Chickens Nov Issue KG

[Spike]

In the Nov issue the 'Chicken Eggspert' says that you shouldn't sell fertile eggs although they are OK to eat yourself. Which planet is he living on!! Has Policial Correctness spread even to chickens!!

I certainly wouldn't sell or eat eggs from the incubator or from under a broody hen - but don't understand why they should be considered unsaleable just because they are fertile!

I hope it was an editorial error!!

Spike

[Chantal]

Well as I recently saw another chick hatched from a free range egg bought in Tesco it seems there are a lot of fertile eggs about.

Seems a daft statement to me too Spike. I hope he means incubated etc as you say.

[allotmentkate]

On the topic of fertile eggs - I recently gave my sister a double yolker for her children as I thought they would find it fun.

My nephew was totally tramatised by it, he thought if it had hatched the resulting chicken would have had 2 heads. We reassured him.

However it did raise another question - if there are 2 yolks would there still only be one chick, but it would be better fed as it has a better food supply inside the egg?

Kate

[Spike]

When setting eggs to hatch it is best to avoid ones that look as if they might have double yolks. I'm pretty sure that the reason is they wouldn't hatch anyway. There wouldn't be room inside for two normal chicks to develop. Unlike mammals - eggs can't expand!! :roll:

[darrenc]

I have a small flock of 14 hybrid rhodey/sussex crosses which i purchased at pol in june this year. they settled in fine but recentley their laying performance has dropped dramatically. is this particular breed (first generation crosses)susceptable to following the laying pattern of its pure breed parents, previously i have owned lohmanns,warrens and gold lines and never had this problem. i have recentley changed feed supplier and they dont seem to like as they only now consume on e a half jugs as opposed to two and a bit previously could the feed be the problem?

[Spike]

I've always kept Marrans and in my experience young hens keep on laying over their first winter. It is the oldies that decide they need a rest period. It sounds to me like their feed. If they aren't eating enough they won't lay enough!

Mine always spit out any kind of layers mash or pellets and prefer straight mixed corn, but they have plenty of space to roam about in so have a very varied diet.

[darrenc]

it seems my chooks have gone into a late moult very early on in their lives suffice to say i wont be buying any more. i have gone back to my original feed supplier to find that they no longer stock dobson and horrels. its a good job the ducks have started laying but trying to get them to lay in the shed is proving diffcult, any ideas?

[alan refail]

Darren

My experience with ducks and laying:

They lay in the morning

Once they're let out they'll lay anywhere (wherever they happen to be at the time)

Keep them in until they have laid

That way you should get eggs without having to search them out.

Alan

[Johnboy]

Hi Alan and Darren,
When I kept ducks they were never let out before 9am and by that time they had all laid their egg. I know this seems quite late but they are devils for holding on and if you let them out at 8.30am not all of them had laid and you had a problem.
I have a natural pond on the plot and when you let them out the very first thing that they would do was go for a bath. Quite comical really as they all played follow your leader in a long line down to the pond.
JB.

[alan refail]

Hi JB

9 am is my usual time for letting the ducks out, too.

Alan

[darrenc]

cheers guys, will try to lock them up at night, i say try, as my work hours are 7 till 7 ,3 on 3 off alternating days and nights. i visit the plot twice a day regardless to feed up and water before and after work and just let the livestock come and go into their house as they please. the chickens know when its bedtime but obviously the ducks dont.