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  1. TooCheep

    Do most/all layers, who are allowed to free range, eventually relapse to egg-hiding?

    The favorite box is definitely frustrating. I've ended up with 5 eggs in one box and 1 each in two others and one box empty occasionally. Mostly, I've seen lower-ranked hens get bullied and pecked out of a box and that motivated me to make more available. It has definitely helped reduce noise...
  2. TooCheep

    Do most/all layers, who are allowed to free range, eventually relapse to egg-hiding?

    For what it is worth, I try not to disturb the girls in their boxes. But since I leave their original "trainer" ceramic eggs in the nest boxes, there is always one/box.
  3. TooCheep

    Do most/all layers, who are allowed to free range, eventually relapse to egg-hiding?

    I've gone to 2 chickens/nest box, but that is because mine are high-volume layers (6/week) so they spend a good amount of time in nest boxes. A more mixed age group or lower-frequency layers might be fine with 3 chickens/nest box. This has significantly reduced the amount of squawking and...
  4. TooCheep

    Do most/all layers, who are allowed to free range, eventually relapse to egg-hiding?

    For what it's worth, I've only had a few eggs laid outside of the coop in my 7 years and mine free range all day. The one thing I did do is add more nests to minimize nest-box conflict. I don't like the BYC standard recommendation of 4 layers/box as it created too much drama.
  5. TooCheep

    Water Glassing: Egg Preservation Experiment!

    That is a general rule in food preservation. Light, heat, oxygen and bacteria/pests are the enemies of long-term food preservation. All forms of food preservation find ways to control those factors. I don't know how much of an effect light has with the egg shells, but personally, I would play...
  6. TooCheep

    Water Glassing: Egg Preservation Experiment!

    From my experience, lime water infiltration can be identified by a thin crack. If you see that, just assume the egg is bad and toss it. I smash bad eggs in my compost pile as the egg, shell and lime are all good for compost. Generally, when I pull out a batch of eggs from the lime, I rinse...
  7. TooCheep

    Coop run help

    Use the leaves all year long. Much better than bare soil- cleaner, easier on their feet and saves you from sending leaves to the landfill and instead creates a valuable end-product. When I talk about creating compost, understand that deep litter is simply an accelerated version of what happens...
  8. TooCheep

    What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

    I've also been using Mint Mobile for years now. I'm a light phone user and am on the same plan you are. I just pay once/year and the service has been excellent. As for the carrier locked phones, in most cases it is actually easy to unlock. If you've had your old service for a while...
  9. TooCheep

    Coop run help

    Simple and free solution: dry fall leaves. Collect a bunch of bags of leaves in the fall. Throw the leaves on the ground: 6"+ if you have good containment around the sides to hold the leaves in (deep litter), 2-3" if you don't have great containment to keep the leaves in. Periodically add...
  10. TooCheep

    This chicken is not dead

    You are in Texas. I'm sure you will value Ebenezer a lot more when he strikes oil for you. :)
  11. TooCheep

    Hen not laying in nesting box

    If this is a 1-time thing, don't worry about it. Chickens can occasionally lay in odd locations: in the coop, over night from the roosting bar, etc. They'll almost always go back to the "usual" spot next time. Otherwise: Is she low on the pecking order? Chickens are fairly mean when they...
  12. TooCheep

    Water Glassing: Egg Preservation Experiment!

    Where are you located? That can make a significant difference. You might want to include your general location in your profile. You might want to consider keeping them inside- in a closet, pantry or wherever they won't be disturbed. See if that make a difference in future batches.
  13. TooCheep

    Water Glassing: Egg Preservation Experiment!

    Interesting... Never heard of that before. What conditions did you keep the containers in this summer? Were they in a temperature controlled environment? I don't know much about brooding eggs, but I assume they require a fairly high temperature range to develop, right?
  14. TooCheep

    Water Glassing: Egg Preservation Experiment!

    Yup. The whites are a little runnier and the yolks break pretty easily. That's why we usually recommend scrambled, omelets and baking with them. Hard boiled, easy over, etc. generally don't work well. Looks like you are an eggspert now. And when you don't die in a day or two, your partner...
  15. TooCheep

    What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

    Yup. That's what I had originally with my string trimmer. Once I hit 3 batteries, then I was able to do full trimming around the property in one session.
  16. TooCheep

    What are your frugal and sustainable tips and tricks?

    General rule with battery-power tools- Pick the "best" brand for you and try to stick with it. Use any/all of the tools that you know to judge "best": lower price, heavy duty, variety of tools for your needs, good reviews, long-term reputation, etc. The main advantage to sticking with a single...
  17. TooCheep

    Water Glassing: Egg Preservation Experiment!

    Thanks for the info @fat brown hen
  18. TooCheep

    First egg AND made friends with the roo!!

    Very nice. First eggs are always exciting. And it looks like found a new friend as well. If he's good around people and takes care of the ladies, then he'll be a perfect keeper. Congrats!
  19. TooCheep

    Water Glassing: Egg Preservation Experiment!

    If possible, remove some of the shell and leave the membrane in place. That will allow greater exposure to the lime water and simulate a longer period of being exposed to the water from a crack.
  20. TooCheep

    CLEAN Jokes, Memes, and Pictures!

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