California - Northern

[SilkiesForEver]

Something raided my coop tonight, but didn't get anyone, as they were locked in a different pasture, free ranging. Whew!! Whatever it is, did get all my eggs that I hadn't collected.
Locked all the latches to my coops, just in case.
My livestock protector is patrolling too.

 

[debs_flock]

They will lose some color during the laying season, but not so soon. If anything, I'd probably blame it on the cold snap we've been having in CA.

You can actually usually pick a laying hen out of a flock by the nice bright color of her comb/wattles and the loss of color from her legs. It's hard to explain, but a laying hen looks healthy and robust, a non-laying hen looks like a spinster. You usually pick a laying hen by the healthy, moist looking vent. Late in the season, they start to look haggard and spent. After their winter rest, they bounce back and look vibrant again.

Deb

 

[ChickNmamma]

OK, that makes sense. I am not planning to do much besides make sure she has a safe place to keep those babies, assuming she sticks it out!

I have had other broodies before, but none have worked out. One abandoned the nest at 18 days. I had one that I could not break, so I brought chicks home about the time her "eggs" should have hatched. She rejected them. At least that time, I was prepared to just brood the chicks myself.

What breed where the birds that abandoned the nest - or rejected the babies? My Mom's broodies always hatch their eggs (OEG), but we did have one that "adopted" some feed store chicks - and then kicked them out a week later when they wouldn't listen to her. She only chose certain ones - not all of them. My mom has also tried to get other broodies to adopt babies by putting them under the mother at night - and those birds can tell a chick that doesn't belong to them by the sound of their peeps. Hers are mean - they kill the "outsiders" so she doesn't do that any more.

 

[capayvalleychick]

Enjoying some time with our "chickies".

They are both beautiful!

I have a question. Weird experience tonight when I was rinsing one of our butchered chickens, which has been in the freezer for months. There were sunflower seeds inside it! Some of them had sprouted. I removed them and am cooking the chicken. My husband thinks it's contaminated. What do you all think?

 

[lawatt]

They will lose some color during the laying season, but not so soon. If anything, I'd probably blame it on the cold snap we've been having in CA.

You can actually usually pick a laying hen out of a flock by the nice bright color of her comb/wattles and the loss of color from her legs. It's hard to explain, but a laying hen looks healthy and robust, a non-laying hen looks like a spinster. You usually pick a laying hen by the healthy, moist looking vent. Late in the season, they start to look haggard and spent. After their winter rest, they bounce back and look vibrant again.

Deb

thanks Deb! i'll just keep keeping an eye on them...

 

[Wishing4Wings]

This is where Betty is right now. Should I just leave her there? Is her box big enough for now? Maybe move her when she has the chicks?
And a pic of her nudey chest haha.

Excuse the coop mess. I was cleaning out the coop. I've since added more shavings. And another lay box I picked up from the store. The Buff Orps will only use floor boxes to lay. My EEs and bantam girl will often use the ones up top. The broody bin is off to the right there- but I don't want to move her if it might break her broodiness. If she is ok where she is for the next 3 weeks then I can leave her be.

Congrats on Broody Betty. How exciting and much cheaper than an incubator! If you were to place a roosting bar across the front of the upper nest boxes (6 or 8 inches out), the larger Orps might be more inclined to use those. Mine like to thoroughly inspect all the boxes before choosing where to lay, and with a roost, they don't have to worry about crashing someone's laying party.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Something raided my coop tonight, but didn't get anyone, as they were locked in a different pasture, free ranging. Whew!! Whatever it is, did get all my eggs that I hadn't collected.
Locked all the latches to my coops, just in case.
My livestock protector is patrolling too.

Beautiful dog! That's good the predator didn't get any of your chickens.

 

[Chickengirl1304]

W

...

What breed where the birds that abandoned the nest - or rejected the babies?   My Mom's broodies always hatch their eggs (OEG), but we did have one that "adopted" some feed store chicks - and then kicked them out a week later when they wouldn't listen to her.  She only chose certain ones - not all of them.   My mom has also tried to get other broodies to adopt  babies by putting them under the mother at night - and those birds can tell a chick that doesn't belong to them by the sound of their peeps.  Hers are mean - they kill the "outsiders" so she doesn't do that any more.
[/quotewhat is OEG?

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Beautiful dog! That's good the predator didn't get any of your chickens.

Thank you! I'm praying it doesn't during the night.

 

[OR4-hmom]

Well I couldn't take it any longer and helped the third one out. She was shrink-wrapped pretty good. Many q-tips and tweezer work later it is now in to dry with the other two. No blood or yolk problems. Took me 20 minutes to free the right eye from the membrane. Looks good so far, she was fiesty but stuck.

Not sure why i've got such goofy margins tonight.