Any one want to join me in waiting for eggs, posting and comparing notes?

[nova022]

Hi, I have 5 girls who were hatched August 1, so they are just a tad younger than yours. I have one each Buff Orpinton, Barred Rock, White Rock, Black Australorp and Silver Laced Wyandotte. The are all very beautiful healthy looking girls of good size. The Barred Rock has the most noticable wattles and reddest color, followed by the Australorp. The Buff Orpington and the Wyandotte are still pale. The White Rock is starting to get a little more red to her but nothing much in the way of wattles. I wasn't really expecting eggs until January or so, but wouldn't mind an early surprise. My White Rock has really started clucking a lot lately. I don't know if that means anything. I would definitely like to join in your thread to learn what to look for and share any changes I notice.

Just wanted to say I enjoy the pictures you post in various threads.

 

[Crafty-Duck]

Yes I would love to see pictures of how all your bird change in the way of red combs and wattles

I hear that's the first sign they are ready to start laying that and the egg squat.

 

[Melabella]

Don't feel lonely, you can join us on the First Egg Countdown thread! It's been quiet a while because of the time of year, and I think it slipped down the page.

Here's the link if you'd like to join https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/524071/first-egg-countdown

Thanks Pele!

I will check that out too! I am curious to see what happens as I know I bought the chicks are at a bit unconventional time, but also will be happy when the days start increasing after Dec. 21st.. they will be in at a good age to be laying!

So happy to have some of my peeps join my thread! Thanks guys!

MB

 

[Melabella]

Hi, I have 5 girls who were hatched August 1, so they are just a tad younger than yours. I have one each Buff Orpinton, Barred Rock, White Rock, Black Australorp and Silver Laced Wyandotte. The are all very beautiful healthy looking girls of good size. The Barred Rock has the most noticable wattles and reddest color, followed by the Australorp. The Buff Orpington and the Wyandotte are still pale. The White Rock is starting to get a little more red to her but nothing much in the way of wattles. I wasn't really expecting eggs until January or so, but wouldn't mind an early surprise. My White Rock has really started clucking a lot lately. I don't know if that means anything. I would definitely like to join in your thread to learn what to look for and share any changes I notice.

Just wanted to say I enjoy the pictures you post in various threads.

Thank you Nova! I am glad you enjoy my silly pictures!

I wish I had bought some White Rocks, thought about it. I have heard they are wonderful and dependable. We share some of the same breeds. Funny how with my breeds, one is starting to grow waddles and combs, and a bit reddining, but her breed partner has nothing. My one Columbian Wyandotte has nothing yet. As predicted, my production Red is seemingingly the reddest and largest comb so far. I am heading out now to get some pics. What is your favorite breed so far? I love my Austrolorp girls, they are so quite and seeminglyl regal. I have a Barred Rock that is a bit of a shadow, but keeps her distance.

Ciao for now!
MB

 

[Crafty-Duck]

Just took some new pictures of my little girls

 

[GardenSimply]

Welcome Crafty-Duck Your Buff is beautiful.... and herbs? It is my THING! Making a new calendula salve as we speak.

Melabella, I will have pics in a couple of days, am away from the farm just now. I have tried and tried to take photos but they are never still long enough to really get good ones like I see posted so often here.

Can't seem to grasp the moment. Glad you lived through that storm without worse damage, can you imagine being the animals outside during such a storm? argh!

This is my list... I have so many different ages and three breeds that I have to keep a good book to keep track of them all.

4 Buff Orpingtons (4 years in the spring)
5 " (2 years old)
2 " (22 weeks, the ones we are waiting on!)
1" (16 weeks)
1 Buff Orp Rooster (age unknown, but at least three years since I got him and an auction)
1 "(6 months)


9 black sex links (two years old)

2 Barred Rocks (one year)
1 Barred Rock Roo (one year, same chick group as the hens)
2 Barred Rocks (22 weeks, the ones we are waiting on!)

1 Partridge Cochin (2 years)
2 Bantam Cochin (6 weeks)
6 Barred Rocks (6 weeks)

I guess that makes 36 birds altogether? LOL, I forget, till I go back to the book and start keeping track. I go through phases when I remember them by age group, as they all have their own hangout places and roosting places. (age dependent mostly)

We have a coop with a fixed completely fenced (overhead) run, but they free range on 3 acres of partly timber, part "yard" (uhem, we never really close the run gate unless we are doing something we want to keep them out of. We have completely fenced in the garden of course, but they get to turn it all over from December through early spring.

We have a "broody" tractor that I am keeping chicks in right now. The tractor sits in the run yard so the big hens are around the babies all the time. To keep "baby food" out for the chicks, but keeping the hens out of it has been the challenge. I am trying to acclimate the babies to the general population, so I have been letting them out and supervising, LOL. The older hens have all been around so many chicks now that they seem quite uninterested unless they get too close to the food. So I finally got smart and left their pen door open just enough for them to get in and out, but not enough for the older hens to squeeze through... but I digress.

What I mean to be saying is that the hens I am waiting on to lay all hang together with a new Buff Orp Roo. He is their age, but hasn't started crowing yet. He keeps a very good watch on them. Before we started confining all chickens to the run (which has a gate open to about an acre of pasture) they slept in the lower branches of a big pecan tree straight above the run. Since "confinement" they sleep on a small roost (5' long 2 rungs, 2' and 4' off the ground) built to the outside of the main coop in the run. I don't know if they simply don't want to go inside or if the older hens won't let them, but they seem content.

We are not nearly as cold as you there in NewYork, we have had a week of night lows in the twenty's, but nothing terrible, and no rain/snow while it was that cold. The nights have moved back into the high thirty's/ low forty's for now. So, no worry about where they decide to sleep. If it gets cold enough, I figure they will go in. I am just hoping they know the nests are in there! LOL

Fun fun!

 

[Crafty-Duck]

Hi GardenSimply

Thanks so much for the compliment, I just made a calendula salve the other day for my chickens

I love making salve

Wow I wish I could have as many chickens as you do but I don't have the space

can't wait to see your pics.

 

[CluckyCharms]

I would love to join, but the oldest ones we have are almost 4 weeks so...a very long wait in store still for me! I'll keep tabs on the thread though and watch your progress.

Also...where is everyone getting all these new emoticons? I know Nifty was talking about adding new ones, but I don't see any in the list unless for some reason mine isn't updating. If you're getting them off-site...disregard the question. I like the one hanging from a tree limb.

 

[Crafty-Duck]

If you click on it, it will take you to the site they got them from.

 

[CluckyCharms]

If you click on it, it will take you to the site they got them from.

Duh...thanks, Crafty. lol (clearly my brain is not intact this afternoon)