about one per chicken each day. I let them roam free in my fenced in backyard and they have a coop that they can go in and out of. Someone told me that if I kept my chickens in a coop all the time that they would ley more eggs. is this true? Keeping them cooped up all the time seems mean. Also I want to get 2 baby chicks, how old should they be when I introtuce them to my other chickens?
2007-03-13 06:10:00 · 8 answers · asked by Amanda M 4 in Pets ➔ Birds
Hi. First off, no they don't lay more eggs when cooped. It's just that they tend to lay eggs in places you won't find them if they aren't cooped. It's like Easter all year long.
My sister in law wondered why her banties weren't laying as many eggs... until she found the hidden spot behind an old tractor wheel with about sixty eggs in a big smelly pile.
Chicks shouldn't be introduced to the rest of the flock until they are mature, which is right around six to eight weeks old. Not that all chickens go out of their way to peck at baby newcomers, but even if they seem to be getting along, a normal chicken squabble can be deadly to a smaller, less mature bird.
Letting your chickens out of the coop to "free range" will actually give you better quality eggs, and it's worth it. Even if you do have to play "find the breakfast" every morning.
2007-03-13 07:43:36 · answer #1 · answered by Theresa A 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Keeping your chickens inside the coop all day will do just the opposite of making them lay more - they'll rebel. It takes 25 hours for a chicken to produce and lay an egg, so this is as good as it gets in terms of egg production.
As for the chicks, wait until they are full grown. Then put them in the coop with a wire divider so that they cannot get at each other for a fortnight. This will help ease the shake up of the pecking order that will happen when they are introduced.
2007-03-13 18:07:20 · answer #2 · answered by Helena 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not true that keeping your chickens in the coop will have them lay more eggs. Chickens lay more often when they are happy and healthy, and letting them run around and enjoy being outside is a great way for them to live. Chickens, just like any other animal, need sunlight and fresh air to thrive. Besides, are you really going to need more than 4 eggs per day?
As for the babies, you should probably let them grow a little, at leat until they get their adult feathers. You don't want them to get beat up because they are little :)
2007-03-13 13:19:18 · answer #3 · answered by Courtney 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure if they'll lay more if they're confined. It seems hard to imagine that they physically could lay more than 1 egg per day and still have it be healthy for them. Besides, I have found that my free range chickens produce far superior eggs than the ones from chickens that are confined. Everyone who eats them remarks on the deep golden yellow of the yolk and the great flavor. That, and the chicken's happiness are the most important thing to me. i'm not interested in a factory in my back yard where i churn out as many eggs as physically possible. They say for introducing the younger chickens that they should have their mature feathers. At that point they have enough stamina to keep away from any bullies in the flock.
If you find that your eggs are missing, I bought a commercial laying 'condo' that hangs on the wall and apparently the chickens love it and now lay all their eggs in it. It was a good investment for my chickens.
2007-03-13 16:00:18 · answer #4 · answered by SC 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I grew up raising white leghorn chickens. they will lay eggs eveyday wether or not they are in a coop. i kept mine in a coop. sometime the hen will lay 2 eggs in one day but its rare. it also depends on how old they are the older they get the less they produce. As far as introducing the baby chicks i would wait until they are about 4 to 6 months old when they are at laying age because the other might peck at them or even kill them. i did that with mine.
2007-03-17 12:29:21 · answer #5 · answered by Darlene S Q 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your hens are laying a nice normal amount of eggs and are not going to lay more if you coop them up but the eggs would be easier to find. The hens are most likely very happy to raom about and range all over. Mine love to do that and look forward to being let out each day.
I always get my new chick to about 5 months before putting them in with the rest of the adult hens.
I do start my little chicks out with one of my hens she mothers the whole bunch and they seem to like it.
2007-03-13 16:48:08 · answer #6 · answered by tlctreecare 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't matter whether you let them outside or keep them in, they'll lay the same amount of eggs. The amount of light and nutrition is what affects egg production.
If you do get chicks, wait until they are fully grown (5 months or so) to introduce them to the hens you already have. At least until they are the same size. There will be some chaos at first, they have to re-establish their pecking order, but it should work out pretty quickly so don't be worried if they fight a little.
2007-03-13 13:16:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dont know but sell the eggs.
2007-03-13 13:29:43 · answer #8 · answered by p 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