Guest Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 Unfortunately this is another of the 'no eggs yet' type! I've had my gingernut ranger and miss pepperpot for 6 weeks. The wattles etc on one are getting bigger and redder but the gingernut still has pale small wattles. I was told they might have been 14 weeks old when delivered. Whilst I am fully aware chickens are animals and not machines it would be nice to think that they will actually lay eggs and preferably before next Spring. Any words of encouragement to sustain me through trudging around the garden would be gladly received... (or even tips) Dawn ps has anyone tried hens on bark? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 Hi Dawn If it's any consolation, we collected two extra chickens from a local farm last Sat. aged about 23 weeks. Janie told us that they will start laying soon and when they do they will continue through the winter and not ease off or moult like the older ones We're still waiting for them to start, one of the originals has started missing a couple of days. Hope yours start soon. Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Fisher Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 I believe that hens - at least those not bred exclusively for battery egg production - are individuals and that you can't predict exactly what they will do. It's important to remember also that all the hens we - as garden chicken keepers - have are exposed to very different influences and conditions. It's not a good time to start with hens, decreasing daylight will affect egg laying as well as other conditions. I'm surprised that anyone can claim that chickens will start laying at any given time. It doesn't work like that unless you have a controlled environment. Very few chickens won't lay at all but the circumstances must be right. When spring comes (yes I know it's a long time away) we'll probably all be in a situation when we're embarrassed by the egg harvest! Most of us will have some eggs between now and then - some more than others. My own hens are laying right now and I'm not sure that they will for some time, they still give us a lot of pleasure and one day they will, I hope. but they have such an erratic life that they might not. It's not the end of the world. Nil desperandum! Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo M Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Give 'em a stern talking to. We did and it worked! Seriously we had our two for about 6/7 weeks before we got an egg. I was starting to wonder whether I'd ever get an egg, but they came eventually. Just one started first and the other followed suit about a week later. Now we get one a day regular as clockwork and even with the change in conditions they're still going strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parmaviolet Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Try not to concentrate on the egg production (mine went thru a poor spell last week, when we had only two small eggs and one egg with no shell which dropped thru into the droppings tray) It was a bit depressing looking into the eggport to find nothing, so I know how you feel. I'm sure they'll get round to business soon or later.....in the mean time try to spend as much time as possible with them. Play games with them! I get mine to chase me up and down the garden. At least this way they'll feel more like pets and you won't be thinking about the egg production so much. As for the bark? Yes I've got bark in my run, although mines not as neat as in the Omlet teams photos/instructions on the home page. I've got them quite adjacent to my decking area. This means that I don't have to walk over the wet grass in order to open the egg port/eglu door. And the door to their run is right my paved path. This has made a big difference to my enjoyment of keeping the girls as I'm not getting so wet and muddy. I will move their run further down the garden in the late spring when the ground dries up and I want move use of my garden. I'll have to re-seed the patch that they're on right now, but it's a small price to pay for the convenience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Our chicks were both laying steadily within two weeks, so we were very pleased! I would hate to think they weren't laying now, but the eggs are well worth the wait - great to eat!!! I've heard that putting rubber eggs in the egg port spurs them on, and makes them want to lay - I was just about to go and get some but then they started to lay, so I can't tell you if this theory works or not! But, it may be of some help!!!! I'd be interested to know when your chicks start laying Good luck!!! Hope the rubber eggs work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted November 2, 2004 Share Posted November 2, 2004 Hi Dawn Although mine are now adult birds, Lucille Gingernut's wattles have always been much smaller than Esmerelda Pepperpot's. I think Lucille was a real baby when we first got her as her wattle had hardly peeped out of the top of her head! I agree that it's probably the time of year - but believe me, it really is worth waiting for! So don't give up - they'll soon start rewarding you for your patience. Val Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Fisher Posted November 3, 2004 Share Posted November 3, 2004 Although mine are now adult birds, Lucille Gingernut's wattles have always been much smaller than Esmerelda Pepperpot's. I think Lucille was a real baby when we first got her as her wattle had hardly peeped out of the top of her head! Val I don't want to sound as though I'm being a know-all but do you really mean wattles? A comb is on top of a hen's head, the wattles hang down at either side of and below the beak. Several breeds of birds have very little comb, some have a flattened, sort of curly comb, it's called a 'rose' comb. Our two are Wyandotte bantams, one of the features of all Wyandottes is that they have very small combs, they do seem to be just peeping out of their heads and they will never grow any longer. If they do I want my money back Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted November 3, 2004 Share Posted November 3, 2004 What a twit I am Mary - yes, you are quite right I do mean comb durrr.... Val Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2004 Share Posted November 12, 2004 I honestly don't care if mine never lay an egg! The neighbours on the other hand have high expectations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 12, 2004 Share Posted November 12, 2004 If it's any consolation, we collected two extra chickens from a local farm last Sat. aged about 23 weeks. Janie told us that they will start laying soon and when they do they will continue through the winter and not ease off or moult like the older ones Lesley[/quote Our Whitestar laid her first egg yesterday - don't know if she will continue as we were told, only time will tell. She is now 26 weeks old. Speckledy not laying yet but has suddenly become bolder so?..... We don't mind if they don't lay either - it's just so much fun. Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James H Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 pick them up each in turn - look them STRAIGHT in the eye and tell them to LAY SOME EGGS! dont lose the will to keep chickens, you didnt get them only for the eggs did you one morning you will find yourself doing the egg dance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James H Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 have to reply again because I just realised I AM THE 1000TH VISITOR TO THIS TOPIC!! WHAT DO I WIN WHAT DO I WIN??!!! this really is a privalige THANK YOU! do i get a prize????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Nothing James - this topic is 3 years old!!! Hopefully they will all have started laying by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James H Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 is someone being ttacked by the big green three eyed monster??? please dont ruin my dreams! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Sorry James - dream on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 I adore my chooks & at the moment we are only getting 1 regular egg a day from Blanche our original Pepperpot. Sometimes Rita lays a whopper egg, but only occassionally - & sometimes Audrey lays a whopper but with a thin shell that gets broken or trampled on by Blanche. But we love them for their entertainment value & cuteness! We love watching them hop up & down the ladder for a nosey. We love watching them dig, have dustbaths and fight over a worm! I love peeping in on them when they are in the nestbox & stroking them & giving them a cuddle. My new girls that are growing up a bit before moving into the cube with the others are equally cute & entertaining! Rolo the black rock jumps onto the glug to try & catch a glimpse of the other chooks in the cube. They now run to greet us with lovely noises and eat out of our hands. I've got a ping pong ball in their nest & it glows in the dark! he he I don't care if none ever lay eggs - I just love their little ways! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocobo Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 3 years... If they haven't laid they must be cockerals in disguise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 3 years... If they haven't laid they must be cockerals in disguise That would be just my luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classy Chick Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Being a new user myself - I have found myself replying to topics that are well out of date - or asking questions which I later find (usually by accident) have been answered elsewhere. It is a learning curve using this thing! But everyone seems really nice and no one seems to mind. In fact, no one has been as excited about Ella's first egg as the rest of the omleteers - the general reaction is 'well it's a chicken, isn't that what they are supposed to do?' They just don't understand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
