Arizona Chickens

[Mahonri]

SOOOOOO GREAT NEWS!!! I found my little Japanese! She has 9 eggs under her and literally dug herself a burrow. It amazing. And i have 5 new silkies, two whites, a buff, and two blacks! Plus a new Ameraucana!

And tell us about the ICELANDICS!!!

 

[City farm]

SOOOOOO GREAT NEWS!!! I found my little Japanese! She has 9 eggs under her and literally dug herself a burrow. It amazing. And i have 5 new silkies, two whites, a buff, and two blacks! Plus a new Ameraucana!

Oh wow that is fantastic!! Congratulations.

 

[City farm]

Ok you Silkie people, how big were your first eggs and how big are they now they your girls have been laying for awhile.  We had a 32 gram egg today with a thin shell and it was laid in the nesting box like normal.  It's the cream color that my New Hampshires (13 weeks), my wife's Splash Silkie (28 weeks) and my Barred Rocks (34 and 36 weeks) would lay.  It was about half the size of my Rocks' regular eggs and I think it's too early for the New Hampshires.  Any ideas?  They've been getting their regular amount of feed and always have free-choice calcium available, so I don't think anything is wrong from that aspect.

Yes, I can do the food coloring thing on my four suspects for tomorrow's eggs, but I was curious for an answer sooner than that.  I only have three eggs so far, so there's still a chance of getting a fourth if it is a new layer.  It's exciting and nerve racking...

Since all silkies are bantam they will lay tiny eggs always.. We use two per piece of toast..

 

[cbnovick]

Ok you Silkie people, how big were your first eggs and how big are they now they your girls have been laying for awhile. We had a 32 gram egg today with a thin shell and it was laid in the nesting box like normal. It's the cream color that my New Hampshires (13 weeks), my wife's Splash Silkie (28 weeks) and my Barred Rocks (34 and 36 weeks) would lay. It was about half the size of my Rocks' regular eggs and I think it's too early for the New Hampshires. Any ideas? They've been getting their regular amount of feed and always have free-choice calcium available, so I don't think anything is wrong from that aspect.

Yes, I can do the food coloring thing on my four suspects for tomorrow's eggs, but I was curious for an answer sooner than that. I only have three eggs so far, so there's still a chance of getting a fourth if it is a new layer. It's exciting and nerve racking...

sometimes pullets can do 'oopsie' eggs...so could have been one of those or maybe the silkie just hit point of lay...silkie pullet eggs are pretty small...silkie hen eggs can be about half of a typical size sometimes...many times a first egg will have a tinge of blood on it too as another clue...when those hamps lay they may be more on the brownish side to start too.

 

[countrygirl74]

Ok you Silkie people, how big were your first eggs and how big are they now they your girls have been laying for awhile. We had a 32 gram egg today with a thin shell and it was laid in the nesting box like normal. It's the cream color that my New Hampshires (13 weeks), my wife's Splash Silkie (28 weeks) and my Barred Rocks (34 and 36 weeks) would lay. It was about half the size of my Rocks' regular eggs and I think it's too early for the New Hampshires. Any ideas? They've been getting their regular amount of feed and always have free-choice calcium available, so I don't think anything is wrong from that aspect.

Yes, I can do the food coloring thing on my four suspects for tomorrow's eggs, but I was curious for an answer sooner than that. I only have three eggs so far, so there's still a chance of getting a fourth if it is a new layer. It's exciting and nerve racking...

I'm going to guess that it is your silkie - 13 weeks seems a little young still and my barreds lay light brown. My silkie lays a small creamy white egg. It's normal to have some weird eggs, even some soft-shelled even if she has calcium - it's just a new pullet thing. See below...

sometimes pullets can do 'oopsie' eggs...so could have been one of those or maybe the silkie just hit point of lay...silkie pullet eggs are pretty small...silkie hen eggs can be about half of a typical size sometimes...many times a first egg will have a tinge of blood on it too as another clue...when those hamps lay they may be more on the brownish side to start too.

