Maine

[MEMama3]

MeMama, if it's a single, she'll have lots of energy to put into rearing it.  too bad you couldn't get a couple more for her to foster.

if I had anyone local and any money on hand I'd get her 2 or 3 more. I have another broody who refuses to give it up. I looked ridiculous trying to fend her away from the nest boxes earlier today. Maybe another carton of health food store eggs are in our future.

 

[Branch Chickens]

Thank you Jazor! I'm planning to buy my fencing from Knight's, so I'll check out the shavings while I'm there.
I used to know someone with a sawmill who would have helped me out, but he has retired now.

We are getting chicks rather than pullets. I have three young sons, and I want them to experience this from pretty much the egg on up. We just had our youngest, so I think it will be fun for the two oldest to see their littlest brother growing up alongside the chicks.

My mother has had a flock for years, but her hens are mostly retired (and ever-present in her gardens), so we're going to be switching houses for egg production in the future. We can get produce from them, and they can have fresh eggs, without worrying that their seeds will be consumed before they germinate.

 

[lazy gardener]

B.C. Sounds like a win/win situation. Your boys will have a blast. My 2 kids enjoyed it when I had chickens, I have a pic of the 2 y.o. toting a leghorn around the yard... upside down. The bird didn't seem to mind it. Now, my g.kids are experiencing the chickens. The 12 y.o. boy... not so much. He's way too cool and into x-box. But the 7 y.o. girl... I'd put her up against the average room full of adults, and she'd know more about chickens than any one in the room.

MeMama: Yeah... why not some Trader Joe's Leghorns??? Or perhaps you have someone local who sells eggs... who also happens to have a rooster? The health food store near us advertises fertile eggs, but when questioned, they said there was 1 roo to cover 300 hens! I bet he was one very happy and very tired roo!

 

[Widget]

It is official. There is a roo in the basement. Still do not know whether it is one of the bantam Cochins or a Silkie but there was definitely an attempt to crow this morning just after 6. It only took six months. Now if the girls would just start laying eggs.

 

[quailtrail]

Awe love reading the posts! Welcome new chicks
@MEMama3

♡

so sweet!!!

Still have only 2 laying. ..waiting for the other 3 to start.

How long from beginning of laying are they considered fertile?

 

[CoopChick719]

Your Roo looks nearly identical to mine. Seeing as how mine was a "free rare exotic" (aka ******* nightmare to figure out) Ash and I have been taking our best guesses as to what he actually is. I think we've settled on Barred Rock for now...

Thanks Jazor but she's my BR cross. She lays an olive egg.

my RIR at the back door

My RIRs are the only ones to find their way to our back door. They were so cute when I opened the window and told them to go back to the pen and they did it.

I'm new to the forums here. We're expecting our first mini flock in late April. 9 females (hopefully!). I've been wondering if anyone in the Augusta/Waterville area can give me pointers on where to buy pine shavings. We hay our field in July and will probably supplement with it at that point, but we'll need shavings until and possibly after then. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Branch Chickens!! Tractor Supply in Augusta has pine shavings for $5.49. Sometimes they have sales 2 for $8.00. That's great you'll have your own hay!

Look at the picture I got today:

Congrats MEMama3! Such a cute picture!!

 

[Jazor]

It is official. There is a roo in the basement. Still do not know whether it is one of the bantam Cochins or a Silkie but there was definitely an attempt to crow this morning just after 6. It only took six months. Now if the girls would just start laying eggs.

It's gotta be a silkie! There's no way out of that whole hatch that I got the only one of yours that was a cockerel. No way. Mine has been crowing for a couple weeks, and by crowing I mean squealing. Pretty hilarious.

In other spring related news, I've been thinking of putting my incoming silkie chicks with my little white silkie hen. Thinking if she raises them, there's a good chance they'll grow up faster than trying to grow up in a box with me feeding them. Suppose I'd need to keep a close eye on her at first, make sure she appears to be doing the job. Anyone tried this?

 

[Jazor]

Thanks Jazor but she's my BR cross. She lays an olive egg.

My RIRs are the only ones to find their way to our back door. They were so cute when I opened the window and told them to go back to the pen and they did it.

Branch Chickens!! Tractor Supply in Augusta has pine shavings for $5.49. Sometimes they have sales 2 for $8.00. That's great you'll have your own hay!
Congrats MEMama3! Such a cute picture!!

Ha! I thought it was a Roo since it looks almost exactly like mine. Nice try, I guess.

 

[lazy gardener]

Jazor, is your silkie hen/pullet broody??? Given their broody nature, it's remotely possible that she'd accept chicks, even though not confirmed broody, but I'm making an uneducated guess that it's not likely.

 

[MEMama3]

I know this is a stretch, but does anyone within 30 minutes of Fryeburg have any day old to three day old chicks? I'm looking for 2 or 3. Breed isn't too important to me. I think my broody is only getting one from this hatch.