Checking-In On Peeps - Post Here To Say Hello!

[PaulOlson68]

We have such a vibrant community here at BYC... tons of active friendly members. Of course, life gets busy, so I was thinking it would be fun to start a thread welcoming some of our peeps we haven't heard from in a while.

If that's you, come say hello and let us know what you've been up to.

(if that's not you, feel free to invite peeps you haven't seen in a while and say hi to those that post here)

Hi There,

Thanks for reaching out. Yes, like many here, life has gotten busy and we are running round like... LOL

I have 25 hens that are coming up on two years old and laying for a year and a half. We have been having lots of fun but this past winter and spring has been hard with all the rain. I definitely didn't prep my run well enough for THAT much rain. So I am having to figure things out.

The moult was hard as well. I have not gotten back to full laying ability with my girls yet. I was used to getting 22-24 eggs a day and now I range from 12-17 on average. So something happened. The eggs themselves are HUGE and I had an issue with them laying all in the same box and eggs getting broken and then them eating them. So I have put golf balls in some of the other 9 nesting boxes to see if that will help. I am also collecting eggs twice a day instead of just at the end of the day. They seem healthy and happy so that is good. I am still having fun if I can get the drainage issue solved.

Thanks for allowing me to give an update!

 

[ronott1]

Doing great starting a silkie crew and its allot of fun. Thanks for checking in.

Nice to hear from you!

Enjoy the new silkie crew.

 

[ronott1]

Hi, I'm back today! My family and I have been quite busy, and now we have new pet birds. I probably won't be here a lot, but I'll try to be on here sometimes.
Thank you for checking in, by the way!

Thanks for the update!

I hope you can get some rest from the business.

 

[ronott1]

good layer feed check
fresh water check

how do i look for parasites?

There is a section on parasites in this article:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/getting-your-chickens-to-lay-eggs.77464/reviews

look for worms in poo and treat if you see them
Mites can be seen at night around the vent
Lice are on the body.

Look for articles on how to treat them if you see them. Sometimes it can be a challenge getting treatments in other countries though.

 

[MixedFlock23]

Hello all!
It’s been a year since I last commented/posted! I just randomly logged on today to see if I had any messages and I did! Thanks, Nifty!

It’s been quite the year! We got a puppy and worked with a trainer in May (even brought in a few chickens!) to help her learn chickens aren’t for playing with (she’s got zero prey drive, just wants to play with all living things!).

Hired a wonderful Amish crew to build an addition onto our home. I’m slowly finishing the inside. (They built “the shell” only.)

Found out we were expecting a baby in August! (Construction halted at this point) We have 7 babies in heaven (early miscarriages) and two grade school kids. Healthy baby is over a month old now!

The chicken update: Flew to Europe to visit family there (@20 weeks pregnant) and my eldest child “forgot” to collect eggs… we now have three new silkies. Bringing our chicken count to just over two dozen.

Question 1: Is it normal for a roo to only mate with one hen?! This is the second time eggs were “forgotten” and only silkies were hatched! No other eggs are ever fertile. We only have two silkies in that coop/run of 15 chickens. Our only Roo is a silkie. He is with one other silkie (hen, his age). He is also with two other bantam hens (Brahma & Cochin) and a dozen medium to large size breeds (leghorn, Spitzhauben, Maran, Wyandotte, etc.) He is the only roo we have had for over a year (other than his male offspring who need a new home!). His ladies range from age 8 to not quite 2. He will be 3 this month.

Question 2: It is possible to let a broody raise chicks in the coop alongside all other chickens, correct? We don’t free range but the run is large (50+ sq ft per bird), no fighting or issues… yet both times I’ve let chicks hatch in nest boxes, the chicks only lived a day or less. We witnessed the first broody (years ago) peck her chick in the head and it died instantly (traumatic for us all!). She was still in the coop with the rest. Is it too much stress to raise chicks “in public”? Normally I separate broodies and eggs by putting them in the shed just outside the run, and it’s always worked out well. But currently I don’t have the time or mental energy to make up a separate broody/chick area, so I let this new momma hatch in the coop. One chick (dry & fluffy) was found dead outside the nest box one morning (I didn’t even know it hatched.) Second chick was warm & fluffy under broody momma by that night… and was dead next to broody momma the following morning. One egg remains. This new momma has never been a momma before. She’s a bantam Cochin, almost 2 years old.
I gave the last egg to another broody and am hoping she’s a better mom. But perhaps another hen is the killer.

