Chicken boarders

[andyandamy]

We've had our two hybrid pullets for 5 weeks this coming Sunday but are yet to enjoy even a single egg - not even a softie . We were told they were about 17 wks when we got them and had held high hopes of an egg for Amy's Birthday a couple of weeks ago. No such luck!

 

Neither chook has started crouching, and while bubbles has a fairly large (if pale) comb, Daisy's is still barely there at all. I'm sure the girls will get there soon enough, although the're starting to try my patience!

 

Anyway - what I'm wondering is whether the amount of sunlight they get would affect their development in any way? We currently have them in a very shaded corner of the garden, where they get at most an hour of direct sunlight from around 5pm - my suspicion is that this isn't quite as much as they might like.

 

How much sun do your girls get in their run? And at what age did they start laying? Would be interesting to gather some statistics to either prove or debunk my theory!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm afraid the answer to what age they'll start laying is the same as to how long is a piece of string . It's really pot luck whether a hen will lay at "point of lay" or weeks (or even months!) later. I don't think the sunlight is an issue - after all they can lay through the winter when there's not much about. Daylight is enough I reckon (although I don't know much about that side of things!) Mine have always been in a fairly shady spot too (having said that, they don't lay that well so maybe you have a point .)

 

You'll just have to play the waiting game . (From memory, one of mine was 40 weeks till she first laid .)

[Charlottechicken]

I wouldn't be bothered with them not getting any actual sunlight on their backs, daylight should be enough. Although at this time of year some hens do start to wind down their egg production. Mine will give up laying by November and resume at the beginning of February. However, when I had just hybrids they did not break for winter but just carried on laying through till spring.

 

I understand that it is better to have the hen house and run in shade rather than full sun. They are better equipped to deal with the cold than the heat, and a chicken's natural environment is a lightly wooded area anyway.