2018 Newbie Chat!

[llombardo]

I have a question...

I have 2 girls that are 5 months and 4 that are no older then 15 weeks

This morning I let the bigger ones out and then openef the other door for the smaller ones. There was no egg there. The faverolle stayed behind and finally I went to get her after a couple minutes and she was sniffing around a very soft shelled egg. The older ones have not laid any soft shells and when I came home for lunch there were two eggs there like always.

Is it possible that the younger one laid that egg? Or is it possible one of the bigger ones did and then laid a regular egg shortly afterward?

I'm positive it was not there when I opened the door. That is why I am so confused here and leaning toward the younger one, but she is really to young to lay, no?

 

[Chickassan]

@llombardo Was it a small soft shelled egg? They lay pretty small eggs. And 15 weeks is young but not too young to lay, it does not happen too often but it does happen.

 

[gtighe]

I see everyone with their fancy brooder boxes but all I did was block off a portion of my chicken coop and placed down wood shavings. Maybe not a good idea, not sure, give me your input.

 

[llombardo]

@llombardo Was it a small soft shelled egg? They lay pretty small eggs. And 15 weeks is young but not too young to lay, it does not happen too often but it does happen.

15 weeks is pushing it. I doubt I was that off with the age when I brought them home, but you never know.

Yes it was a small soft shell, but the older girls are still laying small eggs. I just don't see how this one was laid and within a couple hours I had 2 good eggs. I would think if it was an older girl them a second egg would not have bern laid?

 

[llombardo]

Then I go in the house and come out to 3 birds in the coop. I have no idea how they are getting in. The netting is small and I can't find any areas that they might fit. All I know is that when I go out there at least 50 birds take off. Then I have to put away the bigger ones and chase the birds out. I got some DE to put in their sandbox where they dust bathe.

Then I found two areas that the hardware cloth was not secure to my liking. So while I'm trying to fix that, the older ones are trying to see what I'm doing but the little ones are right there, so of course they terrorized the hell out of them. I'm yelling run run to the small ones and telling the big ones they are bad. During the circus, the dogs start barking and won't shut up. I finally finish the wire and as I open the back door one of the dogs almost knocks me down to get outside. I immediately saw he had an accident and he knew better. He has not had an accident in years, so he must have really had to go--I found 3 spots he peed. Now I'm to tired to eat and I'm just going to bed..what a night.

 

[CannedMonster]

I see everyone with their fancy brooder boxes but all I did was block off a portion of my chicken coop and placed down wood shavings. Maybe not a good idea, not sure, give me your input.View attachment 1490210

I wanted to do something like that with my new chicks but there’s not enough space in my coop to do it with 12 chicks.
It looks like too small of a space for larger birds to try and jump into but they might.
Is that two heat lamps on them?
Why two?
It’s good to have a cooler spot for them to go to so they don’t get overheated.

 

[CannedMonster]

I wanted to share photos of the bantams I got from my friend Kat.
Frodo and Birdie went to live with her and they’re doing very well.

The bantam Cochins are Pippin (buff) and Cricket (red).

This is Bitsy: breed...

And this is Itsy: breed...

And then we have Mitzi and Minnie who are almost identical.
I believe they are both bantam/LF mixes and they have Cuckoo Marans in them.

And of course my cockerel Silkie

 

[llombardo]

Bitsy looks like my Brahma

 

[CannedMonster]

Bitsy looks like my Brahma

View attachment 1490596

You’re Brahmas are beautiful!

She’s much, much smaller than even a bantam Brahma though.
After some research I’ve discovered that Bitsy is a Booted bantam. Her color is Colombian.
I believe Itsy is a gray Serama as she doesn’t have feathered legs. But she could be a poor quality gray Japanese.

 

[ketojenn]

I see everyone with their fancy brooder boxes but all I did was block off a portion of my chicken coop and placed down wood shavings. Maybe not a good idea, not sure, give me your input.View attachment 1490210

I've got a similar set up. Works for me. We have 52 birds in there now.