How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

[minnehaha]

Quote: Thank you......

I hope you are right.

After much incubator trouble, batch one, with 12 eggs remaining made it to lock down today. Only one is questionable....

I'm hoping to see those CL fluffy butts hatch successfully!!!!!!

 

[Ande Weathers]

5 eggs from 10 hens.....but mitigating factor....yesterday a fox (or coyote) killed 11 of my 21 birds. So, just getting one egg would have been impressive.

 

[ccrane11]

I get 18 to 20 eggs a day from my 23 Rhode Island Reds. I sell eggs for $2.50/doz. or $3.25/18 pack. Have no trouble finding customers. They would rather buy fresh farm eggs instead of the ones in the stores which you don't know how old they are.

 

[minnehaha]

5 eggs from 10 hens.....but mitigating factor....yesterday a fox (or coyote) killed 11 of my 21 birds. So, just getting one egg would have been impressive.

Oh my gosh, I am so sorry to hear this. How sad, and yes, it is surprising they laid eggs today after what happened yesterday!!!

Welcome to the forum!

You should post about the loss of your hens at "predators and pests" here on BYC.

 

[Ande Weathers]

I was awakened at 7:30 by a phone call on my mobile phone from my wife downstairs. All she said was, "A fox is outside killing your chickens."

Moments later I arrived in the back to find the predator had vanished. There were bodies and feathers everywhere. Of 21 birds the night before, Only 5 were at the coop. Throughout the day another 5 returned from the trees and wilderness near my house.

Upon further interrogations today, my wife has decided it was a coyote. Over the years I have lost a hen here or there and assumed it was a fox or hawk. The hawks will even sit up on my shed and stare at me when I'm out in the yard. You know the look - it says, "I can wait and eventually you won't be here and I'll be takin' the fat one!" The hawk is so cool, I bet he would wear sunglasses if they were fitted right for his head.

I replenish the flock every March and September. I always assumed they just take enough for the moment and scatter.

But yesterday was a dark day. My wife said the predator was relentless. I have heard raccoon will kill without limit - almost for sport, and I have heard dogs will do the same. The behavior appears to match that of a dog, but my witness is convinced it was a very large fox-like animal, which would be a coyote. Doesn't much matter to me

Yes, they free-range. Live free, die free. I got complacent. Usually I lock them up at night and release them in the morning.

For those of you interested, the numbers on the killzone:

Survived: 1 cuckoo maran out of 1
0 barred rocks out of 4
0 Buff Orps out of 2
2 Americana's out of 4
1 Astrolorp out of 3
6 Reds out of 7

So, based on this one example, the Reds are better survivors than the rest. And the barred rocks pretty much give up.

 

[WthrLady]

1/3

 

[TJordan]

HAHAHAHAA...do ya really want me to reply??????  Remember me?  2 dozen eggs a day?.....16 dozen in the fridge?   .  My solution?  I sold half my flock and boiled the eggs to feed back to the chickens.  Of course, I know you have a customer base, I lost mine because my husband retired and doesn't take them to work anymore.

They say eggs are good for 4-6 weeks refrigerated, so you should be able to use them.  I didn't use mine because I did not mark the dates on them like usual and did not know the ages of each dozen.

I'm still getting to many eggs, but my heart can't take selling anymore of my girls......  

I've already lost 2 girls to a predator.... I was just wanting an idea sense we finally have eggs to give/sale away....

I'll boil a few and feed to the birds but I'll keep my girls... Don't laugh but I want a few more... All my birds are black aurstolops.... I would like a few other kinds but my hubby says no... Turd head... .

Thanks for the info though.

 

[KentuckyMom]

@Ande Weathers
So sorry.

 

[Honey B]

@Ande Weathers
So sorry.

Ditto, if I lose a single bird to a hungry animal it is easier to accept in stride but reckless killing of all things clucking, it is time for retaliation.
2/2

 

[RobJones]

I charge $3 a dozen. That way it is affordable and I feel like I'm getting some extra cash to help out the feed bill.

Geeeeeeeeeeeez, eggs there are very expensive, here in the Philippines we pay $2 a dozen I sell mine for $1.50 just to cover the feed cost.