6/30/2013 Egg size
Someone wanted to see egg size and shell color of my Underwood pullets. The egg on the left is from the pullet, the egg on the right is from a 2 year old RIR hen Kittle line.
I did not want to put this post on an open forum because I'm so sick of all the negativity when I post something about the egg laying ability of these heritage RIR birds. I absolutely love these birds and will always have a few of them to work with to try and improve on the laying ability. At the present time (2/8/2014) I have 9 reds of a certain line that I averaging 6 - 7 eggs per week from. I have 5 reds that will be 2 years in Mar and since the second week of November I hadn't gotten an egg from until this week and I got 3 eggs from one of the hens. I have 4 pullets that just started laying about a month ago and I get approx. 3-4 eggs per week. I have 5 reds in another pen that were a year old 2/2 and I get approx 3-4 eggs from these 5 girls. I have 4 pullets that will be a year old next month and I got 2 eggs from them in the last 10 days. I have tried and tried to figure out how my egg production figures would come up to each of these hens producing 250 - 289 eggs per year. I know I am no mathematical genius but I just can't figure this one out. I do not have nor do I intend to have 25 or 30 individual pens to keep these hens in to see how many eggs they lay but I know for sure that I will not be keeping all these birds and still have to buy eggs over the winter. I don't know what has happened to these birds over time but something has definitely went the wrong way.
Again I will say that I do not show and even if I did, I can not fry up the ribbons with bacon/sausage for breakfast. If anyone disagrees with me that is fine but I do not have the funds to feed all these birds just because they are pretty. I will be getting some new chicks this summer to raise out so I will have hens that will lay next winter.
Below information was from 2013
At the present time, I will be recording on Nelson line egg production. I wish I would have thought to start this last month but not all the girls were laying. As the other lines start to lay I will add them here. This may help others to decide which line they would rather have. I lost one of these girls today 5/9/2013 I think I know what happened and I'm only in hopes that no more die. Also, I only got 2 eggs today. Lost another big girl 7/18 due to the heat.
Nelson Girls Underwood Girls from Jim Heinz.
April 2013
30 days 165 eggs 5 per day average
From 7 Nelson hens
4 hatched 4/4/12 3 hatched 6/1-5/12
4/01 thru 4/07 37 eggs
4/08 thru 4/14 38 eggs
4/15 thru 4/21 40 eggs
4/22 thru 4/28 40 eggs
4/29 thru 4/30 10 eggs
May 2013 May 2013 RC & SC This will start 5/24
31 days 155 eggs 7 hens - then 6 hens 6 month old 5/10 started laying 5/11
5/01 thru 5/07 39 eggs 3 RC pullets 6 SC pullets
5/08 thru 5/14 32 eggs this is with 6 hens now lost 1 13 RC eggs 15 SC eggs 8 days 28 eggs total
5/15 thru 5/21 33 eggs of my hens on the 9th.
5/22 thru 5/28 37 eggs 5/24 thru 5/28 RC 9 eggs SC 10 eggs
5/29 thru 5/31 14 eggs 5/29 thru 5/31 RC 4 eggs SC 5 eggs
June 2013 1 SC hen went broody the last week
30 days 123 eggs 6 hens 32 RC eggs 3 hens 80 eggs 6 hens 112 eggs total
6/01 thru 6/07 29 eggs 6/01 thru 6/07 RC 6 eggs SC 12 eggs
6/08 thru 6/14 28 eggs 6/08 thru 6/14 RC 6 eggs SC 19 eggs
6/15 thru 6/21 31 eggs 6/15 thru 6/21 RC 6 eggs SC 20 eggs
6/22 thru 6/28 29 eggs One hen went broody this week 6/22 thru 6/28 RC 10 eggs SC 25 eggs
6/29 thru 6/30 6 eggs 6/29 thru 6/30 RC 4 eggs SC 4 eggs
July 2013 This hot weather seems to be really effecting these girls.
31 days 93 eggs 5 layers 1 broody 32 RC eggs 3 hens 84 SC 5 layers 1 broody 116 total Lost another big hen.
