Last couple days Ive been getting the normal 6 eggs a day from the 6 laying hens. The other day there was 8 and yesterday 10 ???? I know the new chicks arent laying yet as they wont until next year. I have noticed a stinch at the coop and figured it was the manure and heat as its been a toasty past couple weeks in the upper 70s to low 90s... Today at 230pm I went out again to check for eggs as I didnt have any this morning as usual and only ended up with 2 today out of my 6 layers.
I went in the coop to check the water and feed levels, water is fine and should last well into June unless it gets super hot and the girls really start drinking. The feed was low so I filled it as it usually lasts a couple month but with all the new chicks its moving faster so should average out to a monthly fill now. Well, I found the source of the stench, One of my Buff Orphingtons was deceased next to the feed barrel, blended in with the pine shavings so I didnt see her until I was filling the barrel.... dang lost another hen, one of my layers. Shes been gone awhile so Im wondering how Im getting so many eggs unless they are laying doubles? As I know one of them for sure has been laying some messy eggs ( membrane and yolk encasing another egg ) thats coming from an EE since its a blue egg.
And Roo.... The Rooster I evicted did well for the past month, started venturing away from the coop to the woodline but always staying near the coop in the evening but sometimes disappearing overnibehind the coop I ght but back the next day decided to go AWOL. I looked for him or any signs of struggle and nothing anywhere on my property then this morning when I went to check for eggs there was a patch of scattered feathers about 10' in diameter about 20 feet away that wasnt there yesterday evening as I walked through that area looking for him. I assume its coons again as I seen them around the burn barrels again. Baffles as he was gone 3 or 4 days with not a trace then suddenly a pile of feathers from him?
I went in the coop to check the water and feed levels, water is fine and should last well into June unless it gets super hot and the girls really start drinking. The feed was low so I filled it as it usually lasts a couple month but with all the new chicks its moving faster so should average out to a monthly fill now. Well, I found the source of the stench, One of my Buff Orphingtons was deceased next to the feed barrel, blended in with the pine shavings so I didnt see her until I was filling the barrel.... dang lost another hen, one of my layers. Shes been gone awhile so Im wondering how Im getting so many eggs unless they are laying doubles? As I know one of them for sure has been laying some messy eggs ( membrane and yolk encasing another egg ) thats coming from an EE since its a blue egg.
And Roo.... The Rooster I evicted did well for the past month, started venturing away from the coop to the woodline but always staying near the coop in the evening but sometimes disappearing overnibehind the coop I ght but back the next day decided to go AWOL. I looked for him or any signs of struggle and nothing anywhere on my property then this morning when I went to check for eggs there was a patch of scattered feathers about 10' in diameter about 20 feet away that wasnt there yesterday evening as I walked through that area looking for him. I assume its coons again as I seen them around the burn barrels again. Baffles as he was gone 3 or 4 days with not a trace then suddenly a pile of feathers from him?
