California - Northern

[Happy Chooks]

Wow, it is so dry where you are. More rain yesterday, guess it'll be awhile before my birds are able to dust bathe.

We had a bit of sprinkles last night, but it didn't last long.

 

[zooweemama]

So Broody Betty is on Day 7 if my time keeping is correct. I candle on Day 10 correct?

 

[SilkiesForEver]

We had a bit of sprinkles last night, but it didn't last long.

So did we, but it sprinkled to whole night, so the ground is soaked. Chickens can't dust bathe, but they are enjoying a feast of worms.

It really is a sight to see. 4 month olds find it, the hens give chase, and it ends up in pieces.

Eggs are gonna be yummy!

 

[ronott1]

So Broody Betty is on Day 7 if my time keeping is correct. I candle on Day 10 correct?

You can candle today.

 

[ronott1]

So Broody Betty is on Day 7 if my time keeping is correct. I candle on Day 10 correct?

This is when you candle. If you were incubating, you would be looking for the aircells to be like the ones in the chart:


Candle on days 7, 14 and 18.

 

[zooweemama]

This is when you candle. If you were incubating, you would be looking for the aircells to be like the ones in the chart:


Candle on days 7, 14 and 18.

I candled but I am such a novice. I didn't look at air cells at all. Will post a shot of what I did get lmbo. I am not sure any of them are fertile. I can see the pores on them. I can't see in the Easter Egger egg at ALL nor the bantam Wyandotte egg. I can with the Buff eggs. I saw no veins at all but not sure how good my flashlight is. (one of those big ones almosyt like a floodlight)

 

[zooweemama]

And I have a question. One of my Buff girls is missing a lot of feather on the top of her bum. Not her neck...but her back/butt on top. Not around her vent. Is this a sign of being overmated? I will pen up my roos if so.

 

[Miss Molly]

Yes, it is nice to see the hens out free ranging.  I love watching my lone silkie rooster watch over his little flock of girls.  (all 4 of them and 2 are just pullets)  He seems to always stand tall and be on the look out for predators and shows them where the food bowls are.  He is almost too sweet though.  I've seen him do the dance with Mysty Blue (but he has trouble following through) and I might have to do AI.  Mysty Blue is such a feisty little thing.......Poor Leo Pierre is literally "hen pecked"!

By the way, Miss Molly, you live in a beautiful area.  We pass the quaint, old fashioned buildings off 80.  My son has choir and orchestra co-op up in Meadow Vista every Monday.  One of these days I'm going to check out some of the little towns and backroads up there.

It is a sweet LITTLE town, Newcastle has a really great cheese shop and produce market back behind the old packing sheds. You could always stop by my place and talk chickens. Who knows what you might find here...IMG]https://www.backyardchickens.com/content/type/61/id/5500354/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

 

[SilkiesForEver]

And I have a question. One of my Buff girls is missing a lot of feather on the top of her bum. Not her neck...but her back/butt on top. Not around her vent. Is this a sign of being overmated? I will pen up my roos if so.

Right where her hips are? If so, yeah, it is probably the result of over active cocks, or, too many in the same pen.

 

[zooweemama]

Right where her hips are? If so, yeah, it is probably the result of over active cocks, or, too many in the same pen.

I have 3 roosters- only 1 lives with them. He is a bantam. Tries to mate but he can never 'connect' past their fluff. I have 2 other roos who only occasionally get past my bantam. But I am going to pen them for now. Bummer for them! LOL