2018 Newbie Chat!

[llombardo]

My eggs are piling up. As we all know I barely have time to eat with working 10 hours a day and taking care of a house by myself. Not to mention the mini zoo.

I caved in and bought the toads crickets. They got to eat until I can release hem. I just don't want them to get eaten by Mr snake. He already got rid of my frogs. One of the toads has been around a while--he is a big one. I might keep him permanently

 

[West11]

Hello everyone! Me and my wife are brand new to chickens as of a week ago lol I turned a big 7x7x7 dog house into a chicken coop and bought four 6 month old RIR pullets. Was hoping they would be laying by now but 3 outta 4 are late bloomers and one is very close!

 

[llombardo]

not sure if I mentioned it, but I'm hoping to build a coop next year that attaches to the run to give them more room in the run. I work in the garbage industry, so I can get my hands on stuff fairly easily. A roofer I know have me the rubber roofing for the duck house and I just got 2 bundles of shongles(should be more then enough for a coop roof) and I got two windows for the coop today. They are different but who cares, they are free. My yard us starting to look like a wood pile. I got 5 pallets a couple weeks ago to make a shelter for the ducks for the winter. I got branches I pick up that will be perfect for the run. I now see stuff and I'm thinking chickens and ducks...

So my hopes are that by spring I will only have to buy plywood, I should be able to accumulate all the other wood and just store it as it comes in.

 

[CannedMonster]

I now have OS at the ready, have out some out for Lilah who is laying - she started laying four days ago and has laid an egg everyday since - seems wasted on us seeing as we rarely eat them.
My ex would have eaten 3 a day for breakfast and would have had some for tea as well, but our daughter doesn't take after him, she doesn't like eggs as a meal, she uses them if she bakes cakes or batter but doesn't do that very often.
I've never had a duck egg so when they start laying I'll try one but if they taste anything like chicken eggs I won't be liking them either lol.
This morning I took my two and a half year old grandson to collect the egg, holding it carefully he carried it into the kitchen and with my help he put it in the pan of water and he stood watching while it boiled lol, hes so sweet. When the egg was cooked, I cooled it off enough so it wouldn't burn him and showed him how to crack it so he could eat it, he ate less than half but I'm glad he tried it as I wanted him to experience this. I am going to give him the choice of having an egg each day and am planning for him to try one scrambled tomorrow.
I had a taste of the egg myself, I admit it had much more flavour than shop bought eggs but I won't be eating any of the three that are left.
My favouite of all time breakfasts is bacon/sausages/mushrooms and toast mmmmmmmm yummy lol.

That breakfast sounds really good!
I like both hard cooked and scrambled with salt and a bit of pepper.
On Sundays DH and I make bacon and have eggs fried over medium with toast.
Once the babies start laying I’ll be having so many eggs that I’m going to sell them.
I already have a customer lined up at my dentist office lol.
I’m hear duck eggs can taste different. Some people don’t like them.
They are bigger and the yolks are bigger and like llombardo said, excellent for baking.
Some people with allergies to chicken eggs are able to eat duck eggs.

The babies all went into the big coop on their own tonight.
When I went outside to check three of my friendliest ran out and over to me and it just blessed my heart!
I picked one SS up and carried her in with the other two following.
These babies are just the sweetest best little birds.
They bless me every day.

Red didn’t lay an egg this morning.
She hasn’t missed a day in about 7 months.

 

[CannedMonster]

Been praying about a coop and or duck house, found a coop on ebay which is in auction at the moment, my daughter is keeping an eye it and will take care of the bidding - it can sleep up to four large breed or 6/8 smaller breeds, it has very good reviews too, however if we are unsuccessful I have found the exact same one on google shopping so if we don't win the bid we will have to wait till the end of this month to get it as it will cost more from a store but either way I'm getting it
I don't know how things will work out for us in the future but I still want my birds to be safe, healthy and happy even if we end up having to give them up, we still want them to have as much as we can give them while we have them. We looked at duck houses and have found ones that sleep 5/6 runner ducks aren't much bigger than our hutch but are taller, so we decided when we get the girls new coop we will take out the middle floor of the hutch and then it will be even taller than the duck houses we've seen and the runners will be able to stand up straight. Obviously having the two in the run will take up a lot of space but I believe it to be worth it and with my dad due to come out of hospital soon, we won't be needing to lock them in the run much at all other than to sleep.
Really excited about getting them a coop

Yay! Good idea on converting the hutch for the ducks.
I’m so glad you found something.

