California - Northern

[Happy Chooks]

Icelandics start laying between 5 and 6 months. They are my most consistent (and frustrating) layers. They are currently laying their eggs in an open shavings bag instead of the nesting boxes. They are extreme escape artists also. (Read my signature line)

hahaha. Don't know if you saw my post but I said how mine had led a revolt and spent the night in a walnut tree, out of my reach with three of their sisters. I really hope if they hide their eggs that they hide them where I can find them. They are 4 mos old but ol Ozzie has taken a shine to one of them. Fortunately she is FAST and he well..he is not. Do cockerels show interest normally in pre-ovulating hens?

I don't have any Icelandic roosters, so I can't answer that. I keep the hens because I like them and they are good broodies. My friend Mary breeds them, so she shares with me.

20 weeks is still pretty young. Hatchery birds will generally lay before breeder quality. Most of my original hatchery girls started laying in the 21-25 week range. My breeder quality birds I never expect anything before 24 weeks. It's actually better for their bodies to start laying later. Early laying can cause laying problems when they are older.

Good to know, thanks! Okay. All but three of our chickens are BYC'ers, the other three are from a feed store and are a brahma and two wyandottes. So out of: Brahma Wyandottes Marans Olive Eggers (Marans x Isbar) Ameraucana Who is most likely to lay first?

I would guess the olive egger. Hybrid vigor and all.

The Fogel HRIRs are 20 weeks old now. They have been inside a grow out in the Garage and they do not crow yet. I was shocked at how big they are not. I decided to get some pictures before the go to live at the Egg Farm. Can you see the differences in these compared to Hatchery Reds? Do you see the Brick shape in them?

They are beautiful Ron. They have a nice underline.

I've finally started to get some blue eggs!! I can't wait for the dark layers to start.

Wow, nice blue egg there! What breed laid it?

oh, great, the skunk is living in the main coop, hiding under the floor level shelf just below the roll-out nest unit on the wall. I went in for the night check and found it eating eggs. It froze, I froze, it slowly slithered under that board while I admired its sleek, shiny fur. I made sure the smallest chicks were tucked safely under their moms on the roost perches before I backed out of the coop. Craptastic, as another BYCer would say.

Linda, you need to get rid of that bugger before it starts killing chickens!

 

[chicksnthestiks]

Nasty critters. I almost got skunked twice over a couple of weeks ago. We called the skunk guy to trap them...have trapped 9 in the past 11 days. Glad to see them gone. Hope you are able to dispose of it quickly before it eats more eggs.

Hi and welcome! Skunks are best viewed from very far away and they will eat the chickens.

 

[gryeyes]

Well, thank goodness I was wrong about the "living" in the coop bit - it was just hiding from me there. I think. It departed the coop and my yard, tail held high in warning until it got to a spot it felt safe enough to lower its Stay Away flag whilst skuttling away.

Any other critter and I'd just bash the heck out of it with a two by four right there in the coop. When I first saw it IN the coop, I had turned on the light to make sure I could check on everybody. The skunk was standing on its hind feet, holding onto the bottommost tray of the roll-out nest unit. There was a broody banty hen in the nest just above that one, and she was WIDE awake, scrunched down so only her eyes and the top of her head was visible. She persists in setting there, even though the eggs roll away.....

My contractor friend reiterated his suggestion I buy a shotgun, especially for the new, not-yet-my property, which is in country visited by mountain lion, fox, coyote, bear and rattlesnakes.

 

[tommysgirl]

I don't have any Icelandic roosters, so I can't answer that. I keep the hens because I like them and they are good broodies. My friend Mary breeds them, so she shares with me.

Buck and Run Mary??? These two girls I have came to me from Deanne who bought themas eggs in an auction from a BYCer who got part of his breeding stock from that Mary. So mine may be somewhat closely related to yours...I guess they are all related but you see what I mean.

It was my Del cockerel who was chasing my poor little Icelandic girl Rue, around the shrubbery. She is just 16 weeks old and isn't showing any signs of laying so I was surprised by his ardor. Maybe he has a thing for feathered legs.

of my late March/April chicks I think that I will get my first egg from my California Grey or my Delaware from Kim but one of my EEs is getting all pink too. Nor expecting anything for at least a month.

It is so nice to have all of the chickens sharing space. Buckbeak has not given up her chasing of the younger girls but it has really subsided and it makes me happy to look out and see the old ones and the new ones hanging out togehter.

I posted a question on flock management about Curly's coop mate choice. Basically do I put in a couple of girls who he is with now...severly curtailing their ability to free range which they are used to and love or do I get a couple of young bantam girls. The girls he knows do not abuse him I don't know what would happen with new girls, even smaller girls. Any thoughts? I would love to put him with a couple of disabled girls but haven't found any.

 

[chickee]

Good to know, thanks! Okay. All but three of our chickens are BYC'ers, the other three are from a feed store and are a brahma and two wyandottes.

So out of:
Brahma
Wyandottes
Marans
Olive Eggers (Marans x Isbar)
Ameraucana

Who is most likely to lay first?

Congratulations on your wins at the fair. Great pictures as always!

I will guess that the OEs will lay first, then the Ameraucana.

 

[chickee]

Funny how birds of a feather flock together. I have many breeds in the same pen together, but this is what I found yesterday when I went out to take pictures. The GCM pullets hatched together, but the rooster came from a friend. They are all molting right now so looking pretty ratty. They are big for only being 4 months old! Looking forward to my first chocolate colored eggs!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Tommysgirl...... Yes, buck and run Mary.

 

[tommysgirl]

Funny how birds of a feather flock together. I have many breeds in the same pen together, but this is what I found yesterday when I went out to take pictures. The GCM pullets hatched together, but the rooster came from a friend. They are all molting right now so looking pretty ratty. They are big for only being 4 months old! Looking forward to my first chocolate colored eggs!

gorgeous chickee....I have noticed the same thing. My Icelandics, one of my EEs and my OE all have golden heads and dark bodies and they hang together too. Will you have hatching eggs in the future?

 

[tommysgirl]

Tommysgirl...... Yes, buck and run Mary.

Cool! Do yours have white/silver/grey in them?

 

[chiqita]

Those brick chickens are spectacular Ron! I tried to hatch some from Jim Heinz but I have bad luck with his eggs. He packs great and they start but something always happens.

The blue eggs are wonderful too Liz! Everyone chickens look happy and healthy I'm glad to see it!

I had a good surprise today. We got skunked on Thursday. Rufasheard it trying to get my quails and woke up and ran right to it. ( ok that part was not as good news) While I was washing the dog outside I heard it get something in the ravine and thought we had lost another bird. In the morning pancake was missing and I thought she had gotten sick of trying to fight ebony for her eggs and taken a few outside for her own nest and gotten caught.

Instead she had stolen chicks from some other girls and was hiding in the shed but fine! She brought her purloined brood out for treats this morning.

If anyone's dog does get skunked the peroxide and baking soda works really well.

Anyone know much about fertility? My worst purchase ever the showgirls from the east coast that i lost 2 to merriks are now also looking to have spectacularly low fertility. I have heard b shots work well but what b and to roos or hens? I am also going to get them some of kings fertility food. They are little money pits.

I have people who would like some eggs but I'm not sending anything out when I'm only getting 1/4 start.