3 brown
December 30
1 brown
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Monday, December 28, 2015
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Production
I'm seeing some cannibalism still.
1-3 brown eggs a day (haven't been documenting daily production well, that will change now that I'm more recovered from injury). Found a clutch of 5 brown and 1 white egg outside of the coop today. At this point all of the chicks from last May should be producing - so:
4 Buff Oppington (Brown)
3 Americauna (Green)
2 White Leghorn (White)
As well as the older hens
2 Barred Rock (Brown)
1 Rhode Island Red (Brown)
3 Americauna (Green)
1 Ancona (White)
16 hens
Days are getting longer. Over next months I expect that 3-6 brown eggs (4 young, 3 older layers), 2-5 green (3+3) and 1-3 white eggs will become the norm.
So 3+2+1 (minimum) to 6+5+3 eggs daily. Peak will likely be in May. Culling stew hens in September, although some Americauna may be culled earlier.
Chicks in May:
2 Barred Rock
2 Rhode Island Red
2 Americauna
2 white leghorn
7 Cornish X
(8 layers, 7 meat birds)
late 2016 flock:
2 Barred Rock (pullets) (cull 2 older)
2 Rhode Island Red (pullets) (cull 1 older)
4 Buff Orpington (18 month hens)
2 Americauna (pullets) (cull 3 older)
3 Americauna (18 month hens)
2 White Leghorn (pullets) cull Ancona
2 White Leghorn (18 month hens)
8 brown layers, 5 green layers, 4 white layers
17 hens
no culling or chicks in 2017.
2018 replace 2015 chicks.
1-3 brown eggs a day (haven't been documenting daily production well, that will change now that I'm more recovered from injury). Found a clutch of 5 brown and 1 white egg outside of the coop today. At this point all of the chicks from last May should be producing - so:
4 Buff Oppington (Brown)
3 Americauna (Green)
2 White Leghorn (White)
As well as the older hens
2 Barred Rock (Brown)
1 Rhode Island Red (Brown)
3 Americauna (Green)
1 Ancona (White)
16 hens
Days are getting longer. Over next months I expect that 3-6 brown eggs (4 young, 3 older layers), 2-5 green (3+3) and 1-3 white eggs will become the norm.
So 3+2+1 (minimum) to 6+5+3 eggs daily. Peak will likely be in May. Culling stew hens in September, although some Americauna may be culled earlier.
Chicks in May:
2 Barred Rock
2 Rhode Island Red
2 Americauna
2 white leghorn
7 Cornish X
(8 layers, 7 meat birds)
late 2016 flock:
2 Barred Rock (pullets) (cull 2 older)
2 Rhode Island Red (pullets) (cull 1 older)
4 Buff Orpington (18 month hens)
2 Americauna (pullets) (cull 3 older)
3 Americauna (18 month hens)
2 White Leghorn (pullets) cull Ancona
2 White Leghorn (18 month hens)
8 brown layers, 5 green layers, 4 white layers
17 hens
no culling or chicks in 2017.
2018 replace 2015 chicks.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Sunday, August 02, 2015
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Sunday, July 26, 2015
July 26
1 green
July 25
at least one brown cannibalized
I removed all the soiled straw from the coop and did not put the ceramic eggs back until new straw was strewn about by the hens. Found at a cannibalized brown egg when I went in the coop to put the ceramic eggs back in the laying area. Laying boxes are needed.
July 25
at least one brown cannibalized
I removed all the soiled straw from the coop and did not put the ceramic eggs back until new straw was strewn about by the hens. Found at a cannibalized brown egg when I went in the coop to put the ceramic eggs back in the laying area. Laying boxes are needed.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
July 22
1 white, 2 brown
I purchased some ceramic eggs and placed them in the laying area of the coop - there has been significant cannibalism. Ceramic eggs teach the cannibal hens that eggs are not food - they peck the ceramic egg, it doesn't break and they leave.
I purchased some ceramic eggs and placed them in the laying area of the coop - there has been significant cannibalism. Ceramic eggs teach the cannibal hens that eggs are not food - they peck the ceramic egg, it doesn't break and they leave.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Thursday, July 09, 2015
Tuesday, July 07, 2015
Monday, July 06, 2015
Sunday, July 05, 2015
Saturday, July 04, 2015
July 4
1 brown
Chicks are being a PITA - they're out of the coop during the day, and don't have the habit of returning to the coop in the evening.
Chicks are being a PITA - they're out of the coop during the day, and don't have the habit of returning to the coop in the evening.
