19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??

[WillowChick]

You should see my facebook page ... LOTS of photos of my eggs in all stages of preparation, from exiting the chicken clear through bitten in half. I still have one trooper friend who still "likes" every egg photo I post.

So Bruce, do you have a little chart of each egg, the date laid, the weight, and the probable hen?

I should have been counting. But in all the excitement I didn't think of that.

I love your friend! Mine have gotten a little sick of my FB page too, I think!

 

[RoxyBird]

I LOVE this story. We are brand new to chickens, too (since spring 2012). One of my big goals is to do exactly what you've described, and by growing as many of the different seeds/grains as possible right here on our property (we have a farm). I'm just so scared of having to be responsible for all the knowledge about chicken nutrition. But gearing up for the day this might happen, I've broached the issue of storing larger quantities of seeds here, and that conversation didn't go very well. I'll talk to the local feed mill next ...

One thing I've been doing this winter is growing fodder from rye seed we use here on the farm for winter cover crop. We got half-a-ton extra, and the pasture is sparse right now, and I dove into that project. It was supposed to be "free," but I'm investing in fancy trays and have already bought shelving and ... that's all a part of Chicken Math, right?

Woo! Found the recipe! Mary is our local chicken feed ring-leader. I love her blog

http://marystilwell.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/marys-whole-grain-chicken-feed-recipe/

Edit: This might be useful for the feed waste issue too: http://marystilwell.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/combating-boredom/

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Woo! Found the recipe! Mary is our local chicken feed ring-leader. I love her blog

http://marystilwell.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/marys-whole-grain-chicken-feed-recipe/

Edit: This might be useful for the feed waste issue too: http://marystilwell.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/combating-boredom/

If it's okay with you I'd like to share this info over on the Oregon page and see if anyone is interested in forming a feed co-op. Who knows ... one might already exist.

Thanks for the info!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Chicken math = why I have 11 chickens in 6 chicken-per-household city limits... hahaha. You know, they've figured out how to jump up into the compost bin and into my next door neighbor's fenced-in yard... and do so frequently. SO, technically that's 6 chickens for one property and 5 for the other... right? And really, the bantys only count as 1/2 a bird anyway...

If I run across the recipe they are currently using I will post it here. I know the ingredient list is available on someone's personal page- but I'm not sure about % ingredients.

You know, just an idea - you could probably contact an Ag school (especially at a state school like U of MO) and find someone with a student who needs a project and can help you formulate a diet for free, including whatever you can grow easiest. A lot of those professors do consulting work of that type for larger-scale production farms and have students who could use the practice.

Gotta love the chicken math. Clever how you're using division to your favor.

I have planned on contacting the Extension Service (we've got a great one one at OSU -- Oregon State University). I was going to ask them about practical "egg washing/egg handling" advice for small-scale chicken farmers who sell/give away eggs ... the pamphlet the Oregon Department of Ag sent me was essentially useless on that topic. I can certainly put the whole "feeding your backyard flock using as many sustainable/local/non-GMO ingredients as are available, and how to make up for the rest of the nutrients without sacrificing the health of your flock or spending a fortune" problem. Chickens are so hip these days I imagine a lot of people are looking for local reliable advice.

 

[bruceha2000]

By the way, you do know to bring your hip waders, right? It is mud season here (not to be confused with weed season).

You have the same red clay they have out in Yamhill? A person could easily grow a temporary 3 or 4" in that stuff.

Only have the one pair of chest waders, so I'd have to carry my kid. She is small for her age, but she is almost 20 Y/O so I'm not doing that! We'll just take our chances or go barefoot. It will be too warm (relatively) for shoes anyway

Bruce

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

You have the same red clay they have out in Yamhill? A person could easily grow a temporary 3 or 4" in that stuff.

Only have the one pair of chest waders, so I'd have to carry my kid. She is small for her age, but she is almost 20 Y/O so I'm not doing that! We'll just take our chances or go barefoot. It will be too warm (relatively) for shoes anyway

Bruce

We have a little more brownish topsoil on this side of Chehalem Ridge, but yes, this is the awesome-for-pinot-noir-grapes Jory and Laurelwood soils here. With the awesome SE slope and even a great view of Mt. Hood, weather permitting. The bottoms of my boots are permanently rounded.

If my spare boots don't fit her ...

we can put the kid in the wheelbarrow! Make Nelson push her!

This will build character in both of them.

But, you're right ... end of January is swim suit season here compared to some parts of the US.

(We're probably due for an ice storm that week.)

 

[bruceha2000]

If my spare boots don't fit her ...

we can put the kid in the wheelbarrow! Make Nelson push her!

This will build character in both of them.

I'm guessing not, she wears a child's size 3.
Yes, child size. She's always been a 5 percentile height and weight kid.

Bruce

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I'm guessing not, she wears a child's size 3.
Yes, child size. She's always been a 5 percentile height and weight kid.

Bruce

Yep. My feet are bigger than that, and continue to grow with age, so they'll probably be even bigger by the end of the month. Wheelbarrow it is!

 

[RoxyBird]

If it's okay with you I'd like to share this info over on the Oregon page and see if anyone is interested in forming a feed co-op. Who knows ... one might already exist.

Thanks for the info!

No problem! Go for it! She had it posted in a public space, so I'm sure she wouldn't mind. It's a wonderful project.

Gotta love the chicken math. Clever how you're using division to your favor.

I have planned on contacting the Extension Service (we've got a great one one at OSU -- Oregon State University). I was going to ask them about practical "egg washing/egg handling" advice for small-scale chicken farmers who sell/give away eggs ... the pamphlet the Oregon Department of Ag sent me was essentially useless on that topic. I can certainly put the whole "feeding your backyard flock using as many sustainable/local/non-GMO ingredients as are available, and how to make up for the rest of the nutrients without sacrificing the health of your flock or spending a fortune" problem. Chickens are so hip these days I imagine a lot of people are looking for local reliable advice.

Awesome- that's perfect. I know we used to just have a nutrition calculator we could work up diet plans with for all sorts of livestock- well, or humans... really. Basically you entered the ingredients available and the nutritional requirements of the animal. Of course- you can do it long-hand too... blech @ all that. lol (chicken math = much easier)

 

[Shannin]

OMGEEEEE!! I am so excited, I got my first little egg today and it is perfect! My Welsummer is 32 weeks old today, Happy Birthday to me!!