Illinois...

[Faraday40]

UGH! More snow!!!

I finally dug out some paths to & around the coop yesterday. Today I lured out a few chickens with some bread. (You know it's bad when a hen doesn't lunge at bread.) Now it's going to be another 1-2" of snow for us tonight & possibly another dusting tomorrow.

Does anyone else have hens trying to eat all the snow? I don't remember them eating snow last winter, but lately it's the 1st thing they do when they step outside. Is this normal or are mine defective?

 

[Faraday40]

Five eggs today!!!
And the gals came outside to check out the snow... At least for a few minutes. Chicken curiosity?

That big egg... It's from the 4 we got yesterday. Just showing off our biggest egg yet.
Guessing it's a double yolker from Nellie!




Chipmonk, in the foreground, made that pretty blue egg.

 

[SixChickFlock]

Faraday,

My notes are:

Date
Weight
Name
Nest location (there are three - South, Center, North)
Appx time of arrival

Trying to keep up on who does what and when. The South nest is by far the most popular. I'd LOVE to know why!

It's kinda fun when I give away eggs to talk about who laid them. I had a neighbor contribute $10 to the feed fund a couple days ago after I let him pet our Roo and gave him a couple eggs... Guess my going rate is $5 an egg? That won't last long!

 

[SixChickFlock]

Eating snow? Yes! Mine are eating snow.

 

[Bronson]

Mine love to eat snow. They do not get any supplemental heat, and that includes water. I bring out fresh water twice a day, and leave a container of snow in their coop overnight in case anyone gets a bit thirsty. Many times they ignore the water and just eat the snow.

 

[rfreedlund]

Mine love to eat snow. They do not get any supplemental heat, and that includes water. I bring out fresh water twice a day, and leave a container of snow in their coop overnight in case anyone gets a bit thirsty. Many times they ignore the water and just eat the snow.

Mine eat the snow as well. They get more water from the snow than from the water I have available to them in the coop.

 

[LinaNate]

Can someone offer pain med suggestions? I need help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/951265/chick-pain-med-suggestions#post_14739396

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Finally, went out to close up the coop and my CCL's are finally cuddled up with my 3 older hens. Up until tonight, the 6 CCL were at one end of the top roost and the older girls at the other end with a gap of about 2 feet between them. I also have a question for anyone that has CCL's. At what age did your cream legbars begin to lay?

 

[Faraday40]

Finally, went out to close up the coop and my CCL's are finally cuddled up with my 3 older hens. Up until tonight, the 6 CCL were at one end of the top roost and the older girls at the other end with a gap of about 2 feet between them. I also have a question for anyone that has CCL's. At what age did your cream legbars begin to lay?

I discovered that my pullets don't mingle with the hens until they're about ready to lay.

My CCLs started laying at 4.5 to 5 months but then stopped about a month later when it got cold. My EE (Easter Egger) hens also stopped around the same time. The EEs just started laying again this week, so I expect the CCLs will follow. (Their eggs look the same, & their temperaments are also alike.) Mid February is usually when the egg production starts back up. This is my 1st winter with CCLs, so I'll let you know when they turn back on.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I discovered that my pullets don't mingle with the hens until they're about ready to lay.

My CCLs started laying at 4.5 to 5 months but then stopped about a month later when it got cold. My EE (Easter Egger) hens also stopped around the same time. The EEs just started laying again this week, so I expect the CCLs will follow. (Their eggs look the same, & their temperaments are also alike.) Mid February is usually when the egg production starts back up. This is my 1st winter with CCLs, so I'll let you know when they turn back on.

Thanks again, you made my night! My girls and guys are 4 months old. I am so excited, blue eggs soon! At least one of the boys is making a weak attempt to crow for the last couple of weeks. Now if my one maran turns out to be a hen, I would be ecstatic!