Arizona Chickens

[Diannastarr]

@igorsMistress I was just out locking up the coop because of thunder, and the biggest black silkie out there just crowed to let me know he's a boy. I hope that my big blue silkie doesn't crow. I want to breed those 2 later.

 

[BlueBaby]

Happy Birthday @Diannastarr ! I hope you have a good one! Are you doing ok over there?

 

[igorsMistress]

Hey @Diannastarr didn't know today is your birthday! Happy Day!

 

[BlueBaby]

@igorsMistress 5 of the BYC member's have birthday's today.

 

[SonoranChick]

Hi everyone! Sorry I’ve been out of the loop lately, I went back to my tutoring job and have been super busy. Hope you’re all doing well! We have started offering Cora lots of solid foods and I’m happy to say that she loves eggs Nothing better than fresh eggs for breakfast. Now that we are down to 8 hens who are getting older, egg production is down. Some have started molting already for the season too. We want to add to the flock soon. I feel like it would be easiest to just wait for Waffles the BO to go broody again and have her hatch out some babies, but I have a few questions because I’ve never done this before. If the hatch is successful and we end up with little chickies, will the other hens be accepting of them as part of the flock? Will Waffles protect them from the other full grown hens? Or do I need to keep mama hen and her babies separated from the others until they’re bigger? And what is the best time of year to have a hatch? I’m assuming spring but our seasons are so abnormal here...what do you guys think?

 

[cavemanrich]

Glad to hear your Angel Cora is doing well.
My youngest granddaughter (March 2018) is just slightly ahead of your Cora. I know the joy little ones bring. No need to mention the hard work.
Now to chickens,,,,,, When your broody hatches out the chicks,,, she also broods them and protects them. Initially most peeps separate the very young chicks and broody for a lil while. Then they integrate into flock. I'm sure the others here will chime in on the best timing, since they are in same area. I'm just a long distance friend here.
I think your chickens will pick up in laying soon. They are not that old, and variety that lives long lives. VS Sexlinks that are bred for super egg production, and then burn out. It is good to keep adding new chickens to your flock to maintain a steady producing flock. When some hens slow down,,,, other younger ones pick up the slack

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi everyone! Sorry I’ve been out of the loop lately, I went back to my tutoring job and have been super busy. Hope you’re all doing well! We have started offering Cora lots of solid foods and I’m happy to say that she loves eggs Nothing better than fresh eggs for breakfast. Now that we are down to 8 hens who are getting older, egg production is down. Some have started molting already for the season too. We want to add to the flock soon. I feel like it would be easiest to just wait for Waffles the BO to go broody again and have her hatch out some babies, but I have a few questions because I’ve never done this before. If the hatch is successful and we end up with little chickies, will the other hens be accepting of them as part of the flock? Will Waffles protect them from the other full grown hens? Or do I need to keep mama hen and her babies separated from the others until they’re bigger? And what is the best time of year to have a hatch? I’m assuming spring but our seasons are so abnormal here...what do you guys think?

Hi there! I was thinking about you just the other day. How old is Cora now?

You have options to add to your flock. If you have a broody she will take care of everything for you. She will teach them everything and take care of integration for you.

If you hatch them in an incubator, an amazing experience to be sure, you'll need an area to brood them and a heat plate. This is very easy! Keep them where everyone can see but not touch and slowly let them integrate by letting them out with the bigs under supervision. Gradually work toward short periods without supervising until you can let them all run together. The same would apply if you get chicks.

Pics will be appreciated when you decide if course!

PS This is a great time to get chicks or hatch eggs. Cooler temps are coming and they'd be fully feathered before it gets to usual freeze dates.

 

[SonoranChick]

Glad to hear your Angel Cora is doing well.
My youngest granddaughter (March 2018) is just slightly ahead of your Cora. I know the joy little ones bring. No need to mention the hard work.
Now to chickens,,,,,, When your broody hatches out the chicks,,, she also broods them and protects them. Initially most peeps separate the very young chicks and broody for a lil while. Then they integrate into flock. I'm sure the others here will chime in on the best timing, since they are in same area. I'm just a long distance friend here.
I think your chickens will pick up in laying soon. They are not that old, and variety that lives long lives. VS Sexlinks that are bred for super egg production, and then burn out. It is good to keep adding new chickens to your flock to maintain a steady producing flock. When some hens slow down,,,, other younger ones pick up the slack

Thank you this is great advice!

 

[SonoranChick]

Hi there! I was thinking about you just the other day. How old is Cora now?

You have options to add to your flock. If you have a broody she will take care of everything for you. She will teach them everything and take care of integration for you.

If you hatch them in an incubator, an amazing experience to be sure, you'll need an area to brood them and a heat plate. This is very easy! Keep them where everyone can see but not touch and slowly let them integrate by letting them out with the bigs under supervision. Gradually work toward short periods without supervising until you can let them all run together. The same would apply if you get chicks.

Pics will be appreciated when you decide if course!

PS This is a great time to get chicks or hatch eggs. Cooler temps are coming and they'd be fully feathered before it gets to usual freeze dates.

Awesome thank you, I really didn’t want to wait until spring. Now I suppose I will just have to wait for miss Waffles to go broody again.

Cora will be ONE next month!She’s 10 months now, her birthday is Oct. 30. I don’t know how this happened haha I feel like time is going by way too fast.

Here she is enjoying some avocado

 

[igorsMistress]

Awesome thank you, I really didn’t want to wait until spring. Now I suppose I will just have to wait for miss Waffles to go broody again.

Cora will be ONE next month!She’s 10 months now, her birthday is Oct. 30. I don’t know how this happened haha I feel like time is going by way too fast.
View attachment 1903539
Here she is enjoying some avocado

I thought her birthday was coming up before long. What an adorable little girl I love that age when they're starting to become a little bit independent but not quite there yet.