# Where are some eggs?



## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

Haha, I know it's a little early to be saying this, but the chickens are just coming on 20 weeks! Ahh, I'm such a proud chicken mom and my brother is eggstatic because Atari, his plymouth rock, nearly has a fully developed comb and set of wattles. They are turning redder by the day! She is not full size yet, but she is getting there. Wigwam has been doing his nesting call more often (as well as crowing...sigh). We have started giving the chickens layer feed (Purina Layena Crumbles) along with some oyster shells. The temps have finally started dropping here (60s-70s throughout the day, 40s-50s at night). We bought some scratch for the chickens and give a little to them every day when they free range. Wigwam is slightly less hostile. He is calm when I hold him and I can handle him any way I please - on his back, upside down, laying on the ground...he did, however, peck me on my nose the other day. When you rush Wigwam, he gets upset and will retaliate. I scooped him up very quickly, so there is a logical explanation. 
He does do his little cockerel dance at me, and occasionally he will have flare ups where he jumps at me, but I pin him down until he stops squirming and that's the end of that.
Anyways, Atari looks very close to laying. We placed a ceramic egg in the coop. Hopefully we may find a second one soon!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I think I have hens that can give more than 10 different reasons why not to lay eggs. It's always something.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Give them some light.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Waiting on those first eggs can take forever.Since you're young,it can take forever and a day.May you find your first egg soon.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> Waiting on those first eggs can take forever.Since you're young,it can take forever and a day.May you find your first egg soon.


Yes, it's mostly my brother. Every day he goes to the coop before school and holds Atari. He mistakes the ceramic egg as a real egg sometimes.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Bear in mind the first eggs are really small but they get big quick.Ever had farm fresh eggs?I was shocked when I first ate one,so much better than store bought eggs.I want to try goose eggs(mainly for baking) and I'm waiting on my geese to start laying-I gotta wait until next spring....


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> Bear in mind the first eggs are really small but they get big quick.Ever had farm fresh eggs?I was shocked when I first ate one,so much better than store bought eggs.I want to try goose eggs(mainly for baking) and I'm waiting on my geese to start laying-I gotta wait until next spring....


Yes, the first eggs are small. We have been feeding the chickens plenty of oyster shell and we are also giving them Purina Layena feed with the added calcium for strong shells. I am trying to prevent egg binding best I can - I've read that new layers are more susceptible, especially if they start laying early.
I have never eaten a farm-fresh egg, but I hear the difference is astounding! I can't wait to try one and prove to my dad there is a difference. He doesn't believe me.
My horseback riding instructor owns a pet goose, but I don't know if she eats the eggs. I haven't eaten a goose egg either; I may have to try one!


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

Nm156 said:


> Give them some light.


We are going to put a small battery powered LED light in the coop. Since it gets dark around 6:30 now, I understand why they would need more light. They only have two openings for light in their coop as well - the front window on the door and the pop door into the run. When early November hits, the temps will drop further and the sun will set around 5:30. We have straw in the run and coop. We have comfortable nest boxes (with straw) and I've placed a ceramic egg in one of them. Our Plymouth Rock is fairly large now, and her comb and wattles are turning very red and feel somewhat waxy. She is not submissive to our cockerel, Wigwam, however. Wigwam and Atari get into standoffs, occasionally, and surprisingly, Wigwam will typically back down from the pullet! Our Wyandotte and Australorp aren't as lucky, though. I've seen him mate with both of them...oh well. They don't seem to mind, except Raisin's saddle feathers are slightly ruffled.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> I think I have hens that can give more than 10 different reasons why not to lay eggs. It's always something.


Haha! I'm being patient. It's just Collin who needs a little reassurance...every morning he's out there, unlocking the nest box and checking. *sigh*


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Light is good and bad in the coop.Good because the critters can see and the hens will continue to lay eggs without interruptions.They have more time to eat/drink.On the bad side,it causes them to continue laying during the winter when Mother Nature gives them a break to recuperate from laying all spring,summer and fall.When I put the geese in their permanent house,I plan on giving them a little light when they go in for the night,maybe an hour or two on a timer, because they don't eat feed except at night and they will need extra nutrition to deal with the cold.My chickens don't get a light source unless it's really cold,like 20 or below,then I put red heat lamps out there to take the chill off but I don't give them a comfy 65,it would be hard on them to sleep in warmth then have to go out in the cold in the day.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> Light is good and bad in the coop.Good because the critters can see and the hens will continue to lay eggs without interruptions.They have more time to eat/drink.On the bad side,it causes them to continue laying during the winter when Mother Nature gives them a break to recuperate from laying all spring,summer and fall.When I put the geese in their permanent house,I plan on giving them a little light when they go in for the night,maybe an hour or two on a timer, because they don't eat feed except at night and they will need extra nutrition to deal with the cold.My chickens don't get a light source unless it's really cold,like 20 or below,then I put red heat lamps out there to take the chill off but I don't give them a comfy 65,it would be hard on them to sleep in warmth then have to go out in the cold in the day.


Well, it's going into winter right as they are going into the laying period. Next year after they've been laying for a while, I will not use light unless it's cold, like you said.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

I make mine pay rent their first year.After 18-20 months old they get under 11 hrs of light a day from Nov. -Feb. ..


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Nm,is there a reason you do that or is it just for eggs?Mine all get the same treatment,even the young 'uns.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

chickenqueen said:


> Nm,is there a reason you do that or is it just for eggs?Mine all get the same treatment,even the young 'uns.


Yes , I can't afford $100 a month feed bill to have 60 pet chicken. This years chickens pay for the chickens who don't lay or lay non-sellable eggs. Next year they all go full free-range and no new chickens will be added.

ETA Also it can't be too much fun spending 8 months of Michigan winter with only 7-9 hours of light IMO.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I sure understand that.It costs more to feed them in those cold months.Those long dark nights don't help either.Mine usually get heat lamps Dec-Mar or later,depends on temps.I'm not quite as far north as you but I'm close enough to know those dark,cold winters.


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## Wilbur's Mom (Aug 10, 2017)

This is the 1st winter with the girls. we had a mild winter last year, so we will play it by ear on the heat lamps. the piggy has put on weight and fur, so she'll be good, loves to play with her hay. right now its cold and sprinkling rain and the girls are out running around in their area.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

My chickens survived actual temperature of -23 with out any heat.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Nm156 said:


> My chickens survived actual temperature of -23 with out any heat.


It's amazing how animals get by in serious cold.


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## Wilbur's Mom (Aug 10, 2017)

Nm156 said:


> My chickens survived actual temperature of -23 with out any heat.


Really?? that is good to hear. My last hen started laying. And a whopper it was....she took much longer to mature than her sisters...I though she was not going to be a layer, just a "free-loader" (Love that by the way). Of course, my hubby has his own name for that hen. Cracks me up, but he does love to watch them too


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

Chickens survive the cold better than heat.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I think so too. They seem to really suffer in serious heat.


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