I Built A Bridge!

[Teila]

Good morning Bridge Club

(still morning here for another 40 minutes)

MM welcome back! Sorry to hear about Chica’s little baby; was this recently?

Wow at the hawk story! Way to go Lucy!!

Just my humble opinion but it sounds like you were just trying the help out that one person with integration issues .. if it was me and I was getting messed around like that, I would just walk away and keep the pullet!

Liz thanks for the tip on the liquid bandage, I will check out the Chemist (Drug Store

)

Good to hear that integration is getting smoother as each day passes and fingers crossed for a good pullet to roo ratio; probably unrealistic to wish for no roos.

TG aaaw, sorry to hear about your egg break. I read on BYC that some have tried superglue or nail polish on a cracked egg. Never tried it myself though.

Another busy day at work so cannot hang around long; nearly the end of the week when things normally quieten down a bit.

Just wanted to share a picture of an egg Dusty laid today. I can always tell Dusty’s eggs because they normally are more pointed than everyone else’s but today’s offering is definitely pointed!!

Next to Cilla’s offering for today:

 

[16 paws]

I broke one of the EE eggs

I have had other girls lay in the nest with the broodies and when checking that out I dropped one on an EE egg and it broke. I brought it in and put it in the bator but don't have much hope. I think it is about 5 days from hatching The crack has a spider in the middle then a thin line that extends about half way around. Poor little chick.

Oh darn it....
Can you put some nail polish on it?

 

[MistyMountain]

Liz, Glad someone else is on my side with the super soaker!! In fact, Willie Roo might need to understand the force of a super soaker soon. He got me in the back of the leg the other day when I was so preoccupied with the hawk business. I laugh at him now… big bad rooster with no tail. The molt has hit him, at least. I did want to let you know that I broke out our liquid bandage today for myself on the paper cut. Once the initial little burn is gone there is no more pain, which is so awesome because those paper cuts can be annoying forever! I don't blame you for doing all you can…. and you are doing a great job!

Oh TG, so sorry about the egg!

I am very much a work in progress in this whole chicken business! I do know that swaps are not for me, though.

Teila, we lost chica's chick back in July. Still have the whole woulda coulda shoulda thing going on about that, though. I've learned my lesson for sure.
Thank you for reminding me why I spoke up about the pullet in the first place. You're right… if she doesn't take her then she will become a layer in my flock. They already get along so well. I do worry about the black and white color with hawks, though. Willie and Cielo will just need to step it up. The lady looking for the pullet is a bit worried my pullet is much bigger than hers and will in turn pick on hers instead of take the pressure off of hers. I guess those broody raised babies do grow up hearty! I am going to send her comparison pics tomorrow.

Marie, How is the leghorn doing? (please forgive me if I missed anything… she just came to mind today)

Not too much going on except that I have named the three pullets that I definitely wanted to keep. We all know about Velma. I have added a Chloe (clearly Cleo's baby by her puffy head) and the white leghorn/willie roo mix is Daphne. Daphne dived out the door this morning when I let them out, so I chased her into the big run. She has been hanging with the grownups all day without incident. I was going to toss her into her own coop at lock-up, but she was snug as a bug next to Cielo. Speaking of the guy, wow, I just can't stop looking at him! So many colors. A picture does not do him justice!! I will get my big camera out there this weekend if it is sunny.

Well, off to bed for me. Beans has run a fever for the last day and a half and I've got a headache. The start of school brings on the start of cold season!

 

[lizgarf]

Liz, Glad someone else is on my side with the super soaker!! In fact, Willie Roo might need to understand the force of a super soaker soon. He got me in the back of the leg the other day when I was so preoccupied with the hawk business. I laugh at him now… big bad rooster with no tail. The molt has hit him, at least. I did want to let you know that I broke out our liquid bandage today for myself on the paper cut. Once the initial little burn is gone there is no more pain, which is so awesome because those paper cuts can be annoying forever! I don't blame you for doing all you can…. and you are doing a great job!

Well, off to bed for me. Beans has run a fever for the last day and a half and I've got a headache. The start of school brings on the start of cold season!

