Colorado

[wsmith]

We're getting fertile eggs now, pretty sure Marans roo is doing all the work. Most of the eggs are from our Hamburg and dark Brahma, though our welsummer just plopped one out in front of us earlier today.
Anyone know how quickly the eggs become unviable when it's this cold?

What I have been told is that is the egg gets below 45 F or so, it become unviable. I haven't run any tests to check this though.

 

[Doubleyolker]

I would keep records how long and how cold. How long and how you warm them. Record hatch rate and any interesting trends you see. Then report back to us ?

 

[Doubleyolker]

My girls started laying a week ago and going to get layer ration today. Any feedback on pellets vs. Crumbles? I sill have a bit of grower to change them over. If If I do pellets how do you switch them over? Thanks for your time in advance. We have 6 two are laying

 

[suncatcher]

But just go slow enough so that they fall asleep first. I use my soda stream.

Now that is interesting! Looks like the set up I found with the Vinegar and Baking Soda. Yes, said to add it slowly, as you want them to go to sleep first.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

My girls started laying a week ago and going to get layer ration today. Any feedback on pellets vs. Crumbles? I sill have a bit of grower to change them over. If If I do pellets how do you switch them over? Thanks for your time in advance. We have 6 two are laying

Mine refused to eat pellets but they waste crumble like crazy. I'd try pellets first to avoid the drama.

 

[wickedlees]

Thanks for the info on the Doms W. I really am LOVING this group of such well informed peeps! OMGosh I'm so excited this morning because my sweeties came running up to me and wanted love. Then I opened the nest box and lo and behold 3 eggs, and not just 3 eggs, but one is so big it doesn't even FIT in the egg carrier! WOW I'm posting a pic. Now, while I love the fact that "my pet makes me breakfast" I really just love the daily surprise of eggs or not. Plus, I'm a city girl, always have been (can't wait to change that!) Always with the fake nails done hair, high heels. I could NEVER imagine mucking around on a farm. OMGosh! I love the peace! I can't get enough. I love waking up early to feed the chickens and water the garden etc... like someone said about getting lost in the chickens it's the bees for me. I can watch them for hours! SO peaceful!
I just keep hearing about these amazing breeds and I am so in love with the chickens in general, that I think any breed will be love for me. I'm a bit worried (not today) about how long my girls will lay and at what point do you get new pullets and what in the world do you do with the ladies that are retired? Do you eat them? I don't think I can, or do you humanely put them down? I'm so new at this but I love it so much it brings me so much joy and I know my girls won the chikie lotto when I got them cause I spoil them something terrible! I do wish they were nicer to Tini, she still hasn't laid an egg, and is so flighty she runs away from me.
Well, I'm just rambling at this point.
Did we figure out Poultry day at the Stock Show? I'd love to meet some of you if you will be there

I don't know if this came across the other day but here is Ferb singing her egg song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dql76Nbp2A
Here's my big ol' egg today

PS Excuse my unbridled excitement over my chickens. I just can't help it!

 

[wsmith]

Here's my big ol' egg today

PS Excuse my unbridled excitement over my chickens. I just can't help it!

THAT's a BIG egg! Congrats!

I love living in the country. I grew up in the country, and spent summers as a kid running around on my grandparent's farm in SE Idaho. Nobody around for miles. It was nice when we moved to Colorado to get a little acreage and peace and quiet.

 

[wickedlees]

Well, Wendyl I totally 150% have coop envy! LOVE your pretty pretty Roo! he's amazing! I can tell you before (in my prior life) I'd have wanted to choke the life outta anything that woke me up at 5AM, now? I have roo envy!

isn't life funny?

 

[dennarahl]

Thanks for the info on the Doms W. I really am LOVING this group of such well informed peeps! OMGosh I'm so excited this morning because my sweeties came running up to me and wanted love. Then I opened the nest box and lo and behold 3 eggs, and not just 3 eggs, but one is so big it doesn't even FIT in the egg carrier! WOW I'm posting a pic. Now, while I love the fact that "my pet makes me breakfast" I really just love the daily surprise of eggs or not. Plus, I'm a city girl, always have been (can't wait to change that!) Always with the fake nails done hair, high heels. I could NEVER imagine mucking around on a farm. OMGosh! I love the peace! I can't get enough. I love waking up early to feed the chickens and water the garden etc... like someone said about getting lost in the chickens it's the bees for me. I can watch them for hours! SO peaceful! I just keep hearing about these amazing breeds and I am so in love with the chickens in general, that I think any breed will be love for me. I'm a bit worried (not today) about how long my girls will lay and at what point do you get new pullets and what in the world do you do with the ladies that are retired? Do you eat them? I don't think I can, or do you humanely put them down? I'm so new at this but I love it so much it brings me so much joy and I know my girls won the chikie lotto when I got them cause I spoil them something terrible! I do wish they were nicer to Tini, she still hasn't laid an egg, and is so flighty she runs away from me. Well, I'm just rambling at this point. Did we figure out Poultry day at the Stock Show? I'd love to meet some of you if you will be there I don't know if this came across the other day but here is Ferb singing her egg song.

Here's my big ol' egg today PS Excuse my unbridled excitement over my chickens. I just can't help it!

I grew up spending weekends on a farm in Fowler during the summer. It was awesome and I always knew that's what I wanted. My husband went to an aunts ranch a couple of times and loved it but didn't really know if that life was for him. Fast forward a lot of years, 6 years into living in a townhouse that weren't bad until the kids across the street turned into teenagers and one moved in next door. When we started looking at housing prices, we realized we could get 3 times the house and a ton of land ( we only ended up with 2.5 acres because we fell in love with the house, but 35 acres was easily possible). Everyone thought we were crazy with the one exception of my immediate family. We were city kids. What did we know about a farm or living in the country. Our answer was nothing, but if you avoid things you don't know you'll never do anything. So I guess my point is, I hope you love it. Its hard work, but very rewarding. Also, I just love the weird eggs. I just got a long skinny one today.

 

[dennarahl]

Well, Wendyl I totally 150% have coop envy! LOVE your pretty pretty Roo! he's amazing! I can tell you before (in my prior life) I'd have wanted to choke the life outta anything that woke me up at 5AM, now? I have roo envy! 

isn't life funny? 

Check the sound proofing at future houses, you won't have a problem if its decent. Our house was done well because we're less than a mile from train tracks, the benefit is that I've never been woke by the roos. I can only hear them when a window or door is open.