My WLxBO cross is an egg-laying machine.

DParker75089

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Just over 22 weeks ago I hatched a chick that was the result of a crossing between my WL roo and one of my BO hens. 17 days ago, at exactly 20 weeks of age she laid her first egg. Save for 2 days on which she took a day off she has followed up with an egg every day, for 15 so far. Is this normal? They're still small at about 49 grams, but are slowly getting bigger. I acquired my two RIRs and two BOs before they were laying, and when they finally started none of them laid this frequently.
 

DonyaQuick

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Jun 22, 2021
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I have one hatchery buff orpington that obviously isn't pure BO. I often wondered if she had some leghorn in her since she's very lean, skittish, and lays the largest eggs; she's generally very un BO-like except for the color (and even that is a bit weird). Anyway, my girl has done an egg a day the whole time since her 2nd egg just like yours sounds like she's setting up for, but like Dobie said it's not necessarily a good thing for the bird's health. Mine is over a year old now and struggles to eat enough calcium to keep up with her egg laying rate; she was fine for the first few months then started making occasional soft shelled eggs, and she's had egg binding issues twice so far where I've had to bring her inside overnight and give her extra calcium to help her pass the egg (I used calcium citrate).
 

maryn7

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Apr 29, 2020
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I second the calcium monitoring and extra pills, etc.

In my very first set of birds, I had an olive egger that laid ten days in a row and then passed. I didn't know anything about chickens at that point - like that they take days off! - and it's clear to me now that she just ran thru all her calcium stores.

I don't say that to scare you - mine likely had an inherent reproductive issue - but you will want to keep an eye out for weak-shelled eggs and then boost her up with a calcium pill. I know some folks mix up a plate of wet feed spiked with ground calcium for those that aren't good at eating their oyster shell; might be something to consider for your super layer.
 

DobieLover

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Thanks. I started giving them oyster shell a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully that's enough. I'll keep an eye on her though.
Calcium depletion was never a problem for any of my White Leghorn hens or hybrids. They're just designed to put out an awful lot of eggs and it takes an incredible toll on their bodies.
None of mine ever laid a soft shell or shell as egg. They just stopped laying all together and you could tell that they were very sick, probably with reproductive cancer.
 

DParker75089

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Mar 20, 2020
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Calcium depletion was never a problem for any of my White Leghorn hens or hybrids. They're just designed to put out an awful lot of eggs and it takes an incredible toll on their bodies.
None of mine ever laid a soft shell or shell as egg. They just stopped laying all together and you could tell that they were very sick, probably with reproductive cancer.
Yes, I have a WL hen also who has stopped laying altogether for the past 3 weeks (unless she's found a place to lay them where I can't find them...it's a big yard). She seems otherwise perfectly healthy, and she might just be stressed by the high heat, but I have my concerns about her internals.
 

DobieLover

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Yes, I have a WL hen also who has stopped laying altogether for the past 3 weeks (unless she's found a place to lay them where I can't find them...it's a big yard). She seems otherwise perfectly healthy, and she might just be stressed by the high heat, but I have my concerns about her internals.
What does her poop look like?
 

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