Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[trsturself]

Oh my, so sad. Boy, they are a delicate breed. How old is your daughter? Kids learn early about life and death when lots of animals are around. I guess that's both good and bad.
Hopefully she will be happy to see the new ones arriving soon.

She's 11. She's gotten MUCH better about handling death after all the chicks we've lost this year. I got some Corid just to be sure I don't have a high amount of cocci or something. I put it in the water for the 4 that are still in the brooder and so the new ones will have it right away to hopefully get them all healthy right away.
fingers crossed these 6 coming survive!

 

[kbh82310]

I'm sorry about your polish! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Hopefully everyone makes it. Maybe you'll get a polish in your new order!

We are gonna keep her, my husband fell in love with her. Plus it def helps she looks like our favorite cat almost ex she is short haired and Riley is long haired.

 

[NanaLynn]

I was thinking it was the SLW..

On a side note I found a kitten under my house this morning! I heard her crying this morning when I was leaving for work but wasn't able to get her, hubby tried when he got home from work but he couldn't find her. When I got home around 430 and let the dogs out I heard her crying and was able to grab her. She was covered in fleas and it looked like something went after her cause she is all scratched up. I have a feeling someone just dumped her under the house.

You still could be right about my SLW, if I keep getting brown eggs, I'm going to start thinking that I have another brown egg layer too. Could have been Dominique's 1st and not her 2nd. Chickens are so confusing!

How's the little kitten? I hope he/she is okay.

 

[NanaLynn]

It was shipped. I expect it to arrive tomorrow.


They are 1 splash, and 2 silver laced.


Oh! that's so sad. Are you going to keep it? We have a baby bunny living under our porch. Well, at least we did. I haven't seen it since I saw a cat come running out from under there the other day. My husband and I blocked off the spot where the cat can get in but left the tiny entrance for the bunnies. I hope they are just staying out of the heat and that's why I haven't seen them.


On our own sad note we lost the little polish that was half the size of her hatch mates. I guess something was just wrong where she wasn't absorbing the nutrients properly. She was active up until recently. She was eating and drinking and her poop looked normal but I noticed she was breathing heavy 2 days ago. She wasn't panting like she was hot but you could see her whole body move up and down when she was sitting still. She just hasn't had her normal spunk lately either. She was the one my daughter had picked out to keep from day one too. It's bad enough losing a new one, but it's much harder when you've gotten attached to it!

Sorry to hear about the polish. It is so easy to get attached to the chicks even when you're an adult.

 

[NanaLynn]

She's 11. She's gotten MUCH better about handling death after all the chicks we've lost this year. I got some Corid just to be sure I don't have a high amount of cocci or something. I put it in the water for the 4 that are still in the brooder and so the new ones will have it right away to hopefully get them all healthy right away.
fingers crossed these 6 coming survive!

 

[NanaLynn]

I'm sorry about your polish! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Hopefully everyone makes it. Maybe you'll get a polish in your new order!

We are gonna keep her, my husband fell in love with her. Plus it def helps she looks like our favorite cat almost ex she is short haired and Riley is long haired.

I missed this post, glad to hear that you're keeping the kitten. I would too. We've always kept animals that wander our way, well dogs or cats anyway. Our dog Maxie who is a chow was a puppy that wandered up, her collar was actually inside of her neck because her neck had grown around it, it was pretty nasty. We made sure she got the medical help she needed and kept her. She seemed to have been very abused. She is the sweetest dog and very protective of our house. We've had cats that have wandered up that we've kept too before Maxie. We can't keep any cats now since Maxie does not care for them, she kills possums and raccoons, I'd be afraid she'd hurt a cat or worse. I do love cats though!

Did you name the kitten yet?

 

[NanaLynn]

I guess I have a few chickens laying eggs now. I found two on the floor this morning, but they were very soft shells and falling apart. I think one is my CW since hers are supposed to be a lighter brown. The other maybe my SLW, they seem to go in and out of the coop together.

When I let them out this morning, Snow was in the nest box, she laid another little white egg. That's 3 days in a row, she is so quiet when she does it, no more loud clucking from her. I guess she got into the swing of things.

So around 5 to 6 are laying eggs now, not too bad out of 13. I had the two soft shelled not edible eggs, plus Snow's white egg so far and Dominique was sitting on the nest box, I went to get her egg which I assume she laid, but Google was in the nest box, she's my giant BR, so I'll go back later and check for eggs. So far the record is 3 for a day, I believe today is going to beat that record.

