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

[BroosterSpringsteen]

It was a beautiful weekend, and I spent most of it doing chicken chores. I moved my teenage Marans in with the adult flock. They were not happy about it. Actually, 2 hours later they all flew back over the barrier and hid in the nursery coop. So I had to move them again, and close up the little coop. I hope they slept ok in their new home. In less than 2 months I'll be back on egg watch...looking for dark Marans eggs!

I did have one realization after moving the birds though. I have a lot of chickens. Possibly...dare I say it....too many chickens?

 

[Crafty chick]

I did a lot outside too. Finished the bantam coop and moved 10 outside, cleaned the builing in the back of the poperty, went through the wood pile and stacked it, tilled and fenced the garden, and picked up the yard. The little ones that Imoved out are doing great, just need to build them a run. Always something to do.

 

[jklyles1]

It was a beautiful weekend, and I spent most of it doing chicken chores. I moved my teenage Marans in with the adult flock. They were not happy about it. Actually, 2 hours later they all flew back over the barrier and hid in the nursery coop. So I had to move them again, and close up the little coop. I hope they slept ok in their new home. In less than 2 months I'll be back on egg watch...looking for dark Marans eggs!

I did have one realization after moving the birds though. I have a lot of chickens. Possibly...dare I say it....too many chickens?

If you have too many what about me???? I have 20 and only wanted 6!!! Chicken Math at its finest!! And I still want an Olive Egger and a Marans. I paid top dollar for 2 Marans pullets and they both ended up being roos.

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

If you have too many what about me???? I have 20 and only wanted 6!!! Chicken Math at its finest!! And I still want an Olive Egger and a Marans. I paid top dollar for 2 Marans pullets and they both ended up being roos.

I can sympathize. I purchased 27 Marans hatching eggs. I kept 10 chicks from the hatch. 8 turned out to be roos, and 2 pullets. One of the pullets is a white Marans, and they don't even lay dark eggs. So out of 27 eggs, I got one chicken who will lay a dark Marans egg.

 

[Melabella]

Hello all,,

Brooster, your last post makes me realize that it is a crap shoot with those hatching eggs! Wow....I received a second blue egg from Vivian, (we named them after Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh since they are such dark feathered handsome birds), two days in a row. I didn't expect that from her! Now I am itching to start collecting the blue eggs and buy myself an incubator! They are both Lavender/Black splits, so I could possibly get some lavender chicks from them? Makes me want to order some lavender chicks!

Speaking of itching, I have contracted a horrible case of poison ivy from doing some yard work, pulling some vines off the house. I thought I was being careful too. This is the second time since we lived in this house, and I swore I would be more careful next time! It's especially insulting as there isn't anything even remotely green outside, Grrrrrr! I'm in agony... fell asleep the night I did the work in my clothes, and woke up to itching like a fool. It's everywhere from midsection on up.. the worst is my fingers and my face. I swear....annoying.

Another annoying thing is that the man that was supposed to take Duke hasn't come by yet. When the free range farm said no since they had someone drop off 6 roos to them last week, I may have to do away with them myself. My new pair are still inside a stall in the barn, and I want them to get outdoors. Duke and Clark are all ready engaging in a dueling banjo's crowing sessions, I want to get some ear plugs!

Sorry for the complaining,, but who else would care.... or listen??

Thanks guys
MB

 

[kdwag]

It was such a windy night here last night. We dont have a lot of wild life here in our neighborhood so DH removed the girls door to their house. Well that makes it nice not having to rush out there at day light to let them out but now if their run door is opened they get out. Which is what happened this morning. I have been sick and not sleeping very well so at 9 this morning I was laying in bed, when I heard a chicken out front near my window. I looked out the window and sure enough Daphne and Phoebe were out front near the pond. I jumped up got dressed and ran out there to put everyone back in the run. I counted and made sure everyone was there and they were. Everyone had nice full crops. They were not happy with me for putting them back in their run though.

Oh no, bet that got you up and out quicker than you wanted to. Sorry you haven't been feeling well. I have contemplated leaving the door of my coop up on occasion, i've never had coons or cyotes in our yard, they are around but our yard is fenced in and ive never seen them close to the house. We do have cats though on occasion. Some mornings it would be so nice to not have to get up so early and now that sunrise is earlier,,,,,ohy vey. LOL I thought about investing in an automatic door. Still may do that for the summer. Hope you feel better soon.

 

[kdwag]

Hello all,,

Brooster, your last post makes me realize that it is a crap shoot with those hatching eggs! Wow....I received a second blue egg from Vivian, (we named them after Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh since they are such dark feathered handsome birds), two days in a row. I didn't expect that from her! Now I am itching to start collecting the blue eggs and buy myself an incubator! They are both Lavender/Black splits, so I could possibly get some lavender chicks from them? Makes me want to order some lavender chicks!

Speaking of itching, I have contracted a horrible case of poison ivy from doing some yard work, pulling some vines off the house. I thought I was being careful too. This is the second time since we lived in this house, and I swore I would be more careful next time! It's especially insulting as there isn't anything even remotely green outside, Grrrrrr! I'm in agony... fell asleep the night I did the work in my clothes, and woke up to itching like a fool. It's everywhere from midsection on up.. the worst is my fingers and my face. I swear....annoying.

