California - Northern

[AlpineButterfly]

Hi everyone sorry I've been off the grid lately been really down in the dumps emotionally ugh. I'm feeling better and just noticed that one of my EEs that I got from Candy is missing. I searched everywhere for her but gone without a trace. No feathers or blood anywhere. I looked over the neighbors fence but didn't see any sign of carnage. I think she's too young to be broody on a hidden nest.

Sorry she's missing!

I don't think anyone is too young to be broody... my brahma bantam decided to go broody at 21 weeks, after laying for a grand total of three weeks. :/

 

[chiqita]

Can you move the mobile coop with her in it? At night maybe? I'd cover the opening to her box leave her in it and move it. Then see if she sticks and give her eggs.

Have you thought about getting some bantam cochins? Apparently you just leave them a pile of eggs and they can't resist. They use them in the peacock industry. They started with silkies but they did not sit on demand as well.

 

[chrissyr]

Where is Pam??? She raises Polish.

Cute pair of chicks Laura.

I'm the one who wants and needs broodies so badly - in the Spring. My few hens who do go broody wait until the heat of summer. One hen in the mobile coop decided to sit on eggs last week. If I move the coop, the eggs will be jostled. If I don't move the coop, the pasture underneath will die. So, night before last, I moved the broody hen and her clutch to a cage in the main coop. In the morning, she was fussing in the cage and the eggs were cold. So, I put her back in the mobile coop. Last night, she's back in the nest box, sitting on 2 eggs.
I really want to encourage broodiness but not sure what to do with this hen. Maybe put her back in the cage with fake eggs, then slip some fertile ones under her if she sticks?

I've had good luck with cat litter boxes (new of course) as nests. When they go broody, I move the whole thing and they don't seem to mind.

 

[PetRock]

Sorry she's missing!

I don't think anyone is too young to be broody... my brahma bantam decided to go broody at 21 weeks, after laying for a grand total of three weeks. :/

I just discovered that one of my pullets (almost 6 months) has decided to go broody under the wood pile. She is a CL and has always been shy but I didn't even realize that she was not going into the coop at night. (I must have too many chickens!) She was in the yard this morning when I went out to let the girls out. I watched her run back to the wood pile and scoot under some wood. I have an errand to run and then I'm going to look to see how many eggs she is sitting on. Crazy Rocket Dog!

 

[liz9910]

Quote:
She has been laying somewhere and I can't find her eggs, looked in all the bushes/shrubs. Guess when I get home I'm going to have to search again lol. Silly chickens.

 

[liz9910]

Quote:
Me too, eggs were so beautiful

 

[liz9910]

Sorry about all the separate quotes, BYC does not work right on my work computer LOL! I am going to search my backyard from top to bottom today when I get home from work. Lots of bushes and shrubs she could be hiding in. If she flew over the fence their dog would have killed her, but idk. My run is not covered so they get out. Gonna have to try to attempt that this weekend, what a pain by myself lol. Oh by the way does anyone want a very handsome FBCM cockerel? lol

-Chiqita, I may have to take you up on that EE but I'm way out in Modesto though.

 

[Flowers of Abba]

Ali
MF leghorns are unusual. Yours will lay many oodles of eggs. I mentioned it because people usually want leghorns for eggs. Mine lays 2-3 times a week tops. But my friend who was going to breed them is having a terrible time with her quad. She can't get 6 eggs in 4 days from them.
The orphs I can't help you with. I had a rescued buff orphington who sat on eggs 3x a year. She was rescued for being too broody Lol . they wanted eggs.But of course yYMMV. Dolly used to get chasedoff her nest by pumpkins. They had a thing.

Liz iI'm so sorry!! Mysterious dissapearances leave one feeling so worried. I do have 2 um ee close to pol. They should lay very pretty eggs. I could bring one up to novato next week or see if Mario's traveling around. Doesn't take the pain away but does help with the chicken math. Twin one is a solo girl and would be fine coming on her own.

