Colorado

[wsmith]

We tried pellets with our girls too and they went on a two week hunger strike. We started putting them through the blender after the first week. Still no dice. Crumble only now. Who knew hens could be so picky.

I would prefer 18% all flock, and it's what I will buy this weekend. Mine I suppose have found out that they must eat what is there, or they will be hungry. They eat the pellets just fine, and there isn't as much fine dust, so I think it's actually a better value. Just my opinion. Lots going on at work today, go to KSL.com and read all about it.......

 

[gardendufus]

Of course If I was already in the Pueblo area, say attending a BBQ at Joe's place, then I could stop on the way and save money.......

Ya know I also thought it was too expensive to go to Pueblo for feed. I always like to do several things and multitask if I have to travel a significant distance for something like feed.

I could make 2 deviled (small) eggs to contribute.

 

[gardendufus]

Let me start out by saying for some reason my letter "o" doesn't want to work, so if you see some weird spelling, try inserting an "o" somewhere and see if it makes sense then.

So, here's today's egg story:

I went to the ARC today to get some sheets for the never ending shade problem. Came back about 11:00. Walked by the open patio side of the egg laying spot and noticed one of my Barred Rocks (Meanie) laying in the hole that I found the egg in. Decided to settle in for the duration, so got my camera, some iced tea and my ebook and settled in. Well, that seemed to interrupt the process. She eventually came back to her hole and proceeded to dig it out more. This is NOT dust hole digging. I've seen that. She never laid down once. She was simply digging deeper, clearing out the rocks and pebbles. She'd dig awhile, then something would catch her attention and she'd wander off. One of the younger pullets would go over, decide it was a nice dust bath area, and proceed to ruin the hole, caving in the nice high sides she had constructed. She'd come back, wait for them to leave and then start the whole process over again. This routine went on 3 or 4 times. I had already checked the coop, knew there was no egg in there.

I thought they were supposed to want some privacy to lay an egg. All 6 pullets in the shady area, didn't seem to bother her at all. BUT, it was obvious I bothered her. Not my problem and I didn't want her laying there anyway. Next thing I know, 2:15 and Both the Barred Rocks and the 2 Welsummers disappear. The Astralorp and GLW stay in the comfy shady area. 2:30 I hear a poor attempt at an egg song and 3 minutes later all 4 missing birds come strutting from around the front of the coop and settle into the shade.

I check the coop and sure enough there's an egg in the nest box. In a newly dug nest (nest #1 still there all neat, tidy and empty). So, the egg layer is one of my barred rocks. the Wellies are too young I think. But anyway, they all (most of them) went in for the show? Egg #2 a little larger than egg #1. We're getting there.

 

[gardendufus]

Mine I suppose have found out that they must eat what is there, or they will be hungry. They eat the pellets just fine, and there isn't as much fine dust, so I think it's actually a better value. Just my opinion.

Boy am I glad to hear you say this. It's always been my attitude with kids and pets. I used to get so frustrated with a friend who would fry hamburger every evening for her spoiled rotten dog because she just wouldn't eat anything else. I'm a believer in that when they get hungry enough they'd eat anything.

I went to BigR Sat and since they were having their 15% off sale, and I am almost out of chick crumbles, picked up some 18% all flock pellets. I have heard lots of people say their birds don't like them, but true to my nature I decided, tough, they'll eat it when they get hungry enough. The earlier part of this thread made me start thinking I was expecting too much of some stupid chickens to actually eat when they got hungry.

 

[mynamesjenelle]

I would prefer 18% all flock, and it's what I will buy this weekend. Mine I suppose have found out that they must eat what is there, or they will be hungry. They eat the pellets just fine, and there isn't as much fine dust, so I think it's actually a better value. Just my opinion. Lots going on at work today, go to KSL.com and read all about it.......