X2 on the "oopsie" eggs - my silkie's first egg was tinged with a streak of blood, then she laid beautifully clean eggs for a couple weeks, then had a couple softshell eggs, then went back to good eggs, then went broody

 

[LadyKotaDoria]

countrygril74 thank you, I was pretty sure that nothing is wrong with my girls, basically, they are just starting out. I have 5-6 that have laid, getting 2 a day every few days a third, twice I had 4. 1 blue, 1 aqua-green, 1 something of an olive blue, 1 brown (possibly 2) 1 cream-pinkish-brownish. There may be a 6th layer, I am now getting 1 brown every day for a couple of weeks. They are all a small medium egg. I expect that they will get larger as the. Pullet gets older, a nice medium and large eggs as to the breed. If I am correct by what I have been reading hatchery pullets are not nessaessarly to standard in laying as well as looks.
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Powder took close to 6 weeks to become consistent. Lucy less time, but still took a while. I think it is Picker that is laying now, because she is spending time in the nesting box.

And today Bon has been very vocal, found her hiding under some overhanging wood in my usable recovered wood pile, no idea how she got in there and able to turn around. Will check for egg later. Is there any spot to small?

Dose the size of the hen relate to the size of the egg? Blondie, from the split second she stood on the scale is over 6#, the next is Picker at 5# 6oz. I can easily see why Orpington is a duel bird.
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As for the feed, I am going to be ordering feed for June from the coop, I must have finally got it right, I had a reply for order. I believe that will help my girls. I think I will give the left-over stuff I have to the birds in the front yard. They do not like it as much as the feed they started with, both ways fermented or as crumble. When I went to the Stock Shop to get more they were out. Big miss stake, I should have called around, I learned you do not mess with their chow.

 

[desertmarcy]

Hi all, I just put up a 1/2 off 1 day sale on some newly hatched Black Copper Marans out of my Black Copper to Blue Copper matings. If you are local, you can pick up and save on the box and shipping and it would be a sweet deal if you are interested in these.

 

[City farm]

My wife's two Silkies finally went to the coop by themselves last night.  They are always huddled underneath the old coop when I go out to close the coop up, so I almost panicked when I didn't find them there last night.  Low and behold...  Now, the four new Ameraucanas are the only ones that need to learn where to roost at night.  It was exciting!

If our chickens had their way they would be in the trees..

 

[City farm]

countrygril74 thank you, I was pretty sure that nothing is wrong with my girls, basically, they are just starting out. I have 5-6 that have laid, getting 2 a day every few days a third, twice I had 4. 1 blue, 1 aqua-green, 1 something of an olive blue, 1 brown (possibly 2) 1 cream-pinkish-brownish. There may be a 6th layer, I am now getting 1 brown every day for a couple of weeks. They are all a small medium egg. I expect that they will get larger as the. Pullet gets older, a nice medium and large eggs as to the breed. If I am correct by what I have been reading hatchery pullets are not nessaessarly to standard in laying as well as looks.
-----------------
Powder took close to 6 weeks to become consistent. Lucy less time, but still took a while. I think it is Picker that is laying now, because she is spending time in the nesting box.

And today Bon has been very vocal, found her hiding under some overhanging wood in my usable recovered wood pile, no idea how she got in there and able to turn around. Will check for egg later. Is there any spot to small?

Dose the size of the hen relate to the size of the egg? Blondie, from the split second she stood on the scale is over 6#, the next is Picker at 5# 6oz. I can easily see why Orpington is a duel bird.
-----------------
As for the feed, I am going to be ordering feed for June from the coop, I must have finally got it right, I had a reply for order. I believe that will help my girls. I think I will give the left-over stuff I have to the birds in the front yard. They do not like it as much as the feed they started with, both ways fermented or as crumble. When I went to the Stock Shop to get more they were out. Big miss stake, I should have called around, I learned you do not mess with their chow.

That little cutie pie..

 

[ChicksOfHazzard]

Jack - We live in a HOA community in North Phoenix. Our CC&R's are posted on the HOA's website. Found what I needed there. Maybe yours will be posted too.
We currently have Rhode Island Red, Black Australorp (mix) and Easter Egger. The RIR is more vocal than the others and also doesn't mind being handled by our 6 yo grandson. (me, she poops on

) The Australorp is my favorite for personality and egg laying is most consistent. Our EE is a late bloomer and more stand offish but fun to watch. She is also the first one to show heat distress. She is the most bold. Today she scared the @#$% out of me by jumping/flying up at the kitchen window and squawking. Not sure if she was chasing something or trying to get my attention. They all crack me up. This is our first go around with backyard chickens. This forum has a wealth of information. Welcome and Best of luck.

Also, Quail Counsel, if you contact your management company and ask for a copy they should be able to provide you with one. We also received a hardcopy when we closed on our house, so if you have your documents from closing stashed away, check there.