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

[SleepyFairy]

Hello there

 

I am new to this forum so hellooooo first of all

 

I've got 2 pepperpots and 2 gingernuts from Omlet around 8 weeks ago.

 

Nancy and PeeWeeFluff (the pepperpots) have been laying beautifully for a number of weeks now and have lovely large red combs (should I put vaseline on these now its super cold and frosty??) but the gingers (Peach and Fudge) still arn't laying

 

Their combs are relatively small although I noticed that they seem to have grown a couple of millimetre overnight!!!

 

Also, they have been having a bowl of corn in the afternoons which, after reading the forums on here this morning, appears to be far too much. How much corn should they have??? They have a topped up grub of layers pellets every morning but I wonder if the gingers are holding out for the corn each day? They seem very clever

 

They all free range most days too so I'm guessing they are all getting what they need?

 

would love to hear any tips or reassurance that Fudge and Peach are "normal" for not laying yet!!

 

Thanks

 

SleepyFairy

x x x

[mostin]

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

 

You could try cutting down on the corn, as you say, chickens are not daft and will save room for treats they know are coming .

 

If their combs are still small they may just not be ready to lay yet. Are they crouching yet? With the shorter days in the winter it takes hens a bit longer than all the books say to get to proper laying age and point of lay is at best an educated guess.

 

I got 2 girls in the summer both ready to start laying, but they layed their 1st eggs 2 months apart . They all mature at different rates.

 

It sounds like they are coming along nicely if their combs are getting bigger and redder, just keep an eye out for crouching and then you know that eggies are on the way .

[chelsea]

my girls have a yoghurt pot full of corn between 4 hens every afternoon.

 

I agree with the above post, the small combs must mean they are slightly younger. Crouching hens and bright red combs are a sign they are coming into lay. This time of year also even in POL hens egg production is low anyway.

[SleepyFairy]

That's super thank you

 

All of them crouch down when I go to give them each a stroke, then they pootle off. Or do you mean crouch as in crouch by the back door sunbathing? They are doing that so will have to wait and see what happens. How egg-sighting (sorry, couldn't resist!) will save me a yoghurt pot and start reducing their corn wen we get some more.

 

Arn't they FAB though. Wouldn't be without our girls now They are like sheep following me around the garden. Gave them some chopped up grapes today which they went potty for as have run out of corn (which is prob a good thing!!!)

 

Love Jules x

Fudge

Peach

Nancy

PeeWeeFluff

& TigerPop the jack russell x

[chocchick]

Crouch when you stroke them

My first two arrived POL in early December (2005) and didn't start laying until I think early February, probably the Winter weather, fingers crossed though.

Edited December 28, 2008 by Guest

[Gamebird]

Welcome to the forum, SleepFairy.

 

I think the cold weather and short days will be slowing down the maturity rate of your girls.

 

I'm sure they will soon be laying once the days get longer and warmer.

 

You're obviously enjoying them with or without eggs but remember to be ever vigilent of foxes who seem to have inbuilt chicken radars.

[mostin]

Yes I meant crouch when you stroke them. Glad they ae doing that already. You're right, how very egg-citing . Can't wait for those eggies, shouldn't be too long now, just wait for some longer days.

 

So glad you are enjoying your girls so much, I also love it when they follow me round the garden. Life is so different since they came isn't it .

[Egluntyne]

Sounds as if theya re ready, but I would cut right back on the corn, giving them only a handful between them to lure them into the run, once a day, tops.

 

Corn is fattening and not very nutritious. I would be firm about the pellets too, no matter how beseechingly they look at you.

[farrowy]

It took my girls two months before we got our first egg. Two months exactly in fact - the precise little madams :-)

[Berkochicks]

Hi Sleepyfairy,

 

like you we also got 2 Ginger Rangers and 2 Pepperpots. Ours arrived at the beginning of October. 2 days later we got a Speckledy and a Amber Star. All POL.

 

1 Pepperpot and the Speckledy started laying about 5 weeks ago. This week the 2 Ginger Rangers and 1 other (does it at night) have started to lay. Yesterday we had 5 eggs! We let our girls free ranger from dawn to dusk. They have a constant supply of pellets and are fed a cup full of corn at 3pm and treats at 4. All have good hard shells.

 

Hope this is reassuring, I'm sure yours will lay soon.

 

Donna