2018 Newbie Chat!

[Cbarr00]

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! 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?

I never notice a difference between my girls' eggs because they're all on the same diet. I remember when I was kid having someone's fresh chicken eggs and the yolks were very orange and they had a strong taste. It put me off of fresh eggs for a long time because of that. So when I first tried our chicken eggs I was so surprised by how much I loved them. I've read on here how their diet impacts their flavor. I believe I read about a hen eating a snake and giving her eggs a terrible flavor lol. Or even styrofoam.

Yes I think we will keep him if he continues to be a gentleman.

The vinegar's acetic acid reacts with the calcium in the egg shell which makes the shell dissolve. It's like having an egg with no shell. One of girls laid an egg like that when they first started laying. It was neat to see.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I never notice a difference between my girls' eggs because they're all on the same diet. I remember when I was kid having someone's fresh chicken eggs and the yolks were very orange and they had a strong taste. It put me off of fresh eggs for a long time because of that. So when I first tried our chicken eggs I was so surprised by how much I loved them. I've read on here how their diet impacts their flavor. I believe I read about a hen eating a snake and giving her eggs a terrible flavor lol. Or even styrofoam.

Yes I think we will keep him if he continues to be a gentleman.

The vinegar's acetic acid reacts with the calcium in the egg shell which makes the shell dissolve. It's like having an egg with no shell. One of girls laid an egg like that when they first started laying. It was neat to see.

That makes sense about the eggs tasting the same due to them being on the same diet - Its common sense really, obviously I don't have much lol.
As of the pea comb, when I saw pictures of combs I too wasn't so keen on them but now I have Jellybean with her pea comb, to me it really suits her and I believe a straight comb wouldn't and wonder if she wouldn't have been as pretty as she is If she had a straight comb. The same with Bear, him being as handsome as he is, makes me think he wouldn't suit a straight comb.
So còol about the eggs in vinegar, I'd really like to see the results so hopefully it will work

 

[No More Empty Nest]

I'm new too! I just got 3 chicks a few days ago and I'm so excited to be a chicken mom!

Welcome! Your chicks are so cute! What kinds are they?

 

[No More Empty Nest]

Having three chickens and two ducks laying everyday and us rarely eating any, and my birds not interested in eating them either ( we've tried them all ways we can think of, boiled, poached, scrambled but they still don't eat them) and we ended up with an abundance of eggs and at the time hadn't found enough people to give them to, so my daughter posted on her Facebook that we had free eggs to give away to any who might want them and a couple of her friends at work said they would. I also thought to offer some to my sister who I knew at the time was planning to do a lot of baking but also knew she has a local shop which sells free range eggs laid by free roaming chickens whom she has bought her eggs from for many years now. She accepted our offer, and my daughter took the remaining eggs to give to her work friends. I was just thankful for the opportunity to off load them but the feedback has been phenomenal, all telling us they have never before tasted eggs as good as my girls eggs. My sister also and so much so that she doesnt want to go back to her shop bought eggs despite them coming from truly free ranged chickens. Ive told her she can have as many as she likes as often as she wants them and being my sister we will prioritise her over everyone else and from now on we will be supplying her with her eggs every week. At my daughter's place of work, word got around of how lovely my girls eggs are and now we have loads of people wanting to try them, plus those that have had them want more, so other than my sister who we will provide with eggs every week, we will be supplying to others on a rota system so's everyone has a chance to have some. I am so proud of my girls - I am proud of them anyway but having to deal with awful people complaining and trying to force for us to have to give them up, having so much praise and complements about their eggs lifts my heart at them being appreciated - albeit that it is for their eggs.
I don't feel comfortable about selling them and I'm not in a position to sell them anyway as doing so would give those against us fuel in claiming they are livestock and not pets, so for those who are insistent on wanting to pay for them, I came up with the idea of accepting donations of fruit or veg, and have listed items we ordinarily can't afford very often such as melon, fresh corn on the cob and fresh peas, (when they are in season) as they are so expensive we have to opt for frozen to keep within our affordable budget.

