Laying Hens

**warramra** · 01-19-2012, 09:01 PM

I will be picking up the first of our flock of chickens this weekend. I have been wanting hens for several years and reading as much as I can about keeping laying hens. We have just finished converting an old shed into a coop.

I know we will be getting 4 Golden Comets, 9 mos old and already laying. We can also get two Buff Orpingtons, though they are 3 years old.

I'm looking for any suggestions chicken owners might have for us as we embark on this new adventure.

Thanks

**madhen** · 01-19-2012, 09:06 PM

Congrats on the new additions!! I love my girls.

Mine love canned catfood, if you want to give yours a treat now and then. I think it is the protein, because they like most meat items (including scrambled eggs and turkey).

I worm mine about twice a year, and I keep an eye on them for bird lice. Healthy chickens rarely get it, so if you see lice on a bird, it is often your first indication that she is not as well as she appears.

**ama** · 01-19-2012, 09:09 PM

I just got chickens last spring. I started off with 8 chicks but lost 2 failure to thrive and 2 were roo's I have 4 now. Silkies are adorable and though not the best layers I get more a lot!

**Russ** · 01-19-2012, 09:19 PM

Don't bother with the Buff Orpingtons. That breed, at that age, I imagine they will only be pets or chicken soup.

**Natalie's Nesters** · 01-19-2012, 09:32 PM

I agree with Russ, after 3 years hens wear out. You may get an egg every now and then, they are just freeloaders eating expensive feed.

**mzpepper** · 01-19-2012, 11:48 PM

I have had chickens for the best part of the last 8 years or so. My advice to you is to watch your time. They are so much fun that you will go out to feed them and then you get caught up in their antics and the time has just flown by.

If you have a rooster in your flock be sure to keep him socialized so that he doesn't get aggresive. My rooster is a gentlemen and always gives the girls first pickings of the treats!

**ladytoysdream** · 01-20-2012, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by warramra

I know we will be getting 4 Golden Comets, 9 mos old and already laying. We can also get two Buff Orpingtons, though they are 3 years old.

Hi and welcome to the world of chickens.
I have been around chickens for quite some time. Growing up, and then through the years.
Our current flock we have had since spring of 2009.

This is my bert the bad chicken thread and tells quite a bit about our journey with chickens.
Bert the bad chicken

We currently have 42 girls and 2 boys. Half of our girls are pullets born last summer, about 1/4 are 1.5 yrs, and the last 1/4 are senior hens that will be 3 this spring. The oldest hens are buff orpingtons and are still laying huge brown eggs, but less and less. In your case, unless it is a package deal, I would pass on the 3 yr old hens. They will be expensive pets and or soup birds.

Not sure how many eggs you are wanting per day for your household. I figure roughly 6 eggs per bird per week. I have 4 egg customers steady for the winter right now. I do a farmers market in the summer with extra eggs.

We have never had to give our birds any medicine. We have a closed flock and don't introduce any new birds. Except for the ameracauna chicks we tried last spring to help the niece out. One pullet out of that bunch for us, and just not a good experience.

Price of grain has gone up a lot. We plan on growing what we can here to help with the costs. All you need to remember is a good solid coop to keep predators out, shade areas in the summer, plenty of water, and enough feed to keep them healthy. A lot of ours have names, and are pets. They are fun to have around

**warramra** · 01-20-2012, 08:34 AM

Thanks a lot for everything. I wasn't really considering the Orpingtons, but they are just such a pretty bird. I don't know if the kids and I could stand eating one of our chickens at this point, so unless they lay they would just be pets.

We live in the town limits on 1/3 of an acre. So, we can't have a rooster (only property with 1+ acres can have roosters). I wish we could just for the protection of the birds.

My purpose is to produce eggs for our family of six and maybe some to share with family & friends. We eat eggs several times a week. I think a full flock for us would be 6-8 hens. I'm getting four now that are already laying and a friend has told us that she would give us a few pullets this Spring from her flock.

Lady,
I started reading your thread and it is very interesting. I have to take DS to preschool, but I am sure that I will spend some of my time reading it this morning when I get back.

Thanks again for all the input. The kids and I are really excited, DH is being very tolerant.

**warramra** · 01-21-2012, 11:01 PM

We picked up our hens this morning. I ended up choosing 2 Golden Comets, 1 New Hampshire Red, 1 White Plymouth Rock and 1 Red Barred Rock. They are all between 9 and 10 months old.

They seem to be transitioning to their new home very well. We've even gotten 2 eggs today from them.

The whole house is very excited about this new venture.

**alotofgooddeals** · 01-22-2012, 10:35 AM

so excited for you...not meaning to hijack your thread but my daughter wants chickens this spring...now that things have settled down i have told her we could try a few...she is 10 almost 11 and loves animals...so she has done some research on this and has found that we should get at least 3 chicks. She has found some information on clipping their wings and clipping their beaks....is this necessary...I am so not up for that....also i just read about deworming them...how is that done? I plan on getting rhode island reds...are they good layers and when do they start laying and how old are they when you get them at the store...haha....thanks and again not trying to hijack your thread at all....

**Natalie's Nesters** · 01-22-2012, 12:45 PM

Welcome to chickens! I would not clip their beaks, wings later if they fly out. I have never wormed my Reds, I add cider vinegar to the water. ACV cleans them out and is cheap. I add a tablespoon to a gallon, or a splash to a large amount. Reds are great layers, and start laying around six mnths. Any more questions send me a note!

**warramra** · 01-23-2012, 01:05 PM

I don't think my link for the pics worked last time. Here it is again:

Chickens

We are up to six eggs before today

**ladytoysdream** · 01-23-2012, 02:11 PM

Quote She has found some information on clipping their wings and clipping their beaks....is this necessary...I am so not up for that....also i just read about deworming them...how is that done? I plan on getting rhode island reds...are they good layers and when do they start laying and how old are they when you get them at the store unquote

Clipping wings...no....it never worked for ours...they still can fly. And get out.
And they only look lop sided to me.

Beaks....NO...leave them alone.

Deworming....NO....unless they really need it. Not as prevenative medicine.
We have never wormed ours. No medicine of any kind.

Rhode Island Reds are good birds. Yes.

Chickes are usually a few days old at the store.
If you can't have a rooster, make sure you get pullets only.
You can also pre order them special.

They lay when they are ready

Usually like 6 months old. Sometimes quicker,
sometimes longer. Also depends on the breed of chicken.