Friday, July 03, 2015
Wednesday, July 01, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
Sunday, June 28, 2015
June 28
1 white, 1 brown
Chicks went to the coop on June 25, a week later than I had planned. Egg production through today has been sparse, with a fair amount of cannibalism. I think the presence of chicks is changing that; time will tell.
Present flock:
3 americauna (one rooster? or one white egg laying Americauna?)
1 Rhode Island Red
2 Barred Rock
1 Ancona
1 Columbian Wyandotte rooster
Chicks 5 meat birds - slaughter late July
4 Buff Orpington
3 Americauna
2 White Leghorns
1 Mystery bird - Dark colored, feathers on legs (I suspect a Cochin of some sort).
Chicks should begin egg production in November. 4 brown layers, 3 green layers and 2 white layers. Present flock is 3 brown layers, 2 green layers and 1 (+1?) white layer.
I need to zip tie the grown Americauna birds legs this summer for ID purposes. Some will be for the stew pot this year. The Ancona and a couple of brown layers too, after pullet egg production starts. 2016 chick order will be mainly meat birds, 3 brown layers and a white or green depending on survival of chicks.
Chicks went to the coop on June 25, a week later than I had planned. Egg production through today has been sparse, with a fair amount of cannibalism. I think the presence of chicks is changing that; time will tell.
Present flock:
3 americauna (one rooster? or one white egg laying Americauna?)
1 Rhode Island Red
2 Barred Rock
1 Ancona
1 Columbian Wyandotte rooster
Chicks 5 meat birds - slaughter late July
4 Buff Orpington
3 Americauna
2 White Leghorns
1 Mystery bird - Dark colored, feathers on legs (I suspect a Cochin of some sort).
Chicks should begin egg production in November. 4 brown layers, 3 green layers and 2 white layers. Present flock is 3 brown layers, 2 green layers and 1 (+1?) white layer.
I need to zip tie the grown Americauna birds legs this summer for ID purposes. Some will be for the stew pot this year. The Ancona and a couple of brown layers too, after pullet egg production starts. 2016 chick order will be mainly meat birds, 3 brown layers and a white or green depending on survival of chicks.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
May 31
May 31
1 white, 1 brown + 1 brown cannibalized
May 30
1 white, 3 brown, 1 green.
Chicks arrived on May 28. Bought 50# organic chick start.
May 31 Bought 50# organic scratch, bale of wood shaving bedding.
Chicks will be in brooder until June 18 or so.
It appears that production is coming back. between May 5 and 30 egg production varied from 0 to 2 eggs per day. The 5 egg day followed by a 3 egg day suggests that production is back.
One Rhode Island Red died - she had been having difficulty moving prior to her death.
1 white, 1 brown + 1 brown cannibalized
May 30
1 white, 3 brown, 1 green.
Chicks arrived on May 28. Bought 50# organic chick start.
May 31 Bought 50# organic scratch, bale of wood shaving bedding.
Chicks will be in brooder until June 18 or so.
It appears that production is coming back. between May 5 and 30 egg production varied from 0 to 2 eggs per day. The 5 egg day followed by a 3 egg day suggests that production is back.
One Rhode Island Red died - she had been having difficulty moving prior to her death.
Tuesday, May 05, 2015
Monday, May 04, 2015
Saturday, May 02, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Monday, April 27, 2015
April 27
1 Brown, 1 white cannibalized
Sunday 1 brown, 1 green
Saturday 1 brown
Friday 1 brown
Thursday no eggs
Wednesday 2 green
Tuesday 1 brown, 1 white
Monday no eggs
Sunday 1 brown, 1 green
W: 0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,1
B: 2,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,1,0,0,1,1,1
G: 1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,2,0,0,1,0
Sunday 1 brown, 1 green
Saturday 1 brown
Friday 1 brown
Thursday no eggs
Wednesday 2 green
Tuesday 1 brown, 1 white
Monday no eggs
Sunday 1 brown, 1 green
W: 0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,1
B: 2,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,1,0,0,1,1,1
G: 1,0,1,0,1,0,1,0,0,2,0,0,1,0
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
April 11
2 brown, 1 green
W: 0
B: 2
G: 1
have been getting 0-2 eggs a day since end of March. Time to start daily recording.
Chick order is in - ship date Memorial Day.
4 Buff Orpington (B)
3 Americauna (G)
2 White Leghorn (W)
6 meat birds
1 free exotic
W: 0
B: 2
G: 1
have been getting 0-2 eggs a day since end of March. Time to start daily recording.
Chick order is in - ship date Memorial Day.
4 Buff Orpington (B)
3 Americauna (G)
2 White Leghorn (W)
6 meat birds
1 free exotic
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
March 29
1 brown, 1 green
about 15 eggs in March, although there were escapees up until March 27. Some white, brown, green.
