From Civilian to Chicken Rancher timeline.

[The Lazy L]

Winter must be over.

Winter temps into the low teens with no heat in the coop.

8 BO on Tuesday layed 3 eggs. Wednesday 7 and on Thursday 6!

 

[b737drvr]

We need an update on the coon surprise!

 

[The Lazy L]

We need an update on the coon surprise!

With the Politicians beating their chests, we need to pass something to prove we are needed mentality, thought it would be best to wait a bit before posting the coon surprise.

 

[aart]

With the Politicians beating their chests, we need to pass something to prove we are needed mentality, thought it would be best to wait a bit before posting the coon surprise.

Hmmmmmmm

 

[canesisters]

Been a while. How's the chicken ranching going?

 

[The Lazy L]

November 17, 2014

BO's are 2 1/2 years old.

Last winter egg production was down to almost zero. But when spring came 4 or 5 a day, then tapered off during the summer. Last 3 weeks no eggs.

The decision is made.

Took off early from work.

Grabbed the net I used for cleaning the fountain.

All of the BOs were in the run so I closed the chicken door to their coop.

Lucky is very protective of his hens and I didn't want to be watching my back. So using the net I caught Lucky the Rooster first and put him the chicken crate I had borrowed.

Hens all ran to into the chunnel trying to reach the safety of their coop. I reached into the chunnel and grasped them by their legs. One or two at a time went to join Lucky. When I had all 9 in the crate I put the crate into the back of my truck.

Short ride to the Butcher. Wife refuses to eat meat if she has seen the source. Butcher has a customer who prefers older meat.

Spent the evening going thru the Meyer's Hatchery catalog picking out the replacements for Spring.

 

[canesisters]

Wow, that's a suprise. They are usually such good, reliable layers. My egg count has dropped to almost nill and this is the first year that I haven't had a bunch of new girls just starting to lay. I'm considering adding a light in the mornings to 'jump start' the older girls. Did you try that? Maybe it doesn't work as well as I've been told.

What breeds are you looking for this time around?

 

[aart]

While the coop is empty you could modify it for partitioning, so you can integrate some new chicks each year.

On the 3 year plan, you butcher a third of the flock each fall and get new chicks each spring.
If you use lighting, you have eggs all year round.

 

[The Lazy L]

...adding a light in the mornings to 'jump start' the older girls. Did you try that? ...What breeds are you looking for this time around?

I don't provide supplemental lighting. At 2 1/2 years old I figure they were past their prime.

Of got 3 of each (all hens) of the following ordered for a late April delivery:

Blue Laced Red Wyandotte
Colombian Wyandotte
Golden Buff
Rhode Island Red

 

[The Lazy L]

February 7, 2019

Has it been this long already? Here are the updates.

Coop cam was removed a few years back. As more and more viewers used it my Internet speed slowed to a crawl.

Chicken door is no longer computerized. When we would have a power fluctuation the door would cycle. Which means if the electric "blinked" in the middle of the day the door would close or at night the door would open. Door is now left open 24 x 7 until new peeps move in.

The flat roof on the run is now covered with corrugated translucent panels. Keeps most of the rain and snow out.

Daytime roost has been added in the run.

I never added fencing to extend the run like I had originally planned. I let them free range before dusk when I'm doing yard work.

Flock #2 was 3 of each (all hens) of the following: Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, Colombian Wyandotte, Golden Buff, Rhode Island Red. Lost 2 on their first day and a third on day 2. Shipping stress, sickness, or?, I don't know. A fourth had crossed beaks and I suspected was a none egg layer. A fifth turned into a Rooster. Some members of this flock laid extremely thin shelled eggs (yes they had oyster shell available) and wasn't unusual to find several eggs pecked open. I was glad when their time was up, except for the surviving cross-billed Red Wyandotte. Red was my buddy.

Third flock has taken up residence since June of last year. 8 Golden Buffs all hens. 6 to 8 Butt Nuggets a day! Unfortunately I lost all of my customers during flock #2 (not enough output to sale). Now I've got more eggs then we can use! This winter we had a usually cold spell for a week. One night the temperature was -14 F. No supplement heat in the coop. Half of coop floor is open (and screened) to allow roosting chicken poop to fall through to the ground under the coop. Windows are left open and is the chicken door to their run. Eave and roof peak ventilation. One chicken's crop is white tipped and may have been frostbite. Extreme cold weather caused no change in egg production and the Ladies were doing their normal routine during the days.

I'm truly sorry for disappointing those who where looking forward to the coon surprise. When all the pieces were in place...Son's availability to video the live action...then grand-kids out of state...work and life...I just never followed up on this. I can tell you; Coons - 0, Me - 7.