Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

we've been playing with persimmon seeds. cut them in half and there is a shape. I keep getting spoons. that means shoveling. great. but better that a knife which is biting cold and wind. I've never seen a fork, which is supposed to mean a mild winter.
glad you're stocked up MC, I just paid out fistfuls of $$ for taxes and all kinds of bills. I buy one bag at a time. it's no biggie, they have plenty and they've pretty much quit laying. just bantam eggs in the basket.

 

[sophiap]

So. I was coming home today around 5:30 with my youngest in the car feeling under the weather. I was greeted by a strange site. Hubby, older daughter and a neighbor looking concerned and stressed. I looked at what was going on as I was pulling in the driveway only to see Owl -my Barred Plymouth Rock coming back home from 2 houses down. Not an issue in a rural area but could have been the end of her if she was not seen by my neighbor. We never let the chickens out unless we are home and we have an eight foot fence around the yard. I have had chickens for 2 and a half years and that is the first time I have any jumping the fence.

When my older daughter came home from school and let the chickens out, Owl found a way to go MIA. Luckily she is back in her coop safe but it leaves me wondering on whether I can keep on letting them out. For one there are plenty of dogs that unlike mine can kill them, and so can some people and of course cars. Not sure what to do. Does anyone have any suggestions??

On a different note, Charlie, my golden laced wyandotte is starting to do the egg dance. When I reach over for her she crutches down and allows petting. I know Cheeka was betting on Owl to be my first to lay but Charlie is showing some signs.... We will see soon. I was doing the math and they are about 25 weeks old now. They sure do like to make me wait.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Is it possible that there is an Owl-sized gap in the fence? I though my yard was pretty secure until a small stray dog showed up. He showed me that my fence was really a big sieve! Kept our big dog in just fine.

My limited experience is that they get heavier after point of lay, and by a year they lose interest in flying, or the ability. Unless they are lighter birds like Leghorns. I have an Ameraucana that can get over a 6 ft fence if something scares her. She's kind of spazzy though.

So maybe Owl needs some fattening up! Or you can clip one wing. That would probably be faster. You'd have to look it up to see how. I've never had to.

Good luck with Charlie!

Keep us posted.

 

[BullChick]

Ready for winter! Plus two flock blocks... Okay, not actually blocks. They didn't have the chicken ones, I had to get the smaller things. Still good for only 6 chickens... For now.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Wow MC. That's a lot of food. Guess they need a lot of calories to keep warm in your cold weather. I think you're right, you won't have to get feed for a long time. Not until spring. When they have chicks in.

Cheeka, never heard that about persimmon seeds. Do both types work? My dad like the Fuyu kind with the flat bottoms. I don't care for them because they make my teeth feel hairy.

 

[cheeka]

I would say it would be worth a try... but since it is folklore that originates in the Ozarks, I would presume it would be the tree known as diospyros kaki - which is the Japanese/Asian persimmon and may be the very same one... just known by your Father as another name, they come in a variety of shapes. even googling it shows the snowy regions are finding mostly spoons, and I read of one fairly mild territory that opened 20 seeds, 19 spoons, 1 fork.

 

[sophiap]

My First Egg arrived yesterday!!! Tiny compared to a normal egg but absolutely beautiful. Charlie won the prize of being my first to lay!! SUPER excited!!

No holes on the fence so Owls escapades in the neighborhood are still a mystery but I hope she learns from Charlie and gets to work instead of goofing around . In the meantime its jail time unless mommy is home and supervising.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Nice egg Sophia! Yay for Charlie.

Give her some extra treats!

 

[mortie]

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Yo Mortie! Got any snØw yet?