I did notice a sea of red combs and wattles when I went out this morning, so I imagine most of them that are not laying now will be in a matter of days.

Here's a pic of Snow in the nest box, it was still kind of dark outside, so it is a little grainy. Everyone wants to use that nest box or the floor.


and here are the two soft shell eggs from the floor with a little pine shavings stuck to them. I know it is gross, but I fed them back to the chickens after breaking them up. I read to do that on one of the OT threads. I've been feeding back all of their egg shells to them too. Whoever laid these need the calcium to strengthen up those shells.


Thank you guys for letting me brag about my egg laying chickens from Meyer's, this chicken keeping is so much fun! I can't wait to see more pics from you guys of the chicks, chickens and soon to be eggs!

 

[NotableNancy]

She's 11. She's gotten MUCH better about handling death after all the chicks we've lost this year. I got some Corid just to be sure I don't have a high amount of cocci or something. I put it in the water for the 4 that are still in the brooder and so the new ones will have it right away to hopefully get them all healthy right away.
fingers crossed these 6 coming survive!

Can't wait to see them!!!

I guess I have a few chickens laying eggs now. I found two on the floor this morning, but they were very soft shells and falling apart. I think one is my CW since hers are supposed to be a lighter brown. The other maybe my SLW, they seem to go in and out of the coop together.

When I let them out this morning, Snow was in the nest box, she laid another little white egg. That's 3 days in a row, she is so quiet when she does it, no more loud clucking from her. I guess she got into the swing of things.

So around 5 to 6 are laying eggs now, not too bad out of 13. I had the two soft shelled not edible eggs, plus Snow's white egg so far and Dominique was sitting on the nest box, I went to get her egg which I assume she laid, but Google was in the nest box, she's my giant BR, so I'll go back later and check for eggs. So far the record is 3 for a day, I believe today is going to beat that record.

I did notice a sea of red combs and wattles when I went out this morning, so I imagine most of them that are not laying now will be in a matter of days.

Here's a pic of Snow in the nest box, it was still kind of dark outside, so it is a little grainy. Everyone wants to use that nest box or the floor.


and here are the two soft shell eggs from the floor with a little pine shavings stuck to them. I know it is gross, but I fed them back to the chickens after breaking them up. I read to do that on one of the OT threads. I've been feeding back all of their egg shells to them too. Whoever laid these need the calcium to strengthen up those shells.


Thank you guys for letting me brag about my egg laying chickens from Meyer's, this chicken keeping is so much fun! I can't wait to see more pics from you guys of the chicks, chickens and soon to be eggs!

That's so exciting. So many laying so early!!
Do you bake the egg shells first? I've read people do that but I don't know why they bake them unless it's just to get all the raw egg taste off of them.

What feed do you use? Does it have a high protein %? I was just wondering if that has to do with them laying early. I know they are ready to lay when they are ready and nothing can 'make' them lay but I was just curious.
I really don't have a lot of feed to choose from around my way. I have to drive about 25 minutes to a store that sells chicken feed and they only have Purena or an organic feed for about $38/40 lbs. So that is out of the question. I did find an Agway about 35 min. away and was curious about their own brand Hearty Hen.
Everything is more expensive around me. Organic/free range eggs go for $4 for 1/2 dozen!!!
Anyway, I would love to switch to pellets because I think I have a lot of waste with the crumbles but all the pellet forms have the calcium in it and my girls aren't ready for that.

 

[NanaLynn]

Can't wait to see them!!!

That's so exciting. So many laying so early!!
Do you bake the egg shells first? I've read people do that but I don't know why they bake them unless it's just to get all the raw egg taste off of them.

What feed do you use? Does it have a high protein %? I was just wondering if that has to do with them laying early. I know they are ready to lay when they are ready and nothing can 'make' them lay but I was just curious.
I really don't have a lot of feed to choose from around my way. I have to drive about 25 minutes to a store that sells chicken feed and they only have Purena or an organic feed for about $38/40 lbs. So that is out of the question. I did find an Agway about 35 min. away and was curious about their own brand Hearty Hen.
Everything is more expensive around me. Organic/free range eggs go for $4 for 1/2 dozen!!!
Anyway, I would love to switch to pellets because I think I have a lot of waste with the crumbles but all the pellet forms have the calcium in it and my girls aren't ready for that.

It's nice to hear that someone else worries about their chickens as much as I do.

