FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[jessschlles4]

I am so excited Martha's first chick! They were in a brooding box hung on the wall of the coop - 12 inches from floor - and I knew a chick had hatched this morning when I heard a very loud cheep cheep because the chick had gotten out of the brooding box and was on the coop floor! Martha didn't have a clue she was sitting on her other four eggs like nothing had happened. I moved the operation to the crate I kept my four baby chicks in when I brought them home and they are separated from rooster and other two hens right now while Martha figures out how to be a Momma! I had to put the chick under her wing 4 times before I left for work but when I got home tonight and the chick moved out from under her, she pecked at it until it ran back under. Not hard pecks. I hope that is ok. I have a tiny waterer and chick feeder in the crate. Martha obviously left the crate to poop on the coop floor a couple of times today, so all is going ok so far now to try to sleep tonight! Thank goodness no T.C. Colin, I have the other chickens in the outside pen it has a roof but if the rain were blowing sideways, it would be awful for them. I hope everyone else is doing ok with the storm.

Congrats on your new addition! Also appreciate all the kind words left regarding T.S. Colin. We faired ok. Lots of rain. The new coop and run held up very well, just a few leaks which we have now fixed. I brought in the girls as weather was expected to get worse - in their typical teenage girl fashion they appeared to hate me for being an overly protective momma hen. It was definately an 'If looks could kill' kind of moment. But nonetheless everyone was safe and slept in comfort. Glad everyone here faired well.

 

[LaurelTree]

Does anyone else have hens that will change nest boxes from week to week? I have EE that lays green eggs and keeps the same nest box, but the other hens are all over the place. I have to check all the nest boxes everyday, to make sure they didn't change their mind and put in to a new box. I put clean hay in the boxes often. I just don't understand them at all. I have Easter Egger, Cuckoo Marans, Ameraucanas and Buff Orpingtons.

Our Black Australorps are the only ones we have that are laying right now. There are five hens and six nest boxes and yes, they like to switch nests. There are favorite spots, but their choice usually seems to be dictated by whether or not a hen has laid an egg in it previously or if there is a fake egg in it. If you want to encourage them to lay in specific nests, just place a plastic Easter egg or even a golf ball in the ones you'd prefer. It's not a 100% guarantee, but it will certainly encourage them. However, if you don't really have a problem with it, just let them do their thing. It's normal as far as I know.

 

[hbeam21]

Our Black Australorps are the only ones we have that are laying right now. There are five hens and six nest boxes and yes, they like to switch nests. There are favorite spots, but their choice usually seems to be dictated by whether or not a hen has laid an egg in it previously or if there is a fake egg in it. If you want to encourage them to lay in specific nests, just place a plastic Easter egg or even a golf ball in the ones you'd prefer. It's not a 100% guarantee, but it will certainly encourage them. However, if you don't really have a problem with it, just let them do their thing. It's normal as far as I know.

Thank you for the information. It seems I'm learning new things about my chickens everyday. I just love them.

 

[nanasacres]

I'm up by Ocala. We got some good gusts of wind but had buttoned everything up good. We didn't loose power but had a couple of hiccups. One coop got partly soaked inside but the others are ok. Trying to get it to dry out some and tomorrow I'll clean it out. We are going to modify it, probably in the fall when it's cooler out. We have some of the coops with rolled roofing and some with metal roofs. I did go up and nail and seal the roof with the rolled roofing as some of it had started coming up in a previous storm. At least all of the feeders stayed dry. All in all we fared good.

Glad you didn't experience any major damage and you were safe. Here in Florida we need to prepare. The electric goes out and roads flood all the time in Tampa area.

 

[nanasacres]

Our place looks a a disaster area.  We got a gust this AM around 3 and it sounded like a train was milling by.  My truck, the drive, and the road had palm fronds all over the place. Lost power, shop got some water from the back screen door, one cat was MIA for awhile, found her hiding in a very hard to reach spot.  Must have gotten the catnip scared right out of her. We're about 2.5 miles from Gandy Bridge so...yea we got a lot of the storm but my mini barn took it like a champ.  ONE tiny teeny leak hardly worth mention.  My chicken friends got through it dry and safe. All in all we're solid.  A few of our neighbors...not so much.  Couple trees took a couple fences down.  How is everyone else doing?  Got your bug out kits and bad weather buckets set?   Better to get set and have them and not need them...stead of need them and not have them.  Stay safe

Glad you made it through the storm safely. We must prepare and have action plan ahead of disaster.

 

[LaurelTree]

Thank you for the information. It seems I'm learning new things about my chickens everyday. I just love them.

No problem! Let me know how it works for you if you decide to use it. And I forgot to mention earlier that you don't need to worry about the color. I always think the nests look so funny with a random forest green or purple egg inside. There's even a blue one with a Superman symbol on it and they don't seem to care, lol.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
We live on a hill (Hilltop Farm). If we flood the whole state will be under water.

 

[Wyandotte Blue]

We live on a hill (Hilltop Farm). If we flood the whole state will be under water.

Then. Do. Not. Flood.

 

[Wyandotte Blue]

Lost a baby chick. It had started to peck out of the egg I saw it last night when feeding horses. Made sure Momma was not ignoring nest and/or baby chick that was hatched on Monday, and I went to bed.

Woke up this morning, baby was dead inside egg with not much more pecked out than when I left it.

Did I do wrong? Should I break the egg open when they start to peck it open? Should I move last three eggs to an "incubator"? I do not have an incubator tell me how to make one if I should . . . Heart is bleeding. So sad. So sad.

It was a perfect little chick only . . .

 

[Wyandotte Blue]

Glad you made it through the storm safely. We must prepare and have action plan ahead of disaster.

I plan and prepare but never feel I have done "good enough". If anyone wants to share some of their ideas, please do!!