Quite Simply, Chook Chat

[Glutton4...]

the joys of hybirds.

My french marans hybrid lays a normal skin coloured egg. Strangely though, my warran lays a very dark egg!

Daft as their owner...

[RichmondHens]

Another up and down week for me. About 10 days or so ago I agreed to buy some used henhouses from someone who is moving and can't take her poultry with her. Also got a free pig ark thrown in, very handy! Then she asked me if I would also rehome her poultry which I hadn't intended to do, but soft hearted that I am said oh alright then and ended up taking home 9 araucana bantams (8 hens and a cock) and a very ancient silver appleyard drake who is quite a character. After three days of being shut in a spare ark/run I let them out to free range where they have had to encounter my five young geese (interesting) but they have all settled nicely and the hens are laying well. I got stuck into creocoting all the "new" hen houses and they are now ready for reoccupation.

On the downside I have had bad luck with my last hatch of turkey poults. Having been really pleased with hatching 6 out of 7 eggs under one of my Orps, I lost 2 quite suddenly a week ago and another a couple of days ago. Not really sure what the problem is yet but really disappointed after raising 13 other poults with no problems except for a couple of weaklings that died soon after hatch in my third batch.

What's everyone else been up to?

[petal]

well, I had to dispatch some silkie cockerels yesterday. The market is flooded with ridiculous people trying to rehome loads of substandard males, so one has to be realistic. Can't believe we didn't get a single pullet amongst this batch. Thats the end of the silkies for me, They cannot be eaten, or are not worth it-and you have to wait for at least 12 weeks until you can identify males- which is a complete waste of time effort and money and at the end of it you can't sell on really good show quality birds due to all the hobby hatchers offering c**p for free.
So, the breeding girls have been sold on to a good home. Another silkie breeder bites the dust- !

[Glutton4...]

Silly question;

Why are Chooks sold as 'Point of Lay' at sixteen weeks old, when they don't lay (in my experience) until nearer twenty five weeks?

Do some lay earlier?

Sorry, that was two questions!

[RichmondHens]

Marketing ploy!!! Means the breeder can charge more for them if they are sold as POLs rather than growers. I would not expect any hen to lay before 20 weeks at the earliest and as you say, most are nearer the 26 week mark, certainly with pure breeds. Hybrids may start in a little earlier.

[Glutton4...]

Just as I thought.

A friend has just bought three, locally, as POL. I told her that considering their age, and the shortening days, that she shouldn't expect any eggs until the spring! We'll see...

[RichmondHens]

If they really are POL, ie big red combs etc then they will come into lay (my cream legbars hatched in March have just started up) but otherwise then yes it's more likely they will wait till Spring. Just picked up an egg from one of my Orps who has been broody half the year raising various lots of chicks so hopefully she will carry on for a bit now.

[Glutton4...]

I let my Broody out of the sin bin yesterday, as she had stopped trying to attack me, and had quietened back down to her normal placid self. She had also resorted to pulling out her feathers so I guess she was bored.

[jessmorris]

My lovely orloof's have just started laying and they hatched early April. Funny looking speckledy eggs!
Sorry to hear about your turkey probs RH.

[frias]

I bought 2 POL in July. Both were really small compared to my others and had almost non existant pink combs. I was quite surprised when the Rhode Rock started laying after 2 weeks and the Amber Link after 3 weeks. They are now almost as big as my older hybrids. My Welsummer didn't start to lay until 32 weeks old however and I had started to think she never would.

[petal]

well, 25 weeks is about average for a pure breed to start laying. I think its an ok policy to buy your hybrids though at 16/17 weeks to allow them time to settle and adjust before going through the stress of starting to lay at 20 weeks.
Got 4 huge cockerels to dispatch and put in freezer tomorrow. Big boys.

[petal]

I can't believe, with all the chickens we have I am going to have to buy 3 hybrids to keep us in eggs over the winter. those lazy, snotty orpingtons, wyandottes, faverolles, pekins and ducks.

[Feral007]

Just letting our girls out for the first time today - they are too funny. They've been busting to get out each day, but when the door was open they each ran out grabbed a piece of grass and ran back in! Left them for a while, nope. Son went down and they came out with him and wandered around. As we came back up......straight back into the house! Scaredy cats!

Not expecting eggs for several weeks altho Hotlips is a set of eggs ahead of the other two so she should start them off.

[Glutton4...]

Loving the names, Feral!

Three of my Batties escaped into the garden the other day - gave stoopid dawg something else to chase for a while. My fault for catching the bottom of the fence with the mower.

[darkbrowneggs]

I think POL or point of lay is just a term meaning the are just begining to develop their laying tract, so instead of "cheeping" they start to "talk" and their comb begins to develop. This normally happens at around 16 weeks old for a modern hybrid, or a bit older for a traditional breed

The idea is that you buy them then and by the time they have settled to their new home and routine they should be pretty well ready to lay.

Because many people don't really understand the terminology I tend to sell my "POL" when they are 16 to 18 weeks but call them "Growing Pullets" ----- and hope everyone knows what a pullet is.

Perhaps I should call them "Growing Chickens"? What do you think?