Colorado

[COChix]

I found the flake stuff in the bag at Jax. I asked and they confirmed that the stuff in the bucket is the broken open bags of it. It is Pacific Pearl brand. They said that the Jax in Laffayette store should also carry it. It is 14.00 for the 50 pound bag.

On the same note.... I put some in the container in the coop and the girls went for it very well. I put about a cup of it in and only about an eighth of a cup is left right now.

Thank you! And thanks to all that chimed in, will check out Jax in Lafayette.

 

[samsr]

I spent the day building an addition on the coop/run. I built a hutch for my two geese. One Tolouse and the other a white tufted. The turted has been squatting and needed a place to lay eggs. I am still not sure if the tolouse is a male or female. Does anyone know a way to tell?
I also sent three roo's to freezer camp today. The Dominique, a barreed rock cross and a black one of mixed origin. Time will tell if I process the brahma or not. That leaves me with three. The Brahma, Phoenix and a bantam cochin.
It sure was nice to have it warm outside. It made getting things much more pleasant.
5 days now without any eggs. I hope getting rid of the roos will let the stress level go down a bit for the girls. Some eggs sure would be nice about now.

 

[Latestarter]

@samsr , I have 1/2 a flat on the table with eggs I had to consider frozen, although every one I've cracked has been just fine, and 4 full 18 count cartons on the counter as well as a full dozen in the fridge. If I were closer, I'd gladly give you some to "tide you over" as they say

Hope your girls get back to work for you soon.

 

[samsr]

@samsr , I have 1/2 a flat on the table with eggs I had to consider frozen, although every one I've cracked has been just fine, and 4 full 18 count cartons on the counter as well as a full dozen in the fridge. If I were closer, I'd gladly give you some to "tide you over" as they say

Hope your girls get back to work for you soon.

I hope they fire back up soon also. They just don't know that I can fire up the plucker pretty easily.

It may be about time to hatch out some new and replace the old. I don't know if my daughters will let me though. Most of mine are going on three years old now. I don't provide extra light for them. I like to give them some well earned time off.

 

[Latestarter]

Don't know for sure as I'm a noob at this chicken keeping thing, but don't they start slowing down at about 3 years anyway? I mean I've heard of layers laying into their 5th year and more at a reduced rate, but they're pretty few and far between I think... I would expect that if your daughters liked eggs, they may/should be OK with you hatching out a few to replace the ones who are no longer laying... Promise them a nice dinner of southern fried chicken down the road in return

 

[COChix]

I hope they fire back up soon also.  They just don't know that I can fire up the plucker pretty easily.    It may be about time to hatch out some new and replace the old.  I don't know if my daughters will let me though.  Most of mine are going on three years old now.  I don't provide extra light for them.  I like to give them some well earned time off.

Sounds like you were busy yesterday with the nice weather and all. What breeds do you have again and where they productive more when they were younger? I would assume now with the days starting to get a tad longer you should see more eggs.

Got the horizontal nipples yesterday for the gang. Anyone have any words of advice on these and installing them. It seems straight forward with the instructions and suc. The heaters we ordered were on back order, but we ordered from another vendor so they should be here next week sometime. I can at least get my buckets done so I don't have to haul water to the coop e

 

[21hens-incharge]

This morning was a bummer for me.
Overnight I lost a silver laced cochin bantam. She was named Ditty Bird. I failed to do a head count at lights out last night or I would have known she was not in the coop. I found her in the run this morning.
She had been fine yesterday. I had been out with them for over an hour while I cleaned the coop and petted the little stinkers.
I do not think the cold killed her since it was only down to about 30 here. I think she had passed before I went out to close the coop up. Weird that I did not see her there when I was in the run closing the windows. It was dark though and she was in the far end of the run.
That makes 5 birds I have lost now. Four of them were from Welp. I do not know which hatchery the other came from. All have died way to early.
Ditty was not even a year old.
There were no signs of injury on the bird nor did I find any weird lumps or bumps.
It really bums me out since I do really like the little bantams.

I am going to go forward with the plan to cull most of the flock and get the cackle hatchery surprise. I will be hoping for some new little bantams in the mix and some BA. Honestly I do not want to go through finding bird after bird dead. I would rather have it all at once. Such a waste when the meat is lost too.

I wish I knew which hatchery the birds I had years ago had come from. In 5 years I had only lost 2. One went broody in January (Japanese black tail bantam) the other my ex said had jumped into the stock tank. I still think he drowned her since he hated her.

 

[maggiemo]

Bummer about the deaths 21hens. I don't know what I would do.

I am so happy to start back feeding fermented feed again. I'm sure it will get too cold and I'll have to stop for a while, but just to have it for a few days makes me so happy.

Does anyone want some Japanese bantams hens? I have a friend getting a divorce and she has 5 one year old Japanese bantams she is probably going to have to give away. I said I would ask if there was anyone interested, just put out feelers.
They are healthy and pretty from what I can tell.
I will probably take them for the summer if no one wants them.

Have a great day. The weather looks great.

 

[COChix]

This morning was a bummer for me.
Overnight I lost a silver laced cochin bantam. She was named Ditty Bird. I failed to do a head count at lights out last night or I would have known she was not in the coop. I found her in the run this morning.
She had been fine yesterday. I had been out with them for over an hour while I cleaned the coop and petted the little stinkers.
I do not think the cold killed her since it was only down to about 30 here. I think she had passed before I went out to close the coop up. Weird that I did not see her there when I was in the run closing the windows. It was dark though and she was in the far end of the run.
That makes 5 birds I have lost now. Four of them were from Welp. I do not know which hatchery the other came from. All have died way to early.
Ditty was not even a year old.
There were no signs of injury on the bird nor did I find any weird lumps or bumps.
It really bums me out since I do really like the little bantams.

I am going to go forward with the plan to cull most of the flock and get the cackle hatchery surprise. I will be hoping for some new little bantams in the mix and some BA. Honestly I do not want to go through finding bird after bird dead. I would rather have it all at once. Such a waste when the meat is lost too.

I wish I knew which hatchery the birds I had years ago had come from. In 5 years I had only lost 2. One went broody in January (Japanese black tail bantam) the other my ex said had jumped into the stock tank. I still think he drowned her since he hated her.

Wow, sorry for your losses on your birds. That is so strange as well but it does happen. Chickens can have heart attacks as well. Hope that you get your bantams from your Cackle Hatchery surprise.

 

[Latestarter]

Another beautiful spring day and less wind today as well. I've heard maybe snow coming later in the week. Forecasters - BLAH! Colorado weather - Who knows/knew??? Next five days looks like highs in the 50s then 40s. May be the calm before the storm, so to speak? Hope we DO get snow in the Feb-April time frame as we always need/can use the moisture. Been looking around at the city/state water retention/holding lakes (along the So Platte river corridor) here and most of them are near full at the moment. Even Barr lake (a major irrigation source here), which was down to a third of its normal size late last year, is nearly full again.

Today, in about an hour, I'm going over to an apiary dealer's place to purchase and pick up my bee hives! Pretty excited! Won't get the bees till April or May, but that will give me time to place the hives and get intimately familiar with them. Maybe I'll get really lucky and this spring a swarm will move into one and I'll get bees earlier than planned (after the weather warms continuously of course)! I'm beginning to realize this is gonna be a really cheap/inexpensive hobby... just like keeping chickens

At least I won't need to buy feed and feed them daily! Hope everyone has a GREAT day!

Enjoy the football games! GO !!!

<--- my team for 40+ years!