Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[debbie_nibbles]

This is Ghost an Americauna. What one I don't know?

Goblin, another breed of Americauna

This is my Lilly, a 100% back on track, except still no eggs??? You'd think with all the red going on???

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Another 5 egg day!

At this rate, I'll have way more eggs by this weekend than I can fit in my incubator! My Ameraucanas are laying the cutest little bright blue pullet eggs. They're probably not ideal for hatching, but I'm going to try anyway. I think it would be kind of cool if Dinosaur's very first egg produced a chick! My fertility even on the newest eggs has been 100%. I have a hatching addiction. Do you think there's a support group for that?

 

[das Huhnchen]

I have an Ameraucana hen that was hatched 4/20/2012 and I've never seen an egg from her. Should I expect one soon or are my expectations too high? She's quite shy.

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

I have an Ameraucana hen that was hatched 4/20/2012 and I've never seen an egg from her. Should I expect one soon or are my expectations too high? She's quite shy.

My Ameraucanas hatched on 4/20/12 too! I just got my first egg 2 days ago. I'll bet yours lays an egg soon

 

[kdwag]

Wow, I've missed so much the last few days. Congrats on everyone's eggs and beautiful pic, Katrina, of the marsupials, I can't imagine having that kind of wildlife around. All four girls have now laid 4 eggs, 2 days in a row, no broken and no shell less,, thank God. 50 today, rain tonight, snow in the morning, 30 mph winds and in the 20s tomorrow--LOVE winter....NOT. She Working on plans for the new coop that I hope we can start building soon. I noticed my Partridge Plymouth was eating the oyster/egg shells today so maybe that will help her eggs get a little bigger-they are so tiny and she's a pretty good sized bird. My RIR is still laying the most enormous eggs I've ever seen- LOL I'm bummed though that since everyone has laid their first eggs, I've not heard any egg song singing. I loved it, will they ever do it again??

 

[atmaclean]

This is our rescue cat, Cash. I found him in some bushes at our bank last August when he was just a tiny kitten. He has been raised around the chickens. I suppose he is trying to "hatch" something in there between the two hens. I found him in there this afternoon when I went to check for eggs. He seemed very pleased with himself and was just napping in there quite peacefully. Apparently, it didn't bother the hens - I got 16 eggs today!

Angela

 

[Spikes Chooks]

Congratulations to Red, jy & everyone else whose girls are finally starting to do the right thing!!!

MB - sorry to hear of your roo struggles. I have zero experience but Brooster's advice seems very sound and logical. That boy's just gotta learn that you are Top Chook. I call this (when it comes to Spike the cat) the clever thumbs lesson. "See, we have prehensile thumbs, we have big brains and you are gonna do what I say!!!"

It sounds like you have a real ally in Jack. What a fantastic help he was to you. All animals are more easily trained, I think, in intensive, consistent treatment. Maybe when your hamstring is better (poor you!) you could schedule special visits during the day specifically just to interact with the roo. Being alert and ready to ensure submission from him, carry him around etc. Then the challenges aren't at times of his choosing, they're your choice and you're ready to repeatedly demonstrate to him that you are dominant to him.

When we got Spike from the rescue centre he had been left alone in a room for 6 months after he'd stopped being a kitten, with just food shoved at him every few days. (Don't get me started on the people who mistreat animals!!!). He was desperate for cuddles and affection but would not tolerate being picked up. He fought like a wild cat. Well, any of you cat owners will know that that just can't be left untended. Every single time we passed each other, I picked him up then put him straight down. I would go look for him, pick him up and put him down. Slowly, I added a second longer to the time I held him. Slowly, he learnt that nothing terrible would happen - and that I had the thumbs! It took about three months before he could be reliably and peacably picked up anytime. Twelve years on, he's the sweetest cat I've ever had. Follows me round so much, his nickname is Puppy.

MB, I bet you are determined enough to run a fine Roo Obedience Program!!!! Gotta be less effort and worry, in the long run, than trying a new roo. And if it doesn't work, you know you gave it your best shot, and it's entirely down to him to show he can mature into a good roo for you and the chickens. Please let us know how it is going

All the best
Katrina

 

[Spikes Chooks]

This is our rescue cat, Cash. I found him in some bushes at our bank last August when he was just a tiny kitten. He has been raised around the chickens. I suppose he is trying to "hatch" something in there between the two hens. I found him in there this afternoon when I went to check for eggs. He seemed very pleased with himself and was just napping in there quite peacefully. Apparently, it didn't bother the hens - I got 16 eggs today!

Angela

What a beautiful cat, and a lovely photo. Maybe the hens just think the cat is a REALLY funny looking chicken!

