Utah! - Page 1050

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimmypie 

I don't know what's wrong with me but I keep looking at chickens on KSL.  We have 8, other than the EE's they should all be good layers but now I'm finding I want more eggs!  Right now with 4 layers we get 2-4 eggs a day, usually just 2 or 3.  So when we have 8 laying and it's winter...yikes, how will that affect them?  Most of them should be good winter layers though.  I have one each of Speckled Sussex, Buff Orpington, Welsummer, Black Sex Link, Barred Rock, Exchequer Leghorn and two Easter Eggers.  My husband really wants a frizzle, my youngest wants a fluffy chicken, my oldest wants a Polish.  Yikes, I can see where chicken math is a problem!

 

On KSL i was just reading one ad and the lady said that all chickens virtually stop laying after two years.  How true is that?  I don't plan on using supplemental light in the winter because from what I've read chickens have a finite number of eggs and if they are able to slow down in winter they will lay longer overall?  I don't know.  We don't have an easy way to hook up electricity to the coop.  It's also only 4x8 (so technically we're at capacity) but the run is 14x15 and they are rarely in the coop at this point.  I know that could be different in the winter, but we live in Eagle Mountain and never get as much snow as anywhere else in Utah.  Now that I said that we'll get a ton, but if people in SLC get 4-6 inches we get a skiff.  Also they are on the north part of our lot so that is the part that thaws first.

 

So yeah, who has coop ready chickens? LOL 

so I have a a Frizzled Americana that is going to hatch soon in a couple of weeks.  I also have a Silver laced Wyandott that will be ready ti lay in about a month.  She is beautiful.  They are one of the pretteist chickens in my opinion.  That is who i have at the moment

Last night I went to my high school reunion.  45 years since I graduated can you believe it.  I decided I didn't want to look old so I brought out one of my many wigs this one was blond.  I bought some glue on nails which it took dumb and dumber an hour to put on.  I did ok putting them on my left hand but not so much on my right hand.  Ed was trying to help me.  We glued my fingers together, his fingers to mine , the nail to his finger etc.  Finally they were all in place.  When I walked into the school it was so nice to see everyone even if they all looked old.  Some had changed a lot some not so much.  I enjoyed catching up with my close friends that I hadn't seen in years.  I hadn't worn that much makeup in years so when I got home it took me forever to get it off.  Still I had a good time.  I sold a couple of chicks and invited some of them to join this list.  I hven't partied that late in years but it was worth the effort.  They asked me to be on the 50 year comittee.  I politely declined, 
 

The 4 juvenile ganders arrived safely to Bogoshe Oklahoma area.  They were a bit stiff from the long ride but otherwise ok.  Carolyn drove straight through so they would arrive at the destination asap.  She said from time to time they were very noisy which she thought was great because they kept her awake.  I talked to her once enroute and she had to call me back because we couldn't hear each other.  The ne owner and the transporter don't do computers or have any sort of digital photography.  We hope to get someone out there to take pictures.  When we do i'll post it to the group.  so Thats 4 down and quite a few to go.  Remember Janet still needs donations to help out getting the geese the medical care they need
 

Thanks, Sundance!! 

My neighbor just came over.  There was a hawk on the telephone pole in the corner of my yard.  It was a coopers hawk.  Apparently the chickens that were loose were too big for his dinner.  I'm letting the adult chickens out but the pen for shade but the chicks and teenagers are locked up.  Good thing I guess.  I live in a very urban area,  Subdivisions all around no open fields so if I can get a hawk everyone can,  Be watchful 

Kimmy, here is a bit of info that I found on My Pet Chicken.  I wonder if the reason that so many people feel that they have to get rid of their birds by 2 is because of what factory producers do.  Personally, I don't think I want to do anything that the commercial people do with their animals.

Q: How long do hens lay eggs ?

A: Chickens usually don't simply "stop" laying eggs when they get to a certain age, but they will lay fewer as they get older. That said, most laying breeds will lay more or less productively in backyard terms for five or seven years. We know of one ancient buff orpington cross who still lays an egg occasionally at 17 years old!! Factory farms slaughter their poor layers at a year old or so because those girls might lay a couple fewer eggs a week. Laying one or two fewer eggs just isn't usually important in backyard terms, even if you don't regard your hens as pets, but a commercial entity, a factory farm, sees "financial sense" in killing their all their one or two year olds and bringing in fresh chattel. Those poor birds, even "free range" commercial hens, may never have seen a blade of grass in their short lives!

However, keeping hens in your backyard isn't really a good way to save loads of money on eggs. Factory farms buy food in bulk at much lower prices than you can when you're only buying five or 25 pounds at a time, and factory farms keep their chickens in tiny areas so they don't have to use much space. Factory farms don't even provide nest boxes for their birds, so the poor hens are forced to lay out in the open, which is distressing to them. Even "free range" factory hens are simply crowded onto the floor of a big warehouse. A factory farm is about money, while a backyard flock is about the beauty of the hens, the healthier eggs and the affection and entertainment chickens provide. Even if it does not save you money on eggs due to the horrific conditions factory farms are permitted in order to sell cheap eggs, it is still inexpensive to keep backyard hens, and it is rewarding. If you keep hens at home, you will have the best-tasting, healthiest eggs you can find anywhere. Plus, chickens are fun--they're bright, affectionate creatures that are wonderful to watch and keep as pets.

Read about how much healthier eggs are when they're laid by hens with access to pasture.

Keeping hens in the backyard is becoming more and more popular, and we sincerely hope it will reduce dependence on factory-farmed birds.

Kimmy, that's what I do, have a leghorn and a red sex link in my flock..always.  My leghorn's lay for a very long time.  Sex link too, they come from Cal Ranch or IFA, I haven't hatched the sex links, but hatched this last leghorn.  Miss Piggy.  You will hear her name often.  She is my favorite hen.  :))

Well, I have some Polish left.  Thought I was going to have them all sold yesterday, but still have one Silver, three buffs, and I am going to sell a couple of the Black Crested.  I have two picked out that I want to watch. :)  Let me know if anyone is interested..I think Sundance wanted a Black Crested?

 The two Black Crested..are now sold.  :)  

 Anyone want to buy a buff or two?  And one Silver.  Maybe Lisa wants to go one more of each.  Deal if you go more.

Nothing hatching, but I have some darling Birchen Bantams coming this week.  Couldn't resist..and they come with the Mereks vaccination, because I pay the little extra that it takes..I know Lisa doesn't want any more that can go broody..but I want a cochin bantam, I miss having one..so I will have my Silkie, my Polish, and my cochin for pretty girls, and incubating mamas.

Lisa, I am worried about that spiky on the nose of the Polish that I hatched.  I put up pictures on the Polish thread, got a couple of boys already, but finally, someone came on and said, it's still really too early to tell..but here are a couple of pictures for you, Sasha, and if I remember her name correctly...sorry...Whittni, from St. George. 

Color? I was also told it could be a cukoo color?  I think barred.