7/01 thru 7/07 25 7/1 thru 7/07 RC 7 eggs SC 22 eggs
7/08 thru 7/14 20 7/8 thru 7/14 RC 8 eggs SC 19 eggs
7/15 thru 7/21 18 7/15 thru 7/21 RC 6 eggs SC 16 eggs
7/22 thru 7/28 21 7/15 thru 7/28 RC 7 eggs SC 20 eggs
7/29 thru 7/31 9 7/29 thru 7/31 RC 4 eggs SC 7 eggs
August 2013
31 days 91 eggs 5 hens 38 RC eggs 3 hens 70 SC 3 from Gary's 5 pullets
8/01 thru 8/07 20 8/01 thru 8/ 07 RC 8 eggs SC 13 eggs 106 total
8/08 thru 8/14 18 8/08 thru 8/14 RC 9 eggs SC 18 eggs Underwood's
8/15 thru 8/21 23 8/15 thru 8/21 RC 8 eggs SC 16 eggs
8/22 thru 8/28 22 8/22 thru 8/28 RC 8 eggs SC 13 eggs
8/29 thru 8/31 8 8/29 thru 8/31 RC 5 eggs SC 10 eggs 3 from Garys 5
September 2013
30 days 80 eggs 5 hens 27 RC eggs 3 hens 77 SC eggs 20 from Gary's 5 pullets
129 total Underwood's 9/01 thru 9/07 22 9/01 thru 9/07 RC 9 eggs SC 12 eggs 5 from Garys 5
9/08 thru 9/14 20 9/08 thru 9/14 RC 6 eggs SC 18 eggs 5 from Garys 5
9/15 thru 9/21 17 9/15 thru 9/21 RC 5 eggs SC 22 eggs 3 from Garys 5
9/22 thru 9/28 16 9/22 thru 9/28 RC 5 eggs SC 18 eggs 6 from Garys 5
9/29 thru 9/30 5 9/29 thru 9/30 RC 2 eggs SC 7 eggs 1 from Garys 5
October 2013
31 days 67 eggs 5 hens 21 RC eggs 3 hens 66 SC eggs 21 from Gary's 5 pullets
113 total Underwood's
10/01 thru 10/07 19 10/01 thru 10/07 RC 4 eggs SC 19 eggs 4 from Garys 5
10/08 thru 10/14 16 10/08 thru 10/14 RC 5 eggs SC 19 eggs 5 from Garys 5
10/15 thru 10/21 12 10/15 thru 10/21 RC 6 eggs SC 14 eggs 5 from Garys 5
10/22 thru 10/28 14 10/22 thru 10/28 Rc 4 eggs SC 12 eggs 5 from Garys 5
10/29 thru 10/31 6 10/29 thru 10/31 RC 2 eggs SC 2 eggs 2 from Garys 5
November 2013
30 days
I can sure tell the cold weather has hit.
11/01 thru 11/07 12 11/01 thru 11/07 RC 6 eggs SC 9 eggs 4 from Garys 5
11/08 thru 11/14 10 11/08 thru 11/14 RC 5 eggs SC 10 eggs 2 from Garys 5
Well, my birds other then the mixed flock of laying hens have all but stopped laying since it has gotten so cold here so I have quit working on this page. I have enough to do to run back and forth breaking ice and putting just a small amount of water in their fountains to make sure they have water through the days. I haven't gotten over a half dozen eggs in the past week from my reds so I have just stopped keeping records. It has been in the single digits up to the 30's for the past two weeks here so I'm not expecting anything for a couple of months. When they start back up I have a couple of orders to fill then that is all I'm doing.
It is just to much work here in the winter time for an older man to do all this work. lol It makes it a job instead of a fun hobby.
Jim
Again I will say that I do not show and even if I did, I can not fry up the ribbons with bacon/sausage for breakfast. If anyone disagrees with me that is fine but I do not have the funds to feed all these birds just because they are pretty. I will be getting some new chicks this summer to raise out so I will have hens that will lay next winter.
Below information was from 2013
At the present time, I will be recording on Nelson line egg production. I wish I would have thought to start this last month but not all the girls were laying. As the other lines start to lay I will add them here. This may help others to decide which line they would rather have. I lost one of these girls today 5/9/2013 I think I know what happened and I'm only in hopes that no more die. Also, I only got 2 eggs today. Lost another big girl 7/18 due to the heat.
