Reality Farmville 2011
January 8,2011. My plan was to move a larger coop to the back yard today using a small trailer and my car but some snow came in and nixed that idea. It will pretty much have to wait until spring now. I have some assorted bantam eggs on order from McMurray hatchery expected to arrive next week. I hope to have them ready to sell by Easter although my wife wants to keep any "frizzles" we get. I would like to get into Sikies at some point.

January 10,2011. Today was a three egg day. Two brown and one blue. The Silkie is doing okay. I had him on the desk for awhile tonight and he ate scratch grain out of my hand. I was a little concerned over his panting after he loses his balance while on my arm and had to flap his wings until I restrain him. It doesn't last long and might just be a "silent protest". We'll see how it goes. I have had my chickens on layer ration and scratch grain all winter. I worried for awhile that they were only eating the scratch grains and not their ration. Now with all the eggs being laid I have noticed that they are back on eating more of the layer ration.
January 12-13,2011 We had a big snowstorm today. I did what I could to make the outside chickens as comfortable as possible. Threw in some extra feed and blocked the door with a board to cut down on the wind. I put an I/O rug on the floor of my office and let the silkie rooster hang out with me all day. He did okay although he's not sure what our relationship is. When I went upstairs for lunch or outside to run the snow blower he tried to follow. When we came in from shoveling he apparently had hopped up onto the laptop table, walked out on a clipboard which fell off the table and dumped him into the recycled paper box. I think he was actually happy to be picked up this time! I let him in again the next day and he was more comfortable walking around and talking to himself. The hens outside gave us three eggs- even with the cold. One either got cold enough to start to freeze or got stepped on with the crowded conditions and was cracked.

January 14,2011 I guess he's comfortable now! I was standing in the kitchen this morning with Margie and we heard a rooster crow. I immediately looked to the pen out back and thought "What the heck is wrong with my rooster." Then I realized it was the silkie in the garage that finally decided to crow. We went down to visit him and it didn't register why we were there. He strutted around a bit. No office time today though. I had cleaned everything up last night in preparation for the arrival of the assorted bantam fertile eggs from McMurray today. First they have to sit out for 6 to 12 hours to come to room temp then they go into the incubator.