California - Northern

[ronott1]

I do the fodder feeders & sprouted oats but don't even know what BOSS is.

BOSS is Black oil sunflower Seeds.

Costco has a bird seed mix that has BOSS, Millet and stuff in it. I give my Layers 16 ounces of it each evening instead of scratch.

It helps them stay lubricated for egg laying. I do not know if it makes the eggs bigger. The eggs are very nice though.

 

[PetRock]

BOSS is Black oil sunflower Seeds.

Costco has a bird seed mix that has BOSS, Millet and stuff in it. I give my Layers 16 ounces of it each evening instead of scratch.

It helps them stay lubricated for egg laying. I do not know if it makes the eggs bigger. The eggs are very nice though.

I buy the same bird seed mix from Costco. But I sprout mine for 3-4 days then feed it to my flock.

Karen, We are not coming to the show today.

I have taken over teaching the middle school/high school physical science course at Monet's co-op and need to finish preparing for class tomorrow. Have fun!

 

[Audio51]

I had a bit of a scare tonight... I'd had my older daughter check to see if all the chickens were in, and close the doors if they were. She came back in and reported that not everyone was in. I didn't worry about it, because it was still pretty light out, and the missing one was probably on her way. I went out to count heads after dusk, and there were only 4. I grabbed a flashlight, and looked all over the yard--under the shed, under and in the big cedar, and so on and so forth. I even tried to enlist the dog, not that that was any help

I was just remembering that I'd heard a bunch of excited barking earlier, that I'd identified as being in the neighbor's yard, when I spotted a closed plastic bin (the type with flaps). I'd already looked in all the logical places twice, so I figured, why not? Good thing, too, because that's where Quiche was. Turns out my younger daughter had put her in there, for which she said she was sorry. I'm just glad I found Quiche before anything else did!

Glad you found her!
Oh! I missed this earlier! I'm so glad you found her too!!!! Kids do stuff and you can't really be mad. My Grandaughter, Sydney (who is 4 now) really enjoyed looking at my canary pairs raising young . She was over with her Mom & Dad for St Patrick's Day dinner when she was about 2. We noticed she had disappeared for a bit and her Mom found her in the bird room with a net in hand. She said she was trying to catch a bird. We figured she was just pretending. But later her Dad went in to use the computer. He head a bird fluttering around near the closed and turned to look. He saw the male canary flying around in the closet and then looked to see where he gotten out and saw the mother canary laying dead on the floor of the cage. Fortunately the three 1- week old chicks in the nest were unharmed and Dad was able to finish raising them alone. Sydney was only 2 and no concept of death or what she has done. Of course I was upset, but couldn't really be mad at her. (but was a bit with my daughter fro not watching her more closely). Sydney was told she had to have a grownup with her when she went in the bird room and she has respected that since....but I do have a lock on the door now that is secured when she is over. I will discontinue that practice in another year or so....

 

[sewandgrow]

I like the dark coppery ones! I think they'd be a nice addition. Recently saw a photo of the uber dark Empendesca's (I can't say it or spell it so just assume you know what chicken I'm talking about). I think I'll need one of those some day too!

We have a guy right here on this thread with them. Maybe he will come to the party in May & we can talk him into sharing hatching eggs???????

Try giving her a small piece of bread with a drop of Vit D from a gelcap. It helped my hen with the same problem. I did it for several days in a row and she started laying good shells 10 days later. Watching to see if she has the same trouble this spring.

What an interesting bit of new to me information. I talk vitamin D3 regularly in gel capsules.

I have 3 Wellie hens that just passed the 1 yr mark.. 2 lay darker eggs and 2 are bigger with yellow legs which is good. I'm just not sure if the ones laying the dark eggs are the ones with the yellow legs. I need to catch them in the act of laying so I'll know. They are big eggs for the size of bird that they are. I have an OE (FBCM/AM mix) who lays a dark brown egg that is only slightly darker than my darkest Wellie egg. I am getting 12 FBCM eggs from Chickengirl1304 to hatch in the Easter Hatch Along to add another dark egg layer to the flock. I think that I need some Empendescas, too!

I have that same problem of not knowing who is laying what.....LOL I keep saying I need to start singling them out in a small group at a time & by process of elimination figure out which hen lays which egg & then band them so I know.

Where would I get that locally, without having to wait for mailorder?

Try Stanislaus Farm Supply Wendy. If they don't have it maybe they would know where.......Volkman's Seed Factory in Keyes might know too but they have a $200 minimum order but with a couple other people that wouldn't be hard to meet.

