"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[jus10inla]

Both girls gladly took 8 eggs a piece!. They fluffed all up when i tried grabbing the fakers. I had to distrac5 them with one hand while reaching under to grab the bads.

then i set them down one by one and they took there beaks / drug under them

 

[jus10inla]

think i still got another skunk tho; 2 of the duck eggs missing. Pieces of it were found not far from where i traped the other one

 

[alwaystj9]

Probably a family, don't skunks run in families?
Fingers crossed for a good hatch!

 

[jus10inla]

I had a hateful ass hen decide to break / peck at a couple of the hatchlings while the broody went & got food/water..

(She has simce lost her life) so the few eggs i gathered from that hen i stuck under big momma.

And gave this one 5 duck eggs . Im definitely gona be selling chicks / ducks in about a month. If any of yall want any. The big momma is sitting on 8 easters & 5 barnyard mix from Tj flock. I also have 13 that are around 2 months old. Still weeding out cocks vs pullets .

Ducks will be mixed also

 

[alwaystj9]

No dux for me, mixed or straight.
You not gonna feed these to the local wildlife?

 

[jus10inla]

Nah. If something dies it goes to local wildlife. But i cant kill something just to see it die. Unless its a predator, then all bets are off. If i dont sell anything thats fine too. I will grow them out in a butcher pen. They will be perfect size come november.

 

[alwaystj9]

Keep us posted! I am interested in the hatch rate. I have one hen sitting on 2 eggs, she had more but?? I have had a serious lot of rat snakes this year. Those have eaten broody eggs around here before. I have one hen that sets every afternoon and acts all nutso when I move her but roosts on top of the chicken house every night. She's not got me convinced she's worth putting eggs under. Chicken Drama...

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I had one fussing late last night. I went to go see what the problem was and found her on the ground with a mouth full of possum hair (we have had a small, young possum hanging around). I had to hold the flashlight for her to drink water and wash the fur out of her mouth.
When DH is feeling better I will go out to the coop at night to get rid of it before it gets big. In the mean time I will be setting the trap.

 

[jus10inla]

…. In latest news one of the swedish duck hens decided to go broody. This is gona work out good hopefully, since i have the broody chicken hen sitting on 5 duck eggs now.

i took the broody ducks eggs since i neeeded some for cooking and gave her a few fridge / non fertile chicken eggs. About 3 days before hatch i will take those from the chicken and give to the duck. fingers crossed it all works.

chickens hatching from broody chicken 7/4
ducks hatching from other broody chicken / duck 7/13.

 

[alwaystj9]

My hen hatched out her 2 eggs, the biddies look healthy, momma's mean as she can be right now, I can't get close.
She had more eggs but I am being plagued by rat snakes this year.
I am carrying off a snake each week.
I caught one yesterday evening (in the nest, 2 eggs inside him and eating a third). He's in a cage waiting for me to carry him off this morning.
I am all for live and let live and I read/hear all the "Oh snakes are good, they kill other things" and all that but honestly, a rat snake that finds a chicken egg honey hole won't bother with a rat or mouse unless it runs into its belly. Just like the hawks...won't leave as long as there is a food source. I try not to hurt or kill them but they got to go. I have been dumping them 4-5 miles away, in local parks.