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

[Melabella]

Shoot... sorry.. got to figure out how to post a video...


MB

 

[chicksurreal]

I stop feeding layer feed when the molting starts, and bump up to Game Bird feed with the higher protein. Someone also told me they love the Nutrena Feather Fixer feed to get their flock through molt. Also it's important to not handle the birds unless absolutely necessary as new pin feathers are apparently quite painful when they come in....

MB

Thanks!

I've been trying to give them more protein, but it sounds like a higher protein feed is in order. Some of them are pitiful looking, one girl is going through a hard molt and is almost naked, I feel so sorry for her. Definitely going to get some Feather Fixer.

I don't pick them up right now unless I have to, I've heard that about the pin feathers and wouldn't want to cause them pain.

 

[Melabella]

Thanks!

I've been trying to give them more protein, but it sounds like a higher protein feed is in order. Some of them are pitiful looking, one girl is going through a hard molt and is almost naked, I feel so sorry for her. Definitely going to get some Feather Fixer.

I don't pick them up right now unless I have to, I've heard that about the pin feathers and wouldn't want to cause them pain.

Yes, the first time I experience learning about molt, one of my Black Australorps was almost naked, and it was COLD outside. I don't know how she did it, but when those new feathers come in, I love how nice and fluffy they all are!

MB

 

[Nova Scotia]

Hello Melabella!
Darlene here in Nova Scotia - we are waiting patiently for our 18 RIR girls to lay eggs too. They are 16 weeks on Canadian Thanksgiving Oct 11, 2014. We also waiting for our rooster Max to crow. He is making lots of noise and sure is protective of his girls. The wait is on, everyone say it will be a while but who knows, they are happy girls. They love people and talk to us constantly. We have on girl-Suzie Q in segregation. She is a pecker. I am trying to find a warmer home for her. It is starting to get cold here, but for now she is until the temps drop a lot lower. This morning when we let her out we noticed she had a broken beak. There is a piece hanging off but hopeful it will grow back. The dear girl. Perhaps you can tell me Melabella. Just 4 days ago some of the girls started to lay down and toss chips over themselves, I don"t have a clue what that is all about. I can assure you they are happy, healthy, and having fun. I give them treats too - tomatoes, bagels, swing cabbage, and blueberries too. Are they getting broody?? I am green as the grass and learning as I go here. Any advise and thoughts are welcome Melabella. This is Max.

 

[Nova Scotia]

oops that should read 16 weeks Oct 13th..

 

[chicksurreal]

Yes, the first time I experience learning about molt, one of my Black Australorps was almost naked, and it was COLD outside. I don't know how she did it, but when those new feathers come in, I love how nice and fluffy they all are!

MB

We're just going into cooler weather here, so I'm hoping their feathers grow in before it gets cold, the one poor girl is bare chested and has lost all her tail feathers, she has about half of her feathers right now. We don't get extreme cold here, but cold enough!

Our rooster is growing new tail feathers after he lost all of them and most of the girls are still feathered enough to handle cold weather, I just don't want them to be cold or miserable. I'm definitely getting some Feather Fixer for them. Thanks very much for the suggestion.

 

[Melabella]

Hello Melabella!
Darlene here in Nova Scotia - we are waiting patiently for our 18 RIR girls to lay eggs too. They are 16 weeks on Canadian Thanksgiving Oct 11, 2014. We also waiting for our rooster Max to crow. He is making lots of noise and sure is protective of his girls. The wait is on, everyone say it will be a while but who knows, they are happy girls. They love people and talk to us constantly. We have on girl-Suzie Q in segregation. She is a pecker. I am trying to find a warmer home for her. It is starting to get cold here, but for now she is until the temps drop a lot lower. This morning when we let her out we noticed she had a broken beak. There is a piece hanging off but hopeful it will grow back. The dear girl. Perhaps you can tell me Melabella. Just 4 days ago some of the girls started to lay down and toss chips over themselves, I don"t have a clue what that is all about. I can assure you they are happy, healthy, and having fun. I give them treats too - tomatoes, bagels, swing cabbage, and blueberries too. Are they getting broody?? I am green as the grass and learning as I go here. Any advise and thoughts are welcome Melabella. This is Max.