Haha, in a parallel universe, I used the LB on myself for the first time today because Desi bit me! My first rooster-related injury! I had loosened his collar last night, because his walking seemed off to me and I was worried, then he was loud as could be today, and it was the first time I had tried to adjust it in the daytime in awhile, and he showed me he was not pleased! But, it wasn't too bad and I was able to get the collar closer to that Goldilocks, just-right, state.
And also in that parallel universe, I seem to be getting a cold - but with no school kids around to give it to me! No fair! I was just starting to get work done again!

Integration was officially much better today, though not quite perfect. There was one sketchy moment where Frida and Grace menacingly approached a confused Cy in the crate, but I was there and able to stop them. And, Frankie got left behind in the run at one point, but no one actually bothered her and she let me pick her up and reunite her with Rousseau, which was pretty nice, I thought. So, there's still room for discomfort, but overall, everyone shared space much better than they have so far. Everyone got to eat and check out new areas in the coop, and I got an egg from Bettina, and I can't really complain. I did notice that Lu's attack was more than just the wound on her wing - her chest area looks like it got roughed-up somehow, but no open wounds there. Poor thing - s/he really has more than a chick's share of issues.

Everyone is still getting feminine pronouns until things get clearer. Actually, the most-likely cockerel is one of the two light-gray ones (probably both Frida's), which is starting to get a little pink comb, while his/her almost-identical sibling has no noticeable comb and is a little smaller. Wing size isn't meaning much here so far, Teila, as everyone has relatively long wings at the moment. Bettina's babies are bigger and goofier than everyone else, but so is Bettina, so that doesn't mean much yet.

And, more pictures!
Look at Frankie! She's not my favorite or anything:


This one in front is the one with the noticeable comb. (Combs will be hard to read as a reliable sex indicator, since the moms all have different kinds of combs):


Roosting broodies, confusing the chicks. "What, where are we supposed to be?"



Grace finally realized she was needed elsewhere:

 

[ItalyChickie]

Hi team! Just a quick hello to everyone - I'm officially on vacation at the moment, though in reality already back home and just taking a few days to do nothing much but chill out (with the chickens, of course).

I am sorry! Just saw how many new posts there are and realized that there is simply no way I can catch up on everything tonight, though I'll give it a go over the next few days. Beautiful pictures and chickens and I can't wait to read all the news!

For now, some tidbits of news on my families:

I'll start with the almost-fully-grown Cochins and Orps, one of which has began to crow recently. Not a major piece of news or anything, but it's the funniest attempt at a crow I've ever heard! Sounds like he is clearing his throat into a malfunctioned loud speaker... if you can picture that.

Rosita, one of the broody twins, has abandoned her "babies" and is back to the egg laying business. (This was beginning of July hatch, so over two months, not really babies any more.) I'm really impressed with how well she integrated them - aside from some panicking on the very first evening, they accepted that they are grown up right away, and are mixing with the flock, even though they're tiny compared to the rest of the flock (these are bantams mixes, bantam brahma x silkie mix).

Pallina is also back to the egg laying and boy charming business (mostly the latter, and making a big big scene about the former, without much to show for it), but her babies are definitely not ready to be abandoned yet... so she does sleep with them at night and stays together with them a few hours in the morning, then disappears with the big flock for most of the day... I guess she is slowly weaning them, though I've never encountered that before... I'll have to come up with something for their sleeping arrangements if she does abandon them soon, they aren't ready for the big coop yet, and would probably be cold on their own... Oh, I'm also pretty certain there is only 1 or 2 boys in that group, which means 4 or even 5 girls! Hope I am right!!!

Chiocciola is carrying on being a great mom with Araucanas and EEs, not much to report there, except for the fact that I'm quite certain that 2 out of 3 pure Araucanas are boys... not looking good for those blue eggs!

Finally, the co-broody family is doing great. Can't get enough of them!

I'm 99% sure Shakira is a girl (yay! I get to keep the name!), while I think the two Australorps are a pair, so it will have to be Michael and Janet, not Janet and LaToya as I was hoping! The unknown breed chick also seems rooish - but besides those early (probably too early) guesses, not much to report, everyone is growing and I'm spoiling them rotten, of course.

As for my other wannabe-broody-again, Bonnie, it's as if she knew about bad timing... she actually did not go completely broody until a couple of days ago. Although she did this last time too, I thought it was due to being a first timer, but no, apparently she enjoys walking around with imaginary chicks and turning into a big mean broody ball whenever anyone comes near.... she did this for two weeks, only staying on the nest a couple of hours in the morning, so I left her alone... of course, now she means business, and that means I need to make a final decision. The timing is a bit better now, so I might give in... it seems so much easier than trying to break her at this point - that one is like a boomerang, I pull her off the nest, and she flies over my head to get right back on...

