4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[India]

Hi, fairly new to the Chicken keeping business - we have two RIR - Snippy and Nippy, a Cuckoo Maran - Gertrude, and a Norfolk Grey - Raven (because she looks like one!!). The RIR's and Maran are around 32 weeks old and Raven is only 28 weeks - we have had them since 22 weeks old.

 

They took a while to settle in and get used to a calm, but bird obsessed English Setter and all was going well - initially we were just pleased that everyone was able to live together in relative harmony!! (Interesting first weekend!). We told ourselves that there would be no eggs till spring - but Snippy started to develop a very big comb and was clearly doing the whole crouching thing - and low and behold she started to lay - lovely 50g eggs one each day for five days - but she has stopped - is this normal?? They eat growers pellets, a little corn, occasional treats and get to free range once or twice a week for a few hours when the dog is safely in. No evidence of any intruders or egg eating chooks!

 

We have really enjoyed reading all the posts on the site and have found loads of interesing and informative stuff - if anyone can comment on the loss of eggs that would be great!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Hello India, welcome to the forum . The same thing happened to me last year. Molly, my Pied Suffolk, laid 10 little eggs a few weeks after I got her (early Sept 07). She then stopped and didn't lay again till the end of January . She's now my best layer though!

 

My other 2 started laying in November and didn't stop over the winter - so there's hope for you!

[moochoo]

Hi India, it might be worth swapping them onto layers pellets now as they're past POL. This'll help them form nice hard shelled eggs. I wouldn't worry about her little break, she'll start up again soon.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Well spotted Moochoo . I missed that!

 

That certainly won't be helping the laying - I'd get them onto layers asap .

[Valkyrie]

Hello India - love RIR's and Marans (well it is hard to find any that I don't like, but the neighbours might get upset!). Ooh Norfolk Greys are rare aren't they? Glad to hear you are enjoying them. We got ours in May but the 2 oldest started laying at the beginning of October. At first they lulled us into a false sense of security by giving us one each per day - which we didn't expect at all being breeds. Now we get one egg every other day with the girls alternating nicely while they are not trying to hog the nesting box at the same time! The Buff Orpie still hasn't, although she has crouched a couple of times and her wattle and daubs (as I call them) are bright red too - then I saw in the latest Practical Poultry that the lady with the Buffs is expecting hers to start laying in February. Oh well, never mind. It started out as me being the only egg eater - now OH gets impatient (he hated eggs before) because he hankers after omlets. DD loves them fried. Can't wait for my turn again!