That's how I feel about it as well. We switched to all-flock a couple weeks ago. Their run is already just dirt and rocks (and a million feathers) so if they are hungry they will have the pellets. My girls actually seem to like the pellets a lot more than the crumbles and the little clacking beak-on-pellet sounds crack me up. Somewhere on this forum I read that "You will never see a starving chicken next to a bowl full of food it doesn't like."

I check the coop and sure enough there's an egg in the nest box.  In a newly dug nest (nest #1 still there all neat, tidy and empty).  So, the egg layer is one of my barred rocks.  the Wellies are too young I think.  But anyway, they all (most of them) went in for the show?  Egg #2 a little larger than egg #1.  We're getting there.

Yay! Maybe the younger ones are watching to learn how it's done?

 

[gardendufus]

Somewhere on this forum I read that "You will never see a starving chicken next to a bowl full of food it doesn't like."

That would be on the Old Timers thread, the only other thread on this site that I subscribe to. And that would be Walt (I think fowlman01, but fowlman something).

 

[wsmith]

So, in order to relax and forget work for a while, we reorganized the pens today. All of the chickens we are keeping, plus the turkeys are now in pen 2, and the ones available and or to be butchered, whatever the case may be are in pen 1. A little drama in the pens, but nothing major.

 

[TracieJS]

Hi All
I am new to the chicken world (Colorado Springs) and have spent every evening for months reading up. Thank you for all the great info!

We started w a science project chick and raised Midnight as a pet. We now have a coop, run and bought 4 new chicks (3 black austerlops and 1 ancona) to keep Midnight company . Well our 4 new ones are tiny (not bantam) and they are the same age as Midnight (8 weeks) Well I posted a pic here on the what breed forum and found out Midnight is really a he -- no wonder he is 3 times the size of our new hens. He will be going to a friends farm. he is so sweet, he will jump up in your lap and go to sleep. Sorry for the long narrative but I do have a question, now that we are down to 4 girls (and they are so small) I am thinking of picking up a couple more. The coop is plenty big as we thought they would all be as big as midnight. Am I too late in the season? Should I wait until next year? Does anyone have juveniles available ( Easter egger, rhode island red, Americana, (winter hardy, good layer, not black - my husband thinks they look like crows ). Or perhaps you know or could recommend a breeder/hatchery/etc???

If you think I should wait then I think I will need a light to add some heat in the coop. What temperature should I try and keep the coop. What temps are best?

So much to learn but I love them!!
Thanks.

 

[wsmith]

Hi All
I am new to the chicken world (Colorado Springs) and have spent every evening for months reading up. Thank you for all the great info!
We started w a science project chick and raised Midnight as a pet. We now have a coop, run and bought 4 new chicks (3 black austerlops and 1 ancona) to keep Midnight company

. Well our 4 new ones are tiny (not bantam) and they are the same age as Midnight (8 weeks) Well I posted a pic here on the what breed forum and found out Midnight is really a he -- no wonder he is 3 times the size of our new hens. He will be going to a friends farm.

he is so sweet, he will jump up in your lap and go to sleep. Sorry for the long narrative but I do have a question, now that we are down to 4 girls (and they are so small) I am thinking of picking up a couple more. The coop is plenty big as we thought they would all be as big as midnight. Am I too late in the season? Should I wait until next year? Does anyone have juveniles available ( Easter egger, rhode island red, Americana, (winter hardy, good layer, not black - my husband thinks they look like crows

). Or perhaps you know or could recommend a breeder/hatchery/etc???
If you think I should wait then I think I will need a light to add some heat in the coop. What temperature should I try and keep the coop. What temps are best?
So much to learn but I love them!!
Thanks.

Welcome to BYC and the Colorado Thread!
I may have a couple of Dominique pullets available. they are currently 10 weeks old.

 

[gardendufus]

I've even tried the 'tried and true' method which is putting the eggs in during a hard boil and no luck. sigh.

The one where you boil them for a solid 15 minutes? Dang and I had this bookmarked for future reference. Maybe it has something to do with our altitude.