Chicken boarders

[TAJ]

What pure breeds are laying currently? My light Sussex only stopped when moulting and has been laying again since early Jan, the Dorking stopped mid-December, but started laying again a week ago, the cream legbar stopped in December and the Barvelder is in mid-moult at the age of just 12 months (6 months laying) so not laying. One older hybrid still lays a few.

 

Tracy

[sjp]

I've got a Cream Legbar she's been laying since early December 2009

Gold legbar been laying since 15th January 2010

Barnbar been laying since Tuesday she's only laid 3 times through

the other 2 are now laying 2 out of 3 days which in the case of the Cream legbar is a drop in production she's has been laying 3 out of 4 this I've put down to this band of grey weather we've got at the moment

[Patricia W]

My polands aren't laying but today, for the first time since about the end of October, Phillip leapt on Phillipa! So I'm hopeful the egg famine will soon be over. As I gave in and bought a dozen eggs from Waitrose on Saturday, that's another sign it's bound to happen!

 

Tricia

[Christian]

My light sussex laid last week - first egg since July (but did have sour crop, then moulted).

 

Buff and silver Sussexes laying every day

 

Marans 4 times a week

 

Barnevelder - not a sausage since October/Novemeber, but comb is looking decidedly more red every day

[Space Chick]

My Barnebar has just started laying today after a moult. The others stopped early and mid Jan when it went really really cold

[Daphne]

bantam polands - yes, since Jan

bantam orp - ditto

LF orps - one on Friday, rest yet to start

[meezers]

My Cream Legbar started laying again early last week, my Silkie has laid all through winter- when she's not been broody, my Australorp started again a couple of days ago - think she was supposed to lay through winter, but she never read the book

My Light Sussex is still on holiday ( I think ) and so is the Welsummer, Dorking is yet to start laying.

[grracee]

My buff orp starting laying around xmas time, first time layer.

My other buff orp im still waiting for her first egg!

My one barnebar has been laying for just over a week now after her first moult, i'm getting an egg off her at least every other day, if not everyday.

My other barnebar hasn't started again yet after her first moult but im eagerly awaiting an egg any day now because her comb is getting very red.

& my cream legbar has been starting to sqwat now after her first moult so also waiting for an egg off her anyday now

Can't wait till they are all laying!!!

[grracee]

my Australorp started again a couple of days ago - think she was supposed to lay through winter, but she never read the book

 

I like that!

[ubereglu]

My cream legbar came back into lay today!

[Jools]

Bantams - my Silver Sussex, Light Sussex and Marans bantams are all back in lay after a very short winter break. My other bantams are either older or lazier or both and won't start up again for another month or two (if ever!!)

 

Big Uns - my RIRs are both back in lay again after a break of a couple of months. My Indian Game haven't started again yet. All of those hatched last May/June are now laying regularly too (not pures, but crosses involving FCB Marans, RIR and Indian Game).

[AmberSky]

Out of my pure breeds only Blubelle my cream leg bar has laid an egg 1st time yesterday, since about late october.

 

Never before saw the coincidence, so does it follow that pure breeds dont lay in winter?

[Jools]

It's more about age and strain than whether they're hybrid / pure breed, although some breeds are obviously better layers than others.

 

Pure breed poultry generally fall into either show strain or utility strain, with a few bridging the gap between the two. Breeding to meet exacting show standards of size, shape, colour, feathering etc etc is usually at the expense of laying or table qualities. So if you're after a pure breed for eggs, then make sure you're sourcing a good laying breed from a utility strain and not for the show pen.

 

This is what I've found with my better laying pure breeds, both bantam and large fowl.

 

If I hatch in May or early June, my pullets come into lay late Nov / early Dec and lay right through until their first moult the following autumn. The better layers take a month or two off lay before re-starting during the winter. As they get older, they take a longer break and obviously lay fewer eggs each week.

 

I don't have much experience of hybrids but I'd expect the same kind of pattern, except that they will probably take a shorter break for the moult and laying.

 

So, winter eggs are about timing, which is my excuse for hatching each May / early June so that my pullets more or less fill the "moulting gap".

[chickencam]

My Light Sussex has been laying for about a month, she didn't start again until the third week in February last year, but has had a shorter break this year. She is now about 3 years old.

[meezers]

My Light Sussex started laying again today.Just waiting on the Welsummer and Dorking now.

[chelsea]

3 year old Maran - been laying for about a month now and every day

 

White Cochin - laid about 4 eggs (first time ever over Winter) and now gone broody

 

Other Cochin - nothing!

[Egluntyne]

My light Sussex has been laying for a couple of months. My Speckled SUsses, who was hatched on 2nd April has yet to lay, although she has crouched a couple of times this week. 'Bout time.

[eve]

im new had my girls since aug pol 2 marans 2 white sussex all batams.marans started laying dec normally get 2 eggs every other day. is this normal?? sussex laid one egg two wks ago now nothing. is this normal?? they crowning lots and making noises.hoping they start to lay soon as dont wantto buy eggs!!! any advice would be good thank you

[chickencam]

They will all get going in the next couple of week probably as the days lengthen, they either stop or greatly reduce egg laying in the darker winter months.

 

My youngsters which I got last July have laid all winter but they are hybrids and they have upped their laying a level now the days are getting longer.

[TAJ]

In the last few days my cream legbar has started again, so that just leaves my Barnvelder to start - but given she is still feathering up after a moult I let her off.

 

Tracy

[ubereglu]

Well Molly my cream legbar is back laying and started about a month ago. Spice (barnevelder) laid a tiny egg last week and hasn't laid since.