 

[CannedMonster]

View attachment 1536955 View attachment 1536956 View attachment 1536958 Hello everyone! Me and my wife are brand new to chickens as of a week ago lol I turned a big 7x7x7 dog house into a chicken coop and bought four 6 month old RIR pullets. Was hoping they would be laying by now but 3 outta 4 are late bloomers and one is very close!

Welcome!
Beautiful birds!
They should lay very soon.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

We took our broody Rosewood off her nest today. She is so thin, poor thing would have sat until she died. The remaining egg she was on had a chick inside. It was only partially developed on day 24 so we made the right call. Unfortunately with her time spent in the box for the last month her flock mates no longer recognize her. They all started attacking her as soon as I put her in the run. I’m having to do a slow re introduction with her now. Wally just had his last treatment for possible yeast infection. Wednesday is his last antibiotic treatment. He doesn’t sound completely the same yet, but with a few more days of recovery he should be back to normal.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

That breakfast sounds really good!
I like both hard cooked and scrambled with salt and a bit of pepper.
On Sundays DH and I make bacon and have eggs fried over medium with toast.
Once the babies start laying I’ll be having so many eggs that I’m going to sell them.
I already have a customer lined up at my dentist office lol.
I’m hear duck eggs can taste different. Some people don’t like them.
They are bigger and the yolks are bigger and like llombardo said, excellent for baking.
Some people with allergies to chicken eggs are able to eat duck eggs.

The babies all went into the big coop on their own tonight.
When I went outside to check three of my friendliest ran out and over to me and it just blessed my heart!
I picked one SS up and carried her in with the other two following.
These babies are just the sweetest best little birds.
They bless me every day.

Red didn’t lay an egg this morning.
She hasn’t missed a day in about 7 months.

Awwwww sweet lil babies I am so glad you have them, you are such a lovely person, I am glad they bring you the joy they do.
I know exactly what you mean about these beautiful birds touching hearts, mine do everyday - they don't like to be cuddled and I respect that and so never try but Pedro and Jellybean like to take naps sitting on my lap and I love it - Lilah and my drakes follow me around like puppy dogs and little Roo who doesn't like to be held will hop on my hand and doesn't mind being transported sitting on my hand or arm.
Oh dear, is Red sick or is it normal for a chicken to break their laying pattern?
Lilah laid again this morning - When I first got her from my friend he told me she wouldn't lay while mothering and he said when she does lay she doesn't do so everyday but she hasn't missed a day yet so I'm guessing they can change their laying patterns?

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Yay! Good idea on converting the hutch for the ducks.
I’m so glad you found something.

We were outbidded of the ebay coop so will be ordering a new one end of this month and it should be here within the first week of october - it is cheaper then other coops because it isn't weather proofed or painted but we have here all we need to do it ourselves, so that's not a problem but will need at least another week to air and be toxin free and safe for our girls to sleep in, so we are looking at second week of october before they move in. Do you think I should wait until we have the new coop before I sleep all the girls together as you so rightly pointed out the current hutch is too small and I'm thinking might be too stressful for Pedro and Jellybean because although Lilah is in no way a bully she does give the chase at least twice a day to remind them she's boss and although Roo and Lilah now nap under the trampoline with the others and earlier Roo was napping under there with Pedro and the ducks, Pedro and Jellybean still have their moments of trying to peck at her although they rarely succeed because she makes good use of all the hiding places she now has as I followed your advice? Would appreciate your thoughts and recommendation on this matter please

 

[BBZZZZTT]

By sounds of it you are quite a cook!

I enjoy cooking!
But I usually just follow a recipe. Sometimes I change things around. I've gotten so good at quiche I can just eyeball the eggs-to-milk ratio. I also learned to cook my quiche at a lower temp for longer. Not sure if it's my oven or just my preferences but I think it gets done more evenly, less watery in the center and not burnt on the top or edges.
When baking you can almost certainly add bits like chocolate chips or oatmeal to just about any recipe.

I also tried making soy sauce eggs recently and that is definitely a winner. It makes a wonderfully sweet and salty hard boiled egg to take to work!
It's just a regular hard boiled egg, peeled, and soaked in a soy sauce brine similar to pickling brine. I just put them in jars and into the fridge, but I wonder if they could be preserved...

My husband has ulcerative colitis and eggs are unfortunately one food he does not tolerate well. So I do most of the eating of eggs. I have to get creative so I don't get tired of eating them all the time.