Eggs???
Re: Eggs???
I don't give supplemental light, I have enough eggs with just the silkies. I hate selling eggs and I don't want any chicks in the winter anymore.
It is strange that Jaye is not getting any eggs even with the extra light.
It is strange that Jaye is not getting any eggs even with the extra light.
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- Jaye
- Poultry Guru - chick level
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Re: Eggs???
Thankfully, I'm not totally devoid of eggs in the coop: I am still getting eggs from one of my two youngest who came into lay in late fall, but nothing from the other three of laying age (four if you count the second of the youngest) who didn't come into lay before the shorter days of late fall like her sister did.
I think it's strange too.
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RIP Scooby, AKA Awesome Dog. Too well loved to ever be forgotten. "Sometime in June", 2005 - January 24, 2017.
"Until one has loved an animal, part of one's soul remains unawakened" - Anatole France
"Until one has loved an animal, part of one's soul remains unawakened" - Anatole France
- Happy
- Poultry Guru - pullet level
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Re: Eggs???
I dont do supplemental lighting other than from 5-6pm to get feeding/visiting and a quick clean done. I didn't hatch or buy any new pullets this year so I dont expect any eggs until march or so. The one a day that I'm getting is a bonus! I have never had chickens for the egg production so it's fine by me.
Jaye I do agree that your situation seems odd. I had a pullet start to lay last fall and then stop after about 8 eggs. She took the whole winter off and then laid about 20 fart eggs in the spring before her system finally kicked into normal. I've never experienced that with a new layer before but she seems fine now. Molting right on schedule and on another break. Hopefully things straighten out for you soon .
Jaye I do agree that your situation seems odd. I had a pullet start to lay last fall and then stop after about 8 eggs. She took the whole winter off and then laid about 20 fart eggs in the spring before her system finally kicked into normal. I've never experienced that with a new layer before but she seems fine now. Molting right on schedule and on another break. Hopefully things straighten out for you soon .
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Re: Eggs???
I do supplemental lighting 6500K (daylight) bulbs from 4 am- 5 pm. Most of my older hens are moulting and I have about 40 % 1st year layers but overall my egg production is down about 20 %. I feed layer pellets and treat with scratch grain & black sunflower seeds.
I haven't seen any study but I wonder if type of light range 3500k vs. 6500k affects laying. Maybe low level soft light bulbs don't help.
With the low power use of led bulbs I have a few bulbs in most sheds to prevent those dark shadows.
I haven't seen any study but I wonder if type of light range 3500k vs. 6500k affects laying. Maybe low level soft light bulbs don't help.
With the low power use of led bulbs I have a few bulbs in most sheds to prevent those dark shadows.
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- Killerbunny
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Re: Eggs???
@LongCrow you may have something there! Also I don't think many of us have production type layers meant to produce heavily for a year. We all have different breeds, mutts and ages. Mine are a mix of heritage mix mutts and wyandottes and I was just checking they are all over 3 years old except my 3 pullets. One of mine is 6 and several are 5. Previous years the wyandottes were best for laying over the winter and finishing moult speedily but on thinking about it I had an egg drought last year for 6 weeks in December/January. Interestingly my turkey hens laid well into October this year.
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Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
- Jaye
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Re: Eggs???
Thanks for the suggestion, @LongCrow . We have CFL bulbs in the coop and run, but will change them for LEDs and see if that makes a difference.
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RIP Scooby, AKA Awesome Dog. Too well loved to ever be forgotten. "Sometime in June", 2005 - January 24, 2017.
"Until one has loved an animal, part of one's soul remains unawakened" - Anatole France
"Until one has loved an animal, part of one's soul remains unawakened" - Anatole France
- Ontario Chick
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- WLLady
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Re: Eggs???
mine have just started picking up again. was a good 5 weeks of next to nothing....maybe they're just getting used to the artificial lights, because it's not as bright as sunlight, but when it's dark out most of the time it's better than nothing LOL
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Pet quality wheaten/blue wheaten ameraucanas, welsummers, barred rocks, light brown leghorns; Projects on the go: rhodebars, welbars
- Killerbunny
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Re: Eggs???
OK so DH tells me that LEDs and CFLs have a different flicker frequency to incandescent so with an LED you may not get the same light as with the others???
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Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
- Happy
- Poultry Guru - pullet level
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- Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:46 am
- Location: Wasaga Beach
- x 10923
Re: Eggs???
Well it seems I just needed to say that I didnt expect any eggs. I went out to the coop this morning to find 3 eggs on the "old girls" side. One bantam from my 5 year old OEGB and 2 big girls that are 2 and 3 years old. I was more than a little surprised!
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