 

[Melabella]

MB,

I'm sure you've already read tons of stuff on here about handling a mean rooster, but I've had a lot of luck training mine with some of the advice I've found. Mostly, it talks about showing him you're the dominant roo. Feeding the girls yourself is a good example (and why it drove him crazy). There are a lot of other tips too...handle him a lot, carry him around upside down, never let him mate one of the hens in front of you (the dominant roo wouldn't allow it)...etc. With my mean roos, I had to start taking a more aggressive approach. I never hit or kick them though. You basically have to break their spirit, as mean as that sounds. Really all you're doing is knocking them off the top rung of the social ladder. Once you do that, their behavior changes dramatically. Some roos are harder to train than others. I've had 2 that seemed impossible, and they wound up in the soup pot. The others eventually submitted. It's also worth noting that most roosters chill out as they age. They're usually a lot meaner right after they hit sexual maturity.

All that being said, breaking in a rooster is hard work. Some folks don't have the time or energy to do it. And a lot of folks, myself included, have kids or other animals around to worry about. If you decide to get a different roo, I recommend getting an older one from a noted docile breed. And yes, you definitely want to quarantine the new bird, and follow all precautions. My current EE roo is 4 years old. I got him as an adult, and he is the best roo I've ever had. He's gentle around humans, and so wonderful with the hens. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Congratulations to Red, jy & everyone else whose girls are finally starting to do the right thing!!!

MB - sorry to hear of your roo struggles. I have zero experience but Brooster's advice seems very sound and logical. That boy's just gotta learn that you are Top Chook. I call this (when it comes to Spike the cat) the clever thumbs lesson. "See, we have prehensile thumbs, we have big brains and you are gonna do what I say!!!"

It sounds like you have a real ally in Jack. What a fantastic help he was to you. All animals are more easily trained, I think, in intensive, consistent treatment. Maybe when your hamstring is better (poor you!) you could schedule special visits during the day specifically just to interact with the roo. Being alert and ready to ensure submission from him, carry him around etc. Then the challenges aren't at times of his choosing, they're your choice and you're ready to repeatedly demonstrate to him that you are dominant to him.

When we got Spike from the rescue centre he had been left alone in a room for 6 months after he'd stopped being a kitten, with just food shoved at him every few days. (Don't get me started on the people who mistreat animals!!!). He was desperate for cuddles and affection but would not tolerate being picked up. He fought like a wild cat. Well, any of you cat owners will know that that just can't be left untended. Every single time we passed each other, I picked him up then put him straight down. I would go look for him, pick him up and put him down. Slowly, I added a second longer to the time I held him. Slowly, he learnt that nothing terrible would happen - and that I had the thumbs! It took about three months before he could be reliably and peacably picked up anytime. Twelve years on, he's the sweetest cat I've ever had. Follows me round so much, his nickname is Puppy.

MB, I bet you are determined enough to run a fine Roo Obedience Program!!!! Gotta be less effort and worry, in the long run, than trying a new roo. And if it doesn't work, you know you gave it your best shot, and it's entirely down to him to show he can mature into a good roo for you and the chickens. Please let us know how it is going

All the best
Katrina

Thank you both for these wonderful pieces of advice. I whole heartedly agree with you both, I have been trying to show him that I am dominate, but he is just reletless lately. Problem with holding him is trying to actually lay my hands on him! I used to handle him so much as a youngster, and he was fine with it, but I am sure it would be a huge, HUGE fiasco to actually getting a hold of him. I guess I have spent so much time moving him lately, he stays far away, (that is, until he veiws me doing something he doesn't like, then he is at me). I think trying to have one on one time with him sounds interesting. I try to sit with the girls everyday, the cold has made it hard lately, and when I do that, he will wander somewhat near me. He really doesn't like when I am in the run, maybe I could move my chair in there. I am determined to give it my all, but as Brooster pointed out, the horses take up most of my day, and then come 2:45 the children are home, and then dinner, yadda, yadda, yadda!

Thanks for the support, and I will certainly keep you updated. I won't lie and tell you i found a local craigslist add for a woman looking to rehome a beautiful EE roo who is low man on the totem pole at her place, and would love to see him with a flock of his own......hmmmmmm...lol.

MB

 

[Melabella]

This is our rescue cat, Cash. I found him in some bushes at our bank last August when he was just a tiny kitten. He has been raised around the chickens. I suppose he is trying to "hatch" something in there between the two hens. I found him in there this afternoon when I went to check for eggs. He seemed very pleased with himself and was just napping in there quite peacefully. Apparently, it didn't bother the hens - I got 16 eggs today!

Angela

Congrats on the 16 eggs Angela! What colors are they all? this picture is about the cutest thing I've seen in a while. I love how she just thinks she is a chicken, hanging out with some friends. LOVE IT!

MB