Hey Gang! Whatcha think of my plans and Rooster issue?

[griffinkid02]

Flinstone Egg!

 

[TonySorrento]

Latest pic of the Dorking...

 

[highpointfarm]

Awesome! looks delicous =] yeah I know I spelled that wrong

 

[chichichickapea]

I am thinning my flock tomorrow---and struggling with which ones to give up. My oldest are 13 weeks and the youngest are 11 weeks. I started with 62 and lost 1, gave away a few, got 4 more....now I am at 50...so I plan to give away at least 15 to my friends son. He lost his entire flock a few months ago to a pack of wild dogs. He has reinforced his run and coop now and destroyed several dogs that were stalking his other livestock. I know that I need to get my flock down to a more manageable number---it is costing me a fortune right now in feed, treats, PDZ, wood chips, etc.....and I don't even get eggs yet!!! But, it's still hard to give them up!

 

[chichichickapea]

And by the way Tony, the Dorking looks delish.....was it hard to pluck??

 

[TonySorrento]

And by the way Tony, the Dorking looks delish.....was it hard to pluck??

So easy ... I was used to game birds I hunted ... chickens pluck so much easier ... swish around in 140degree temp for a minute and plunge in ice water .... piece of cake! Chic .....don't you sell your eggs to help with feed costs?

 

[griffinkid02]

Looks awesome, was he a pain to dress?

 

[chichichickapea]

none of mine are old enough to lay yet!

 

[MOChickenShoes]

opened up my nest boxes today finally. my coop layout is such that our nest boxes are the kind you see with the outside access with the hinged roof, and i had been using it til now for storing random chicken related odds and ends. my 2 BR's have gone from a mildly red face/comb/almost non-existant wattles to very bright red face/comb and wattles sprang up (or down i guess

) what seems like over night. was afraid they'd start laying while i was down visiting my dad the last few days, got home from there yesterday and this morning got the boxes done, tossed in fresh bedding and some golf balls, and gave the chickens access to them for the first time. now i feel like a fool since i can't keep from looking in the boxes for eggs repeatedly all day today, like just me finishing the boxes would flip their "Lets lay eggs!!!" switch

. oldest is now 17 weeks, others are 16-14 weeks. going back out of town in a few days, really hoping i'll be home for that first egg....

 

[TonySorrento]

Looks awesome, was he a pain to dress?

I actually undressed him

Nope ... piece of cake!

none of mine are old enough to lay yet!

Chic ... do you plan on selling eggs? If so, you may want to keep more ... I cant keep up with demand!!

opened up my nest boxes today finally. my coop layout is such that our nest boxes are the kind you see with the outside access with the hinged roof, and i had been using it til now for storing random chicken related odds and ends. my 2 BR's have gone from a mildly red face/comb/almost non-existant wattles to very bright red face/comb and wattles sprang up (or down i guess

) what seems like over night. was afraid they'd start laying while i was down visiting my dad the last few days, got home from there yesterday and this morning got the boxes done, tossed in fresh bedding and some golf balls, and gave the chickens access to them for the first time. now i feel like a fool since i can't keep from looking in the boxes for eggs repeatedly all day today, like just me finishing the boxes would flip their "Lets lay eggs!!!" switch

. oldest is now 17 weeks, others are 16-14 weeks. going back out of town in a few days, really hoping i'll be home for that first egg....

I STILL do that and some of mine are laying