How I went from egg hobby to obsession

[AngBantamLuv]

Aloha kids, just bumping some of my more favorite threads.
I'm waiting on my own hatch of potentials... any day/minute now! Trying to figure how I am going to GRACEFULLY be more breed specific in my small space... resisting the urge to do a big hatch of mix barnyards in the hope of a few more dark or light brahma's... and enjoying the kittens!!!
View attachment 2646156View attachment 2646157View attachment 2646155Where's Batman?!!!View attachment 2646158

They are all so beautiful!!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Everyone disappeared AGAIN. Well, my broody hatched her eggs almost a month ago now. Only six out of 10 eggs. 2 were blanks, 1 early quitter and 1 got crushed by mom while hatching. Thought she was better than that but oh well.

Now I am days away from another hatch and also just picked up 2 Brahma chicks.
Kittens got fixed and are doing well. Things are getting hot and humid here already.

We just love having these guys around. They are awesome.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Everyone disappeared AGAIN. Well, my broody hatched her eggs almost a month ago now. Only six out of 10 eggs. 2 were blanks, 1 early quitter and 1 got crushed by mom while hatching. Thought she was better than that but oh well.
View attachment 2693743
Now I am days away from another hatch and also just picked up 2 Brahma chicks.
Kittens got fixed and are doing well. Things are getting hot and humid here already.
View attachment 2693745
We just love having these guys around. They are awesome.

Omg they are soooo adorable, chicks and kittens!!

I ended up having to rehome both of my new little chickies.. have two not-previously planned trips this week which makes brooding difficult, and too young yet to integrate. I have the big girls in a self sufficient setup, so that's no prob.

I changed the litter out on my house chicken coop to sweet pdz granules (not original powder) and im really liking it! Works like kitty litter, is scoop able, safe if chickens eat it, and absorbs ammonia odors. If/when (who am i kidding, its when) i get more chicks, ill use it in the brooder too. Life has been so much easier. It is a little dusty, but the benefits outweigh the dust wipe downs.

 

[MissTracy]

Hey guys!
We have been having an awful run with a giant and genius raccoon. Took out half my layer flock in about two weeks. I am talking moving cinderblocks to get at my roosting chickens. Went after the roosters first so there would be no struggle. Pain in my butt and super mad.
My husband got one of those spring neck traps to put in the doorway and he has yet to walk into it. When he does, we will be having bbq raccoon with the survivors .
Also picked up some white guineas to add to my guinea color collection. Busy busy. Built my first solo no plans coop this week too.

Also, this week’s hatch! Guineas and barred rocks (good bc the raccoon ate my BR roo ).
Happy chickening guyss!!

 

[MissTracy]

Lucky chickens!!! Great job on the $7 trellis Being a cheep-a-scape is the new sexy right? Nothin' like a gal with a hammer and a rusty nail in her shoe.

K. my big takeaway is your pavers... I love those!!!! Can you tell me a story about them?

Hi!
My pavers are actually old apartment steps. My husband is a maintenance director and one of his properties switched to wood, so he brought them all home. They are 60lbs each so they stay in one spot fairly well and are great for borders (can’t dig through them) around the pens and lifting up houses.
That roo is a barred rock/easter egger cross. He is supposed to stay with my main flock but he loves the leghorn ladies.

 

[MissTracy]

Oh! I also caught a black snake and watched my guineas circle him until he played dead. I was on facetime with my hubbs and he couldn’t believe I caught it with my bare hands. Hilarious.

I also picked up some GORGEOUS barnevelder roos to put in with my layer flock. So pretty!

And here are my barred rock/leghorn crosses. They look like dalmations.

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Hey guys!
We have been having an awful run with a giant and genius raccoon. Took out half my layer flock in about two weeks. I am talking moving cinderblocks to get at my roosting chickens. Went after the roosters first so there would be no struggle. Pain in my butt and super mad.
My husband got one of those spring neck traps to put in the doorway and he has yet to walk into it. When he does, we will be having bbq raccoon with the survivors .
Also picked up some white guineas to add to my guinea color collection. Busy busy. Built my first solo no plans coop this week too.View attachment 2705491View attachment 2705492View attachment 2705495
Also, this week’s hatch! Guineas and barred rocks (good bc the raccoon ate my BR roo ).
Happy chickening guyss!!

So sorry about your flock loss!! Sometimes I don't like that animals are good thinkers!! Hope you can catch him!

 

[AngBantamLuv]

Oh! I also caught a black snake and watched my guineas circle him until he played dead. I was on facetime with my hubbs and he couldn’t believe I caught it with my bare hands. Hilarious.View attachment 2705509View attachment 2705510View attachment 2705511
I also picked up some GORGEOUS barnevelder roos to put in with my layer flock. So pretty!View attachment 2705512
And here are my barred rock/leghorn crosses. They look like dalmations.View attachment 2705513

Absolutely love your setup and your guineas!!! Your pics always come out super beautiful too, good eye!

 

[TropicalBabies]

Are black snakes poisonous?!!
K. Steps makes perfect sense Nice reuse/repurpose
I agree with the whole Guinea set up. It IS awesome- like a little dreamland and they look soo cool in that good sized flock and on alert... something very prehistoric looking about that whole scene- LOVE IT!
I too am very sorry about your losses. That is brutal on many levels. Yes. BBQ is in order.

Well, I had my last hatch on Wednesday. Sold all but 5 and then sold 4 of my 1 month olds. I was very proud of myself when I packed my incubator back in it's box and resisted doing a back to back hatch. The last hatch was so cute it was tempting forsure, very Buff Brahma.

Good girls!

OK. I am ready for more photos of those guineas.

 

[MissTracy]

Are black snakes poisonous?!!
K. Steps makes perfect sense Nice reuse/repurpose
I agree with the whole Guinea set up. It IS awesome- like a little dreamland and they look soo cool in that good sized flock and on alert... something very prehistoric looking about that whole scene- LOVE IT!
I too am very sorry about your losses. That is brutal on many levels. Yes. BBQ is in order.

Well, I had my last hatch on Wednesday. Sold all but 5 and then sold 4 of my 1 month olds. I was very proud of myself when I packed my incubator back in it's box and resisted doing a back to back hatch. The last hatch was so cute it was tempting forsure, very Buff Brahma.
View attachment 2706057View attachment 2706058
Good girls!

OK. I am ready for more photos of those guineas.

Baby brahmas are so cute and squishy!!!