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

[Crafty chick]

Wow brooster, that's a lot of snow days. Yeah Saturday school wouldn't sound much fun either. I think I am going to buy a tarp to cover mine for now. Mine is 2x4 welded wire. Sturdy enough to hold up snow with a tarp hopefully

 

[Melabella]

MB, I like your run. Mine doesn't have a roof either, and it is getting so muddy. I read that sand is good for uncovered runs. If the ground here ever thaws, and the snow melts, I think I'm going to do that. Does yours have bird netting? I had bird netting over mine, but then wound up replacing it with hardware cloth for more protection.

My hen house and run have a long raised garden bed around them. I think I'm going to plant some late winter crimson clover in the bed in the next month. The chickens love clover, and I like the bright red blooms. I need to think of something to plant for this summer that the chickens will like though. Something long blooming. Anyone have any ideas?

The kids are out of school again today. I'm pretty tired of snow days. I'm not even sure how many days out they've had. 8? 12? 20? If the weather is better this weekend, the kids will have to go to school on Saturday. I hate Saturday school as much as they do.

True dat on the school days.. We have one today,, Superintendent conference days... I swear we've had 6 of those all ready this school year! We lost our spring vacation two years ago due to so many snow days. I'm making use of the day to drive to where we used to live, and get some appointments done. When we moved, I had three teenage boys' braces paid in full. I wasn't about to start to pay a new orthodontist to do what I had all ready paid for! I get to see friends as well. It's a two hour drive..ugg.. only one son has braces still on, so soon, I won't have to drive there for that any more!

I too am looking as to what I can plant to survive the chickens. It's the one thing that I don't like that they do..I had two beautiful potted flower plants, that by summers end was destroyed when they started free ranging. I would love to put a pretty bench with two big flower pots on either side next to their coops, but I guess that isn't happening any time soon. I also have to reseed my 5 horse paddocks this year, and I was realizing that until the grass takes hold, I might have to keep them in their run,,, they won't be happy. They way they free range, they would take up all that expensive seed. I have a great book I received for my birthday and I will take a look about gardening for chickens, I will see what she suggests for planting and post it here.

I spent a fortune in 1x1 galvanized welded wire for the run, even on the ceiling. We have HUGE hawk issues here, it only would have been a matter of time. Also have lots of raccoons that would have scaled the fence. I also have the welded wire furn 18 inches inside the perimeter flooring, then put the solid back on top of it for diggers, and stray neighborhood dogs wandering in. I still close the coop door at night even though it is inside the run, am just too afraid that something penetrate my efforts. The windows to the coop have 1x1 on them as well, but a member on another thread that I read on just posted that weasels can get through 1x1, so I guess some it will be replaced by hardware cloth for the summer when I have the windows open. We unfortunately have those here as well. Now what I am praying for is an automatic coop door opener. When I want to sleep in, I have to get up and let the girls and Duke out... I don't keep food or water in there at night.

MB

 

[Melabella]

Just have to share this beautiful 3 and a half minutes to start your day.. .America the Beautiful... Amen....

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Just have to share this beautiful 3 and a half minutes to start your day.. .America the Beautiful... Amen....

That was lovely. I must have missed that last night when I was watching the game. Jennifer Hudson is tall!

MB, my son went through braces, and my daughter is headed in that direction too (thumb sucker). It's so expensive! Drew got his braces off 4 years ago, and they just told us he needs them again. Argh.

I have all the predator problems you just named. My coop was already here when we moved into this house. The guy who built it just used chicken hex wire. It didn't take me long to realize that wasn't going to cut it. So I covered the chicken wire with welded wire. When the raccoons pulled the wire away from the wood, I reinforced all the edges with hardware cloth. When the groundhogs dug under the edge of the run, I went all the way around and buried a 4 foot wide skirt of hardware cloth. A bobcat scaled the run, so I covered it with hardware cloth too. They used to free range every day, but a hawk was picking them off one by one, and then a weasel joined in. Also. when I leave the coop open all day, I've had crows steal my eggs! It's a constant battle here. I've learned the daytime predators only strike in the morning, so I still let them free range some in the afternoon. I have to be really diligent about locking them up though.

 

[ChickenGrit]

Hi, I got my first egg yesterday! It's pretty small, but I understand that is normal for the first eggs. The white eggs in the carton are jumbo.

My girls are 5 months old so I feel very lucky.

 

[debbie_nibbles]

Hi, I got my first egg yesterday! It's pretty small, but I understand that is normal for the first eggs. The white eggs in the carton are jumbo.

My girls are 5 months old so I feel very lucky.

LOL they are so cute when they lay those 1st eggs Congratulations!

 

[Brynansmommie]

Hi, I got my first egg yesterday! It's pretty small, but I understand that is normal for the first eggs. The white eggs in the carton are jumbo. My girls are 5 months old so I feel very lucky.

Congratulations on your first egg!

 

[USVIyardbird]

Can anyone tell me when their BO layed her first egg also the silver laced?

Today I noticed 2 other hens going in the nesting boxes this morning and setting for about 2-3 minutes on the eggs that I have in thier... so maybe soon I will be collecting more than 2 eggs a day. I have a RIR and BR laying now, seems like my other RIR and BR are getting ready to fall in line. My BO, Silver Laced, and Brahmas looks like they are not at all interested. They are all 22weeks.

Congrats to all that got their 1st egg. I know how exciting it is!!!! Can't wait till ALL my girls are laying.

 

[debbie_nibbles]

Yey I'm happy dancing this am! Lilly is a eating and drinkinf fool this am:-D I think she's on the upswing. Plus the younger ones are getting braver and braver! Came out of the coop a couple times by themselves!

 

[backyardcelia]

oh my goodness... the only thing cuter than pics of chicks, pics of chickens by kids, only thing cuter than that pics of cats & chickens... only thing cuter than that pics of kids and chickens!! i still have 150 unread posts, and am looking forward to seeing the 1000th post! but every time i start to read my computer kicks me off and there are so many more to read... so in case i don't get to the end today i thought i would write a quick note to say hello and happy monday! & happy egg hunting!