fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

Leftover salad from Olive Garden:

I removed the onions and hot peppers before sharing.

Tamar:

 

[fuzzi]

This is Hannah:

Yesterday afternoon I heard a cacophony coming from the coop.

It was Hannah.

This was nice and warm in the nest box she'd just vacated:

With this discovery I think I know what the Sussex eggs look like. I may need that knowledge in the Spring when I try to get some purebred chicks.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This is Hannah:View attachment 3681366
Yesterday afternoon I heard a cacophony coming from the coop.

It was Hannah.

This was nice and warm in the nest box she'd just vacated:
View attachment 3681372

With this discovery I think I know what the Sussex eggs look like. I may need that knowledge in the Spring when I try to get some purebred chicks.

Nice egg!

Come spring when you are wanting to gather eggs for hatching and just are not quite sure, you could always paint/dab the lip of the Sussex vent with a small amount of BluKote or even food grade food coloring (non red). That coloring will transfer to the eggs in a smear for about a week if you use BluKote, if you use food coloring, I'm not sure how long it will transfer.
Some use a little lipstick, that will also transfer a smear.

 

[fuzzi]

Nice egg!

Come spring when you are wanting to gather eggs for hatching and just are not quite sure, you could always paint/dab the lip of the Sussex vent with a small amount of BluKote or even food grade food coloring (non red). That coloring will transfer to the eggs in a smear for about a week if you use BluKote, if you use food coloring, I'm not sure how long it will transfer.
Some use a little lipstick, that will also transfer a smear.

Thank you!

Since I have 3 Sussex gals I could use a different color for each.

Oh, and Rahab is trying to go broody, again. So I removed the faux eggs yesterday.

 

[fuzzi]

Getting one egg every other day.

 

[fuzzi]

Mowed leaves today. Chicks were enthralled!

"Yessir, yessir, three bags full!"

The nest boxes were getting low on straw, so I put some more in each box, put the faux eggs in, too.

Samuel made it a matter of concern.

There was such excitement when I pulled out some fresh straw for the boxes that I decided a small flake for their amusement would be worth using a little extra. They spread it everywhere (see photo above)

As I was circling the hoop coop to check for structural issues I discovered what looked like an attempt to dig in!

Whatever tried to dig hit hardware cloth.

Any idea what did this? The hole is 3" or so across.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Getting one egg every other day.

Well, all mine are going into molt, in molt or coming out of molt - Every. Single. One.

So. NO Eggs for me right now. It will pick back up and then I'll be overloaded

What was digging...
Racoon or Stinky Possum would be my guess.

Possible rat, squirrel or chipmunk. Rat hunting for a place to get in. Squirrel or Chipmunk probing for a place to stash acorns/nuts.

I have Racoons that come through now and again, they live unless they really make a complete nuisance of themselves. I set up a game camera and mostly they are coming through catching/digging nightcrawlers and moving on, I have an abundance of them it seems. It's interesting to watch on the camera, they get a worm and slurp it down like spaghetti

Stinky Possums usually don't dig a lot, but they can if they think they are going to find some kind of something to eat.

If you have a game cam, set it up - I move mine around all over the place. I only have one but would love to have several.

 

[NanaK]

I have a lot of squirrels digging holes in flower beds now. Hopefully that is what you are seeing but keep a check on that. Never hurts to walk around to look for signs. I'd love to have a couple game cameras set up out there just to see what comes by.
We also have feral cats and lots of grey fox around but never seen any evidence of them digging around the coop.

As for egg production, all my older girls are in various stages of molt and on egg laying vacation.
I have 3 Wyandottes about 1.5 yrs old who are laying every other day and 6 pullets I'm getting a few from daily. Never know what to expect this time of year as it's always varies.

 

[fuzzi]

Well, all mine are going into molt, in molt or coming out of molt - Every. Single. One.

So. NO Eggs for me right now. It will pick back up and then I'll be overloaded

What was digging...
Racoon or Stinky Possum would be my guess.

Possible rat, squirrel or chipmunk. Rat hunting for a place to get in. Squirrel or Chipmunk probing for a place to stash acorns/nuts.

I have Racoons that come through now and again, they live unless they really make a complete nuisance of themselves. I set up a game camera and mostly they are coming through catching/digging nightcrawlers and moving on, I have an abundance of them it seems. It's interesting to watch on the camera, they get a worm and slurp it down like spaghetti

Stinky Possums usually don't dig a lot, but they can if they think they are going to find some kind of something to eat.

If you have a game cam, set it up - I move mine around all over the place. I only have one but would love to have several.

We have both opossums and raccoons, foxes and coyotes too. A couple months ago I noticed that the hardware cloth was twisted on the corner, as if someone with small but strong fingers was trying to tear it. Figured raccoon.

Since the digging stopped at the HWC I am going to deduce it was a critter that wanted chicken for a late dinner.

I don't have a game cam, but I do have a motion sensor light that probably spotlighted the critter, but they kept digging. Bold or stupid.

 

[fuzzi]

Hey! Is this a molt?

I noticed this afternoon that the head of one of my Dominiques looked lighter than usual. Her head looks like it's covered with small quills.

I picked her up to look closely. No sign of mites, scabs, anything abnormal.

She and the other Dominiques are only 7 months old.

For comparison, one of her sisters:

Thoughts?

I did a search on "molt" but didn't see anything in the threads that was similar to what I am seeing here.

I don't think she's been laying, her comb hasn't gotten red like some others. I have seen some black and white feathers around the coop.

@Wyorp Rock