Chicken bald back

[luckyrid]

Hi. I've got 3 pekin bantams who are all about 3 month's old now.

 

Does anyone know when they will start laying? I've been told bantams start laying the day after the longest night... is this true?

 

Another quick question... If we were to go away over Christmas would it be OK to leave the eglu door open (but not the run) or would they be too cold overnight?

 

Thanks all very much!

[Jools]

Your three month old Pekins won't come into lay now until spring. And then they'll go broody!! The reference to the longest night isn't to do with being bantams, but it's a kind of rule of thumb about pullets in general. Pullets that are from a utility strain of a good laying breed that are hatched before the longest day are rumoured to come into lay before the shortest day. In my very limited experience, it usually works out that way. HTH.