Illinois...

[MeepBeep]

Second, Nice setup with the grow out pen above the nesting boxes.

I had to do something with the space, the benches were already there when I converted it over to a coop and they were serving no purpose other than to be poop collectors...

Now I have grow out pens and breeding isolation pens...

I am also waiting for the leaves to fall to add to the coop for their deep litter.

Yeah I need a lot more litter before winter... I was out there the other day stating to get ready for winter and was raking all the big stuff that wasn't breaking down like corn cobs, corn husk, grape vines, dried bread chunks (had a lot of bread chunks, apparently my birds can't be bothered with pecking apart the dry bread chunks) and what not and when I was done I had raked up 3 full garbage cans, so I figured I would at least replace that with pine shavings for now, still needs about 4 or more inches of bedding before winter comes... I'll see how energetic I am with leaves before I toss in more straw and pin shavings...

 

[ChicagoClucker]

If anyone is interested, I have 2 girls up for sale. Light Blue Marans and a Lavender Ameraucana. They are both 5 months old and are at the point of lay. They hatched together, and are good friends, so will not separate. $20.00 for both.



Won these eggs on BYC auction thread from Bhep, if I remember correctly. I only kept 1 of each, and need to make room for the Orp frenzy I got myself into.

These girls are pending Pickup.

 

[chickendreams24]

Aww well I'm glad they found a home too bad BC I'd have loved them but mostly just glad they found a home

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I had to do something with the space, the benches were already there when I converted it over to a coop and they were serving no purpose other than to be poop collectors...

Now I have grow out pens and breeding isolation pens...
Yeah I need a lot more litter before winter... I was out there the other day stating to get ready for winter and was raking all the big stuff that wasn't breaking down like corn cobs, corn husk, grape vines, dried bread chunks (had a lot of bread chunks, apparently my birds can't be bothered with pecking apart the dry bread chunks) and what not and when I was done I had raked up 3 full garbage cans, so I figured I would at least replace that with pine shavings for now, still needs about 4 or more inches of bedding before winter comes... I'll see how energetic I am with leaves before I toss in more straw and pin shavings...

I feel bad for you in a way, trying to fill that huge, great coop with deep litter. Quite an undertaking.

I have 3 trees, my Bradford pear leaves don't fall til mid winter. They turn a pretty golden brown, but hang on until those blustery winter storms come in. Then 2 maples but one is just a yearly, so, I am going to have to hit my neighbor up again this year and steal her leaves. She has 3 large maples. I don't think she will mind.

And I am not going to use straw this year. I had mice in their coop all summer, and I think it was from the seeds falling from the straw. So I am going with the pine shavings and leaves, and hopefully not have a mouse problem. Their feed is given to them outside, so it has to be the straw seeds. I also read someplace, that straw tends to lead to mite problems. I don't know if its true, but don't want to have to deal with that mess, hopefully ever.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Aww well I'm glad they found a home too bad BC I'd have loved them

but mostly just glad they found a home

Thanks, its my daughters friend that just started with some chicks she hatch in her classroom. So glad its someone I know. I do love them, but was disappointed with the marans color and leg feathering and didn't want to send her off by herself.

 

[Faraday40]

Got my 1st pullet egg from my April chicks!!!

The egg on the right is from the only hen currently laying.


The rest are all pullets or molting.
Here's poor Princess. I had to bring her inside. She leaves a trail of feathers behind. In fact 6 fell off as I was taking these pics!





Cuddles update:
She's molting, but otherwise like her old self. She even learned a new card/"magic" trick. I call her my psychic chicken. After a volunteer chooses a card, Cuddles will read his/her mind, find & peck at that card in the deck. She's just one of those very special pets,

Meanwhile, Cookie hatched some chicks. They will be moving to WI tomorrow. I've never rehomed her chicks this young, so I hope she forgives me. (There's no way I can keep them when I'm still trying to downsize.) It was either let her hatch them or toss the eggs after she started. At least I know they'll be going to a good home and loved.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Got my 1st pullet egg from my April chicks!!!