I started with Purina Start & Grow SunFresh Recipe Poultry Feed, 50 lb. which was medicated for the chicks when I first got them for $17.99 a bag. Now I noticed it is now $18.49. I used this until they were around 6 weeks. I saved the rest of this one for the 2nd batch of chicks.

When I switched them at 6 weeks I gave them this one: DuMOR Poultry Grower/Finisher 15% Feed, 50 lb. for $15.99, at least in NC.

When the 15% ran out I went back to TSC and ended up gettting this one, because they were sold out of the other Purina Flock Raiser SunFresh Recipe, Crumble, 50 lb. for $17.99. This flock raiser is 20% protein, maybe that higher protein was why they started at 18 weeks, well 19 for some? Could be, I guess. I really did not mean to buy a higher protein and as soon as I finished up the bag, I switched back to the Dumor Grower/Finisher at 15%. That was a while back though since I am about to finish the Dumor 15% bag now. (I heard the high protein is not good for them?, that's why I switched back)

I wanted pellets too, but they don't have them here except in layer feed as well. I can't feed the layer feed since the new chicks would eat it too. I have also heard that you can give them grower and just add egg shells and oyster shells on the side which I do. I have been sprinkling the oyster and egg shells all around so maybe those soft shelled eggs will harden up, I hope.

I have to drive over 30 minutes to TSC to get their food and I pay $15.99 a bag for 50lbs. I can drive even further to a little hardware store and they sell all of their feed in 20lbs bags for $7.00, so I'll stick to TSC. I now buy 2 of the 50lb bags when I go. I have a large galvanized trash can that I keep in the garage for their food, so no rodent or bug worries.

Dominique, Fred and Google all were nesting today, but no eggs. Weird chickens.

Oh and I just rinse the egg shells out and let them dry out on the counter and crumble them up. The soft shelled eggs I fed them the whole eggs, but broken up so it did not look like an egg anymore. Just following the OT advice since I myself am still learning.

 

[trsturself]

Can't wait to see them!!!

That's so exciting. So many laying so early!!
Do you bake the egg shells first? I've read people do that but I don't know why they bake them unless it's just to get all the raw egg taste off of them.

What feed do you use? Does it have a high protein %? I was just wondering if that has to do with them laying early. I know they are ready to lay when they are ready and nothing can 'make' them lay but I was just curious.
I really don't have a lot of feed to choose from around my way. I have to drive about 25 minutes to a store that sells chicken feed and they only have Purena or an organic feed for about $38/40 lbs. So that is out of the question. I did find an Agway about 35 min. away and was curious about their own brand Hearty Hen.
Everything is more expensive around me. Organic/free range eggs go for $4 for 1/2 dozen!!!
Anyway, I would love to switch to pellets because I think I have a lot of waste with the crumbles but all the pellet forms have the calcium in it and my girls aren't ready for that.

We have been saving eggs shells to give back to our girls for awhile. We just rinse and let dry then smash. I have put some out for the last week so they can start building their calcium (even though they are on layer pellets) and they are eating it.
Still no eggs here.

I found the cheapest organic feed to be from Azure Standard (mail order).

Just got back from the post office. All 6 are alive, yeah!

All but one are running around like CRAZY. I'm giving the one some sugar water to see if I can get her perked up.

here they are and what I'm guessing so far (all clean legged, 4 toes, only the Polish has a beard):





I think this is a Gold Lace Wyandotte



Definitely a Silver Polish - yeah we got another polish!




This is the little girl that is less active than everyone else. She has bright orange legs so I'm thinking she's not an EE. Maybe a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte? She has a lot of grey on her belly. Or maybe a Wellsummer? Or Dark Cornish? But that's my last choice since they seem to have lighter bellies.



I think this is our Meal Maker. I'm thinking White Plymouth Rock? White Leghorn? Maybe a male Golden Sex Link?




This is definitely a blue something. Blue Andalusian? Blue Hamberg? Blue Orpington? I was worried about her at first. When I took her out of the box and took the pic she was all fluffed up and leaning back on her legs. But she is acting fine now.



The chipmunk one on the left here is hard to get a pic of. She never stops moving! I think she is a Sicilian Buttercup.




On a side note: I just heard from my friend that took our BO. She laid her first egg today! I can't believe we missed it by just a few days and that she was the first! Her wattles/comb weren't even that red. I'm wondering if it's because she's around her older girls that are already laying. She had to show she could do that too!