Hi, I'm a new member from Middleburg, FL. I have some Rhode Island Red Chickens that are 25 weeks old, and Barred Rocks that are 17 weeks old. The Reds started laying at 17 weeks and some of them were starting to lay some pretty large eggs-some were double yolkers!, but 2 weeks ago some dogs(not mine by the way) got into the pen and killed most of the flock. We had 11 Reds(2 roosters and 9 hens) and 12 Rocks(not sure what sex). Now we're down to 3 Red hens and the 2 roosters.1 rooster was beat up pretty bad and having a long recovery period. There went my dream of selling eggs and maybe some chickens too. We were up to 5 - 7 eggs a day and like I said, some were double yolkers, with the promise of more when the Barred Rocks got to laying age.
The Red hens are still laying, but the eggs aren't as big. I'm thinking the big egg layers got killed. We still have 2 Rocks that I'm thinking are hens because they don't have much crown or wattle development yet at 17 weeks and I could definitely tell what my Reds were at that age. I may be wrong, but I'm thinking the Rocks will also be late egg layers because of that too.
Although my husband is the one that bought the chickens for me, he doesn't understand my chicken obsession. He even built an awesome coop and run for me. Someday I'll get pictures uploaded. He really loves me, but doesn't understand how I could spend so much time watching them and taking care of them. I think the problem is that he doesn't get to do what he wants to do much because he works so much and I stay home when I'm not watching the grandkids at their house. In other words, he's jealous! (Also, he's a little more uptight than I am anyway. I'm pretty laid back)
Also, I'm not much of a housekeeper and outside work, other than chicken work doesn't get done like it should either because I spend so much time with my babies. I actually get a lot done, just not what he wants me to get done. He forgets that before I got laid off, I was the one who worked all the time and he didn't always get done what I wanted him to do either.( I guess I was a little more uptight then too and he was the laid back one). Maybe we just need to win the lottery and stop working! Yea!
Well, that's my chicken story up til now. Hope I didn't bore you too much. I love reading everyone's stories and I've learned a lot and am still learning. Thanks for listening/reading.
The Red hens are still laying, but the eggs aren't as big. I'm thinking the big egg layers got killed. We still have 2 Rocks that I'm thinking are hens because they don't have much crown or wattle development yet at 17 weeks and I could definitely tell what my Reds were at that age. I may be wrong, but I'm thinking the Rocks will also be late egg layers because of that too.
Although my husband is the one that bought the chickens for me, he doesn't understand my chicken obsession. He even built an awesome coop and run for me. Someday I'll get pictures uploaded. He really loves me, but doesn't understand how I could spend so much time watching them and taking care of them. I think the problem is that he doesn't get to do what he wants to do much because he works so much and I stay home when I'm not watching the grandkids at their house. In other words, he's jealous! (Also, he's a little more uptight than I am anyway. I'm pretty laid back)
Also, I'm not much of a housekeeper and outside work, other than chicken work doesn't get done like it should either because I spend so much time with my babies. I actually get a lot done, just not what he wants me to get done. He forgets that before I got laid off, I was the one who worked all the time and he didn't always get done what I wanted him to do either.( I guess I was a little more uptight then too and he was the laid back one). Maybe we just need to win the lottery and stop working! Yea!
Well, that's my chicken story up til now. Hope I didn't bore you too much. I love reading everyone's stories and I've learned a lot and am still learning. Thanks for listening/reading.
