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

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Kdwag, your girls look like they might lay any day now!

Natstk, I'll have to read that book. I'm trying to teach my kids some of the same things. During the summer, we set aside one day a week where we can only eat things we grew or produced ourselves. It was my 15 year old son's idea. It's only one day, but it's a start. My gardening focus now has turned to trying to grow a 4 season garden. I haven't been very successful so far. But at least I did manage to stock our freezer completely full this summer.

One of my EEs sat in the nesting box for 2 hours yesterday. I thought for sure she was laying an egg...but still no egg! I'm so infinitely jealous of you guys and your 6 and 7 egg days.

 

[Melabella]

NAKSTA, beautiful bird--Would love to add a couple of EEs to my small but growing flock. Here is one of my barred rocks and my RIR, i think she'll be my first layer.

Beautiful birds! That barred Rock looks like she is ready any day! My barredrocks lay very very light brown eggs. Wonder if it'll the same for you. My RIR lays medium brown eggs. My red six links lay very very dark brown eggs, almost like a Maran. Their eggs also have huge yokes. so funny....Your getting very very close!

 

[nakstk]

Thanks Kdwag, your girls are very beautiful too and they look so close to laying.

Brooster that's a good idea. We are trying something new each month. This month we started making our own bread. We have made plain white sandwich bread, whole wheat, whole wheat with rolled oats and sunflower seeds and whole wheat with honey and rolled oats. All of which everyone loved. I think next month we will be trying new recipes and maybe an Eggplant. That is something we have never had before.
We gave up eating fast food 2 years ago, We still buy Papa Murphy's take n bake pizza but that's about it. We also gave up drinking soda pop too. That one was hard at first but after explaining to the kids that we don't have a lot of money and soda is just a luxury item they understand.

I am probably just imagining things but I think my SS girls's combs are starting to get red again.

 

[kdwag]

I've been trying to make home made bread now for several months and I just can't seem to get it right!! If you have a good recipe, I'd love to have it. I've made some cinnamon bread and cinnamon rolls successfully, but for some reason, plain jane whole wheat bread is my challenge---

 

[Melabella]

Hi Everyone,


I hope all that are being effected from this frigid cold snap some of us are in, are safe inside and toasty warm! I just come inside from chores, going to throw a few logs in the fire, and warm up some! My young pullets are doing well, and even ran to go out when I opened the coop door. They are free ranging as we speak, despite quite heavy winds. I noticed they were all laying down in the manure dumpster, no doubt enjoying the heat that it generates. They dig down, make a few holes, and hunker down.

Still getting a stream of steady, 4, 5 and 6 egg days. Ah, the gift of young pullets just coming into POL and daylight hours increasing each day. I was wondering today how long they will go. Most of us have the same age pullets we have been and still waiting on. I wonder how long their laying season will be and when they will start to slow down. I am hoping they go striaght through summer, and until their fall molt. Then I am sure it will be quite the long stretch off egglessness, and they will start up just about this time next year. Will be interesting to see how it goes....

Listen to me,, just 3 weeks into eggs, and I am all ready wondering when they'll end! LOL...

MB

 

[nakstk]

Quote: MB they will do just that. My SS I got July 17th 2011 they started laying in December and I started keeping track of their eggs Jan 1st 2012. I think I posted their monthly totals on here before but June, July and Aug were the big egg months with 103, 89 and 74(minus 8 days that the neighbors chicken sat and gathered eggs) That was just with 5 SS. They slowed way down in Sept and Oct and stopped completely by Nov and the still haven't started laying again yet.

 

[Melabella]

MB they will do just that. My SS I got July 17th 2011 they started laying in December and I started keeping track of their eggs Jan 1st 2012. I think I posted their monthly totals on here before but June, July and Aug were the big egg months with 103, 89 and 74(minus 8 days that the neighbors chicken sat and gathered eggs) That was just with 5 SS. They slowed way down in Sept and Oct and stopped completely by Nov and the still haven't started laying again yet.

Ok, yes, I remember your charts now. I have been keeping track every day since they started. Wow, ok, so then maybe my idea of getting a second flock around the same time isn't such a bad idea? I was thinking of maybe getting some select heritage breeds, or some that start a bit later, and getting them a bit earlier, so they will take me through the winter, when this first flock is on slow down. Something to think about. Thank you nakstk for the info!

MB

It's 0 out right now. yuc
MB

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

I was thinking the same thing about adding new birds. That's why I'm hatching this weekend, with the idea that they'll start laying mid summer. Of course at the rate my girls are going, the chicks that hatch tomorrow might lay eggs before my full grown birds.

 

[nakstk]

We got our second flock in May. They were supposed to be 3 Welsummers but I ended up with the 2 Wellies and 1 EE. The Wellies started laying Oct 12th My SS last egg was laid Oct 14th so it work out perfect on the timing. I don't think we will be adding to the flock this year. Since we live inside the city limits we are only supposed to have 4 chickens. But all my neighbors love my girls and the neighbors behind us are talking about getting some this year!

 

[CatSol]

Me too... Got to replace birds. Though my two little girls are going crazy with laying. I am amazed at how the eggs are adding up and I only have 2 plus 1 turkey laying. I just made some cookies the other night... I wish I could have shared them with all of you... I used turkey eggs to make Chocolate chip cookies with Gheradeles dark chocolate chips. My other 3 girls are still too young to lay. But if I get Jan and February birds... then I should have eggs that are staggered throw the fall and into winter... right? I also heard that with young birds you get a lot more eggs then when they get older. So that is also something to consider.
It is not that cold today at all. In the upper 60's and we have scattered showers. We are just thrilled that the wind stopped. We can start planning the garden a little early here. And I love that idea of eating only what you have raised or grown. We have a very young garden so we did not get all that much.
We have grilled a lot of veggies last summer. Egg plant and zucchini with a little olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper were a big favorite. I love looking for recipes on line. We have to be careful here too. Most of my family is diabetic and my mom takes insulin. I have gotten her eating more healthy and all the exercise of gardening on our mini farm has greatly improved her health. I have not yet become diabetic but it is always a concern. Lucky I am not there and I don't plane to be. I never could do breads that well... please let me know if you find a good recipe.