Nelson Girls Underwood Girls from Jim Heinz.
April 2013
30 days 165 eggs 5 per day average
From 7 Nelson hens
4 hatched 4/4/12 3 hatched 6/1-5/12
4/01 thru 4/07 37 eggs
4/08 thru 4/14 38 eggs
4/15 thru 4/21 40 eggs
4/22 thru 4/28 40 eggs
4/29 thru 4/30 10 eggs
May 2013 May 2013 RC & SC This will start 5/24
31 days 155 eggs 7 hens - then 6 hens 6 month old 5/10 started laying 5/11
5/01 thru 5/07 39 eggs 3 RC pullets 6 SC pullets
5/08 thru 5/14 32 eggs this is with 6 hens now lost 1 13 RC eggs 15 SC eggs 8 days 28 eggs total
5/15 thru 5/21 33 eggs of my hens on the 9th.
5/22 thru 5/28 37 eggs 5/24 thru 5/28 RC 9 eggs SC 10 eggs
5/29 thru 5/31 14 eggs 5/29 thru 5/31 RC 4 eggs SC 5 eggs
June 2013 1 SC hen went broody the last week
30 days 123 eggs 6 hens 32 RC eggs 3 hens 80 eggs 6 hens 112 eggs total
6/01 thru 6/07 29 eggs 6/01 thru 6/07 RC 6 eggs SC 12 eggs
6/08 thru 6/14 28 eggs 6/08 thru 6/14 RC 6 eggs SC 19 eggs
6/15 thru 6/21 31 eggs 6/15 thru 6/21 RC 6 eggs SC 20 eggs
6/22 thru 6/28 29 eggs One hen went broody this week 6/22 thru 6/28 RC 10 eggs SC 25 eggs
6/29 thru 6/30 6 eggs 6/29 thru 6/30 RC 4 eggs SC 4 eggs
July 2013 This hot weather seems to be really effecting these girls.
31 days 93 eggs 5 layers 1 broody 32 RC eggs 3 hens 84 SC 5 layers 1 broody 116 total Lost another big hen.
7/01 thru 7/07 25 7/1 thru 7/07 RC 7 eggs SC 22 eggs
7/08 thru 7/14 20 7/8 thru 7/14 RC 8 eggs SC 19 eggs
7/15 thru 7/21 18 7/15 thru 7/21 RC 6 eggs SC 16 eggs
7/22 thru 7/28 21 7/15 thru 7/28 RC 7 eggs SC 20 eggs
7/29 thru 7/31 9 7/29 thru 7/31 RC 4 eggs SC 7 eggs
August 2013
31 days 91 eggs 5 hens 38 RC eggs 3 hens 70 SC 3 from Gary's 5 pullets
8/01 thru 8/07 20 8/01 thru 8/ 07 RC 8 eggs SC 13 eggs 106 total
8/08 thru 8/14 18 8/08 thru 8/14 RC 9 eggs SC 18 eggs Underwood's
8/15 thru 8/21 23 8/15 thru 8/21 RC 8 eggs SC 16 eggs
8/22 thru 8/28 22 8/22 thru 8/28 RC 8 eggs SC 13 eggs
8/29 thru 8/31 8 8/29 thru 8/31 RC 5 eggs SC 10 eggs 3 from Garys 5
September 2013
30 days 80 eggs 5 hens 27 RC eggs 3 hens 77 SC eggs 20 from Gary's 5 pullets
129 total Underwood's 9/01 thru 9/07 22 9/01 thru 9/07 RC 9 eggs SC 12 eggs 5 from Garys 5
9/08 thru 9/14 20 9/08 thru 9/14 RC 6 eggs SC 18 eggs 5 from Garys 5
9/15 thru 9/21 17 9/15 thru 9/21 RC 5 eggs SC 22 eggs 3 from Garys 5
9/22 thru 9/28 16 9/22 thru 9/28 RC 5 eggs SC 18 eggs 6 from Garys 5
9/29 thru 9/30 5 9/29 thru 9/30 RC 2 eggs SC 7 eggs 1 from Garys 5
October 2013
31 days 67 eggs 5 hens 21 RC eggs 3 hens 66 SC eggs 21 from Gary's 5 pullets
113 total Underwood's
10/01 thru 10/07 19 10/01 thru 10/07 RC 4 eggs SC 19 eggs 4 from Garys 5
10/08 thru 10/14 16 10/08 thru 10/14 RC 5 eggs SC 19 eggs 5 from Garys 5
10/15 thru 10/21 12 10/15 thru 10/21 RC 6 eggs SC 14 eggs 5 from Garys 5
10/22 thru 10/28 14 10/22 thru 10/28 Rc 4 eggs SC 12 eggs 5 from Garys 5
10/29 thru 10/31 6 10/29 thru 10/31 RC 2 eggs SC 2 eggs 2 from Garys 5
November 2013
30 days
I can sure tell the cold weather has hit.
