Colorado

[coloradogal]

That's great! It's so nice when they can let themselves in and out. Then you can just relax and watch them.
I've got a question for everyone. This morning our youngest pullet, maybe 13-14 weeks old, was singing a LOUD egg song! We searched all over for an egg and found nothing, but just in case we uncovered the nest boxes and filled them with duff. Does the song mean eggs? She has gotten pretty big lately, but not 'wide' in the hips like the older girls. Her face and comb are still yellow too. I expected it to be one of the other girls singing when we heard it but it was definitely her, just strutting around singing her little heart out. The others were standing around petrified because they had never heard it before

No other egg-type behaviors except this song, except pink faces on most of the girls and the light brahma doing a pseudo-squat the other day. We're out of eggs so maybe she is just waiting for us to go buy some...

13/14 weeks is a little young for most pullets to be laying although production reds/blacks and egyptian fayoumis reach maturity at about 14 weeks old. I dare ask the questions but are you sure it's a little girl and not a little boy just starting to mature? That's about the time when most roos start practicing. Light brahmas reach maturity a little later then most and I didn't even know my 'girl' was a boy until he was 8 months old. Even then I was in denial and he was quite content foraging with the rest of the girls. What breed do you have?

I bookmarked this page when I first had my girls. I'm glad I didn't get rid of it.

http://www.chickenkeeper.co.uk/support-and-advice/my-chicken-isnt-laying.php

 

[mynamesjenelle]

13/14 weeks is a little young for most pullets to be laying although production reds/blacks and egyptian fayoumis reach maturity at about 14 weeks old.  I dare ask the questions but are you sure it's a little girl and not a little boy just starting to mature?  That's about the time when most roos start practicing.   Light brahmas reach maturity a little later then most and I didn't even know my 'girl' was a boy until he was 8 months old.  Even then I was in denial and he was quite content foraging with the rest of the girls.    What breed do you have?

I bookmarked this page when I first had my girls.  I'm glad I didn't get rid of it.

http://www.chickenkeeper.co.uk/support-and-advice/my-chicken-isnt-laying.php

Thank you for the help. That page is good reading - I'll go test her vent today. I should have put in the breed first I guess, she's a barred rock. I'm pretty sure she is a girl since she still doesn't have any redness or wattles, and she's definitely not top of the pecking order. We only knew it was an egg song from video clips. I've heard young cockerels practicing before (like rusty bike chains) and this didn't sound like that. I could have recorded it but I didn't even think of that. It sounded like this video exactly:

 

[kmatt87]

grrr!!! Went in the shed to put some things away and saw 4 juvenile mice in a bag of grass seed! I grabbed the bag and caught 3 of them in there. I just toss it all it the trash and put the lid on. I know there is at least 1 more juvenile and at least 1 adult! UGH!!!! What a giant pain in the butt!

 

[ShysCreations]

FYI--an upcoming swap in Denver this Saturday. Will have a few more silkies (M & F), a bantam cochin pullet and a blackstar chick.
BTW--anyone in CO raise Silver Laced Bantam cochins?

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Awesome! Sooo going to try and get to that one.

 

[wsmith]

Well the squatty pullet didn't make it. Mayah was going to take her, but while she was here, the pullet started drooling and acting very lethargic. We separated her from the rest, and by time we got back out to cull her she had died. Her spine was not growing, and her insides were. Didn't work out for her.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Well the squatty pullet didn't make it. Mayah was going to take her, but while she was here, the pullet started drooling and acting very lethargic. We separated her from the rest, and by time we got back out to cull her she had died. Her spine was not growing, and her insides were. Didn't work out for her.

. g:

 

[ONSTAD1]

Sorry Wendell.

On another topic... anyone use Sweet PDZ? Curious as to thoughts on why or why not?

Going to go buy a bag of DE tomorrow after work.


Mo

 

[dennarahl]

13/14 weeks is a little young for most pullets to be laying although production reds/blacks and egyptian fayoumis reach maturity at about 14 weeks old.  I dare ask the questions but are you sure it's a little girl and not a little boy just starting to mature?  That's about the time when most roos start practicing.   Light brahmas reach maturity a little later then most and I didn't even know my 'girl' was a boy until he was 8 months old.  Even then I was in denial and he was quite content foraging with the rest of the girls.    What breed do you have?

I bookmarked this page when I first had my girls.  I'm glad I didn't get rid of it.

http://www.chickenkeeper.co.uk/support-and-advice/my-chicken-isnt-laying.php

That's a great link. I'll have to go check the pelvic bones of my little girls now.

 

[dennarahl]

Well the squatty pullet didn't make it. Mayah was going to take her, but while she was here, the pullet started drooling and acting very lethargic. We separated her from the rest, and by time we got back out to cull her she had died. Her spine was not growing, and her insides were. Didn't work out for her.

Aw, that's so sad. Sorry to hear that.