Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sylvester017]

NavyBeans on the ladder
View attachment 4256605

She really got high up ~ hopping on the steps or flying up?!

 

[Sylvester017]

How many eggs does she lay a week usually?

Welbars say 200/year & Welsummers 220-230/year. I pay no attn to projected claims though... each bird is different. Each year hens lay 20% less than their pullet year, & 20% less each successive year.

As we are aware, hybrids are egg-exhausted usually by age 5. They use up all their egg cells fast/early in their laying career.

Broody heritage breeds lay less eggs per year but will lay well into age 8 to 9 years ~ even if it be only a handful by then. Our broody Silkies have layed into their 7th year. Our long-lived Silkies usually stop laying by 6th year. Bantams are not prolific layers. Even some duck breeds only lay 50 eggs/year. But that's a plus for less health issues.

Each pullet chick hatches w/a certain number of egg cells & a hybrid layer exhausts those eggs early in her career while a less prolific layer won't lay prolifically to exhaust all her eggs till much later in her lifespan. My friend's Australorp layed a stray egg at 8 years. No telling what cycle each individual hen has till she's in our possession.

We had to re-home our bully Marans & wanted to replace w/ Wellies or Welbars for dark eggs but timing was never opportune. Beautiful, mostly calm birds.
Welbar ~ such pretty hens

 

[Sylvester017]

I love em!

It's great that they came altogether as friends even though in a different environment... at least they have each other to adapt.

 

[Grandma The Chicken]

On this fine Monday, Hawk and Raven are having a dust bath under the trailer. Consider this an early Twofer.

 

[featherhead007]

Hmmm. At the moment none. All mine are on strike at the moment.
In Spring/Summer about 4-5 a week.
She has gone broody a couple of times but gave up with encouragement.

Broody, tiny bubbles, makes for interesting conversation.

 

[Marie2020]

'Yo habla espanol" & you didn't ask them the breed?

Those birds look very much like BSL's but ruralmouse will best ID. They are pretty & look indeed a lot like Ponypoor's Sophia. You should probably call one of them Sophia

Sophia is a lovely name

 

[TOMTE]

How much longer before I can make an entire new chicken, do you think?