I started my chicken adventure March 26,11. I bought some straight run chicks from D&B supply.I was told the chicks were a week old. Weeks later I was told that there was an 80 % chance they are all roosters. Yes there were 2. They crowed at about 10 weeks.That was around the 18th of May. So they had to go live somewhere else.I also have these chicks with white and brown spreckles and some black feathers growing out of their tails. I do not know yet if they are roosters or what breed they are. I have downloaded a photo,hopefully someone can help me identify the breed......
This morning (June 3) one of my older white birds was making some noise. I think it is trying to crow.Tonight at dinner my daughter admits it has been trying all day. Great I need to find him a new home quick......
Good morning...June 6....That bird still makes noises but is not crowing.Maybe it is just being the dominant one.....
June 11 here..After a few mornings of being woken up to crowing.I'm a little tired. Took the rooster to go live with the 2 other roosters that I gave away 2 weeks ago. One of them worked him over rather badly. That was sad to see.But it's the way of the chickens and I live in the city and I can not have roosters. I have 2 more that may also be roosters.Now that the dominant one is gone the next dominant one will take charge. Lord I need help. I did not bargain for this.I started with 6 and of the 6 birds 3 have turned out to be Roosters...We are on week 12-13. At this rate I better slow down my collection off egg cartons.......
June 13.....Had a neighbor over last night.He says I have 3 roosters. Oh well no more straight runs for me....I will get 2 hens this weekend and play catch up...I guess I shall get eggs for Christmas....
June 16....I gave the 3 roosters to a guy at work.
He has a place for them....So relieved they're not going to be eaten....I have the nursery(brooder) all ready for the babies....
June 18....I brought home 1 RIR chick, 1 Golden sexlink chick and a Barred Rock chick from Dunlop Hatchery in Caldwell. They are all hens. They are a week old...I still don't know how to upload pics on here to show everyone...
July 11...My 2 Leghorns are starting to lay...I'm so excited. I get an egg every other day.....My little girls are 4 weeks now. They are about ready to go outside now full time.But not with the big girls. I will probably wait another month or 2 before I put them with the big girls...
July 14...3 days in row.I have gotten 2 eggs a day.They are getting larger...Yippee. 2 leghorns = 2 eggs a day.......
Aug 7....Fine and dandy I get 2 eggs a day. The weather has been extremely warm and still get eggs. Here is my dilemma, introducing my now 8 week old chicks to the established hens. I have put them in the coop. But they still stay in the cage that is inside the coop. The older hens are mean to them and peck and chase them. I hope eventually they can all roost together in the little brown house.
Aug 13...They are all in the litle brown house but the little girls are sleeping in the nesting boxes because the big girls won't let them roost with them...In time I hope.Thy are pooping up 2 of the 3 nesting boxes...
Sep 2....The weather is beginning to change and the Leghorns are not laying as well skipped a day then one egg.Skipped another day then one egg.I need more eggs. The babies are 11-12 weeks and still atleast 4 -6 weeks out from laying. I hope they are cold hardy.It is getting cool here at night.
Sep 11....The weather has been warm and dry. The 2 Leghorns lay has slowed a little.I'm not too worried. The babies are 13 weeks. I'm sure they will not lay as early as the Leghorns did.The Leghorns started to lay around 16 weeks.....Will keep you posted on the young girls and how.....
Oct 1...The Leghorns are still laying well.1-2 a day. The young ladies are now 16 weeks.No sign of laying behavior or wattles and combs.The young ladies are now larger than the Leghorns.But they are so docile due to being picked on by the Leghorns.Went on a Tour De Coupe today...I saw 9 different chicken set ups....I got great info and ideas and another tour of 9 chicken houses tomorrow. I would like to add a Polish and an Americana just to have a variety. I don't want to go through that Pecking order thing again....Signing off for now....
Oct 15...The days are getting shorter. The Leghorns are producing almost daily. The younger pullets are still not laying.They are 19 weeks. They are still bullied by the Leghorns.I go into the coop at night to keep the girls out of the nest box.They all roost together reluctantly. I have it down to about 10-15 minutes.Precious the Golden seems to be the dominant one of the younger 3 but Pepper is definately the largest.She is the Barred Rock.She wimpers when it's time to go in for nite nite.It is so cute.She likes to jump on me still.Hopefully I will be on here soon to talk about their eggs...
Oct 30...The Leghorns are laying daily even with the reduced day length. The younger pullets are slower to mature due to the lack of daylight.The coop is winterized in my book anyway.I had to put out a rodent trap.I was okay with one but not a colony. Go live with someone elses chickens.The younger pullets are 21 weeks now. Let's go girls. Who is going to be first ?...The RIR looks very red and her comb is getting larger.Not much though.None of them are squatting .....Wishful thinking...
Nov 20...The Leghorns slowed a bit. I got one egg yesterday and one egg today.As for the younger pullets they have not started to lay.But the RIR has definately started to squat alot. So I do expect anytime now. I sure hope I don't have to wait until spring. It sure is getting colder here in Idaho. It was in the teens last night.I boil water every morning because their water freezes.It's only Nov 20. It's going to be a long long winter....
Nov 21...Spoke too soon. My Rhode Island Red layed her first egg today. She was ready..So far the other other 2 are not even squatting...
Nov 26...The Red is laying a small light brown egg every other day.....
Dec 10... Henrietta the RIR is laying small brown eggs daily...The Barred and Sex link are squatting quite a bit. So we will be in egg business really soon . I believe we are now at week 26....I can't complain about 3 eggs a day right now when the days are not quite 40 and the nights are in the teens.I love those birds...
