INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Lol It was in the box. She just scooted out all of the material. If it is my Australorp, she is about 10 lbs. Cluck told me she lays 3 inch eggs. This is her first since she has been here. So far all of our eggs have been in the nesting boxes, except for the soft egg layed from the roost. I do have oyster shell out for them. They free range, so maybe I don't need it. Thanks for your response. I haven't read much of the back posts, but I hope you find your oeg's ( that was you wasn't it?) lol I need to go back and read. This thread is so fast!!!

If you start gettin soft shells I would put it back out. I think I would just put it out a few times a week since you are having the calcium issues. That way the ones laying soft shells get the calcium and she dosent get too much. I actually found some I am picking up tomorrow morning! thanks.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I love brown swiss cows, when I get older I wouldnt mind havinf one or two lol.

 

[kabhyper1]

If you start gettin soft shells I would put it back out. I think I would just put it out a few times a week since you are having the calcium issues. That way the ones laying soft shells get the calcium and she dosent get too much. I actually found some I am picking up tomorrow morning! thanks.

My girls are only 5 and 6 months, but the Australorp and EE are a year and a half. I have a little feeder full of oyster shell in the run all the time. I don't see them eat it much. The soft shell was the first timer booboo. They have figured it out now I think lol..

 

[Mother2Hens]

Any idea what the stuff on it is? I can scrape it off with my nail.

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It kind of looks like a monochromatic map of the world.

However . . . I looked in my "Chicken Health for Dummies" book, and under "Eggs that have a sandpaper texture, lumps, or chalky coating on the shell" Possible causes: Stress or Young hen or Hen delayed in laying egg. Solutions: Stop stressing your hen out! -- oh, I think they worded it, "Eliminate Stress." Also provide more nest boxes. (Mine insist on using the same box!)

I also ran across something for everyone with layers to keep in mind, especially those who've had hens lay eggs with a soft shells : A laying hen needs more calcium in warm weather (they eat less and therefore get less calcium in their diet). They also need more calcium as they age. A calcium source (like oyster shell) should not be mixed with other food to force or encourage hens to eat it. Calcium should be offered separately, free choice, so hens can take as much or as little (or none) as they want/need. A vitamin AD&E powder can be added to drinking water 3x/week. (From "The Chicken Encyclopedia")

 

[kabhyper1]

It kind of looks like a monochromatic map of the world.

However . . . I looked in my "Chicken Health for Dummies" book, and under "Eggs that have a sandpaper texture, lumps, or chalky coating on the shell" Possible causes: Stress or Young hen or Hen delayed in laying egg. Solutions: Stop stressing your hen out! -- oh, I think they worded it, "Eliminate Stress." Also provide more nest boxes. (Mine insist on using the same box!)

I also ran across something for everyone with layers to keep in mind, especially those who've had hens lay eggs with a soft shells : A laying hen needs more calcium in warm weather (they eat less and therefore get less calcium in their diet). They also need more calcium as they age. A calcium source (like oyster shell) should not be mixed with other food to force or encourage hens to eat it. Calcium should be offered separately, free choice, so hens can take as much or as little (or none) as they want/need. A vitamin AD&E powder can be added to drinking water 3x/week. (From "The Chicken Encyclopedia")

I'll tell Gus you said to stop stressing them out. lol She has just newly adjusted, so that is probably the real reason why she is stressed. On another note, we inr=troduced Gus to Blueberry (cochin roo) and the Minorca ans 2 RIR's today. Blueberry just backed off. He doesn't want any of Gus. Gus is pretty, but he is kind of a jackass. Everyone seems to be doing okay. They are all sleeping in the coop together tonite. SO we will see what morning brings.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I'll tell Gus you said to stop stressing them out. lol She has just newly adjusted, so that is probably the real reason why she is stressed. On another note, we inr=troduced Gus to Blueberry (cochin roo) and the Minorca ans 2 RIR's today. Blueberry just backed off. He doesn't want any of Gus. Gus is pretty, but he is kind of a jackass. Everyone seems to be doing okay. They are all sleeping in the coop together tonite. SO we will see what morning brings.

I have roosters that are huge jerks (and other words im not going to post lol). They are friendly to me except for one(came from a mean home), but 2 dont get along. I went to a show and put 2 roos in the same crate. And they started fighting. Which is hard since they are all hunched down since they arent suppose to be able to stand up. The one roo is hugs so suprosed eh could even more. I think If i would of left him in there he would of kicked butt, but I took him out. Had to pull over on the side of the road and everything. One rode in my lap back to the house to get a sperate coop. The smaller roos had a little bit of blood on his comb. They are in seperate pens and will never see each other again.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: I have 3 LGs and a cooler-bator I built, use it for hatching. Next spring I hope to have a Sportsman cabinet, I just think its going to make things easier.

We found this giant beast of an egg today. guessing Australorp. Any idea what the stuff on it is? I can scrape it off with my nail.

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Wow huge! Poor bird! That's probably the bloom on the egg.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I have 3 LGs and a cooler-bator I built, use it for hatching. Next spring I hope to have a Sportsman cabinet, I just think its going to make things easier.

Wow huge! Poor bird! That's probably the bloom on the egg.

I just get the cheapist incubators they have at rural king. $42.99 for a still air incubator without egg turners, but it hold 4 dozen eggs. They pretty good for cheap incubators!

 

[kabhyper1]

Im a newbie...whats the bloom?

I have 3 LGs and a cooler-bator I built, use it for hatching. Next spring I hope to have a Sportsman cabinet, I just think its going to make things easier.

Wow huge! Poor bird! That's probably the bloom on the egg.

 

[kabhyper1]

Nevermind, I Googled. Why would it be in patches like that though. Also the hen that I think layed it is a big girl. So I dont think it was too difficult for her.