Kristen’s Chickens and Farming Ventures

[BlueBaby]

Exciting!!!
I have a dozen eggs set aside for hatching, so far... four CX and the rest Chickie Hawk’s girls... I’m not super happy with the cleanliness, but until I get the nest boxes clean, dry, and back in the tractors There’s still tons of spring prep to get done, and once the incubator is up and running the countdown to cleaning and prepping the brooder in the barn is really on... 21 days to get everyone OUT of the barn for real! I have two orders for pullet chicks for this spring, so I need to get moving on things here, and that means finishing up at the other job ASAP. Hopefully it’s basically all finished up by this Sunday.

I thought that one of my NN's over here was laying nice big egg's, but some of these shipped NN hatching egg's almost put's my poor hen's egg to shame. I'm excited and hope those one's hatch for sure!

I hope you get your work done in time. I'd hate for you to miss the good hatching season! Too bad you couldn't come sneak these 6 FBCM egg's that I have in this batch. They are nice and dark colored, but I really don't want them. If they hatch, I'll sell those.

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning Kris

 

[pspatbyc]

Exciting!!!
I have a dozen eggs set aside for hatching, so far... four CX and the rest Chickie Hawk’s girls... I’m not super happy with the cleanliness, but until I get the nest boxes clean, dry, and back in the tractors There’s still tons of spring prep to get done, and once the incubator is up and running the countdown to cleaning and prepping the brooder in the barn is really on... 21 days to get everyone OUT of the barn for real! I have two orders for pullet chicks for this spring, so I need to get moving on things here, and that means finishing up at the other job ASAP. Hopefully it’s basically all finished up by this Sunday.

Rough day with weather down here. Will be doing repairs on the Chick tractor covers tomorrow. Kris with your experience with roosters, how many hens would say a rooster should have? Could my 9 mature hens deal with 2 roos? Is there any difference in the eggs if they get fertilized (look or taste of the raw egg) ? Reason I ask is I ended up with 4 BO roos last spring. 2 will get to stay.the other two have to go. 1 is disruptive and the other one is psycho. It would be easiest If I could put the 2 keepers in with the hens.

 

[Kris5902]

Rough day with weather down here. Will be doing repairs on the Chick tractor covers tomorrow. Kris with your experience with roosters, how many hens would say a rooster should have? Could my 9 mature hens deal with 2 roos? Is there any difference in the eggs if they get fertilized (look or taste of the raw egg) ? Reason I ask is I ended up with 4 BO roos last spring. 2 will get to stay.the other two have to go. 1 is disruptive and the other one is psycho. It would be easiest If I could put the 2 keepers in with the hens.

I’m very soon to be doing base repairs on mine as well! As for the boys... Probably. It all depends on the hens and the Roosters. Most of my guys are separate with flocks that have ranged from 2 or 3 hens to 12 hens per Rooster. When I started with a cockerel pen and 11 boys in it things were quite rough, it got better as I culled the more aggressive ones. Right now things are going ok with Sammy and his two male protégés in the barn, but tensions are rising a bit (they have 3 mature hens and 6 pullets the same age as the young boys)

Make sure the cockerels stay together if you don’t plan on separating them into two flocks, then there seems to be less dominance issues. My former cockerel pen buddies are now fully ready to defend their ladies from their former male roomies. You will have to try putting them in and just see how it goes.

Give it some time, expect some squabbles and pecking, but watch out for full blown fighting. Heck it could even be the girls pecking on the boys, it is really hard to say. I have had the best success at integrating by sneaking the birds in at night. Also more space and places to hide are helpful. Keep us posted on how it goes, and the sooner the troublemakers go the better IME. Sometimes all it takes is one jerk to set off a huge chicken drama situation

As for the eggs, zero difference unless you let a hen sit on them or pop them into an incubator... and trust me, the temptation might not seem like much now, but given a little time... and “chicken math” ooopsies happen

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning Kris

 

[Kris5902]

Good morning Kris

Good morning Bob! Almost done the painting project... gave in at 11 pm last night and left the cleanup til today...

 

[BlueBaby]

@Kris5902 Are you going to get back to hatching soon, then? My incubator is full.

 

[Kris5902]

@Kris5902 Are you going to get back to hatching soon, then? My incubator is full.

That’s the plan! I have 24 eggs so far, going to set a full 41 in the incubator and stick it in the building my mom is staying in. Hatching has been banned in the shared farm building. We don’t really go there for anything anymore, except to do our laundry (in the machines we bought) and for our showers (when we get them). Now that my painting job is all done I’m going to have to find an alternate water source for us I’m a little worried about the eggs having been chilled a bit with the cooler weather before I’ve been able to gather them, though several have still been warm at collection. Fingers crossed and we won’t know for sure until I candle Or the hatch is finished I suppose. I think I’m up to 5 or 6 of the CX x Roostie the big red somethingrather of questionable heritage Rooster, so fingers crossed!

 

[BlueBaby]

That’s the plan! I have 24 eggs so far, going to set a full 41 in the incubator and stick it in the building my mom is staying in. Hatching has been banned in the shared farm building. We don’t really go there for anything anymore, except to do our laundry (in the machines we bought) and for our showers (when we get them). Now that my painting job is all done I’m going to have to find an alternate water source for us I’m a little worried about the eggs having been chilled a bit with the cooler weather before I’ve been able to gather them, though several have still been warm at collection. Fingers crossed and we won’t know for sure until I candle Or the hatch is finished I suppose. I think I’m up to 5 or 6 of the CX x Roostie the big red somethingrather of questionable heritage Rooster, so fingers crossed!

Well that's a start on what you can take to market next time, huh?

 

[rjohns39]

Good morning Kris