Another annoying thing is that the man that was supposed to take Duke hasn't come by yet. When the free range farm said no since they had someone drop off 6 roos to them last week, I may have to do away with them myself. My new pair are still inside a stall in the barn, and I want them to get outdoors. Duke and Clark are all ready engaging in a dueling banjo's crowing sessions, I want to get some ear plugs!

Sorry for the complaining,, but who else would care.... or listen??

Thanks guys
MB

Oh crap, I thought they were taking Duke for sure. That stinks. Sorry about your poison ivy. I've never had that but know those who have and it's miserable i'm told,,,,,hang in there. Love the names too!! My girls seem to be living in some sort of harmony. I noticed that Clara now sits out of most things, hangs back, etc. and Liza steers away from Clara so I believe Liza is 3rd and Clara is last. Clemi still chases Clara but I can't chastize her too much for it because at least it's keeping Clara from attacking Liza. they are so crazy. At night, Clemi will pace the run and not let Clara into it-she'll even charge the entry of the run if Clara gets too near so little Clara is forced to free range a little longer than everyone else until everyone is inside and on the roost. LOL I try not to interefere with their games but I feel sorry for them sometimes.

 

[Melabella]

Oh crap, I thought they were taking Duke for sure. That stinks. Sorry about your poison ivy. I've never had that but know those who have and it's miserable i'm told,,,,,hang in there. Love the names too!! My girls seem to be living in some sort of harmony. I noticed that Clara now sits out of most things, hangs back, etc. and Liza steers away from Clara so I believe Liza is 3rd and Clara is last. Clemi still chases Clara but I can't chastize her too much for it because at least it's keeping Clara from attacking Liza. they are so crazy. At night, Clemi will pace the run and not let Clara into it-she'll even charge the entry of the run if Clara gets too near so little Clara is forced to free range a little longer than everyone else until everyone is inside and on the roost. LOL I try not to interefere with their games but I feel sorry for them sometimes.

I know, I was very upset when I called to tell her I would be dropping him off, and she said she was up to her ears in Roos... someone beat me to it. And dropped 6 of them off. Catching him tonight was very difficult, who said they are easy to grab off the roost? He is a real fighter let me tell you. He wiggled away from me, very strong. I had to get a towel, and throw it over him then grab him. Boy the girls were upset, the whole thing has me very upset..He's in a dog crate in the feed room of the barn I made a nice bed of straw in the crate and some food and water. Someone told me about another farm nearby to try, I am going to pass by there tomorrow, maybe Duke will get lucky. I wish he hadn't turned so aggressive. He really is wonderful around the girls, minds them all the time. Now my next worry will be the transition to the new roo, I hope they take to him as well as Duke. Clark is a handsome devil, hope they like him.

I too am going to have to try not to interfere with the next few days ,I am sure that it is going to be pretty nutty in that run with all that will be going on. I am going to keep them in for 2 or 3 days so Clark and Vivian realize that coop is now home. I am sure that the girls will be frustrated not getting to free range. Glad your girls have seeem to come to some sort of aggreement with the pecking order, it is nutty at times isn't it?

 

[kacklinkelly]

This weekend was definitely the time to catch up on chicken chores and
sprucing up the yard. Oh I just couldn't wait to tell you that yesterday
my three girls gave me 4 eggs!!! I couldn't believe it. My BA layed two
yesterday. Friday she took the day off. Saturday she layed
one and yesterday she layed 2. I have been happy to get my two eggs/day.
The olive egger hasn't gotten "regular" yet. However, she layed one
yesterday and again today. They are getting slightly larger each day.
Am so happy with the colors in our egg carton. Am looking forward to
adding a few more colors if possible. I was hoping to incubate some
marans but after reading about 8 roos and 2 pullets I'm 2nd guessing
that idea.

Sorry about the poison ivy MB. I don't know of any cure all for
that. The only thing I can think of is oatmeal bath and lots of calomine
lotion. (old school style) Also sorry to hear about Duke's adoption being
on hold. He sure is lucky to have found a home with you. Not sure too
many other people would tolerate his antics for as long as you have.

Oh, I weighed our meaties last night and they were .25 lb last week and
are .45 lb this week. I will be transitioning them over to fermented food
this week to see if it helps with the smell of their droppings. I am so glad
to have a garage to keep them in for now.

I am glad to have a place to
share the things that are fun to me with like minded people. Am also glad
to report that I have contributed to 2 more people at work joining the backyard
chicken keeping movement. One lady got 6 chicks and one guy told me he
got 2 chicks for his kids last week. I asked him if he had any pictures of
his chicks and his response was "No, that's just weird. That's your thing!"
We laughed and then he told me that his camera battery was dead otherwise
he would have taken pix to show me.

 

[Crafty chick]

Yay kk~ adding to our chaos! I have a friend that Ikeep telling to join. I know once she does, she'll be an addict too. She only has 1 BA that showed up at her house, so she adopted it.