We are going to the Cupertino area garage sales tomorrow . I'm hoping for some dog runs! Need 3-4 more paneled ones for the master plan!

Ahhhh, Cupertino has great garage sales! I am going to visit family the weekend of the 28th. Perhaps ill score grandbaby stuff;-) or at least I can make a visit to see your handsome turkey again!!!

I've had good luck with cat litter boxes (new of course) as nests. When they go broody, I move the whole thing and they don't seem to mind. 

That's brilliant! I recently swapped out the cat igloo for a couple if large storage totes ( my 4 cats are crazy kickers) which fit better under the stairs AND are deep enough to stop the litter. Ill now have to grab some extra for future broodies.

My grand plan to pick up olandsk from deann has been delayed for a few weeks:-((( I'm going to have to occupy myself with throwing some quail eggs in the mini!

Chiquita! Two blonde quail were running circles in the mini when I came home! I'm freaking out at how adorable they are. What are they.. Italian or manchurian? I forgot what you said . In my defense it was David's naptime and I had to scram!

 

[Ali707]

Hope you are almost in Ali. What did you decided to do re the coop and co?

We have found a little white egg every day but one in the pullet coop. I keep hoping I will see some color but now Iwill devote my energy to hoping you get an egg. Your girls are the same age as mine so it should be soon...then your orps will go broody hahahaha

I won't be all moved until next weekend. I am almost hoping they don't start laying until after this whole move thing. I know they will be stressed. Heck I know I am. lol

I haven't decided what exactly to do about the coop yet. Isn't that sad? My nephew needed some work, so he is going to Home Depot for me today to get some wood for the other house and my hardware cloth should be delivered today to, so I am going to start enclosing the run part. Ummmm when you ask? Well, I don't know. I was hoping my fairy god mother would appear and then I could live happily ever after.

Does anyone know a good handy man that they would trust to do some simple run construction? I am in the Roseville area.

i hope the missing chicklet reappears!

my two little hatchlings are now 3 days old, and quite a cute little team so far:

i'm afraid i haven't had much time to spare this week to hang out with them, but thankfully the weekend is near!

Just two might be nice to work with. Lots less mess and effort. 26 was a lot when I did it.

Ali
MF leghorns are unusual. Yours will lay many oodles of eggs. I mentioned it because people usually want leghorns for eggs. Mine lays 2-3 times a week tops. But my friend who was going to breed them is having a terrible time with her quad. She can't get 6 eggs in 4 days from them.
The orphs I can't help you with. I had a rescued buff orphington who sat on eggs 3x a year. She was rescued for being too broody Lol . they wanted eggs.But of course yYMMV. Dolly used to get chasedoff her nest by pumpkins. They had a thing.

Liz iI'm so sorry!! Mysterious dissapearances leave one feeling so worried. I do have 2 um ee close to pol. They should lay very pretty eggs. I could bring one up to novato next week or see if Mario's traveling around. Doesn't take the pain away but does help with the chicken math. Twin one is a solo girl and would be fine coming on her own.

We are going to the Cupertino area garage sales tomorrow . I'm hoping for some dog runs! Need 3-4 more paneled ones for the master plan!

Well when I got the MFL's I did know they weren't as good a layer as the white, but not as low as 2-3 a week or less. I was thinking 3-4. More of an average layer. I will be interested to see now what I get.

I guess I don't have to worry about having too many chickens and too many eggs for just my daughter and myself if I have broody Orps and slacker egg layers.

Hmmmm 3 Polish not know for being prolific egg layers, 3 Orps, 2 MFL's and 2 Wheaten Ameraucanas which can also be broody, 2 Welsummers, and 1 Splash Barnevelder. Did I just read that someone said Barnevelders can be broody too?

 

[Ali707]

http://www.helensbest.com/files/2013/09/PoultryProducerFieldDayFlyer812.pdf

Well this is interesting. Too bad I don't live in Fairfield any more. I would have gone just to see what was up.