11/01 thru 11/07 12 11/01 thru 11/07 RC 6 eggs SC 9 eggs 4 from Garys 5
11/08 thru 11/14 10 11/08 thru 11/14 RC 5 eggs SC 10 eggs 2 from Garys 5
Well, my birds other then the mixed flock of laying hens have all but stopped laying since it has gotten so cold here so I have quit working on this page. I have enough to do to run back and forth breaking ice and putting just a small amount of water in their fountains to make sure they have water through the days. I haven't gotten over a half dozen eggs in the past week from my reds so I have just stopped keeping records. It has been in the single digits up to the 30's for the past two weeks here so I'm not expecting anything for a couple of months. When they start back up I have a couple of orders to fill then that is all I'm doing.
It is just to much work here in the winter time for an older man to do all this work. lol It makes it a job instead of a fun hobby.
Jim
2/6/2015
Just got this page back from Weebly so thought that I would add a little something to it.
I got my first Reese chicks from Matt Ulrich April 2013. They were hatched in March. They didn't start to lay until Jan/Feb 2014. They were in a pen with no artificial lighting so it didn't surprise me that they were so late to start. Once they started to lay though they were really good egg machines. I had 4 hens and I got 2 - 3 eggs almost every day up until the end of October or first of November 2014. Once the cold weather set in here, it was like shutting off a light switch. There were only about 4 days that I didn't get eggs from these girls all last year.
I did raise a few young from them and just a few days after turning 6 months, they started to lay and from one pen which I have 6 pullets in, I get between 3 - 5 eggs every day. I do have a light in that pen. They are super good laying birds. These birds hatched the end of May and started laying in late November.
I can honestly say that my first bout with the Reese birds about caused me to give up on the reds but once getting the chicks from Matt and starting over with them it rebuilt my faith in these absolutely gorgeous birds.
I also have another pen with 5 pullets in (Nelson line) and these also started at the same time and also get 3 - 5 eggs daily from this pen. Most days it is either 4 or 5 eggs. The lighting really does make a difference.
My older Nelson girls stopped the end of October and one of them just started laying this week. I know they will be starting up soon and they are very good layers also. 2
Just got this page back from Weebly so thought that I would add a little something to it.
I got my first Reese chicks from Matt Ulrich April 2013. They were hatched in March. They didn't start to lay until Jan/Feb 2014. They were in a pen with no artificial lighting so it didn't surprise me that they were so late to start. Once they started to lay though they were really good egg machines. I had 4 hens and I got 2 - 3 eggs almost every day up until the end of October or first of November 2014. Once the cold weather set in here, it was like shutting off a light switch. There were only about 4 days that I didn't get eggs from these girls all last year.
I did raise a few young from them and just a few days after turning 6 months, they started to lay and from one pen which I have 6 pullets in, I get between 3 - 5 eggs every day. I do have a light in that pen. They are super good laying birds. These birds hatched the end of May and started laying in late November.
I can honestly say that my first bout with the Reese birds about caused me to give up on the reds but once getting the chicks from Matt and starting over with them it rebuilt my faith in these absolutely gorgeous birds.
I also have another pen with 5 pullets in (Nelson line) and these also started at the same time and also get 3 - 5 eggs daily from this pen. Most days it is either 4 or 5 eggs. The lighting really does make a difference.
My older Nelson girls stopped the end of October and one of them just started laying this week. I know they will be starting up soon and they are very good layers also. 2