IA here

[pbjmaker]

I had a record 15 eggs yesterday and my first olive egg- life must be good for chickens. They have been laying around 8 eggs per day even with a light on. I have 20 pullets/hens that could be laying...

I'm gonna get you a new picture of "Bear" she loves her new cage and is pretty quiet until 10 pm at night when she decides it's time to talk to everyone.

Oh - and she is finally broke of the heat lamp!

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Must be in the air! I got 6 eggs on the 13th, eight on the 14th and we'll have to see what today brings. There was one girl trying hard last night (sitting in her nest box backwards) I came out with some bread she flew out snatched a piece and right back in she went head first and stayed there. I got tired of waiting. For bantams those are good days.

Hey did I show you this pic of the Itty Bitty?

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt78/mrandmrschicken/ittybitty005.jpg


Sorry if I did. The tiny one is a day older than the Serama next to it. Have two more also.
Had 4 but the broody left the nest too long to tend to some bigger ones that could hop or flit out and lost one itty and a little Buttercup that couldn't make it out. They got too cold and died.

The little one in this pic has wing feathers now and little short legs and is still so tiny, looks like a tiny little... sawed off chicken! It hangs out under Sparkle, Bears Mom, who is broody now, with two chicks, two weeks younger, but mingles with the bigger chicks in the brooder too. Sparkle doesn't always like the older chicks and keeps them on their toes! It's funny how that broody counts her chicks since she is surrounded by so many.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt78/mrandmrschicken/ittybitty004-1.jpg

The Mom of the ittys likes to fly on top of my head when I open the pen up to feed them. Guess she likes feeling big?

ETA: Just discovered I had shown those before. Sorry about that but please feel free to ooo and aww again!

I have some more eggs from the little Seramas that I am considering hatching but we leave for FL Keys on the 29th for just over a week. Would anyone be interested in trying to test hatch a few of them? They may be old and require special care at hatching, if they are not stale, but could be worth a try if I don't feel like setting them in new Hova Bator, with all the trimmings, which I love!
Any takers out there? I might get jealous and want them back!

 

[skyedobb]

Mine were laying a steady 12-14 but I got a record 20 eggs on Tuesday!

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Wow! That is some record! You musta been doing an egg dance in the moonlight with a silly hat on to get those results! What did you do?

 

[skyedobb]

I can't take credit - I've been out of town for work and my husband has had chicken chores so he collected them all! He said he got them all on Monday and was shocked at the 20 eggs!

 

[pbjmaker]

OK Eric - as promised here are some new pictures of "Bear" She has some itty bitty wattles now,but still leaning toward girl.
Here is a side view - she was being stubborn and wouldn't hold her tail up like she normally does:

Front view - you can see the tiny wattles but the comb is still tiny and mostly yellow:

 

[mrandmrschicken]

It's A Girl! Congratulations! I am almost 1121/2% positive SHE is a girl. If a boy, there would be much more comb by now. She looks alot like her mom.
Took some pics of her and the gang. The yellow chick with the wings is the one in the other pics.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt78/mrandmrschicken/clubsparkle003.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt78/mrandmrschicken/clubsparkle005.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt78/mrandmrschicken/clubsparkle002.jpg

She kinda did "the turkey" when she saw the camera.

Gonna be 40F here today. Would like to let the birds out if they want to go?

 

[pbjmaker]

Mama is very cute for sure as are the baby chicks! It looks like Bear has a little more gold through her neck at this point but perhaps will be laced/barred the same after her juvie feathers molt out. If she is as good a mama as my other serama hen then I will be happy!

I got 15 eggs again yesterday - this nice weather is putting everyone in a good mood. My poor little splash cochin though is no longer mostly white but pukey mud color. She is a dirty mess.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

It did not make it to 40 yesterday but was still sunny and yet none wanted to go outside? Not even the Buckeyes.
And the egg count was down but thats okay, they all got a chance to stretch, let them out in the garage for a run around and of course they got to bump chests with their old buddies they haven't really since they've been penned.
I hear the natives getting restless so, I'd better get them fed.

 

[ChickBond 007]

I mucked out the coop yesterday. Away with the deep litter that I thought would be sufficient until spring! I have about 12" of shavings. However, two areas (water area and under roost) were quite wet underneath. I think this is the reason for so many of my wheaton marans roosters having frostbite on their wattles/combs.
So everyone went to see the sunshine....like it or not.... Even the October born chicks saw their first sunshine but they do not like being part of the group at all...yet.
The coop is all fresh and tidy now.

I went to deep litter in October. I was told it would be alright for 5 months with "turning" and DE to dehydrate droppings. Not an accurate situation.

I'll need to find a better method to reduce moisture next year. I may be back to changing all litter entirely every 4 weeks again. The coop has a vented roof, but we may need some type of attic fan or similar.
Any suggestions welcome.

PBJ -- have you been to Mimi's cafe? How's that sound for Saturday?