2018 Newbie Chat!

Panic over guys! We found an old metal coat hanger which when unravelled and stretched out reached far enough for me to hook the roll and pull it out. From what I remember there isn't loads gone plus all ducks are in fine health and have normal poops so I think I got away with it, thank goodness!
B'cos of the way the others are with Roo I always worried if she got into troubles the others wouldn't help her but this morning some blackbirds landed in a bush she was next to which startled her and she gave out a warning call (or distress call which ever it was) all came running, even the ducks who were in the run eating at the time, they all banded around her while the warriors of the flocks saw the blackbirds off, brought tears to my eyes it was so lovely and such a relief to know they have her back too :D
@ChooksNQuilts I saw Roo eat some oyster shells for the first time could this mean she is getting ready to lay? And also is she at any risk eating it without having started to lay yet?

Good news. I think the oyster shell is ok if they are close to laying or are laying. I think they know they need it and eat it when needed(this is from what I could see with mine) Prince will eat it a little bit when I first fill up the bowl, because he thinks it's a treat.

I got a bag of treats for them yesterday. It's s bug medley--meal worms, fly larvae(I think), beetles, and some kind of shrimp. There are 4 bugs in there. They ate it right up. The ducks were less enthusiastic--they like the meal worms and larvae.

Yesterday Prince crowed almost all day long. He was fine if o was with him, but as soon as I left, boy did he let me know it was not ok for me to leave. I wonder if he does this when I'm not home or if he knows I'm gone and it's not worth it?

As far as the eggs get eaten? I found a second one eaten, I was able to grab the third. No eggs this morning. I do believe I started an issue when I dropped that egg. Not sure how I'm going to fix this one? I thought about fake eggs placed in a couple spots. I feel Rain is to smart for that.
 
Good news. I think the oyster shell is ok if they are close to laying or are laying. I think they know they need it and eat it when needed(this is from what I could see with mine) Prince will eat it a little bit when I first fill up the bowl, because he thinks it's a treat.

I got a bag of treats for them yesterday. It's s bug medley--meal worms, fly larvae(I think), beetles, and some kind of shrimp. There are 4 bugs in there. They ate it right up. The ducks were less enthusiastic--they like the meal worms and larvae.

Yesterday Prince crowed almost all day long. He was fine if o was with him, but as soon as I left, boy did he let me know it was not ok for me to leave. I wonder if he does this when I'm not home or if he knows I'm gone and it's not worth it?

As far as the eggs get eaten? I found a second one eaten, I was able to grab the third. No eggs this morning. I do believe I started an issue when I dropped that egg. Not sure how I'm going to fix this one? I thought about fake eggs placed in a couple spots. I feel Rain is to smart for that.
Awwwww darling Prince :love I wonder if he worries about you when your gone, I'm thinking about how well he protects and cares for his girls and that it is a natural instinct of a cockerel to watch over and protect (albeit that there is sometimes rogue cockerel but the majority aren't) I'm still convinced he was meaning to protect when he flogged you those times and I'm more inclined to believe he wasn't meaning to get you, just the potential threat you were carrying. He really is a gem, beautiful boy :love
 
Last night Pippin and Cleo slept in the bantam coop for the first time.
There was a bit of confusion with the others when they tried to go to bed because DH had already put Pippin and Cleo in there and shut the door.
Cricket, Mitzi and Minnie were very unsure as to why they couldn’t get in and when we went to open the door they ran out of the run altogether :barnie

Eventually everyone got where they were supposed to be.

Then tonight Pippin went in but Cleo was running around the run peeping and carrying on because she didn’t understand where Pippin went or how to get there.
So DH put her in and all was well.

I hope it’s sunny this weekend so they can go out to the yard and enjoy the grass and sunshine.
I won’t let them out without supervision yet because Cleo is still fairly small and I’m concerned about hawks or owls and Pippin’s ability to defend her from some of the more dominant birds.

She’s getting dark feathers on her head.
6ECA6684-B944-49FE-89BA-3B0506D6100D.jpeg


82E38805-99BC-4A7B-B518-7C1E36E1BEC8.jpeg
 
I remember seeing y'all talk about the different eggs. I'm not sure who lays which egg but each girl lays a different. It's so cool how unique they are. First 4 are SS and all the shapes and hues are so different. The last 2 are RIR and again so different. The very first and very last eggs are speckled in their appearance. I've added close ups so you can really tell.
20190107_165618.jpg
20190107_165650.jpg
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On another note one of my SS was trying to go broody but we kept bringing her out during the day and setting her to perch at night. It seemed to work and I haven't found her in the nest box again. That's 2 broodies 3 months. I dont think I will keep quite so many SS anymore.

