Eggs and stuffs

[Lady Nilstria]

Greetings. ^_^

I've compiled a list of chicken questions, and have scattered them across the board in their respective places.

These questions come here!

1. Let's say I want BIG eggs, X-large eggs. What is the best breed for that? Egg production doesn't matter as much to me, but I like big eggs, since I bake cakes.
2. What breeds produce blue/green eggs?
3. I've been wondering about this for a while now. What is the best way to pet/scratch/rub a chicken? They're a bit odd to pet.
4. I want my chickens to like me, so I can catch them easily if I need to. How should I go about that?
5. What are these EE chickens I've been hearing about? Are they hybrids, or just another name for breeds such as Amerucanas?

Thank you. ^_^

 

[BrackenFarms]

EE is a nickname for the aracauna and americauna breeds EE stands for Easter Egger these will give you the green blue pink eggs

 

[BeardedChick]

Quote:
1. Bigggg eggs for baking? Get ducks. More & bigger eggs - great for baking.

3. Reach for their tummies or chest for a pet, go toward them with your hand like a mouse, not a hawk. They do not like someone reaching over the top of them for their head/back. It makes them nervous and/or panicky. Reaching under them usually causes less freaking out. This is also true for young chicks.

4. Feed them from your hand. Sit in the run and let them jump up near/on you for treats. They will be much easier to catch. Caveat - they may peck your hand all the time checking for treats.

Or just go in the coop at night and catch them while they are asleep.

 

[digitS']

Awhile ago, I was looking for information on sexlinks and egg quality. One thing I came across was a pdf 1968 report from North Carolina State University at Raleigh on sex-link pullets (you can google those words and find the same report).

These were commercial lines and compared leghorn strains with brown-egg hybrids, sex-links. I kept some of the info. In one trial:

The 2 strains of Black Sex-link (Rhode Island Red x Barred Rock) had eggs at 69% and 66% that were extra large and over.

The Hubbard Golden Comet (New Hampshire x synthesis production white) had eggs at 76%, extra large and over.

Average for all 20 lines tested was 52%, extra large and over.

At least in egg size, the 3 hybrids really outperformed the 17 Leghorn-type strains. But something you need to know is that these sex-links are probably all larger than the Leghorns. So, they really should lay larger eggs. I've wondered if California Gray or White aren't larger birds (believe so) and how they would do for large egg production.

Steve

 

[fargosmom]

Yikes! I've just started with my first batch of chicks and I'd been holding them and skritching their necks and heads like I used to do with my parrot. They seem to hunker down and close their eyes; I thought they maybe liked it a little. Am I reading their reaction wrong? They don't struggle or make any agitated sounds (well one does, but she doesn't like to be held, period). My parrot used to love having his head skritched so I just assumed chickens would like it too. Am I wrong?

 

[digitS']

You are doing fine by those chicks, Fargosmom.

They may change a little as they mature. You are showing that you are the dominant "bird" by touching their heads and necks. They may or may not appreciate that as adults. But . . . you ARE the dominant bird so they just need to accept that

.

Friendly chickens mostly like to push up against you. Rubbing them on their breasts seems to more-or-less make them happy.

Steve

 

[BeardedChick]

Quote:
I don't think you're doing it wrong if they are happy.

Mine like having their saddle scratched especially if they are on the roost in evening.

How do you reach in and catch a chick, going overhead or going low?

 

[fargosmom]

Since they're living in a large cardboard box right now, I sort of have to reach in from above, but I try to have my hands approach them from the side or the front. They don't struggle too much although they do make some indignant sounds, but they seem to settle down as soon as I have them against my chest. Only one of them continues to sound unhappy; I think she's just the most independent of the bunch.