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

[AlHawk]

I cut palm fronds from my Queen Palms and layed them over the run creating shade without spending a dime. They are much happier in the run but still would rather run the back yard and lay under the deck or the Crape Myrtles.

 

[Red Banks]

My chicks haven't had any supplemental heat for quite a while, even my week old.

I have some two week old chicks with a hen. They are never near her during the day but at night they do sleep under her. When can I wean them? I know the Mama is anxious to get back to the flock and the babies don't seem dependent on her for warmth in this weather.

 

[cmom]

I cut palm fronds from my Queen Palms and layed them over the run creating shade without spending a dime. They are much happier in the run but still would rather run the back yard and lay under the deck or the Crape Myrtles.

That is a great idea. Wouldn't work for me because my pens are 200 ft x 60 ft. I do have some Crape Myrtles in some of the pens as well as trees.

 

[HenKeepers]

An old fellow who has raised a lot of birds told me to do this years ago. I had a Sex-Link male that would peck hard at the back of my legs and I got tired of it and gave him a few swift kicks across the yard. I finally took him to an auction with a few other birds. Maybe a change in his environment changed his tune. I have had a couple of others that liked to peck and did the head bend and they stopped.

Cena may have a reprieve, as we are house hunting in an agricultural area. He may get to live a long and prosperous life just yet. Acreage may suit his tolerance for humans.

 

[poppycock1974]

Ok so my BO is 25 weeks and hasn't laid yet. My husband jokingly said he was going to eat her freeloading feathered butt in a week. Totally joking but I started to wonder. Isn't that a bit late for an Orpington?

 

[cmom]

Ok so my BO is 25 weeks and hasn't laid yet. My husband jokingly said he was going to eat her freeloading feathered butt in a week. Totally joking but I started to wonder. Isn't that a bit late for an Orpington?

No, give her awhile yet. My pure breeds can take up to 8 or 9 months before they start to lay. Most often my others start generally 24 to around 26 weeks. Of course there are those who may start much earlier. My Sex-Links and Production Reds, some started as early as 16 weeks, but most started later.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
Often times changes can and do affect the birds. Every year I rotate my birds to different coops and pens to make room for my youngsters. I have a couple of dual purpose coops and so I have to move birds when I need to put the youngsters in and soon I will be separating them into their family groups. Right now they are in the grow-out coops. Soon I will separate the males from the females and the males will go into bachelor coops and pens. Even though I have been opening their gates to let them out there is more shade in their pens and most don't want to go out into the pasture.

 

[flocking nuts]

Got my first egg today! For thirty minutes leading up to the Big Event, Aesa (BR) made such an awful racket with her "egg song" that she scared the younger two pullets. They panicked and hid in corners. Once Aesa finally settled into a nest box (lots of back and forth while singing) her bff, Saga (EE), stood at the opening to the nest box with her head inside and pecked the bedding about. No boundaries. The other girls came and peeked in, too, but from a respectful distance.
Now it's Saga's turn!! She and Aesa are brooder mates and 21 weeks today. She's squatting and doing her island dance so hopefully it won't be long.

As I made blue berry muffins and scrambled eggs this am all I could think is how awesome it'll be when we get our eggs. Our girls are about 9 weeks old. I was so bad at keeping track of weeks when my daughter was little,and now I'm trying all over to keep track of them. I think we're about half way there.

Murray for eggs!

 

[TravelingWillow]

As I made blue berry muffins and scrambled eggs this am all I could think is how awesome it'll be when we get our eggs. Our girls are about 9 weeks old. I was so bad at keeping track of weeks when my daughter was little,and now I'm trying all over to keep track of them. I think we're about half way there.

Murray for eggs!

Saga is laying, too! I'm finally getting fresh eggs!! I waited 22 weeks for this moment . . . And we haven't eaten a single egg since they started laying.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-tricks-pictures-included/11570#post_17276695

 

[AzaFarms]

Hey everyone. I just wanted to join the Florida thread. Just saying Hi from Osteen, FL. Volusia County!