Anyone have experience with this breed? I read they could start laying as late as 30 weeks old or older. I've had them since June (early/mid), along with my other 9 (4 different breeds in all) and the 9 have been laying since November. They are the only ones supposed to lay blue eggs, so I know they haven't laid any, yet. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Mine were DOB May 19 and they started laying in mid November. However, no one is laying very well thanks to the shortened days. Do you have lights on them? Even with a lighted coop I'm only averaging 5-7 eggs a day with 17 hens right now, and that's mostly from my Marans and Wyandottes. I don't know who you got your's from, but the absolute sorriest layer I ever had was a show quality blue Ameracauna. Egg a week at best. Came from one of the best known breeders in Texas too. *shrug* May not be anything due to the breed, but for me, they've never been the top dogs of the flock. Stupid bint liked to eat the bedding straw too. Got crop bound from it and I had to cut her open and clean it out, then feed her friggin yogurt and dissolved feed for a month while she healed up, and then she keeled over dead three months later anyway.
Okay. No, I don't have lights on them. I didn't want to force them to lay, as I was told it will shortened their laying life. I did not check into that, though. They are fed well, get organic scraps from the kitchen and free range all day. We are getting about 5-7 per day with the other 9 hens, all good laying breeds. I guess this is what I get for wanting a "mixed basket." Hmpf!
You're not really forcing them to lay, and since this is their first year they don't need a break. Come fall, when the daylight starts to shorten, let them have the natural light and they'll go ahead and molt before it gets too cold outside. That'll take about two months. Then kick the lights back on and they'll get back on track in a few weeks. I have two eight year old hens still laying that have been on lights for years. Very few hatcheries sell Ameracaunas, though quite a few claim to and then send you Easter Eggers. If they have blue legs with white bottomed feet, pea combs, red earlobes, and ear muffs then it's an Ameracauna. If any of that is missing, it's an EE. Only pointing that out because I've had easter eggers who laid pinkish tan eggs.
Now...there's damned ingratitude...and probably not enough meat on it to make a half decent soup stock either.
Looks they are Ameracaunas. I will get the hubs to install a light and see if that works the trick. Thanks for the help.
3 Ameracaunas and 1 easter egger and I am getting 3-4 eggs a day. Full Spectrum light from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Edit: They are smart chickens....they must have read your boiler plate signature.... They probably have taken the message on board, that if they don't deliver the eggs....they're chicken soup!!
Mine did not lay until after six months old, they do need light and do not produce when it is cold Blue green and pink eggs when they do lay
Ours got really screwed up thanks to the timer for the lights going out while we were out of town and the chicken sitter not realizing it. Normally they kick on from 5 and go off at 10 but for a week, nothing. Everyone shut down. They're just now getting back online. The Wyandottes seemed the least affected by the light change but the Ameracaunas and EE pretty much quit.
