2018 Newbie Chat!

[Cbarr00]

Would it not be worth your while to sell them?

When these last 6 checks start laying we will start selling them. With winter coming we think the egg production will slow down so don't wanna have people expect eggs we may not be able to deliver. I only got 3 eggs today.

 

[CannedMonster]

Lots going on today.
I let the bantams out finally after being cooped up for four days.
I have to do that because I work evenings and DH can’t separate them from the others so that they go into the right coop.
I feel so bad that they have to watch everyone else foraging in the sun and they’re stuck in there.

I also let Frodo out with them.
But I did supervise for several hours.
He was immediately challenged by my juvenile Speckled Sussex, Elsie.
A staring contest ensued.
She raised her hackles and Frodo began to jump and kick at her but then Angus and Agatha ran over and started chasing Frodo.
I interceded and moved them away from him.
He was so clearly happy to be out in the sun and able to eat the grass!
I did my heart good to see that and to do that for him.
I basically stayed out there for a couple of hours to be sure he wasn’t harmed by anyone ganging up on him.
I mean, that’s 16 LF birds that all want to challenge him.
His color is a bit better but he’s not bright red as he should be.
He has gained some weight.

Oliver was particularly confused because I think he thought Frodo might be a pullet.
Oliver has been getting his hormones and has been trying to grab some of the girls.
He immediately tried to get the bantams as soon as he saw them and they let him have it lol!
He tried to tidbit for Frodo and was ignored but Minnie ran over and scared Oliver so much he jumped about a foot lol.
Then Oliver proceeded to follow Frodo everywhere trying to “romance” him hahaha.
It was funny until he tried grabbing Frodo and then I put a stop to that.
Red was very determined to challenge Frodo and I allowed it until her, Agatha and Angus all started ganging up on him.
I used my trusty stick to move them to another part of the yard.

Emily was in the nest box during all of this.
She’s been staying in there for hours sometimes.

If the juveniles challenged Frodo he would let them know to leave him be.
He wouldn’t do that with the NNs and Red though.
He would move away from them.
Not run but just give way to them.
He didn’t peck or challenge or raise hackles either.

I stayed with him for most of that time and he ate as much grass as he could.
He would stretch out his wing in the sun and close his eyes.
I was just blessed to see him enjoying himself like that.

Ivy, one of my Silver Penciled Rocks, comes straight up to me several times a day and I pick her up for cuddles.
Charlotte is not so affectionate anymore.
Even though we clipped all the teenagers wings, Skye and Silver still managed to go over the fence to the side yard.

 

[CannedMonster]

My one brahma seems to be on the verge of going broody. She looks like a zombie when laying on the eggs. I was watching her yesterday. She left but went back. Then she came back out, she seems to be having thoughts--I on the other hand am having the opposite thoughts.

I’m afraid Emily is going to go too.
She was in the box for hours today.
She lets me pet her without puffing up though so I figured she wasn’t.
But today I decided to try to get her out of the coop so I took the pitchfork and started turning the bedding with it.
Boy she got very upset about that but she wouldn’t really move.
She made a huge racket and Angus came running.
She finally went out and I picked up her egg.
Later she went back in and made another racket because her egg was gone or possibly because Itsy was in a different box trying to lay.
Emily got back in her box and sat on the fake egg again.

 

[llombardo]

I’m afraid Emily is going to go too.
She was in the box for hours today.
She lets me pet her without puffing up though so I figured she wasn’t.
But today I decided to try to get her out of the coop so I took the pitchfork and started turning the bedding with it.
Boy she got very upset about that but she wouldn’t really move.
She made a huge racket and Angus came running.
She finally went out and I picked up her egg.
Later she went back in and made another racket because her egg was gone or possibly because Itsy was in a different box trying to lay.
Emily got back in her box and sat on the fake egg again.

I did the same thing with turning the bedding. Rose the EE was looking to lay and wanted that box and I think it was Sophia(really hard to tell the brahmas apart) left. She went back in after Rose was done.

Dorothy(the faverolle) just laid an egg at 8pm. I knew one of them was a late layer, didn't know who until tonite. One less chicken to chase around to get in the coop--works for me in this darn 20 degree weather.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I've never had a quiche before. I just looked up a recipe and am tempted to make one. Also never had egg salad lol. I should probably try those things. I'm gonna need lots of egg recipes once our chicks start laying in about 4 months. We give a couple dozen to DH co workers every week too. I would love to try duck eggs! I hear they're really fluffy.

I love home made quiche, but I can't stand shop bought, tis totally different. If you like cheese, don't be sparing with it, the mixture of the eggs and cheese together is scrumptious. Let me know how it turns out if you decide to give it a go.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I candled today and from what I could see both eggs have veins!

