Breeding Birds - Re-Laying

On average, how old are the young birds when the hen lays again?

I have read conflicting answers to this question and wondered from our member's experience, what you views are.

Phil

morning phil, im not expert but I think around 3 weeks old (ish)

Usually around the 3 week mark, but I've just had a hen lay with 2 week old ybs, but then the cock is a dirty git always trying to mate her and any other hen he can get near.

that's how ive been caught out in the past, ybs in the nest, and hen lays again......resulting in another round of ybs which I don't want......LOL

If anything lays while theyre feeding ybs the eggs go straight in the bin David, always like to get the babies away before they go down again.

I bought 3 packs of the solid plastic eggs last week, no more ybs for me this season, half a dozen still in the nest but once they have gone that's it........

The cock usually starts getting ideas about driving when the YB's about 17/18 days old. I've noticed the gap between feeding YBirds and going to nest again gets shorter as daylight lengthens and weather warms up. Also if single rearing they go down on eggs quicker in next nest.

barnie wrote:

The cock usually starts getting ideas about driving when the YB's about 17/18 days old. I've noticed the gap between feeding YBirds and going to nest again gets shorter as daylight lengthens and weather warms up. Also if single rearing they go down on eggs quicker in next nest.

Spot on about the length of day & warmer weather etc Barnie . My normal practice down here, is to place the new bowl in their box when I ring the young in the nest at 5/6 days & 90% of the time they will be down on eggs again at 12/14 days & any later than 15 days for the first egg   I start to get concerned some what, some thing maybe wrong with the pair, unless you have the odd old hen which tend to slow down I've found as the years wear on, compared to the younger stock as such.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Great to hear all the differing ways you guys think and what you do with your birds.

I have one pair that have got two more eggs after only 12 days from their first round hatching.

Phil

Can you foster them Phil, if not, I personally throw them and let them carry on with the job in hand, and do a good job of raising the babies in the nest, but that's just my opinion

12 to 14 days here when we have had pairs go down on eggs again not a problem with that just put another bowl in for them and thats that

markevans wrote:

12 to 14 days here when we have had pairs go down on eggs again not a problem with that just put another bowl in for them and thats that

When I saw that the cock was 'driving' his hen, I put another nest bowel in their nest box.

So now they have one nest bowel with 2 babies in it and another witch they have made up a bit with straw and tobacco stalks, with two eggs in it.

I am just trusting that the reason they have gone down on another pair of eggs so soon, is that, they are happy and feel safe and up to the job of sitting on one lot of eggs and feeding 2 youngsters. These are Stock birds and have nothing else to do. The youngsters they have are the FIRST lot they have had.

Phil

blueskylofts wrote:

markevans wrote:

12 to 14 days here when we have had pairs go down on eggs again not a problem with that just put another bowl in for them and thats that

When I saw that the cock was 'driving' his hen, I put another nest bowel in their nest box.

So now they have one nest bowel with 2 babies in it and another witch they have made up a bit with straw and tobacco stalks, with two eggs in it.

I am just trusting that the reason they have gone down on another pair of eggs so soon, is that, they are happy and feel safe and up to the job of sitting on one lot of eggs and feeding 2 youngsters.  These are Stock birds and have nothing else to do.  The youngsters they have are the FIRST lot they have had.

Phil

Sounds reasonable to me Phil the only thing one has to watch is the space between the 1st & 2nd round if they lay early etc is the change over period. 21/24 days I would suggest is best so as they have time to build up their milk issue again. If all things fall into place as such chooks come to mind for me .