The only concern at this point is the weather... I had an awful experience with purchased chicks (no broody) in fall, so now I'm afraid to have chicks grow in the rainy cold season... but maybe I'm worrying without any reason and broody chicks aren't affected by the weather at all? I don't know...

Anyway, that's enough rambling from me for today! Again, my apologies for the lack of replies - just want to read through everything first. Hope all is well though, and it seems so from what I see in the pictures so far.

 

[16 paws]

Hi all,

Great pictures Liz. Those broodys on the roost are adorable. Is that the one you spanked? She looks so nice. Lol

Frankie looks like a girl to me, I hope so. She kind of looks like she is sporting a headband there. Super cute!
Marie

 

[16 paws]

MistyMountain,

Thanks for asking about my leghorn. She seems to be doing fine. Her walk seems to be a little slow compared to the others and she is a little clumsy but other than that she seems fine. We felt her legs while she was roosting and they are very hard, not squishy like they are swollen. I have made contact with another girl on BYC and her leghorn has the same exact issue. Its a mystery so far.

Hope everyone in your family feels better soon....

Cant wait to see more pictures...
Marie

 

[Teila]

Good morning Bridge Club

MM looking forward to the Cielo pictures

Sorry to hear Beans was unwell and hope you ditched that headache quickly!

TG oops, bad Desi for biting mum! Good to read that integration continues to gradually improve.

I love Franke!! I am also making a guesstimate that she is, in fact, a she

Beautiful pics!

Howdy IC nice to see you again.

Good to read that everything with your flock is going well. Also, great roo to pullet ratio on Pallina’s hatch; well done! Yippppe at Shakira being a keeper!

Not counting the day I gave Tina her eggs as it was 4pm, today is day 12 so we are over the half way mark! She is still sitting tight. She is so funny, when she hops off the nest for a break she is still doing her peacock impersonations and runs around like Speedy Gonzales for 10 minutes or so and then back to the nest and so, so quiet you would not know she was there!

No real chicken news of note; everyone well and situation normal.

Non-chicken news …. I have been afk for a couple of days as I made the executive decision that three and a half months without a car is more than enough (it is not fun!). So been reorganizing the finances. Have the cash in my account and a friend, who is a car salesman, doing some car shopping for me and of course, I get the friends discount

Nail biting, edge of the recliner stuff last night with our AFL Football Team winning by one goal and sealing a spot in the preliminary final; very exciting! Joel is so very happy but also just a little on the ‘seedy’-side; blaming the couple of extra beers it took to keep his nerves calm!

I think it is going to be another beautiful day today so, as per usual, quick dash around inside to get a few things done and then outside to have some fun!!

You all have fun also and take care

 

[MistyMountain]

Liz, great pics! I'm definitely a frankie fan! I have a soft spot those who are a bit different. Remember those naughty leghorn cockerels that I rehomed? Well the single one with bent toes (now named bentoes) is doing well and hamming it up at his new farm. I see pics often of him peering in the front door of his new home begging for treats. Spoiled, that one. I am so happy they chose him! Hope your cold has gotten better. Two days with a fever for jakey beans and he is good to go. Unfortunately dh has caught the bug and is on about day 3 with a fever. He is the feverest running adult I know, but it seems like he may be turning around now. So far so good for son #1 and myself.

IC, how do you keep track of all those families?!? Yay for shakira!! I don't know what I would do with all of your broodies! Build more nest boxes for a start, I suppose!

Teila, sadly it has been rainy out so phone camera is the best I can do for now. Yay on the car. Double yay on the friend discount! We've had car trouble here as well. Hopefully we made the riht decision on having it repaired vs moving on to something else.

Not much going on here. Hawk lockdown commences with an exception of evenings when we are outside. Free range time goes until they put themselves to bed. Naughty tree roosting Maude has enticed the two young cockerels to join her. Grrr.

Here is the lovely Anna. Love those dark eyes.

Cielo handsome boy!

The youngin's. Young roo is growing a beard. Funny... So is dh!

 

[MistyMountain]

Ooops! Forgot pretty elsa!