We've had the girls for three years now, adding a few new ones each year. This is the first winter I did not heat or light the coops, Our winters can be very cold sometimes way below 0. They made out just fine but after molting egg production never picked back up. I wasn't really sure if it was because they had shorter days or because some of them were just getting to old?
My husband felt they belonged in the freezer!!!
Being strong headed like I am I stood my ground and continued to spend money on feed for hens that were not doing there job. On a good day we might get two eggs. Last week we had very warm weather and the time change. The girls must enjoy the daylight and warmth because they are doing there job now. 16 eggs today!!! Guess It's time to start selling eggs again to pay for feed looks like the girls aren't headed for the freezer just yet.
Hi Janice,how did your little one in the basement make out?I sold 4 silkie hens Sunday.Got some lemon cuckoo orpington eggs comming form Oakland Maine that I won on ebay,they 100% english so they should be beautiful.Had 40 in the incubator but candled yesterday and now have only 30.9 are blue black splash orps and the rest are out of my flock of buff and bbs orps. I have no rooster now for my orps so will have to wait for my 2 month olds to grow up.Rooster got to nasty and it was so hard trying to beat him off with a broom while doing chores.Have a broody orp that will take the 12 lemon orp eggs,they will be here tomorow.Have three broody silkies on 10 eggs I think.Got the coop half cleaned last week in that warm weather.I have 15 buffs and get four dozen eggs a week.Never got many eggs from them this winter but the silkies layed all winter,I asume because of the heat lamps being on for them.Donna
ReplyDeleteDonna I lost the one in the basement, but my little silkie with the broken leg is sitting on I think 5 eggs. Sounds like you are going to have a lot of chicks.
DeleteJanice
Hope so, I don`t have very good luck with shipped eggs,usually out of 12 eggs I will get 2 or 3 chicks.maybe under broody will do better.Post office didn`t call so I guess no eggs today.I know why they call it snail mail.
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