Bear is perfecting his crow now. I really want him to work out. He seems to be doing everything right and he is still so young I'm impressed. I don't remember our other cockerels being quite so attentive at this age. I really think having so many caused a lot of issues. He called over one of the nameless Black Sex Links for some treats the other day. Cricket was laying and once she was done he escorted her out of the coop and into the run. Then he went back in the coop with his hatch mates and finished his nap. Lol. Here are some updated pictures of him.
20190106_113848.jpg
20190106_113838.jpg

Also I'm homeschooling my two older boys this year and we decided to do the experiment where you put an egg in vinegar for 24 hours. Since we have a surplus of eggs we decided to give it a shot. Here is how it looked the first day. Will update tomorrow with results.
20190107_163848.jpg
 
I remember seeing y'all talk about the different eggs. I'm not sure who lays which egg but each girl lays a different. It's so cool how unique they are. First 4 are SS and all the shapes and hues are so different. The last 2 are RIR and again so different. The very first and very last eggs are speckled in their appearance. I've added close ups so you can really tell.
View attachment 1636187
View attachment 1636188
View attachment 1636189

On another note one of my SS was trying to go broody but we kept bringing her out during the day and setting her to perch at night. It seemed to work and I haven't found her in the nest box again. That's 2 broodies 3 months. I dont think I will keep quite so many SS anymore.

Bear is perfecting his crow now. I really want him to work out. He seems to be doing everything right and he is still so young I'm impressed. I don't remember our other cockerels being quite so attentive at this age. I really think having so many caused a lot of issues. He called over one of the nameless Black Sex Links for some treats the other day. Cricket was laying and once she was done he escorted her out of the coop and into the run. Then he went back in the coop with his hatch mates and finished his nap. Lol. Here are some updated pictures of him.
View attachment 1636190
View attachment 1636191

Also I'm homeschooling my two older boys this year and we decided to do the experiment where you put an egg in vinegar for 24 hours. Since we have a surplus of eggs we decided to give it a shot. Here is how it looked the first day. Will update tomorrow with results.
View attachment 1636192
Bear is good lookin'!
 
Last night Pippin and Cleo slept in the bantam coop for the first time.
There was a bit of confusion with the others when they tried to go to bed because DH had already put Pippin and Cleo in there and shut the door.
Cricket, Mitzi and Minnie were very unsure as to why they couldn’t get in and when we went to open the door they ran out of the run altogether :barnie

Eventually everyone got where they were supposed to be.

Then tonight Pippin went in but Cleo was running around the run peeping and carrying on because she didn’t understand where Pippin went or how to get there.
So DH put her in and all was well.

I hope it’s sunny this weekend so they can go out to the yard and enjoy the grass and sunshine.
I won’t let them out without supervision yet because Cleo is still fairly small and I’m concerned about hawks or owls and Pippin’s ability to defend her from some of the more dominant birds.

She’s getting dark feathers on her head.
View attachment 1636179

View attachment 1636180
She's so beautiful :love
 
I remember seeing y'all talk about the different eggs. I'm not sure who lays which egg but each girl lays a different. It's so cool how unique they are. First 4 are SS and all the shapes and hues are so different. The last 2 are RIR and again so different. The very first and very last eggs are speckled in their appearance. I've added close ups so you can really tell.
View attachment 1636187
View attachment 1636188
View attachment 1636189

On another note one of my SS was trying to go broody but we kept bringing her out during the day and setting her to perch at night. It seemed to work and I haven't found her in the nest box again. That's 2 broodies 3 months. I dont think I will keep quite so many SS anymore.

Bear is perfecting his crow now. I really want him to work out. He seems to be doing everything right and he is still so young I'm impressed. I don't remember our other cockerels being quite so attentive at this age. I really think having so many caused a lot of issues. He called over one of the nameless Black Sex Links for some treats the other day. Cricket was laying and once she was done he escorted her out of the coop and into the run. Then he went back in the coop with his hatch mates and finished his nap. Lol. Here are some updated pictures of him.
View attachment 1636190
View attachment 1636191

Also I'm homeschooling my two older boys this year and we decided to do the experiment where you put an egg in vinegar for 24 hours. Since we have a surplus of eggs we decided to give it a shot. Here is how it looked the first day. Will update tomorrow with results.
View attachment 1636192
Lovely eggs, I like how they differ in colour and size. Just out of curiosity, do you notice any difference in taste between each egg?

Bear is beautiful! :love He is handsome and from the sounds of it is doing so well, especially as he is still so young. Will you keep him if he continues to progress so well?

Sorry for my lack of knowledge, but what does putting the eggs in vinegar do and what result are you hoping for?
 

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