When will Isa Browns start laying ???

BigFishLittleFish · **Posted:** Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:18 pm

When will my isa brown chicks begin to lay eggs ??? They are only 5 weeks at the moment but am wondering roughly how soon shall i be expecting some eggs ??

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Tue Mar 06, 2012 9:34 pm

About 18-21 weeks Isa Browns are POL.

Just make sure that they have access to shell grit and extra calcium supplements as being prolific layers they can be prone to calcium deficiency, egg binding and later on in their laying life poor quality egg shells. Our neighbour's Isa Brown laid 320 eggs in her first year, then died with calcium deficiency complications

at about 18 months old.

LOOLOO · **Posted:** Tue Mar 06, 2012 10:21 pm

Super answer h&h

LooLoo

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Wed Mar 07, 2012 7:30 am

Thanks LooLoo,

The girls next door were occasionally laying 2 eggs per day, their condition went down hill; I did put a post up about it.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13698&hilit=commercial+hybrid+layers

Unfortunately it was too late for the girls, as dietry advice given was not taken and the response was "You can't teach your grandmother to suck eggs".

Prevention is better than cure and always be open to advice.

BigFishLittleFish · **Posted:** Wed Mar 07, 2012 2:59 pm

Thanks for the help.... how soon is too early to be giving shell grit ??? i threw some in the coop the other day and then it just got trampled and mixed into the dirt. so i will leave it in a dish instead... can they start with the grit at 5 weeks? or hold off a while ???
They free range and have access to anything and everything that's in our gardens. (which is weeds, grass and not much else) and they eat our scraps... well i think they do. they never do when i am looking but it looks less and less each time i go out there through the days...lol. so maybe they do...

The info was very helpful and reading the link was too. thank you.

I am sad to learn my lovely chickens wont have a very long life. I did not purchase them just to lay eggs. these are our backyard pets which we love but eggs are a bonus.

They are just learning to try new things and explore what is edible and what is not... they wont even eat bread crumbs or a worm yet but they are slowly learning. I have to guess thats what happens when you come straight from a brooder and kept in a box for the first 4 weeks of your life. (not by me. from the chicken farm)

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Wed Mar 07, 2012 3:34 pm

Hi, BigFishLittleFish,

Don't be dishearten about their life span at this early stage, enjoy watching them grow and explore the world around them. Just think that they could have spent their life as a battery hen and they have you to care for them.

My neighbour's are just examples of people who don't want to listen to advice from a chook n00bie like myself, and as a result their girls have lived short lives with health complications due to a poor diet, not worming them or dusting them for parasites etc. I am sure that Isa Browns and other commercial hybrids have a long abundant lives with proper care.

I always have had a small feeder with shell grit in the coop, even in the nursery brooder; the mother hen teaching her chicks to peck it, I am sure your chicks will instinctively know when they need a bit of grit. I don't feed my chooks bread as it is too claggy and they may get crop bound. I try to keep the little ones diet simple, chick crumble, chick grower, rye grass, spinach, silverbeet etc It is important not to give them anything mouldy.

BigFishLittleFish · **Posted:** Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:47 pm

thanks for the tips. i wouldn't give them anything i wouldn't eat myself.... well except for bugs and worms. I'd even have a go at their scratch crumble mix...lol. looks kinda yummy like broken cereal.

one more question.......... how old should they be when they need to be wormed ? and what products do i use from where? i am in Newcastle NSW Aus.

I do hope my chooks live a long time... even if they dont give eggs when they old, i hope they live long happy lives. and i will TRY my hardest to make sure they have the best possible chance to.

i wont feed them bread anymore... It was only bread crumbs from the bottom of the bag. i thought they would like the little grains in the crumbs from multigrain bread. apparently not so....

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:27 am

Keeping chooks for the first time, has been an ongoing learning experience the past 12 months. People on this forum have been very supportive and helpful. So a BIG [smilie=thanks.gif]

The neighbour's were feeding their chooks bread, they were getting crop bound, someone else told me not to do so, so I don't. It's up to you. My chooks are very fussy creatures, they sort of turn their beak up and walk off :roll:

Though they like grated cheese, homebrand sardines and yoghurt for a pick me up after broodiness and motherhood, we have a discount supermarket so I can justify the cost. As I get strange looks by people when I say what I feed my chooks. After watching the rapid health deterioration of the neighbour's chooks, it's a small price for happy healthy chooks.

Warm water on the chick crumble on a cold morning, so it's like a porridge goes down well. If they need a pick up a bit of molasses on top.

Not sure about what age to start worming, someone with more experience can answer that. There are many related topics in Poultry Health & Well Being on both chemical and natural worming products.

I'm sure your chooks will be well loved and cared for and live a long happy lives.

PeterC · **Joined:** Tue Mar 20, 2012 8:57 pm **Posts:** 1

Would that be the same time for all commercial hens

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