This means we may have chicks in two weeks!
I hope Pippi is able to handle this!!
I had to take them into the bathroom in the house so it was dark enough to candle.
I hope I didn’t jostle them too much.
I got them back under her ASAP.

I'm sure she'll be fine Congrats on the twins ~ now you're about to be a new mumma again~

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Hello winter!
Weather took an interesting turn here on the northwestern tip of Oregon. We got in hurricane force winds last night.
So strong that it’s blowing the doors open if they aren’t locked up tight. Today, it’s still blowing strong.
None of the chickens will leave the coop. They haven’t come out for food or water. If this keeps up I’m going to bring them something inside the coop.
On a positive note, my goat triplets are loving the storm. They’re romping around trying to catch and eat everything that flies into their pasture. I’ve never seen them happier!

 

[CannedMonster]

Hello winter!
Weather took an interesting turn here on the northwestern tip of Oregon. We got in hurricane force winds last night.
So strong that it’s blowing the doors open if they aren’t locked up tight. Today, it’s still blowing strong.
None of the chickens will leave the coop. They haven’t come out for food or water. If this keeps up I’m going to bring them something inside the coop.
On a positive note, my goat triplets are loving the storm. They’re romping around trying to catch and eat everything that flies into their pasture. I’ve never seen them happier!

Who knew that goats like storms lol!

 

[llombardo]

The visual of three goats chasing leaves and everything else made me smile

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Guys, Roo is very sick and I'm so worried. After putting the birds to bed earlier, we took my grandson out for an evening walk, about half hour or so after we got home we heard her sneezing and when I went to check on her I found her huddled in a corner her nose streaming and eyes half closed. Pedro was in with her and Lilah, even though when they went to bed Pedro was in the nesting compartment with Jellybean as usual, Pedro and Jellybean always sleep in there and tonight is the first time Pedro has gone into the part where Roo and Lilah sleep. Pedro was standing when I looked in but I have no way of knowing how long she'd been in there or if she went in there from being curious about the Roo sneezing, however, Pedro wasn't near Roo at all and there are no feathers in there so isn't any sign I can see of Pedro attacking or doing anything to Roo, but I'm thinking even just being in the same compartment as Roo might have stress her out too. trouble is my girls do move around in the dark, they don't seem to realise they are supposed to be blind in the dark. I made up a bed for her in here with us and when I brought her indoors I could feel her feet were very hot. We gave her a dose of Nutri-Drops (British version of Nutri-drench) and after a few minutes she started to perk up and her nose stopped running and is ow completely dry, her eyes are open as should be and she looks as almost normal. She isn't happy about being in here but I don't want to put her back out with the others in case its a virus which I don't want to risk spreading to the others. I am wondering if it is stress induced because she's had a really hard time of it lately with all the fireworks, plus the last couple of days or so the others have been at her so much and a few days ago, Jellybean attacked her, she had hold of her with her beak and as Roo tried to run, Jellybean wouldn't let go and some of Roo's feathers ripped out. Later the same day I accidentally stood on her wing - one of the ducks had dug up some glass and was trying to eat it, in my urgency to get to him before he ate it, I hadn't realised she was sitting near my foot, and again some of her feathers ripped out. She seemed ok after and was eating and foraging ok, but then the next day the ducks ganged up on her and although I got to her promptly she was very upset but unhurt. Pedro was at her yesterday and today the two of them kept chasing her and I noticed she was very quiet and sat under a bush for quite sometime. She seemed ok when I put her to bed but was very flighty. I have to pick her up to put her to bed as she rarely goes in by herself, she doesn't like that I pick her up but usually roosts on my arm for me to take her in but this evening she fluttered loads and I stupidly but accidentally grabbed onto her tail which upset her loads, so with all of this happening to her and how quickly she stopped sneezing and her nose/eyes drying up and back to normal after the Nutri-drops, I'm think it might be stress induced. I will see how she is in the morning to decide if I let her outside to free range for a bit and will decide if to keep her inside or to put her back to sleep with Lilah as she really doesn't like that she indoors. I can hear her moving around and pecking at her food and she has had a fare bit to drink and when I checked on her a short while ago she was upright and alert, however she isn't roosting, she's just been sitting on the floor but I had noticed she stopped roosting a while ago b'cos she likes to snuggle up with Lilah at night and Lilah no longer roosts b'cos she prefers to sleep on the floor of the hutch, so I'm thinking it might be why Roo isn't roosting now. I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions if anyone has any to give. I just really need her to be ok, I am too attached to be able to handle losing any of them. If needs be we will take her to the vets but my worry is, its quite a drive away and if this is due to stress, taking her in a car might be too much for her. As I say, if anyone has any advice, I'll be very grateful for the help.