[Letty]

Hi - at last I have managed to house three hens (rangers) I am completely new to this and the advice i have found on this site has helped me through the setting up of the living quarters, the run, feeding and cleaning out, so far so good BUT....  they have been with me for a week and seem happy and eating well but no eggs.  The breeder I bought them from informs me that they need two weeks to settle in before laying, are there any signs i should be looking for to keep my enthuisiasm going??
Also, one of the hens has a habit of pecking at the wooden doorway to the coop - is this normal???

[Vember]

Hi Letty

Welcome to the Mad House  Hen House (sorry  )

Any chance you could pop a couple of pictures on? Then we'll be able to give you an idea of when they may start   Some people do sell as POL but they aren't always telling the truth 

Things to look out for are reddening of the comb and some girlies squat down as you approach them thinking you are a cockerel wanting to mate with them 

Not sure about the pecking of the door Is there a small knot of wood or a dark dot sometimes birds will peck at things like that thinking they are a grub

Sarah

[poultrygeist]

Hi Letty. Welcome.

I can't add any more to what Sarah's said.

Try walking in wearing some spotty trousers and see what happens  :blink:

Rob

[Fifitrix]

Hi Letty

I bought my first 3 POL's last year and they didn't start laying until 3-4 weeks after I'd bought them.  However, we were so delighted with them that the eggs were just an exciting bonus when they arrived.  I got texted in the middle of an important meeting with a photo of the first egg!  It's all great stuff.  Enjoy!   

(PS  Hope you don't get the bug that some of us have - I haven't stuck to the 3!  )

[Kate and her Ducks]

Don't think many of us manage to stick to the three we said we would. I'm on 14!

[Sopho]

I sure as heck haven't stuck to my original 2.. I have 4 more on oder now!!! 

Hi,
don't worry about the eggs...just enjoy your new family members!!

Soph

[Fifitrix]

11 & counting   

[chickenlady]

Welcome (8 big girls, 4 chicks and eggies in the incy  ) As for signs if they squat down when you try to catch them rather than running off thats a good sign and combs getting bigger and redder another!

[wadz81]

We got ours in November and they started Christmas day! started with four now upto 10!

[Sue33]

Hi Letty,

I'm sure they'll start laying for you soon, we've got 4 girls POL and only one of them is laying so far, in comparison she's got the biggest and reddest comb so I'm watching the other keenly 

Enjoy them, we spend ages just watching them do their thing 

Sue

[LittleRedHen]

Same here!  My biggest hen with the most developed comb is the only one not laying.  She did crouch yesteray though, so fingers crossed!  Welcome to our forum!  I'm definitely addicted to it and enjoy the daily chatter!  It's bliss!

[Letty]

Thanks guys for all the replies - they have all now started to crouch as i approach them which they were not doing at first - good signs so far!  they have a new area to scratch around in today as i have moved them off the lawn (partners request!!) onto the soil where they have lots of plants to pack on - are there any plants they shouldnt peck??

I have heard some on this site say they lay bark on soil - I presume this is to stop a soggy mess when it rains?

Next task is to clip the feathers as i nearly lost them over the fence today!

next big project is to introduce hens to my school allotment - any one done this yet and is there anything i should look out for - the permit is going to be the first hurdle im sure?

Thanks!!

[GrannieAnnie]

When you clip their wings Letty, only clip one.  Apparently traditionally they used to clip the left wing, but I find it easier to do the right one.  That's to put them off balance, so if you clip both, they will even up.

also, only clip about 2 inches off.  I have an Appenzellar Sitzhauben trio we rescued last week, and the stupid woman had clipped both their wings, right back and really jaggedly.  Looks awful, poor things!