Illinois...

[Wild Birdman]

They say that ducks, as a rule of thumb, always nest within 300 Ft of water as like a pond, a river, or lake.

 

[Wild Birdman]

our rooftop is a 1/2 mile.

 

[megpie021]

This is gonna be a long post guys.

But I took this while at the local home depot and thought you guys would appreciate it.

And when I walked out to see how my veggies I planted earlier this week were doing I snapped these!
Pepper and Cinnamon say HI!!

Licorice hates the cold I think.

And I cleaned out the littles today and took these. The brahma Cream Puff is getting red already. I am not sure if its a hatchery chicken thing like it seemed to be with Pepper, or if Cream Puff is a he. I also feel like Olive has a really wide comb. No color to it, just wide. Meringue is this groups Pepper, seeks out attention and hogs the camera. Sassy the Welsummer is super skittish. Meringue is the Austra White. I read they can lay as early as 12 weeks, so I have been trying to not worry about the fact that the comb is so big there.

And lastly we are in what feels like an epic saga with the ducks. We have some decisions to make and it isn't easy. We were positive Bagel was a girl. Which meant we had 2 boys and a girl. So we placed an order for more girl ducks. But now at week 8 for Bagel we haven't heard a quack in what feels like a week. None of the ducks sound the same. Popcorn has a drake feather, Bagel and Taco don't. They are all very sweet and will eat out of my hand. Our issue is this: if they are all boys, we don't really care except we don't want them attacking the chickens when in the mood. So do we build a separate duck pen? We don't want to because well money and time. But if we do, just keep the original three? Do we get the girls still and just have way more ducks? Do we sell one or two of the guys? We know something is going to have to change we just don't know what. I am scared if we sell any of the ones we have they will be freezer camped. On the plus side, we haven't seen any more seizure activity from Bagel. Not really looking for an answer on the ducks. Just venting til I decide what to do.

And last lastly, I don't think my picture of these two worked last time. The husband surprise chicks

Okay that is it I am done!

 

[megpie021]

Okay, so I posted this picture on facebook, and a few people who have chickens were suspicious of how red everyone was. I was pretty sure I was in the clear with these ones. Cinnamon our BO I have never once questioned. These three at some point I have. Just checking real quick to see if anyone sees anything other than the red? They will all be 13 weeks Tuesday. I havent heard a crow either. White one is Peaches the Amberlink, Pepper the SLW and Licorice the hawky looking EE.

 

[Junibutt]

Okay, so I posted this picture on facebook, and a few people who have chickens were suspicious of how red everyone was. I was pretty sure I was in the clear with these ones. Cinnamon our BO I have never once questioned. These three at some point I have. Just checking real quick to see if anyone sees anything other than the red? They will all be 13 weeks Tuesday. I havent heard a crow either. White one is Peaches the Amberlink, Pepper the SLW and Licorice the hawky looking EE. View attachment 553651

Don't worry all 3 are pullets. Since they are hatchery they probably will start laying sooner than regular breeds so kinda getting red already.

 

[megpie021]

Don't worry all 3 are pullets. Since they are hatchery they probably will start laying sooner than regular breeds so kinda getting red already.

Thanks! I shouldnt have doubted myself, but these girls are my girls lol. The first 4, it would have been awful to learn that there was a cockerel at this point. I will however be getting better pictures of Olive the EE and Cream Puff for sexing soon because I am wondering about them.

 

[Junibutt]

I am swimming in broodies instead of eggs these days. Is anyone else experiencing this?
Kim-the choc cuckoo split to mottled has been taking care of chicks for 4 weeks
Pearl- the mauve girl is sitting on 4 egg (2 from a mauve orp x black split to choc and mottled boy and 2 from cuckoo maran x the same boy)
Chloe- the choc split to mottled stayed broody for 3 weeks to give Pearl company but finally gave up when I did not give her eggs.
Kendel-Another choc split to mottled just went broody yesterday
Tequilla- a barpington (legbar x orp) also went broody yesterday. Last time she went broody, she stayed broody for 3 months without eggs.
Sandra- A legbar laid today but she has been making broody sounds for the past week. I have a feeling she will start sitting in soon.

