
What breed are they Nanny?

Marigold123

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 224

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 05 3:19 am Post subject:

Mine never stopped, or really slowed even. But I have been lighting them to keep their total 'daylight' at 14 hours a day. They are Black Rocks, but they're only just into their second year. We got them as 6 day-old chicks in February last year, and they started laying for the first time at the beginning of June. We're still averaging 2 to 2.5 eggs a day from 3 hens.

They haven't had an adult moult yet, but I'm assuming that's because they've only really been laying about 7 months. Their plumage is in excellent condition, but I think strong plumage is typical of the variety anyway. They lose the odd small feather now and again, but as they gobble up the little ones as soon as they spot them I have no idea how many really.

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 05 3:51 pm Post subject: how are your hens doing?
they are speckeldys................... can't tell you much more about them as they were given to me along with the lovely hen house that they were living in at the time... must say they are really good layers though

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 05 8:31 pm Post subject:
ours are hybrids so we were told to expect them to lay all winter and they haven't disappointed. We have 3 hens and 95% of the time we have 3 eggs a day ( very occasionally someone will have the day off - don't blame her really)

percypony

Joined: 06 Jan 2005
Posts: 146
Location: Hants

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 9:54 am Post subject:
Well our chickens seem to be going form strength to strength regarding egg laying but our duck hasn't layed since well before Christmas so I am getting a bit worried about her now. Should I be? She is about 18 months old and layed an egg a day (a day of occasionally) since she started laying at about 4 months old.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 10:43 am Post subject:
On ducks it depends what breed they are. My Aylesburys are very hit and miss still, although the Kharkis are one a day each.

Paddington Bear

Joined: 31 Jan 2005
Posts: 170
Location: Shropshire

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 05 7:07 pm Post subject: How are your hens doing?
This has been our first winter in five years that our hens have stopped laying completely. We have both hybrids - Black Rocks and Speckeldies and pure breeds - RIR, LS, Marans and Welsummers. A few days ago we put a couple of pot eggs in the nest boxes and two days ago we got four eggs!

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