Ordered chicks for delivery May 27.
about 15 eggs in March, although there were escapees up until March 27. Some white, brown, green.
Ordered chicks for delivery May 27.
Sunday, March 01, 2015
March 1
Bought 4# flax seed, 50# lay pellets, 50# scratch $36.13
Hens are laying again. Found a clutch of 7 green eggs outside chicken yard. 3 brown eggs in February. 2 brown, 1 green today.
Hens are laying again. Found a clutch of 7 green eggs outside chicken yard. 3 brown eggs in February. 2 brown, 1 green today.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
January 31
My hens will be in the stew pot next fall. Production this winter is abysmal. Really - 1 egg in all of January from 8 laying hens is ridiculous. I expect the added daylight to bring production up to 3-6 eggs a day by summer. I'm getting chicks this spring that should be producing by fall and through the winter.
This is a poorly performing flock - my flock was producing about 2 dozen eggs a week back in 2010 - granted there were 4 more hens in the flock, but 1 egg in January 2015 vs 90 in January 2011?
2011 - 13 hens, 9 aged 1 year, 2 aged 3 years, 2 aged 9 years
2015 - 8 hens, 2 aged 3 years, 6 aged 2+ years
Look like culling birds after second season is the way to go. There are other factors of course, the breed mix is different (the 9 year old silver laced Wyandottes were still producing big brown eggs!)
This is a poorly performing flock - my flock was producing about 2 dozen eggs a week back in 2010 - granted there were 4 more hens in the flock, but 1 egg in January 2015 vs 90 in January 2011?
2011 - 13 hens, 9 aged 1 year, 2 aged 3 years, 2 aged 9 years
2015 - 8 hens, 2 aged 3 years, 6 aged 2+ years
Look like culling birds after second season is the way to go. There are other factors of course, the breed mix is different (the 9 year old silver laced Wyandottes were still producing big brown eggs!)
Saturday, January 24, 2015
January 24
One of the Barred Rock hens wasn't in the coop overnight. She died, no evidence of predation though.
No egg production in January.
No egg production in January.
Sunday, January 04, 2015
Jan 4
Bought 50# lay pellets 3# flax seed, 50# scratch $34.84
Total of 3 brown eggs for all of December.
Nights have been cold the past week - below freezing a couple of times. Diurnal cycle was at its low about 2 weeks ago - production should start coming back by end of January.
I'm planning on getting some additional layers this spring, plus some meat birds - delivery around May 4. Get 3 americauna (green), 3 Buff Oprington (brown), 2 red start sex links (dark brown), 2 leghorns (white) and 7 meat birds.
Summer Flock:
Americauna: 1 old, 3 chicks
Barred Rock:3 2 old
Rhode Island Red: 3 old
Buff Orpington: 3 chicks
Red Star: 2 chicks
Ancona: 1 old
Leghorn: 2 chicks
Cull 2 old Americauna for stew in next 4 months. cull 1 Rhode island red, 1 barred rock for stew late in year (after new brown production starts).
End of year 2015 flock:
4 green (1 old, 3 pullets)
8 brown (3 old, 5 pullets)
3 white (1 old, 2 pullets)
Should be getting 6 - 10 eggs a day from pullets starting in October. The old birds will be going into molt around then. Older birds for stew starting in November - all 5 hens culled in 2016. Replace with 4 brown layers, meat birds, possibly 2 Ancona and 2 Americauna in spring 2016.
Total of 3 brown eggs for all of December.
Nights have been cold the past week - below freezing a couple of times. Diurnal cycle was at its low about 2 weeks ago - production should start coming back by end of January.
I'm planning on getting some additional layers this spring, plus some meat birds - delivery around May 4. Get 3 americauna (green), 3 Buff Oprington (brown), 2 red start sex links (dark brown), 2 leghorns (white) and 7 meat birds.
Summer Flock:
Americauna: 1 old, 3 chicks
Barred Rock:
Rhode Island Red: 3 old
Buff Orpington: 3 chicks
Red Star: 2 chicks
Ancona: 1 old
Leghorn: 2 chicks
Cull 2 old Americauna for stew in next 4 months. cull 1 Rhode island red, 1 barred rock for stew late in year (after new brown production starts).
End of year 2015 flock:
4 green (1 old, 3 pullets)
8 brown (3 old, 5 pullets)
3 white (1 old, 2 pullets)
Should be getting 6 - 10 eggs a day from pullets starting in October. The old birds will be going into molt around then. Older birds for stew starting in November - all 5 hens culled in 2016. Replace with 4 brown layers, meat birds, possibly 2 Ancona and 2 Americauna in spring 2016.
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