Colorado

[21hens-incharge]

Uzi! He is magnificent!!!!!

Keep up what you are doing. You are a very capable young lady. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise!

 

[Robilyn81]

Wow look at those feathers!

 

[nejlyn]

Hi guys! Just joined the site and found this thread. Admittedly I have not read through all 2792 pages yet!

I was curious if any of you have had success raising chickens in the mountains/foothills? I'm near Evergreen and am hoping to start my own flock this spring, but I'm worried about becoming a buffet line for bears and lions. We've got a sturdy barn that we're planning to house the chickens in at night, but I'm concerned about predator activity during the day. I am technically not allowed to have electric fencing due to zoning, but know I will be sorely tempted if I start losing birds...

 

[Mtn Margie]

Welcome to my world! I have lots of experience and have managed to learn many lessons but still have my original bloodline continuing.
Not so much lions as bobcats, coyotes and fox. Don't forget the weasels and I have even lost a chick to a chipmunk but we got even.
Figure out the electric fence, even if you run it around the chicken pen inside the barn, away from HOA eyes. Bears are a real drag.

and keep in touch!

 

[lomine]

Today is day 21 for my eggs. I ended up with 4 of 7 going into lockdown. The other 3 never developed. I don't think they were fertile. So far 2 have hatched and are chirping up a storm. It sounded like they were talking when number 2 was zipping. No activity yet on the other 2. I'll post pictures when they are dry.

 

[Mtn Margie]

Woo Hoo! Congrats on the new chicks. Those other two may hatch yet so fingers crossed.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Congratulations lomine!!

Looking forward to pics of the new cutie pies!!
Always wonderful when they get all done drying off!

 

[lomine]

Thanks. I was in a rush this morning and didn't get pictures but I will defiantly take some after work.

Sad news this morning though. Egg 3 died while trying to hatch. I don't know if it was because the egg had been rolled by the others and it was next to the incubator wall. Maybe it couldn't properly zip? There also seems to be a thick amber liquid that hardened. Not sure if that caused a problem.

I candled egg 4 and there was no movement. I left it in the incubator but I'm not sure how long I'll leave it for. I've read a lot of different opinions on how long before giving up on an egg.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I think it is official. Bitty my super mama is broody!!! This is good as there will be chicks the first week of April. This makes day three of nest sittin and growling. I know April is still way out there but her broodytude usually sticks for months.

Crossing my fingers for her to be as awesome this year as last.

 

[lomine]

Chick pics as promised.