California - Northern

[tommysgirl]

Some drama and excitement last night. First, the excitement: My Icelandic broody hatched out 2 olive eggers (a blue and a splash), a welsummer and a barnevelder. 2 eggs still left under her, but I'm not sure if they are going to do anything - need to candle them later. Now the drama: my dog and I treed a bunch of raccoons last night. I went out to do my usual chicken nightly routine of closing windows, counting heads, etc and heard strange noises and something scampering through the oak leaves. My dog went nuts, she was running from tree to tree and tracking their scent. I shined a flashlight in the trees and saw their beady little eyes looking back at me. Hopefully they got the message that they are not welcome here.

Yay for the excitement! Double Yay Yay for hopefully sending a message to the raccoons. What kind of dog do you have?

 

[lawatt]

I know that those of you with big/ginormous flocks probably don't name everyone in them but Chiquita's poultry names crack me up and I am looking for a bit of inspiration for my names for both my OE's and My Dorking. My OE is from Deann and is CPxCL. This is a pic of an adult taken from the Just Struttin website and it shows what she will look like when she is grown. Any thoughts?

all of my CLxpene girls have been named Amelia -- the original one, who passed away, and then when i got two more pullets from Ron, i named them Amelia #1 and #2. it's rather silly, but in part because of this thread -- we all started calling these crosses Amelias at one point!

 

[lawatt]

here's another broody/chick management question for everyone -- my current adult flock in my original coop/run is 12 birds (11 girls + max), and now i have my two new pens, one of which is occupied by the been-here-for-a-week campines, who are 3-4 months old but small sized -- the other pen is empty.

currently the original coop has not only the 12 adults but 11 chicks, of varying ages from 7.5 weeks to 3. they are all okay in there together for now, especially since they spend a lot of time out free-ranging, but soon, as the chicks get bigger, it's going to be way too crowded.

so what's the best way to divide them up? all the chicks into the empty pen, once they're all feathered enough to not need mom? or move the two broodies who are still acting mom-like in with them? or put the chicks in with the campines (again, once they're feathered out enough -- they are all close except maybe the 3-week-old marans), to see how they all get along, and keep one pen free?

i suppose one thing i should do is check to see if any of the broodies are still sleeping with the chicks vs. back to roosting -- will do that tonight -- but any other suggestions in the meantime?

 

[waititout]

Broody Update: Day Nine

Little Miss Zsa Zsa, once sweet as pie, is taking this broody thing pretty seriously. I went to check on her in her nesting box this morning and she let out a screech that sounded like the dragons on G.O.T.

I opted NOT to stick my hand inside and pet her.

Look how sweet she used to be!

 

[ronott1]

Broody Update: Day Nine

Little Miss Zsa Zsa, once sweet as pie, is taking this broody thing pretty seriously. I went to check on her in her nesting box this morning and she let out a screech that sounded like the dragons on G.O.T.

I opted NOT to stick my hand inside and pet her.




Look how sweet she used to be!

Cute picture!

It make me laugh when the Hens Squak\growl at me!

 

[debs_flock]

I got a first egg from a White Leghorn pullet today. At least I think that's who it was from. I don't have any white layers right now, and I don't think it was one of the Cornish-x because they are too fat to get into those nesting boxes. It's pretty big and pretty for a first egg though...

Congratulations on the first egg! I'd go with the Leghorn, a CornishX would lay a light brown egg.

 

[tommysgirl]

all of my CLxpene girls have been named Amelia -- the original one, who passed away, and then when i got two more pullets from Ron, i named them Amelia #1 and #2. it's rather silly, but in part because of this thread -- we all started calling these crosses Amelias at one point!

hmmmmm. Now I remember you guys talking about your Amelias but I didn't get it. Were/Are yours sure you were going to twist their heads off if given the chance? I am going to try to work the magic of canned corn on my OE and Icelandics.

Broody Update: Day Nine

Little Miss Zsa Zsa, once sweet as pie, is taking this broody thing pretty seriously. I went to check on her in her nesting box this morning and she let out a screech that sounded like the dragons on G.O.T.

I opted NOT to stick my hand inside and pet her.




Look how sweet she used to be!

This is a beautiful picture! I haven't had a broody yet but one of my Australorps growls if she is in the nest box and even thinks I am going to look in there and it makes me

Still in awe of your baking skills. Do you cook a lot too? Also wanted to thank you for your Icelandic info. I will pass it on to the guy who took my boys.


Day 3 of quarantine... the cockerel, Ozzie now checks out my fingers to see if I have any goodies for him. I was able to rub the chests of both girls too.

 

[ronott1]

hmmmmm. Now I remember you guys talking about your Amelias but I didn't get it. Were/Are yours sure you were going to twist their heads off if given the chance? I am going to try to work the magic of canned corn on my OE and Icelandics.
This is a beautiful picture! I haven't had a broody yet but one of my Australorps growls if she is in the nest box and even thinks I am going to look in there and it makes me

Still in awe of your baking skills. Do you cook a lot too? Also wanted to thank you for your Icelandic info. I will pass it on to the guy who took my boys.


Day 3 of quarantine... the cockerel, Ozzie now checks out my fingers to see if I have any goodies for him. I was able to rub the chests of both girls too.

My Amelias are not that bad. A couple of them even squat for me. One gets up on the roof of the coop(Orange band Amelia) at night and is not to crazy when I get her down and put her into the coop. They lay a lot of nice eggs and are so small with a great feed conversion ratio.

Give them time to get used to you and all will be well.

 

[lawatt]

hmmmmm. Now I remember you guys talking about your Amelias but I didn't get it. Were/Are yours sure you were going to twist their heads off if given the chance? I am going to try to work the magic of canned corn on my OE and Icelandics.

mine are still skittish but not terrified -- although they were at first! (or perhaps they were just disappointed that i wasn't Ron.) my first Amelia was a lovely girl, but i raised her form a day-old chick, and even then she tended to be a bit more aloof than some of the others. they do LOVE to fly up onto things (hence the name!) -- as you can see here:


that's Amelia #2 on the left, Lucy (a CL from Deann) in front, and Max in the back -- they are all perched on the roof of the nesting box, about 5 feet off the ground -- which has now become a favorite hangout.

haven't tried canned corn yet -- will have to get some...

 

[tommysgirl]

Ohhhhhhh now I get it. Earhart!!!!! Sometimes I am not too quick on the uptake!!