Illinois...

[Faraday40]

For gifts this year, I decided to make ornaments using blown eggs. To make it even easier, I bought stickers instead of painting each one. The tops were made from floral accents I found in the wedding area. Buttons or beads would have also worked. I then put a layer of Modge Podge to add a little strength. Here they are hanging to dry.

I learned a new trick to blow eggs out. After making a hole, use an empty syringe to push air inside the egg. This increases the pressure & the egg contents will push outward. Make sure to pierce the yolk so it comes out easier. It takes several pumps of the syringe, but you avoid kissing an egg. Wash it out in a similar manner. When finished & dried, the egg only has one small hole.
I saved several blown eggs from when my hens started laying. We now have an egg from each hen to hang on our tree, as well as little gifts for all the neighbors & local friends.


While shopping at Hobby Lobby, I found this Christmas ornament - 50% off. It was just too perfect to put back.


Merry Christmas from our flock to yours.

 

[4stakes]

Our 15 hens are giving us only 1-3 eggs per day. It sure is a bad time to be molting this time of year. About time to show them the KFC box. LOL. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

 

[MeepBeep]

Our 15 hens are giving us only 1-3 eggs per day. It sure is a bad time to be molting this time of year. About time to show them the KFC box. LOL. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

Unless you are providing artificial light, and some heat that isn't too bad for this time of the year, especially if some are molding... Illinois is only getting about 8 or 9 hours of light a day right now, a chicken needs 14-16 hours of light to stimulate a single eggs production, so the best you could realistically hope for is about 6 or 7 eggs a day assuming all were out of molt with current lighting hours...

 

[NotAFarm]

...and I heard this December has been extremely darker, read than as gloomy, dreary, gray, etc, than normal so I think that is affecting them.....I know it is affecting me!!

Stay safe and warm Illinois peeps and have a Very Merry Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate!

 

[SixChickFlock]

Book review/recommendation-

After reading only the introduction, "Why Did The Chicken Cross The World", by Andrew Lawler, promises to be a good read! I imagine I will stay up late tonight to read the rest of it...

Merry Christmas Illinois chicken keepers!

 

[ilroost]

Merry Christmas to all the Illinois peeps

 

[SixChickFlock]

Rooster question for my Illinois friends...

A buddy of mine adopted 3 pullets to add to his neighbors 3 hen flock. They wanted more eggs and he helps with feed and maintenance. Very handy and hard working guy. One of them "turned out to be a dude"!

He's an Americana... Probably from the same group that 2 of my 3 pullets came from.

I'm wondering how the addition of a roo will affect my flock. Two are molting. Two or 4 of 8 are laying. What happens when you add a rooster to a mixed flock that are still getting to know each other?

He is coming over for a visit shortly... !

 

[Faraday40]

I enjoy having a roo around to help settle the hen's pecking issues. He's at the top & will step in between 2 fighting hens. He offers protection & can give fertile eggs if you choose to hatch.

On the negative, he may try to flog you or any children he sees as a threat. The crowing could also be troublesome depending on where you live. All roos crow, but some are more frequent than others. One roo we had mated the hens too often & chased them all over. Poor girls were bald-backed. Our current boy is more of a gentleman & courts them instead. In the beginning, the older hens pecked on him to say that he was not a "big boy" yet. Eventually, he matured & took lead of the flock.

 

[SixChickFlock]

Well... We have a rooster, a cockerel I suppose.

After a couple hours together, the new fella seems to be fitting into the flock. There were some impressive attacks from several of the girls at first sight. He just took in stride. After a bit he seemed to be pointing out tasty treats in the yard. Really easy to catch and hold. He was the sweetest of the 3 my friends adopted. Seems really gentle. His humans thought the intro went much better than hoped for. I guess we just keep an eye on them all and see how it goes!

Her name was Juniper... We have renamed him Martini, sorta goes with gin... juniper berries... Hoping he stays sweet and gentle and doesn't get renamed Pot Pie.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

For gifts this year, I decided to make ornaments using blown eggs. To make it even easier, I bought stickers instead of painting each one. The tops were made from floral accents I found in the wedding area. Buttons or beads would have also worked. I then put a layer of Modge Podge to add a little strength. Here they are hanging to dry.

I learned a new trick to blow eggs out. After making a hole, use an empty syringe to push air inside the egg. This increases the pressure & the egg contents will push outward. Make sure to pierce the yolk so it comes out easier. It takes several pumps of the syringe, but you avoid kissing an egg. Wash it out in a similar manner. When finished & dried, the egg only has one small hole.
I saved several blown eggs from when my hens started laying. We now have an egg from each hen to hang on our tree, as well as little gifts for all the neighbors & local friends.


While shopping at Hobby Lobby, I found this Christmas ornament - 50% off. It was just too perfect to put back.


Merry Christmas from our flock to yours.

Such a cute picture in front of the tree! I will have to do that next year with the grandkids.