Hi there Nova S!


So happy to have you here on our waitin thread. You will soon enough be headed towards plenty of eggs! RIR are wonderful layers and you should see a dozen eggs a day if not more! Sound from what you described that your girls are trying to lay down and give themselves a good ol dust bath! Chickens don't clean themselves with water like we humans do, instead they dust themselves in an area of loose dirt and anything they can get to cover their feathers, and roll around in. It is an important part of health care and self grooming for your birds especially if they don't free range and have the ability to find an area themselves. In my run on days when the girls don't get a chance to free range, they have made two huge holes where they like to lay down on their sides and roll back and forth and cover themselves with as much loose dirt as they can. It helps to keep any bugs, or pests that might bother them. It is also quite the social event. All my girls sit around and sun bathe and dust bathe in their favorite hole outside. Some people even make a designated dust bath area in a huge feed tub or build one and fill it with a mixture of dirt, sand and some even like to mix in some Sweet PDZ or DE in the mix to really help with the bugs. I am sure this is what your girls are trying to do. You will see even the littlest chicks practicing this, it's downright adorable.

Sorry about your little girl with the broken beak. I actually have no experience with that, and maybe you can head over to the Emergencies, Health issues link and ask there or search in the search box, put in "broken beak". Do you have any idea how she did that? I hate to say, sometimes it is just easier to rehome a bird that causes too much coop drama, but what you are trying first is a good idea. I once had a bully girl that enjoyed chasing down everyone, and hassling them to a frantic state. I removed her completely away from everyone, into my gargage. When I reintroduced her back into the coop/run, she had lost her place in the pecking order and became low hen on the pole. She minded her manners after that!

Good Luck with her, let us know how it goes, and please come back often, we love updates. I am waiting on 3 23 week olds myself. With the daylight decreasing, it's going to take a bit longer to get eggs. I have tons of other age chicks growing out, I really won't have any egg action until the spring.

Welcome to the thread!

MB

 

[QHnPPcks]

Hi again,
My 3 girls are evidently late bloomers. I believe the incredibly hot summer might have held them back a bit. I have added layer feed in anticipation. Have discovered they love grapes. I cut the huge ones in half with a pair of scissors, and they grab them right from the scissors! I have to do some tutorials about posting photos; so far no luck from my mobile phone.

 

[Scott16475]

Quote:
Thank you for the tip on how to post pics. We have four Black Austorlorps who turned 24 weeks on October 9th. Our four kids got to pick a hen and they came up with the names (Mrs. Butterworth, Honey, Rebecca, and Patricia). We weren't sure which hen was responsible for the eggs Friday and Saturday but yesterday, Sunday, I caught her in the act. It's Mrs. Butterworth. She was in the coop singing the egg song and the entire time she was in there, Rebecca continually walked up and down the ramp and in and out of the coop. We were joking that she was comforting and encouraging Mrs. Butterworth during the egg laying process. After about 5 minutes, Mrs. Butterworth came out of the coop and went about her day. We noticed Rebecca went back into the coop and within a minute, she started the egg song. It wasn't long and we had two eggs in one day. Clearly Rebecca wasn't encouraging Mrs. Butterworth but rather, she was telling her to hurry! With that said, we now have two girls laying and two to go! The eggs are perfectly shaped although still somewhat small in size.

 

[sssharon]

Scott, when you were talking about Rebeca pacing back and forth I knew right away what was going on.Hahahaha, It's funny how no matter how many nests you have they all want to lay in the same one for the most part. Mine do the pacing too and sing the song while waiting. Congrats on your first eggs!