I'm never gonna get an egg!!!

[WVduckchick]

I'm somewhat concerned that a mouse will get into a bag..

Oh, I had a mouse get into a bag of straw. That bag has been laying there for a year! I realize the mouse is gone now, but haven't been able to make myself clean it up. I hate mice. They give me the willies.
But it may be time, i really need to clean up that mess.

You've got me wondering if I'm going to try incubating eggs next year -- it looks really fun.

Oh boy, that's when the chicken calculus really kicked in for me! Incubating is so addictive. I'm looking for a cabinet incubator now (to add to my 4 table tops, currently running full!)

 

[Killer Tomato]

Oh, I had a mouse get into a bag of straw. That bag has been laying there for a year! I realize the mouse is gone now, but haven't been able to make myself clean it up. I hate mice. They give me the willies.
But it may be time, i really need to clean up that mess.



Oh boy, that's when the chicken calculus really kicked in for me! Incubating is so addictive. I'm looking for a cabinet incubator now (to add to my 4 table tops, currently running full!)

Just drag that mouse bag outside, and don't peek at it. Throw it in a corner of the yard, and let it compost another season. <shudder> I'm fine with mice, but freak out with spiders -- so I have to get really brave when I do the spider disposal (cleaning up under the shoe with which I smashed it). I've cried before. I understand anxiety.

Incubating would open SO many avenues to cool breeds and ordering eggs online! But.... finding a home for our aggressive rooster was such an ordeal, I wouldn't want to run the risk of hatching out a passel of roos, fancy breeds, or not! I'm way outside of the "legal" limits for chickens in the city as it is. Next year..... For now, it's just chicks in the bathroom brooder again!

 

[CapricornFarm]

Oh, I had a mouse get into a bag of straw. That bag has been laying there for a year! I realize the mouse is gone now, but haven't been able to make myself clean it up. I hate mice. They give me the willies.
But it may be time, i really need to clean up that mess.



Oh boy, that's when the chicken calculus really kicked in for me! Incubating is so addictive. I'm looking for a cabinet incubator now (to add to my 4 table tops, currently running full!)

See, i am way behind! Thinking i should build one.

 

[apryl29]

Hello All,
Another check in from me too! For some reason, I stopped getting notifications that there was any action on this thread. Weird! Glad to see that we're all surviving the winter, and longing for sunny weather. You've got me wondering if I'm going to try incubating eggs next year -- it looks really fun.

I broke down and got 4 more chicks last week. (happy dance!) 2 Leghorns, 1 Cuckoo Marans, 1 Welsummer. There were no signs about chicks minimums or anything at the store, and the chick bins were spotlessly clean.

Egg carton rant: I just CANNOT stand it when people return the cartons to me, and they are a "crack the egg and put the gooey shell back in the carton before throwing it away" person. Why? Why? and why would I want THAT carton back? It's filthy! Did I give it to you looking like that? Ugg. I actually charge them $.75 more for their dozen, and I tell them why I'm doing it. New cartons are $.50, and my label is about .25. I've got tidy people clamoring for my eggs each week that I can sell to, and they return clean cartons to me. Grrrrrr....... Of course, it's family members that do this the most. "No soup for you!"

It does that to me too. If it tells you there's been a post and you don't go check it, it never tells you about it again. It's nice b/c then you don't keep getting notified about things you've moved on from, but annoying when you do want to know about a response to a post, but don't get anything. Periodically I'll go look at my watched threads to see if I'm missing anything interesting.
We have a 6 chick min here. They had the cutest babies at TSC over the weekend. Nothing I need, but I just wanted to scoop one up and love on it. many were marked down to $1 each too. A bin full of bantams that were pretty well feathered. And little yellow ducklings. Gah!
I hear you about the carton thing.. except it's when I get cartons from people who say Do you need cartons? I found one had an egg that had gotten stuck so the bottom part of the shell was still in it. It was a foam carton so I soaked it out and washed it. My eggs are so oddly shaped I prefer the foam carton over the cardboard. Maybe you could put something like 'please return clean carton for reuse' or something on the label.

Just drag that mouse bag outside, and don't peek at it. Throw it in a corner of the yard, and let it compost another season. <shudder> I'm fine with mice, but freak out with spiders -- so I have to get really brave when I do the spider disposal (cleaning up under the shoe with which I smashed it). I've cried before. I understand anxiety.

Incubating would open SO many avenues to cool breeds and ordering eggs online! But.... finding a home for our aggressive rooster was such an ordeal, I wouldn't want to run the risk of hatching out a passel of roos, fancy breeds, or not! I'm way outside of the "legal" limits for chickens in the city as it is. Next year..... For now, it's just chicks in the bathroom brooder again!

I have the same problem w/ hatching. IF we get a broody we'll give her a few eggs, but I'm not about to start hatching any chicks intentionally.. My chickens don't even live with us.. they're at my parent's house.

 

[Killer Tomato]

It does that to me too. If it tells you there's been a post and you don't go check it, it never tells you about it again. It's nice b/c then you don't keep getting notified about things you've moved on from, but annoying when you do want to know about a response to a post, but don't get anything. Periodically I'll go look at my watched threads to see if I'm missing anything interesting.
We have a 6 chick min here. They had the cutest babies at TSC over the weekend. Nothing I need, but I just wanted to scoop one up and love on it. many were marked down to $1 each too. A bin full of bantams that were pretty well feathered. And little yellow ducklings. Gah!
I hear you about the carton thing.. except it's when I get cartons from people who say Do you need cartons? I found one had an egg that had gotten stuck so the bottom part of the shell was still in it. It was a foam carton so I soaked it out and washed it. My eggs are so oddly shaped I prefer the foam carton over the cardboard. Maybe you could put something like 'please return clean carton for reuse' or something on the label.