Does watching other hen's chicks makes hens go broody? I am wondering that they see Kim strutting around with her chicks and they feel like they want some too.

Needless to say, my egg production is down the drain and all my breeding plans have been ruined for the rest of the year.

@Faraday40 too bad Oopsie is not laying otherwise I would have asked for some of Oopsies eggs. How is your recovery going?

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I kicked 2 broody bantams out of the nest the last 3 days. Then I went to clean the small coop and caught my Choc Orp, Coco, tucking 4 eggs under herself. It must be the season.

 

[Faraday40]

@Faraday40 too bad Oopsie is not laying otherwise I would have asked for some of Oopsies eggs. How is your recovery going?[/QUOTE]

Getting better but still not back to normal. It seems like I have a small supply of energy that gets used up too quickly.

Well.... You're swimming in broody hens & I'm swimming in chicks! I have plenty of Godiva X Brick chicks as well as 2 mauve cuckoo orps. Plus a full incubator due in 2 weeks. If you want eggs, I have those too.

Then I got a knock on the door on Friday & a Kindergarten teacher had 2 choc cuckoo orps & a lav orp - homeless. Her district orders eggs for all the K classrooms, but her incubator failed due to user error. She felt horrible, so someone gave her my number. All the eggs I gave her hatched but since they were started later, the district came around to all the schools to collect the chicks the day hers hatched. (To top it off, hers were the only eggs to hatch at the school.) The following day, the last 3 eggs hatched, so she didn't know what to do with them. Thankfully Oopsie's a great mom and always welcomes MORE.
Oopsie has
2 = 6wk old chicks
1 = 3.5wk old orp
2 = 3.5 wk old quail (Anyone want 2 free male quail?)
* Above chicks were already in the brooder before Oopsie & her chicks were added
5 = 2.5 wk old chicks
9 = 2 wk old chicks
& now 3 = 3-4 day old chicks

Since there's a back up heat source & multiple feeders they seem to be doing well. I just don't let her free range. I carry them to the tractor during the day & to the brooder at night. Once we can get down to about a dozen chicks, I'll probably let her bring them to the coop.

 

[Junibutt]

@Faraday40 too bad Oopsie is not laying otherwise I would have asked for some of Oopsies eggs. How is your recovery going?

Getting better but still not back to normal. It seems like I have a small supply of energy that gets used up too quickly.

Well.... You're swimming in broody hens & I'm swimming in chicks! I have plenty of Godiva X Brick chicks as well as 2 mauve cuckoo orps. Plus a full incubator due in 2 weeks. If you want eggs, I have those too.

Then I got a knock on the door on Friday & a Kindergarten teacher had 2 choc cuckoo orps & a lav orp - homeless. Her district orders eggs for all the K classrooms, but her incubator failed due to user error. She felt horrible, so someone gave her my number. All the eggs I gave her hatched but since they were started later, the district came around to all the schools to collect the chicks the day hers hatched. (To top it off, hers were the only eggs to hatch at the school.) The following day, the last 3 eggs hatched, so she didn't know what to do with them. Thankfully Oopsie's a great mom and always welcomes MORE.
Oopsie has
2 = 6wk old chicks
1 = 3.5wk old orp
2 = 3.5 wk old quail (Anyone want 2 free male quail?)
* Above chicks were already in the brooder before Oopsie & her chicks were added
5 = 2.5 wk old chicks
9 = 2 wk old chicks
& now 3 = 3-4 day old chicks

Since there's a back up heat source & multiple feeders they seem to be doing well. I just don't let her free range. I carry them to the tractor during the day & to the brooder at night. Once we can get down to about a dozen chicks, I'll probably let her bring them to the coop.[/QUOTE]

You need to rest some to fully recover and don't forget your vitamins or juices.
It would be fun to see a picture of Oopsie with all the chicks of different ages. Maybe I should try that with one of the broody mamas. They might just take the chicks.
All I can tell is that I have never seen such a gentle broody like Kim. Yes she growled anytime someone got near her but she never bit my hands when I checked the eggs under her. Even when I picked one of the chicks, she was very patient about it and I was able to put it back gently without any fear of being attacked. Its a different story when it comes to other hens getting near the chicks though.