Beginner

[bigredfeather]

We got our first egg yesterday. I went out to the coop when I got home from work to let them out. I checked the nesting box (as I always do) and noticed two of them were bowled out and the golf ball was missing. I looked in the coop, and there it layed on the floor.

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That is a "large" egg from the store sitting beside it. I was surprised it was that big! We had it for breakfest this morning. It was delicious. The yolk was soooo yellow. I love dippy eggs, and now I can have them and not worry about getting sick. The shell was thicker and stronger than any egg I have ever bought from the store.

Had an additional first yesterday. My roo tried to give my 3 year old a beat down. He came after her and was smacking his wings on her head. I noticed him getting busy with one of the hens about 10 minutes prior. That may have had something to do with it. He's getting all manly now. She's afraid to get around him now. Not sure how to handle this.

Any suggestions?

 

[77horses]

Wow!
Where exactly did you get the RIR rooster? We sold ours to a lady at a chickenstock meeting and she sold him to someone else who has RIR hens.

And that was about 2 weeks ago. I think you may have our old rooster! Do you live near New England or Maine???

 

[bigredfeather]

He came from the same hatch as our hens.

 

[77horses]

Oh OK nevermind. It just sounded strange because we just sold our RIR rooster and the person we sold him to sold him to someone else, she said. And she said that the person had RIR hens. And it sounded like that person was you LOL
great looking coop!

 

[bigredfeather]

Thanks! I just replaced the straw w/ wood shavings Thursday. I like it much better. I love the smell of pine.

 

[kpara]

all i can say is watch out for your RIR roo he might start jumping all over your leg! as far as eggs idk mine just started laying

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Just keep reading BYC and you will find out everything you want to know. Go ahead and start on some new coop area because chickens are addictive, you will want more. Trust me. lol PEACE

 

[bigredfeather]

You are reading my mind chilling in muscadine . I said something to my wife the other day about hatching some eggs in January. I made my coop big enough to accomidate a larger flock. I figure if I hatch in Jan/Feb, they should be laying good by summer. I was am thinking I would like 8 more hens and 1 more roo. I know someone who has an incubator, and is willing to hatch them for me. What would be a good number of eggs to incubate to reach this number?

P.S. - I got 3 eggs yesterday.

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Thats hard to say. How is your friends hatch rate % wise. You could start with a doz & a half or 2 doz. It is impossible to tell the gender so to get the numbers you are wanting you will have to start out large an get what you get. Hope your luck is better that mine. Usually when you want hens you get roos. What breed are you thinking of hatching?

 

[bigredfeather]

I was going to use the eggs from my hens if I have some in January. I have a rooster who is hopefully doing his job.