 

[Audio51]

Quote: Congrats!

-Kathy

Thanks, Kathy! I have the webcam on the chicks in the 'bator now. The person I hatched them for should be up to pick them up this afternoon, but I will move them to a brooder after lunch with food/water. The oldest one hatched on Friday

 

[BCollie]

Has anyone ever had a hen that changed her egg color? One of my Light Brahmas used to lay a medium-dark egg with spots, but one day her eggs changed to a light brown with no spots.

 

[ronott1]

Has anyone ever had a hen that changed her egg color? One of my Light Brahmas used to lay a medium-dark egg with spots, but one day her eggs changed to a light brown with no spots.

Yes!

The egg will be darker when the next laying cycle starts. That usually happens in the Fall after they molt. The Brown color fades during the laying cycle. It happens quickly with some Breeds.

 

[sewandgrow]

Warning! Be prepared for cuteness overload! Here are some pics of my last hatch!

Pita Pintas (Ron, have you ever noticed that some of the chicks are yellow with black and some are white with black? It is very noticeable with this group of chicks.)




Pita Pinta/Cream Legbar mixes hatched from blue eggs



Black Langshans

Splendid Debi...........

Thank you everyone for your help with my sick rooster, unfortunately he died this morning

so sad.

I'm sorry Liz....

I get my forage blend from groworganic.com. They are here in N CA so it gets to me quickly. That reminds me, I need to order more of it!

http://www.groworganic.com/omega-3-chicken-forage-blend-irrigated.html

After George & Debi brought a greens growing tray for the raffle at a chicken party (I didn't win it) but I did copy it & ordered that mix. It is a nice assortment & the chickens loved it.

A few more pics of my almost 3 week old chicks.

Can you say Bresse boy?! The blue is a Langshan and the black and white are the Pita Pinta/Cream Legbar crosses.

Blue Langshan, black Langshan boy, Pita Pinta/Cream Legbar cross, splash Langshan, blue Langshan


And my 6 week old chicks (blue Pita Pinta/Langshan crosses, Bresse, and 1 RIR boy who still doesn't have feathers on his back or tail). You can sure tell the boys from the girls at this age!

I officially have chick envy now...........Hopefully some of mine will hatch this week.

Oh that is very sad! Send him in to UCDavis if you can. Sometimes it is just so nice to have closure and find out that it wasn't anything you could change.

Liz there is a UC Davis lab here in Turlock on the corner of Fulkerth & Soderquist net to the Stanislaus County fair property.

 

[chiqita]

It's also used in birds. I give it orally, but I believe it's also given by IM or SC injection, not sure abour IV injection. As for the pills, grab bird, open beak insert pill, massage pills down into crop.

-Kathy

You make that sound so simple. I think its funny I find shofs easier.

hi you guys   what is the website for Chickengirl in Dunsmuir?  There is someone looking for a couple of breeds she has.

Opps too late.

We gave the ducks a bitty pan of water to play with outside .
Mario has video.

 

[sewandgrow]

I've been thinking the same thing. I need one that's black for lighter colored chicks and one that is a lighter color for the black chicks. I have a couple pieces of medium blue fabric that I have also used but not sure where I put them after I finished hatching last year. A box would be really nice because I wouldn't have to have Monet monitoring the edges. There is always at least one chick that wants to run full speed towards certain doom! I guess that I could put the boards on the floor and lie down on the floor like Ron did.

Ray built one out of PVC parts, not glued so you can put different fabrics on it. I sewed sleeves at the end of fabric pieces that slide over the PVC & drape down. Easy & inexpensive

That thought went through my mind but I decided not to claim it! I am not old, I am not old, I am not old.....

I am old, I am old, I am old........................I guess it is true you are only as old as you feel.....LOL

BOSS is Black oil sunflower Seeds.

Costco has a bird seed mix that has BOSS, Millet and stuff in it. I give my Layers 16 ounces of it each evening instead of scratch.

It helps them stay lubricated for egg laying. I do not know if it makes the eggs bigger. The eggs are very nice though.

oh Boy, I have to try this now. I will get some at Tractor Supply .

I buy the same bird seed mix from Costco. But I sprout mine for 3-4 days then feed it to my flock.

Karen, We are not coming to the show today.

I have taken over teaching the middle school/high school physical science course at Monet's co-op and need to finish preparing for class tomorrow. Have fun!

Julie should be here anytime to pick me up for the show. We are meeting up with Dyann & are going to go out & eat.

I am a regular Costco customer. It is so close to my house. I will get some of the birdseed to sprout next time I go.