I wish I had some eggs to give you an answer!! Lol! Hopefully soon, but they will start laying when they start laying I guess.
I got some pictures today. I'll post them when I get them on my laptop. It was so beautiful outside this morning, sunny and very warm for January. It got to the upper 40's. I planned to let them out of the run for a long romp since it was so nice. About 10 min after I let them out, I heard a hawk. I looked up in the sky and there was a red tail flying above. Ugh. I clucked a warning and ran towards the coop. They all followed, lol. So I spent a longer time inside the run with them. They didn't seem upset about going back in. Two of them flew up to the high perch and two stayed lower. They all preened, sat down on the perches, and started to doze in the sun. It was so peaceful.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

You guys....
This round of incubating went as I thought. Only 2/7 are viable eggs. I removed the other five and sealed the cracked egg with tea light wax. Both are darkening quite quickly. I think they’ll hatch before the 22nd. Praying that both hatch and we don’t end up with a single chick.
The feed store I work at is getting more fun breeds this year, including Cochins, red stars, Marans, and brahmas. I think I’ll get myself a couple brahmas and maybe a Maran or two. After all Chicken Math am I right?!? How are you all doing? Egg production has kicked back up for me. I’m getting between 5-7 eggs daily.

 

[llombardo]

I pulled up to the house after work and had an oppossum at my front door. I had a delivery and I think it was checking out the boxes. Boy do they move slow, he was not in a hurry to get away..lol. My first thought was how do they even catch a chicken? I can possibly see at night when chickens are not expecting it and really have no where to go, even though I know niw move around in the dark. They manage to drink quite a bit of water overnight. I don't think I've ever saw an oppossum move fast.

Winds have picked up pretty good, I'm just watching these darn branches. Between the oppossum and wind, I'm quite happy they are still in the house to be honest. Of course Prince started crowing when I got home. I told him shhhh, there are things outside that want to eat him--he tilted his and looked like he was saying whatcha talking about....

 

[CannedMonster]

Do the other chickens ever peck at the naked necks' necks? I just thought of that cause of how they sometimes peck at the feathers on crested birds.

Nope. They don’t act like the Naked Necks are different at all.
But if they did they’d certainly get a peck right back lol.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I wish I had some eggs to give you an answer!! Lol! Hopefully soon, but they will start laying when they start laying I guess.
I got some pictures today. I'll post them when I get them on my laptop. It was so beautiful outside this morning, sunny and very warm for January. It got to the upper 40's. I planned to let them out of the run for a long romp since it was so nice. About 10 min after I let them out, I heard a hawk. I looked up in the sky and there was a red tail flying above. Ugh. I clucked a warning and ran towards the coop. They all followed, lol. So I spent a longer time inside the run with them. They didn't seem upset about going back in. Two of them flew up to the high perch and two stayed lower. They all preened, sat down on the perches, and started to doze in the sun. It was so peaceful.

Awwww I'm sure they'll start soon, the delay might be b'cos it's winter - I've seen a lot of posts recently about chickens late starting and others have their layers stop altogether due to winter. Maybe as the weather starts to warm it will give their bodies a little kick start
Looking forward to seeing your new pics, I'm planning to take some new one soon, just waiting for a bit of better weather, very rainy here at the moment, lots of high winds too - I had to put them in early last night as wind got up, they were finding it hard to walk against it and it almost swept them away, they weren't none too happy to go in early though.
Thank goodness you spotted the hawk! Sounds like your girls are happy with just having your company. Imo it goes a long way in showing how much our birds get attached to us - after all to them we are one of the flock
I truly hope your girls will start laying very very soon, will be lovely to come on here and see a post of your first egg or eggs - we want pictures too

 

[Anna Ranieri]

You guys....
This round of incubating went as I thought. Only 2/7 are viable eggs. I removed the other five and sealed the cracked egg with tea light wax. Both are darkening quite quickly. I think they’ll hatch before the 22nd. Praying that both hatch and we don’t end up with a single chick.
The feed store I work at is getting more fun breeds this year, including Cochins, red stars, Marans, and brahmas. I think I’ll get myself a couple brahmas and maybe a Maran or two. After all Chicken Math am I right?!? How are you all doing? Egg production has kicked back up for me. I’m getting between 5-7 eggs daily.

Glad you got some rather than none, I am with you in hoping both will hatch
When they hatch, will you be able to tell which chicken they came from or will you have to wait till the get older? I'm hoping you get the breeds you want. I'm really excited about seeing them when they've hatched and would be nice to watch as the grow alongside Cleo

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Glad you got some rather than none, I am with you in hoping both will hatch
When they hatch, will you be able to tell which chicken they came from or will you have to wait till the get older? I'm hoping you get the breeds you want. I'm really excited about seeing them when they've hatched and would be nice to watch as the grow alongside Cleo

They both will be Ameraucana. Either blue or black. I’m thinking the eggs came from lilac and fig but I can’t be certain. Most of my Ameraucana lay identical eggs with the exception of two birds who have very distinct color and shape, either way if they hatch they’ll be cute as a button