IT HAPPENED!!!

[MochaLatte]

A mouse maybe? One of my aunts chickens choked on one a few years ago…tried to swallow it whole.

I considered this as well, since we do have little field mice outside... its definitely possible.

 

[junior67]

Oh ya, this would be smart! Maybe you won't even have to and he will leave the plastic alone. It's so cold to be working outside, gosh

yes it is. I can't do anything tomorrow. I am hoping they will either huddle together or go in the coop to hang out. But they never seem to go in there besides to lay eggs or sleep..... well the very rare times to scratch around but never to just hang out. But think windchill will be in the negatives so I can't be out trying to hang plastic and didn't have time today since I got stuck working later, then my daughter cheers and had to cheer at a basketball game so no time between the 2 to get it done. at least it is only the one really cold day then back to more of our "normal" cold temps. hopefully we will get another sort of "warm" day that I can get it done. feeling like a bad chicken mom right now.

 

[junior67]

I'm so sad, I'm sick about it. She really was my favorite girl. I was so proud of her taking care of her baby eggs so well...

I was also thinking possible heart attack, but when I first found her it seemed like she couldn't get any air to pass her airway... so it made me think something was stuck... I really don't know. She was eating and drinking outside each day and I would also feed her scrambled eggs and things on the side to make sure she didn't lose weight, etc... Im just beside myself.

The welsh harlequin eggs are set for hatch at the end of next week... I desperately hope they make it.

Just so sad!!!!!!!! You did everything you could do and gave her the best care.

Wow that seems so fast but guess still almost 2 weeks. hahaaa. Just sounds much sooner saying the end of next week. LOL fingers crossed!!!!!!!!

 

[junior67]

@MochaLatte how are the eggs doing? just over a week left right? How are you doing?

 

[MochaLatte]

@MochaLatte how are the eggs doing? just over a week left right? How are you doing?

They are doing great and still very active! I was worried about the swap of the 6 eggs from under Blackie going into the incubator, but they seem okay. Lockdown is 1 week from today. I am probably going to be staring through the incubator for 3 days waiting for them to hatch and make sure none of them pip on the wrong side, etc and need intervention... I just really want them to all hatch without problems

I'm still so sad about Blackie and wish that hadn't happened to her. She will be missed for a long time.

How are you and your girls? Has Hummer come off strike yet??

 

[junior67]

They are doing great and still very active! I was worried about the swap of the 6 eggs from under Blackie going into the incubator, but they seem okay. Lockdown is 1 week from today. I am probably going to be staring through the incubator for 3 days waiting for them to hatch and make sure none of them pip on the wrong side, etc and need intervention... I just really want them to all hatch without problems

I'm still so sad about Blackie and wish that hadn't happened to her. She will be missed for a long time.

How are you and your girls? Has Hummer come off strike yet??

My girls are good. Hummer is still on strike. Guess she said she had enough of carrying the load for the rest of the freeloaders. haahaa I can't believe she hasn't laid in 3 weeks. Nugget and Annabelle are doing good but each lay 2-3 in a row then a day off so only get 1-2 eggs a day. Takes me about 10 days to get a dozen from the 2 of them now. I had 19 the other day and used them up on a dinner. got 3 but needed to use 2 tonight so now only have 1 egg and think only Nugget is due to lay tomorrow. Ho hummm This taking forever and having to ration eggs is stinking. LOL I can't wait for the rest to start laying so I can actually have extra eggs to share! I was getting there that I could share some here and there before they went on break and all slowed way down.

I am getting excited to order my chicks for this year! Think the order form comes out in Feb. and thinking I will try to have them ready the beg of April again. We have camping trips planning in May so they will be about 6 weeks then so at least will be pretty well integrated hopefully by then. But also getting nervous trying to brood them in the coop with the big chickens and integrating them!!!!! and wondering when I can hatch eggs since Ditzy isn't even laying yet and I thought they had to be laying a bit before you could try to hatch any eggs.... Was thinking today of trying to convince my husband we should expand the run this year just so they have a bit more room. haahaa. will see what he says. We still haven't even got the finishing touches on the coop and run from building it last year (sounds funny saying that since it was under a year ago). They have a 26x8 run so it is big enough for them and the "new" ones but thinking if I add another 8x8 part on the side so it makes an L that will give them that much more room

 

[Iluveggers]

I am getting excited to order my chicks for this year! Think the order form comes out in Feb. and thinking I will try to have them ready the beg of April again.

Where will you be ordering from? And what breeds? How exciting!

 

[junior67]

Where will you be ordering from? And what breeds? How exciting!

a local feed store here. not sure what hatchery they get them from. I am not 100% sure yet on breeds. I know for sure buff Brahma, I ordered them last year but they didn't come in so I had to substitute other breeds for them which was ok but I was sad since I raised those when I was younger so really wanted some...... Sicilian butter cup, got 1 last year and she passed away at 9 weeks old. think a couple more EE (hoping for more colored eggs), thinking of another Salmon Faverolle, and would LOVE a cream leghorn but they didn't have them last year not sure if they will this year....... maybe an olive egger or an orpington? I will order 6-8 of them and then I want to hatch some Cochins (thinking hatch 8 or so?) but I can only add 8 total chickens so would have to re-home some. But last year I ordered 10 and ended up with 2 roo's and 1 passed away so only ended up with 7 technically. so want to plan on maybe getting a rooster and maybe some not making it...... But it will be hard to re-home some (besides ones I hatch since I am mainly hatching them hoping to get a splash or 2 and plan on re-homing any others)......

sorry for the long answer. oops

 

[Iluveggers]

a local feed store here. not sure what hatchery they get them from. I am not 100% sure yet on breeds. I know for sure buff Brahma, I ordered them last year but they didn't come in so I had to substitute other breeds for them which was ok but I was sad since I raised those when I was younger so really wanted some...... Sicilian butter cup, got 1 last year and she passed away at 9 weeks old. think a couple more EE (hoping for more colored eggs), thinking of another Salmon Faverolle, and would LOVE a cream leghorn but they didn't have them last year not sure if they will this year....... maybe an olive egger or an orpington? I will order 6-8 of them and then I want to hatch some Cochins (thinking hatch 8 or so?) but I can only add 8 total chickens so would have to re-home some. But last year I ordered 10 and ended up with 2 roo's and 1 passed away so only ended up with 7 technically. so want to plan on maybe getting a rooster and maybe some not making it...... But it will be hard to re-home some (besides ones I hatch since I am mainly hatching them hoping to get a splash or 2 and plan on re-homing any others)......

sorry for the long answer. oops

It’s easy to give a long answer when discussing chicken possibilities! You mentioned I think 7 breeds…I think you should get one of each!

 

[junior67]

It’s easy to give a long answer when discussing chicken possibilities! You mentioned I think 7 breeds…I think you should get one of each!

I may have. LOL right now this is my list........

EE 2 or 3
Buff Brahma- 1 (debating on 2 since I do love them!)
Sicilian Buttercup- 1 or 2 (in case one passes since that was my daughters fav chicken that we lost)
Salmon Faverolle 1
Cream Leghorn- 1

then thinking of the olive egger and orpington

so guess if I do the low # of them that is 8. So worried to get just 1 of a breed and have it turn out to be a roo! LOL

But then hatching some and keeping 1 or 2 of those.....

Damn I need a bigger coop but know I can't convince hubby of that yet. LOL