Craigboy53
Songster
In July 2019, we got four chicks 7 weeks old. Two Leghorns, one which was billed as an Araucana, and a rumpless mystery bird, aptly named Golem, billed as a ‘rumpless mix’.
From the start, Golem did not thrive. She ate, ran with the others, but wasn’t getting much bigger, and died about first week of November. She is the one in the last picture.
The other three grew well and thrived. When Sept came, they started to moult, so we left the supplemental light off, and just left natural light. All went well through the fall, and the girls seemed to have stopped moulting, so the supplemental lighting was activated, coming on early so the girls would get 15 hours light.
Our timing must have been good, as we got one egg two days later (Nov 24) and then started get two per day, from the leghorns.
The third hen (which I don’t think is really an Araucana (please help ID this girl), was not laying any eggs. The leghorns have been giving us about 5 eggs every three days, but still nothing from Carmen. Yesterday, I went to fill the bird feeder (30 feet from the coop), and found a light brown, oval egg sitting on the ground. Was very cold, but not frozen so it couldn’t have been there long. (The girls free range the backyard). Didn’t see Carmen at the time, but it must have been her.
So, my friends.....what kind of bird is Carmen? She has a few feathers on her feet. Is it usual to have one bird not laying? Does the egg look like it might be hers? Why would she lay out in the snow, rather in the nice warm brooder box? Any suggestions as to what I should do, if anything?
Thanks!
From the start, Golem did not thrive. She ate, ran with the others, but wasn’t getting much bigger, and died about first week of November. She is the one in the last picture.
The other three grew well and thrived. When Sept came, they started to moult, so we left the supplemental light off, and just left natural light. All went well through the fall, and the girls seemed to have stopped moulting, so the supplemental lighting was activated, coming on early so the girls would get 15 hours light.
Our timing must have been good, as we got one egg two days later (Nov 24) and then started get two per day, from the leghorns.
The third hen (which I don’t think is really an Araucana (please help ID this girl), was not laying any eggs. The leghorns have been giving us about 5 eggs every three days, but still nothing from Carmen. Yesterday, I went to fill the bird feeder (30 feet from the coop), and found a light brown, oval egg sitting on the ground. Was very cold, but not frozen so it couldn’t have been there long. (The girls free range the backyard). Didn’t see Carmen at the time, but it must have been her.
So, my friends.....what kind of bird is Carmen? She has a few feathers on her feet. Is it usual to have one bird not laying? Does the egg look like it might be hers? Why would she lay out in the snow, rather in the nice warm brooder box? Any suggestions as to what I should do, if anything?
Thanks!
