California - Northern

[tls_ranch]

Yay! I'm getting eggs again I have at least four laying. Three started up today I'm very happy, because I wanted to hatch some eggs for my daughters birthday the end of January. If I can get at least a dozen nice ones saved up ( its hard not to eat them for breakfast, LOL), then it will be worth starting up the bator.

 

[Happy Chooks]

As the winter solstice is today I wanted to give props to these girls who have been my best winter layers.

Cass...my homebred version of a red star 6-7 dark reddish brown a week from her



And Blanche. Can always count on that HUGE bright white egg from her 5-6 days a week


The rest of my 2014 girls hatched too late in the year to be laying yet...at least that's the story they are telling me. Excited that I will have early hatches this year. I have had to get eggs from a friend for the last 2 months or so.

Gotta love great layers! And the days getting longer!

Yay! I'm getting eggs again I have at least four laying. Three started up today I'm very happy, because I wanted to hatch some eggs for my daughters birthday the end of January. If I can get at least a dozen nice ones saved up ( its hard not to eat them for breakfast, LOL), then it will be worth starting up the bator.

Nice eggs! I have a Barnevelder pullet that started laying, but her egg is pale. (bummer) I'm finally getting some hens laying again post molt, but not the Barnevelder hens yet.

 

[chrissyr]

As the winter solstice is today I wanted to give props to these girls who have been my best winter layers. Cass...my homebred version of a red star 6-7 dark reddish brown a week from her And Blanche. Can always count on that HUGE bright white egg from her 5-6 days a week The rest of my 2014 girls hatched too late in the year to be laying yet...at least that's the story they are telling me. Excited that I will have early hatches this year. I have had to get eggs from a friend for the last 2 months or so.

pretty girls! Hopefully they'll all kick into gear soon

 

[tommysgirl]

From everything I read on the bantam Cochin thread. The frizzle gene is dominate and breeding 2 frizzles results in a "frazzle", who will have very bad problems with breaking feathers.

Thanks that is what I have learned too but if the mama is smooth but carries the gene it is OK right?

Gotta love great layers! And the days getting longer!

Yep!

pretty girls!
Hopefully they'll all kick into gear soon

Thanks, Cass's mama is on of Kim's Line o Dels.

Hope we all have overflowing egg baskets soon!

 

[Kaylish]

Thanks that is what I have learned too but if the mama is smooth but carries the gene it is OK right? - Should be ok.


Hope we all have overflowing egg baskets soon! x2!

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Quote:
Thanks! I couldn't remember seeing any articles anywhere that covered everything in one place, so I thought I'd take a swing at it somewhere where someone not looking specifically for chicken info could stumble upon it (the only chicken articles there previously were recipes, except for the one talking about General Robert E. Lee's chicken).

In the Peer Review conversation for my article, I was given this link that you guys will probably enjoy as much as I did: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...on-avian-flu-locavore-turkey-ngfood-booktalk/

 

[caychris]

Well with all the wet weather I've had a devil of a time with the dry feeders so I've recently started giving them a mash concoction which they seem to like quite a bit.

Approx 4 cups of King GMO Corn free layer pellets with bout a 1/3 -1/2 gallon of water which I let soak overnight
(takes a while for pellets to dissolve)
I add in a heaping 1/2 tsp of DE
A table spoon of Kelp additive
3 table spoons of Apple Cider vinegar

I have 8 birds which seem to eat about half in the morning and clean up before going to bed.

About 3 times a week I sprinkle some scratch grains on the top of each bowl and occasionally add some meal worms.

I'm wondering if I'm feeding them enough during this winter weather and if I should add anything to the mix. (My Delawares went in to molt here in late November even though they are not even a year old yet)

I've been adding probiotics to their water for the past few days too.

I'm trying to get some sprouted seed things going but i haven't found a good setup for my space yet.

I was going to sprinkle a bit of Chicken Grit with Oyster shell in about once a week.

They are sure missing the summer delights of melon and tomatoes

 

[chiqita]

OK, I cant get it to quote, but don't breed 2 frizzled, and smooth to frizzled is what you want. There is some weirdness with the gene that does not always follow that, but 99% of the time, those rule are good.

 

[ronott1]

Days are getting longer and to celebrate, one of my new Pita Pinta pullets laid her first egg!

OE, Arkansas Blue and Pita Pinta:

 

[Happy Chooks]

Days are getting longer and to celebrate, one of my new Pita Pinta pullets laid her first egg!

OE, Arkansas Blue and Pita Pinta:

Nice eggs!