The egg on the right is from the only hen currently laying.


The rest are all pullets or molting.
Here's poor Princess. I had to bring her inside. She leaves a trail of feathers behind. In fact 6 fell off as I was taking these pics!





Cuddles update:
She's molting, but otherwise like her old self. She even learned a new card/"magic" trick. I call her my psychic chicken. After a volunteer chooses a card, Cuddles will read his/her mind, find & peck at that card in the deck. She's just one of those very special pets,

Meanwhile, Cookie hatched some chicks. They will be moving to WI tomorrow. I've never rehomed her chicks this young, so I hope she forgives me. (There's no way I can keep them when I'm still trying to downsize.) It was either let her hatch them or toss the eggs after she started. At least I know they'll be going to a good home and loved.

Congrats on that pretty egg! Is it from 1 of the Orps? Or Biele?

Glad to hear Cuddles is back to normal. And poor Princess, she looks miserable. She is going thru a hard molt.

I am sure Cookie will be ok. I would feel bad too. But you have to do what you got to do. In fact, I am a little worried about Coco, when her 2 other friends leave. They were my 3 amigos, but have to make cuts somewhere. And since I already have 2 marans that I really like and my CCLs laying blue eggs, Henrietta and Sweet Pea were the smart choice. They are just at the point of lay, and new they would go fast. Coco will just have to buddy up with either the slightly younger Orps or the slightly older Marans. My daughters friend is taking them. She started with chickens like you did. She is a teacher and did a hatch for her class and brought them home and ended up with a lot of Roos. So luckily for me, she was looking for something different than leghorns and barred rocks.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I was so tempted to slip the splash orp chicks under Clara my buff orp, but since its her first time being broody, I chickened out. I finally got my splash and don't want to chance loosing them. If she is still setting I might slip the cochin bantam chicks under her or could I slip the eggs under her? They will be going into lockdown on Thursday. Its just so cold outside, I don't know if I should.
Need opinions

 

[chickendreams24]

Picked up Cookie's chicks from @Faraday40 today they're so beautiful and I am so glad I got them. They're doing great.

The ride home.

Dust bathing in crumbles lol

 

[Faraday40]

I was so tempted to slip the splash orp chicks under Clara my buff orp, but since its her first time being broody, I chickened out. I finally got my splash and don't want to chance loosing them. If she is still setting I might slip the cochin bantam chicks under her or could I slip the eggs under her? They will be going into lockdown on Thursday. Its just so cold outside, I don't know if I should.
Need opinions

I tried slipping my Dominique eggs under a broody. (I thought I'd save her 2 weeks of incubation.) She was unsettled by me moving her into the broody box & abandoned the eggs. I found them covered with poo & cold the next morning. I turned the incubator back on & one actually hatched - well over 24 hrs late.

In some tough hatches, a broody can have a higher hatch rate. My bantam orp did much better hatching bantam eggs than I did with the incubator. However, I must admit that I was very upset with the other broody for killing some of my Dominique eggs.

The temperature is not a big deal for a broody. If it were me (& she was strongly brooding), I'd give her 1 egg & then slip the rest of the chicks under when they hatch. I believe the mama's hormones change as she feels the eggs hatch. Mama also talks to the chicks as they hatch, so it helps them bond. I have slipped a few chicks under a hen during the 1st 24 hrs with no problems. When I tried to do it at day 4, the hen tried to attack the new chicks to protect her own babies.

Speaking of broodies, my own had a rough day. Her chicks went to their new home. She was calling for them. Then the other hens tried to pick on her, a roo wanted to mate, & a giant hawk kept making fly bys. I had to lock her up inside the broody cage for her own safety. On the other hand, her chicks had no problem with the separation. I gave them a nice warm, dark box and put a microwavable pad under the box. They snuggled in & fell asleep. It was a very quiet ride. (I was expecting a lot of peeping for mama.) I had a nice visit with chickendreams24 then drove to Great America to enjoy Fright Fest.

​