California - Northern

[ronott1]

I finally got the oyster shell into a feeder they cannot spill and make a mess of and I noticed my Dels actually eating it. I wonder if this is another indication of them reaching POL. They are officially in week 20 now. Its my understanding that Dels can start laying at 20 weeks, Ive read a number of people say that they started right on week 20. Ill just be happy if I get my first egg this month.
They are looking like they are filling out nicely 3 of them have largish combs and wattles. Which is good in the heat apparently. They sure are getting vocal too. If I open the back door but do not visit them I hear it.

Nice job!

Big combs and wattles
squatting for you
ripping up the nest box
going into the nest box and singing the egg song but no eggs

Are all signs that you will have eggs soon.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: Ditto. So sorry you lost her.

 

[Kaylish]

I finally got the oyster shell into a feeder they cannot spill and make a mess of and I noticed my Dels actually eating it. I wonder if this is another indication of them reaching POL. They are officially in week 20 now. Its my understanding that Dels can start laying at 20 weeks, Ive read a number of people say that they started right on week 20. Ill just be happy if I get my first egg this month.
They are looking like they are filling out nicely 3 of them have largish combs and wattles. Which is good in the heat apparently. They sure are getting vocal too. If I open the back door but do not visit them I hear it.

Sounds like you're gonna have eggs soon! Congrats!

 

[lawatt]

i'm home after a week's vacation and now doing some chicken-pen reorganizing -- and i think i've decided which of my five silver campine rooster/cockerels to keep, as only one of the boys has NOT inherited their dad's squirrel tail -- so, he stays. have separated dad & the other boys into a separate pen, and will probably take them down to the local feed store, who takes extra boys...

and discovered a mama fox has made a den underneath the front walkway to my house, and now is raising three little kits. so the chickens are on lockdown, no more free-ranging even with supervision until the babies are grown & dispersed -- but thankfully their pens are proving (once again) to be predator-proof, and the baby foxes are SO cute!

looking out my front door!

 

[ronott1]

i'm home after a week's vacation and now doing some chicken-pen reorganizing -- and i think i've decided which of my five silver campine rooster/cockerels to keep, as only one of the boys has NOT inherited their dad's squirrel tail -- so, he stays. have separated dad & the other boys into a separate pen, and will probably take them down to the local feed store, who takes extra boys...

and discovered a mama fox has made a den underneath the front walkway to my house, and now is raising three little kits. so the chickens are on lockdown, no more free-ranging even with supervision until the babies are grown & dispersed -- but thankfully their pens are proving (once again) to be predator-proof, and the baby foxes are SO cute!

looking out my front door!

Welcome Back!

 

[casportpony]

i'm home after a week's vacation and now doing some chicken-pen reorganizing -- and i think i've decided which of my five silver campine rooster/cockerels to keep, as only one of the boys has NOT inherited their dad's squirrel tail -- so, he stays. have separated dad & the other boys into a separate pen, and will probably take them down to the local feed store, who takes extra boys...

and discovered a mama fox has made a den underneath the front walkway to my house, and now is raising three little kits. so the chickens are on lockdown, no more free-ranging even with supervision until the babies are grown & dispersed -- but thankfully their pens are proving (once again) to be predator-proof, and the baby foxes are SO cute!

looking out my front door!

Wow, how cool is that? Nice that you are willing to tolerate them living so close to your chickens.

-Kathy

 

[lawatt]

Wow, how cool is that? Nice that you are willing to tolerate them living so close to your chickens.

-Kathy

well, i don't have a whole lot of choice in the matter, at this point -- and the chickens are safe in their pens. they are grumpy about not being able to free-range, though!

hopefully once the kits are grown & they disperse, the chickens will be able to go out again, with supervision -- but i live on top of a mountain, next to a nature preserve, so there are always going to be predators around... might as well learn to live with them.

 

[msw1208]

i'm home after a week's vacation and now doing some chicken-pen reorganizing -- and i think i've decided which of my five silver campine rooster/cockerels to keep, as only one of the boys has NOT inherited their dad's squirrel tail -- so, he stays. have separated dad & the other boys into a separate pen, and will probably take them down to the local feed store, who takes extra boys...

and discovered a mama fox has made a den underneath the front walkway to my house, and now is raising three little kits. so the chickens are on lockdown, no more free-ranging even with supervision until the babies are grown & dispersed -- but thankfully their pens are proving (once again) to be predator-proof, and the baby foxes are SO cute!






Oh my! Those guys are adorable!
Glad you are able to keep your chickens safe!

 

[lawatt]

a couple of better pictures, as the babies were just out romping around again -- these pictures were taken through my front door:

there are FOUR of them, and possibly a fifth -- either that or a young adult who's helping to raise them (not the same as Mama, who's bigger)


so frickin' cute!!!!!!

 

[debs_flock]

Laura, I LOVE them! I might even be willing to raise a few chicken dinners for them.

On my recent trip to the UK, I was feeding the red foxes all the time. We had an infra-red game cam set up and I could watch from inside the flat to see them come in to feed in the woods behind the garden. Their absolute favorite, salmon skin & leftover leg of lamb. I could just hear them coming across it in the woods,............"wow, a fish here in the woods"..........or............"look, a lamb with garlic and mint sauce!"