Question 3: Anyone in/near/passing through southern Illinois want two male silkies?? They’ll be five months old on May 4th.

Pics attached

 

[ronott1]

Hello all!
It’s been a year since I last commented/posted! I just randomly logged on today to see if I had any messages and I did! Thanks, Nifty!

It’s been quite the year! We got a puppy and worked with a trainer in May (even brought in a few chickens!) to help her learn chickens aren’t for playing with (she’s got zero prey drive, just wants to play with all living things!).

Hired a wonderful Amish crew to build an addition onto our home. I’m slowly finishing the inside. (They built “the shell” only.)

Found out we were expecting a baby in August! (Construction halted at this point) We have 7 babies in heaven (early miscarriages) and two grade school kids. Healthy baby is over a month old now!

The chicken update: Flew to Europe to visit family there (@20 weeks pregnant) and my eldest child “forgot” to collect eggs… we now have three new silkies. Bringing our chicken count to just over two dozen.

Question 1: Is it normal for a roo to only mate with one hen?! This is the second time eggs were “forgotten” and only silkies were hatched! No other eggs are ever fertile. We only have two silkies in that coop/run of 15 chickens. Our only Roo is a silkie. He is with one other silkie (hen, his age). He is also with two other bantam hens (Brahma & Cochin) and a dozen medium to large size breeds (leghorn, Spitzhauben, Maran, Wyandotte, etc.) He is the only roo we have had for over a year (other than his male offspring who need a new home!). His ladies range from age 8 to not quite 2. He will be 3 this month.

Question 2: It is possible to let a broody raise chicks in the coop alongside all other chickens, correct? We don’t free range but the run is large (50+ sq ft per bird), no fighting or issues… yet both times I’ve let chicks hatch in nest boxes, the chicks only lived a day or less. We witnessed the first broody (years ago) peck her chick in the head and it died instantly (traumatic for us all!). She was still in the coop with the rest. Is it too much stress to raise chicks “in public”? Normally I separate broodies and eggs by putting them in the shed just outside the run, and it’s always worked out well. But currently I don’t have the time or mental energy to make up a separate broody/chick area, so I let this new momma hatch in the coop. One chick (dry & fluffy) was found dead outside the nest box one morning (I didn’t even know it hatched.) Second chick was warm & fluffy under broody momma by that night… and was dead next to broody momma the following morning. One egg remains. This new momma has never been a momma before. She’s a bantam Cochin, almost 2 years old.
I gave the last egg to another broody and am hoping she’s a better mom. But perhaps another hen is the killer.

Question 3: Anyone in/near/passing through southern Illinois want two male silkies?? They’ll be five months old on May 4th.

Pics attached

This is a fantastic update!

Separate the rooster for a week from the flock and see if he starts mating the others. If not, separate the favorite hen for a week. That should help reset the situation.

You can usually brood with them together, but watch them!

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Hello! Everything is going well, i have a broody goose that I’m hopefully going to get babies from. My chickens are doing good, pretty spoiled. Well other than the broody goose in their coop.

Congratulations on the broody goose! You'll have to post photos of her babies when they come out. Hope all goes well!

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

I decided to add 20 new ones easter eggers, leg bars, and a few chocolate layers in January. They came mail order and all survived (until a hawk got one of them). I also had a rooster mixed in. I am new to having a rooster in the flock. He is an Easter egger rooster. Handsome fellow. I hope he fights off the hawk and doesn't cause any trouble. I had to kick out last years girls into the big coop with the older girls and that ended up working fairly well. Now I have two separate flocks kind of getting to know each other. I am looking forward to adding some green blue and chocolate eggs to my mix.View attachment 3812194

Your rooster is gorgeous! I hope he protects your flock from the hawk. Hope you enjoy your colored eggs! I love having a bunch of egg colors in my flock, it really makes it more interesting and fun.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Doing good here. Looking forward to spring and warmer weather

Thanks for stopping by! Glad you're doing well.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Hi, my 4 girls are doing great so far. We are coming into year 3 with not many issues. I have 4 more chicks that I have in a brooder and will be integrating into the run in a few weeks.

Hey! Glad things are going well for you. If you have any questions feel free to ask!