I have the same problem w/ hatching. IF we get a broody we'll give her a few eggs, but I'm not about to start hatching any chicks intentionally.. My chickens don't even live with us.. they're at my parent's house.

It's my 21 year old step daughter who is the major culprit with the dirty cartons. She never managed to hang up her wet bath towels either, so I doubt she'll get *this* lesson from me. Oh well. I taught her to drive a stick shift and use birth control, so I guess I did ok.

 

[apryl29]

LOL I'd gladly trade clean egg cartons for proper birth control use!

 

[Chickassan]

Pffft I stopped giving the neighbors eggs because they don't return anything! Cartons, baskets, nothing! I'm not a scrooge but come on! @WVduckchick ,you've probably already heard but I got that hatch locked down just in time all 3 babies are perfect.

 

[WVduckchick]

Pffft I stopped giving the neighbors eggs because they don't return anything! Cartons, baskets, nothing! I'm not a scrooge but come on! @WVduckchick ,you've probably already heard but I got that hatch locked down just in time all 3 babies are perfect.

glad to hear it! Good luck!
I have 4 pips! out of 28, just getting started.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

So pretty! Poor Eve.. is she your oldest girl & that's why the boys are all after her or do you have other older girls, but she's just the favorite?
My coop needs cleaned too. I tossed a huge pile of poop & straw from Odin's space this weekend. It was packed in there. I cannot wait for warmer weather to get this thing cleared out, but that probably won't be until May.


They're all so cute! That's a lot of babies! So great that they all made it.


I ask the people I sell eggs to if they can get the cartons back to me, most of them have been. Unfortunately they're all on the same cycle of needing eggs so I'll have a week where no one wants any, then I'll have 4 people ask for some. Yesterday I sold 4 dz. I have some in my fridge from a month ago, but I don't feel comfortable selling them, so they'll be chicken feed after I boil them. When my girls first started laying I never understood people feeding their chickens eggs, but now I totally get it. One can only eat so many eggs.


I might consider a storage bin next winter. I'm somewhat concerned that a mouse will get into a bag.. though I'm consider building a storage box off the side of my coop to keep straw and feed in so they have more floor space in the coop.

Ash (my sebright) stopped laying again. I'm going to blame the cold. I'm seeing a butt load of feathers all over the place so I've got some more molters. My zombie chicken has filled out, but still looks disheveled and my sex links appear to be molting a bit too. I checked Odin for mites the other day and he was fine so that's good. Jackie is laying better and I'm seeing fewer soft shell eggs from her. And after blocking in the sides of 2 floor boxes I've been having them lay in both nests instead of fighting over the same one.

Eve is the oldest of my youngsters - she is 5 months old. There are 3 more pullets and 6 cockerels 6 months old. And there is my original flock of 9 hens and 1 rooster. The youngsters still avoid the older chickens most of the time. I think the boys go for Eve because she's maturing and an easier target than the hens, though they try to mate them more frequently now. Eve is laying most days now and seems to have "come out of her shell" so to speak. She is spending less time hiding lately and takes the mating in stride too.

I built a storage box for feed and supplies inside my coop. It's big enough to hold 4 tall kitchen trash cans plus a little extra width. I thought I had everything pretty tight, but every once in a while I find mouse droppings. I stopped using it to store feed. Instead I use metal garbage cans and they work great. If you keep it outdoors, apply a small amount of caulk where the handle is attached to the lid as those sometimes allow a bit of moisture in. I haven't had any critters in the birdseed cans I've used for 3 years now, not have I had raccoons get into them.

Just drag that mouse bag outside, and don't peek at it. Throw it in a corner of the yard, and let it compost another season. <shudder> I'm fine with mice, but freak out with spiders -- so I have to get really brave when I do the spider disposal (cleaning up under the shoe with which I smashed it). I've cried before. I understand anxiety.

Incubating would open SO many avenues to cool breeds and ordering eggs online! But.... finding a home for our aggressive rooster was such an ordeal, I wouldn't want to run the risk of hatching out a passel of roos, fancy breeds, or not! I'm way outside of the "legal" limits for chickens in the city as it is. Next year..... For now, it's just chicks in the bathroom brooder again!

Speaking of mice -- about a week ago I was out cleaning the coop and filling feeders. I have each feeder sitting inside a larger bowl -- trying to keep some straw out and prevent throwing food all over the floor. Anyway, I lifted the feeder out of a bowl and 2 tiny mice scurried out from under it. My chickens made a quick meal on those mice! A few moments later, 2 of the hens came back in the coop carrying a piece of mouse hanging in their beaks. They are good mousers, lol.

 

[Crooked Chicken]

I forgot to tell ya -- I am now nursing a baby squirrel. I found her late Monday night lying in a pool of muddy water. I think my dog probably scared the mama and she got dropped. I kept hearing it cry so finally investigated. She's doing really well and I'll release her once she's ready and the weather is okay. We're supposed to get snow tomorrow.

photo taken late Monday night

photo taken this afternoon