How long to lay

[Meyers And Sons Chicken F]

Just purchased a 2 year old Bluff Orpington hen, I've had her for 3 weeks, I also purchased a 2 year old rooster, same breed. Back to the hen, she seems content and is eating very well but no eggs yet. What can I expect in another few weeks or so? We are in GA. and the weather has been colder than usual. Should I change her feed from scratch to layer? We have also been letting her free range for about a 1/2 a day also. Thanks for any constructive comments.

 

[nuthatched]

Just purchased a 2 year old Bluff Orpington hen, I've had her for 3 weeks, I also purchased a 2 year old rooster, same breed. Back to the hen, she seems content and is eating very well but no eggs yet. What can I expect in another few weeks or so? We are in GA. and the weather has been colder than usual. Should I change her feed from scratch to layer? We have also been letting her free range for about a 1/2 a day also. Thanks for any constructive comments.

Are you sure she's 2?
Switch her to a real feed, any real feed, chick, all flock, grower, nice layer. Anything is much better than scratch.

 

[FrostRanger]

Scratch isn't a suitable diet for chickens. It's basically just candy. Put her on an all flock with oyster shell on the side. You don't want to feed layer feed since you have a rooster. 1 hen also isn't enough for a rooster, I'd get 5-9 more hens for him. If you have too few hens, you will have an increased risk of running into issues with over breeding. Given it's still winter and especially since she's a bit older she might not lay until spring. Be aware though that she is past her peak laying days, hens lay their best their first 2 years of life and drop off in subsequent years. That's not to say that she won't lay or won't lay very well, she very well could have a few years of laying left in her. It's also not impossible that she's older than you were led to believe as some people will lie about their bird's age.

Again, she should pick back up once spring hits in a few weeks so don't make any decisions about her yet. Also plan on getting some chicks to give your rooster more females

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you are letting her free range for half a day what you are feeding her isn't that important, especially in regard to laying. With her free ranging you have lost the ability to micromanage her diet.

Do you have the nutrient analysis on that feed? Something that shows the percent of protein, fiber, fats, calcium, and other nutrients. If it really is a scratch it is probably fairly low in protein and high in other things. It is not suitable to be all or most of what she eats. I'd prefer a different feed with a higher protein content like Starter, Grower, All-Flock, or Flock-Raiser with oyster shell offered on the side, even if they free range all day long. What you are doing will not harm her but it means she will not reach her genetic potential as far as production goes.

What can I expect in another few weeks or so?

I assume you mean when will she start laying. I don't know enough about her to answer that. How has she been managed? If she has been kept where they manipulated the lights to keep her laying she may go into a molt and not lay for months. If she was kept without lights and considering the time of the year she could start laying really soon or still could wait for the longer warmer days of later spring.

 

[Meyers And Sons Chicken F]

Are you sure she's 2?
Switch her to a real feed, any real feed, chick, all flock, grower, nice layer. Anything is much better than scratch.

It's not her picture, I will change it when I get one, I'm assuming she is close to two, being as big as she is. If not two she is younger than that, I just know she is old enough to be laying, as for your recommendation about changing feed, that's my next move. Didn't realize that scratch is a kind of a treat feed. will be changing soon. Thanks for your comment.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I’m in Atlanta and have 2 Buff Orpington hens. Mine are nearly 4 years old, and the one that lays just started laying eggs again this week. Yours should start laying very soon!

I agree with feeding All Flock feed if you have any birds that don’t lay, mine are getting Kalmbach Flock Maker.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

Might it be possible that she is laying somewhere else than where you want her to? If she is free ranging she might have a nest you don’t know about.

 

[Meyers And Sons Chicken F]

If you are letting her free range for half a day what you are feeding her isn't that important, especially in regard to laying. With her free ranging you have lost the ability to micromanage her diet.

Do you have the nutrient analysis on that feed? Something that shows the percent of protein, fiber, fats, calcium, and other nutrients. If it really is a scratch it is probably fairly low in protein and high in other things. It is not suitable to be all or most of what she eats. I'd prefer a different feed with a higher protein content like Starter, Grower, All-Flock, or Flock-Raiser with oyster shell offered on the side, even if they free range all day long. What you are doing will not harm her but it means she will not reach her genetic potential as far as production goes.


I assume you mean when will she start laying. I don't know enough about her to answer that. How has she been managed? If she has been kept where they manipulated the lights to keep her laying she may go into a molt and not lay for months. If she was kept without lights and considering the time of the year she could start laying really soon or still could wait for the longer warmer days of later spring.

 

[Meyers And Sons Chicken F]

The previous owner mentioned she was molting, maybe I'm expecting to much to soon. Thanks for the information.

 

[Meyers And Sons Chicken F]

Scratch isn't a suitable diet for chickens. It's basically just candy. Put her on an all flock with oyster shell on the side. You don't want to feed layer feed since you have a rooster. 1 hen also isn't enough for a rooster, I'd get 5-9 more hens for him. If you have too few hens, you will have an increased risk of running into issues with over breeding. Given it's still winter and especially since she's a bit older she might not lay until spring. Be aware though that she is past her peak laying days, hens lay their best their first 2 years of life and drop off in subsequent years. That's not to say that she won't lay or won't lay very well, she very well could have a few years of laying left in her. It's also not impossible that she's older than you were led to believe as some people will lie about their bird's age.

Again, she should pick back up once spring hits in a few weeks so don't make any decisions about her yet. Also plan on getting some chicks to give your rooster more females

I plan to get more chickens. BTW, I'm keeping the rooster to himself right now. but trying to find buffs in my area is pretty hard. And with the way egg and meat prices are going up, they don't want to sell any right now, this bird flu is scaring people with chickens, one county over they just dispatched thousands in the last few weeks.