Dec 16...Precious the Golden has layed her first egg and boy it was large. She has been going in and out of the nest box all morning so I knew it was soooon....
Dec 17...Pepper layed her first egg today. A day after Precious...What a Christmas present.All the girls are laying...
This morning (June 3) one of my older white birds was making some noise. I think it is trying to crow.Tonight at dinner my daughter admits it has been trying all day. Great I need to find him a new home quick......
Good morning...June 6....That bird still makes noises but is not crowing.Maybe it is just being the dominant one.....
June 11 here..After a few mornings of being woken up to crowing.I'm a little tired. Took the rooster to go live with the 2 other roosters that I gave away 2 weeks ago. One of them worked him over rather badly. That was sad to see.But it's the way of the chickens and I live in the city and I can not have roosters. I have 2 more that may also be roosters.Now that the dominant one is gone the next dominant one will take charge. Lord I need help. I did not bargain for this.I started with 6 and of the 6 birds 3 have turned out to be Roosters...We are on week 12-13. At this rate I better slow down my collection off egg cartons.......
June 13.....Had a neighbor over last night.He says I have 3 roosters. Oh well no more straight runs for me....I will get 2 hens this weekend and play catch up...I guess I shall get eggs for Christmas....
June 16....I gave the 3 roosters to a guy at work.
June 18....I brought home 1 RIR chick, 1 Golden sexlink chick and a Barred Rock chick from Dunlop Hatchery in Caldwell. They are all hens. They are a week old...I still don't know how to upload pics on here to show everyone...
July 11...My 2 Leghorns are starting to lay...I'm so excited. I get an egg every other day.....My little girls are 4 weeks now. They are about ready to go outside now full time.But not with the big girls. I will probably wait another month or 2 before I put them with the big girls...
July 14...3 days in row.I have gotten 2 eggs a day.They are getting larger...Yippee. 2 leghorns = 2 eggs a day.......
Aug 7....Fine and dandy I get 2 eggs a day. The weather has been extremely warm and still get eggs. Here is my dilemma, introducing my now 8 week old chicks to the established hens. I have put them in the coop. But they still stay in the cage that is inside the coop. The older hens are mean to them and peck and chase them. I hope eventually they can all roost together in the little brown house.
Aug 13...They are all in the litle brown house but the little girls are sleeping in the nesting boxes because the big girls won't let them roost with them...In time I hope.Thy are pooping up 2 of the 3 nesting boxes...
Sep 2....The weather is beginning to change and the Leghorns are not laying as well skipped a day then one egg.Skipped another day then one egg.I need more eggs. The babies are 11-12 weeks and still atleast 4 -6 weeks out from laying. I hope they are cold hardy.It is getting cool here at night.
Sep 11....The weather has been warm and dry. The 2 Leghorns lay has slowed a little.I'm not too worried. The babies are 13 weeks. I'm sure they will not lay as early as the Leghorns did.The Leghorns started to lay around 16 weeks.....Will keep you posted on the young girls and how.....
Oct 1...The Leghorns are still laying well.1-2 a day. The young ladies are now 16 weeks.No sign of laying behavior or wattles and combs.The young ladies are now larger than the Leghorns.But they are so docile due to being picked on by the Leghorns.Went on a Tour De Coupe today...I saw 9 different chicken set ups....I got great info and ideas and another tour of 9 chicken houses tomorrow. I would like to add a Polish and an Americana just to have a variety. I don't want to go through that Pecking order thing again....Signing off for now....
Oct 15...The days are getting shorter. The Leghorns are producing almost daily. The younger pullets are still not laying.They are 19 weeks. They are still bullied by the Leghorns.I go into the coop at night to keep the girls out of the nest box.They all roost together reluctantly. I have it down to about 10-15 minutes.Precious the Golden seems to be the dominant one of the younger 3 but Pepper is definately the largest.She is the Barred Rock.She wimpers when it's time to go in for nite nite.It is so cute.She likes to jump on me still.Hopefully I will be on here soon to talk about their eggs...
Oct 30...The Leghorns are laying daily even with the reduced day length. The younger pullets are slower to mature due to the lack of daylight.The coop is winterized in my book anyway.I had to put out a rodent trap.I was okay with one but not a colony. Go live with someone elses chickens.The younger pullets are 21 weeks now. Let's go girls. Who is going to be first ?...The RIR looks very red and her comb is getting larger.Not much though.None of them are squatting .....Wishful thinking...
Nov 20...The Leghorns slowed a bit. I got one egg yesterday and one egg today.As for the younger pullets they have not started to lay.But the RIR has definately started to squat alot. So I do expect anytime now. I sure hope I don't have to wait until spring. It sure is getting colder here in Idaho. It was in the teens last night.I boil water every morning because their water freezes.It's only Nov 20. It's going to be a long long winter....
Nov 21...Spoke too soon. My Rhode Island Red layed her first egg today. She was ready..So far the other other 2 are not even squatting...
Nov 26...The Red is laying a small light brown egg every other day.....
Dec 10... Henrietta the RIR is laying small brown eggs daily...The Barred and Sex link are squatting quite a bit. So we will be in egg business really soon . I believe we are now at week 26....I can't complain about 3 eggs a day right now when the days are not quite 40 and the nights are in the teens.I love those birds...
Dec 16...Precious the Golden has layed her first egg and boy it was large. She has been going in and out of the nest box all morning so I knew it was soooon....
Dec 17...Pepper layed her first egg today. A day after Precious...What a Christmas present.All the girls are laying...
