East RIver - South Dakota

[jessicaagross]

Oh, my Aunt is a Deputy Sheriff too, out in Virginia though. She had an issue a few years ago with kids bothering her horses. She pulled up to their house in her patrol car and had them sit in the back (with their Mother's approval) while she talked to them about being nice to animals... those boys were so scared they volunteered to help at her farm!

Well, I guess at very least, it's nice that the dog owner is paying for you to replace them. Your list of birds doesn't sound cheap either. I would be steamed for weeks, because sets you back a year for breeding. Hopefully getting the chicks will help you feel like you are back moving forward again.

 

[jessicaagross]

Is anyone else getting to enjoy this weather? The overnight low doesn't even get below freezing until next Wednesday here!! I am LOVING IT! I have an order of 30 chicks coming tomorrow, I keep thinking how I lucked out that it's so warm while they are in transit.

Have your hens picked up their laying with the extended light yet? I went from 2-3 a day to 8 and now I'm at 12 a day in just a couple weeks. 14 of them are mature hens, the other 16 are pullets just starting this spring. So not to bad as far as I'm concerned.

Is anyone else on here doing the Easter hatch-a-long?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I am enjoying this weather too. The girls have really picked up but its funny, I get 13 one day and 5 the next. Must be a lot of every other day girls on the same schedule.

Did some work on my coop and run. Now if the wind will go down so I can paint, id be a happy camper.

I'm not doi g the hatch along. I get a couple broodies every year so I'm waiting for them to decide when its time for babies

 

[jessicaagross]

I tried to use a broody for the first time last year, I had a bunch of trouble. All of the eggs kept disappearing, or would break, or stop growing and rot. The girl I was using was a serious broody, but after a couple times of trying she gave up.

I already had a light Sussex pullet go broody, I broke her out of it because she had barely started laying. I think I'll let a couple broodies try this year. I have 3 new young roosters, and every egg I've cracked open has been fertile. I only had one 2-3 y/o rooster last year, and he wasn't as excited about breeding as these 3, he liked to play favorites, so I'm not sure if he bred everyone.

What did you do to your coop? I'm planning some improvements this year too. Just expanding the yard and getting the new bigger yard covered.

Mine will do that too sometimes, where they all lay on the same day. I have a 10 hole nest box, so I always wonder why they wouldn't want to spread it out. They always cluck and fuss at each other, but will only use 6 of the nests, which 6 depends on the day.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I basically rearranged my coop. Then I covered the run and added some perches and hiding areas in the run. We have to start new grass this year and will have to supervise their free time. Usually they were just loose all day but we will have to keep an eye on them until the grass is established.

Hope your broodies do better this year. There is nothing sweeter than watching a hen with her chicks.

Chickens are crazy creatures, mine fight over the same spot all the time too and would rather lay an egg on the floor in front of the box they want instead of picking a different spot.....women

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Woohoo, just got a call from my mom wanting to know if I had use for her old dog kennel. Now I will have even more space for my girls while they are "cooped up" this spring

My parents have become "egg snobs" like the rest of us now....can't beat home grown eggs.

 

[jessicaagross]

That's funny! I'm using a dog kennel as a yard too until I can get the big yard put together. I'm in the same boat, they normally get to be out all day, but in the winter or early spring they stay up so they don't damage the grass. I'm also planning on putting in an automatic door so I don't have to do it myself. Lazy farmer here

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I'll try to get some before and after pics. Grass is already growing so I have a lot of yard work to get done before mowing starts.

 

[jessicaagross]

You have grass already!? Everything is still brown here. Or is it because you've seeded it?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Ours looks brown buy if you look closely there is green sprouting up. Noticed today when I was pulling some dry weeds from the same box.