Leghorns -19 weeks to first eggs

[Kiki]

@KikisGirls I also plan on making the journey north to Ideal in Feb to get some more pullets to see how close they are to the SOP. My meyers stock have really crummy feet and aren't as heat tolerant as they should be. I'm sure a Texas breeder would have heat tolerant birds at a minimum. Mine still spend the days hiding from the sun and its just in the mid-high 80's right now. They even hid from the sun when it was only 77 degrees after that last cold front. Which is kinda odd since my entire backyard is mostly overhung by mature Mesquite trees, so 50% shade when under those.

I have EEs, Australorps, Welsummers and a Dominque from Ideal.
I am pleased with them all.

 

[AllenK RGV]

SOP drawings for the Black Sumatras.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I have EEs, Australorps, Welsummers and a Dominque from Ideal.
I am pleased with them all.

I love the heck outta mine, they follow me around like puppies. Make noises that don't really sound chickeney unless someone gets perchjacked! Are pretty much eating out of my hand if I am helping to free range these Army worms, they are helpers on my projects with their coop, but they do not like to be picked up or touched. At least mine don't like it and im not someone who would bring them into the house or let them perch on me. I think the flock has only had 2 individuals to ever land on my back and those 2 got removed promptly.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Well.....I made some progress modifying the coop today, removed the crouch in coop factor for maybe 35 minutes by moving the feed and water stations. I decided they need another high perch to hopefully keep my birds off of the 1/4" HC guess where it needed to go? Yep you guessed it in the headroom space at 6ft high. Were I 5'4" it would be a walk in coop.

Those dang Sumatras demand a high perch! I'll see how they do with it tonight as it is a cut down smallish tree trunk, I might be screwing pallet cross members to it if they don't like this one.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Well at bedtime tonight there are only two birds on the hardware cloth now. Definately going add on flat boards to the perch and get them off that wire in the top corners of the coop tomorrow. Also it has an ever so small wobble to it so somehow I'm going to make an ugly modification to stabilize it some if that is a potential issue for my two holdouts. I'm getting better at thinking like my birds now. They just demand high perches.

 

[RUNuts]

Saturday showed up quick this week. Friday gave 3 white eggs after 3 days of none. I was cleaning up and raking the litter in the coop and 3 hens were checking the nest. Good sign?

We've got 2 long nest boxes. One decided to lay in the second one without golf balls. Nest was occupied? Who knows. At least they are hitting the nest boxes.

@KikisGirls count is at 14! 2 brown and 12 white. All are petite. And delicious! Opted to not buy store eggs.

Got the @aart oyster shell holders installed. I over filled them and they were raking it out and eating off the ground. One filled with grit.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Saturday showed up quick this week. Friday gave 3 white eggs after 3 days of none. I was cleaning up and raking the litter in the coop and 3 hens were checking the nest. Good sign?

We've got 2 long nest boxes. One decided to lay in the second one without golf balls. Nest was occupied? Who knows. At least they are hitting the nest boxes.

@KikisGirls count is at 14! 2 brown and 12 white. All are petite. And delicious! Opted to not buy store eggs.

Got the @aart oyster shell holders installed. I over filled them and they were raking it out and eating off the ground. One will filled with grit.

Yeah I spent a few hours in the coop this morning as well. That perch I had installed yesterday I wasn't happy with it since only 5 used it last night. So down it came and I attached 2 pallet boards to it. 1st go was a failure as I got the boards on at a 45 degree angle of course I discovered this after manhandling the whole thing back up and screwing it in. So Down it came again and the second time was the charm! Also I took a 3rd pallet board and added in more roost space between two flat surfaces and the roost at a 45 degree angle. Hope those birds are happy now cause if not I might be forced to freezer em or wait til my wife sleeps in on trash day.

 

[RUNuts]

AllenK - I thought the birds were yours? LOL

When I asked what Crazy Lady thought about chickens, she said "yes". Then went on about a few things. I sat down and ordered mine from Ideal and delivered 2 days later. I ordered Monday night. They ship Wednesday. Arrived before work on Thursday. Her comment was "when did we decide to order chicks?" LOL.

Then I found out "my" project was "our" project. We have had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I get all the chores. Lots of help with the chicks though.

Daughter and BF was here to collect 3 MORE eggs. Running total is 17 with 3 browns! It would appear only 1 RIR is laying. The other 9 brown egg layers are thinking about it. Home grown Scrambled eggs tomorrow!

Hear that @KikisGirls ? I'm having 3 homegrown eggs for breakfast and won't go hungry! 3 pullet eggs almost equal a store bought for size. I'm still thinking on quail. But that'll be years away. Did you decide on meat birds this spring? I did, but would like info on Ideals' CX. Do we have to ration food or not?

 

[Kiki]

AllenK - I thought the birds were yours? LOL

When I asked what Crazy Lady thought about chickens, she said "yes". Then went on about a few things. I sat down and ordered mine from Ideal and delivered 2 days later. I ordered Monday night. They ship Wednesday. Arrived before work on Thursday. Her comment was "when did we decide to order chicks?" LOL.

Then I found out "my" project was "our" project. We have had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I get all the chores. Lots of help with the chicks though.

Daughter and BF was here to collect 3 MORE eggs. Running total is 17 with 3 browns! It would appear only 1 RIR is laying. The other 9 brown egg layers are thinking about it. Home grown Scrambled eggs tomorrow!

Hear that @KikisGirls ? I'm having 3 homegrown eggs for breakfast and won't go hungry! 3 pullet eggs almost equal a store bought for size. I'm still thinking on quail. But that'll be years away. Did you decide on meat birds this spring? I did, but would like info on Ideals' CX. Do we have to ration food or not?

I haven't decided yet about meat birds but I am positive I will be ordering them from Ideal.
You know what...I never was a fan of eggs until my girls came around. I can eat eggs daily now.

 

[RUNuts]

I haven't decided yet about meat birds but I am positive I will be ordering them from Ideal.
You know what...I never was a fan of eggs until my girls came around. I can eat eggs daily now.

Haha! I thought I was the only one who doesn't like eggs. Crazy Lady will eat them fried and plain. I pile on the onions, mushrooms, bell pepper and salsa. Yes, there is an egg in there somewhere. Put it on a hot buttered tortilla and smile!

I thought you were hatching something?