Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[MsChickenMomma]

Still no egg from Sunni. She stopped trying, so I'm wondering if maybe she was just being goofy and thinks the nest boxes are a nice playpen or something.

I have done lots of research and I am thinking that I might make Sunni a house chicken. I found some adorable little chicken diapers that someone here on BYC sells for only $8-$13 dollars, so I might buy a couple of those. We'll see. I think she would make a perfect house chicken, and she really does love coming in the house for her food three times a day.

 

[7freedoms]

Better in some ways and worse in others, it's hard to tell.  She is just moving slow with each step and is kind of in a skulking position (how my husband describes it, like with her neck close to her body), but she moves and hops up the ramp and in and out of coop.  Doing well with drinking.  She just isn't doing much eating.  I gave her some nutridrench this afternoon so hopefully that perks her up a bit.  I brought them a banana and she was interested but couldn't get a bite in between the other girls who were being all ravenous.

I just feel like I can't assess her symptoms.  I picked her up and thought she was thin, but then picked someone else up and that's just how they're built I guess.  Ughhh I feel like a bad chicken mom and just want her to feel better

In case anyone was wondering... She's doing better much less skulking and back to having a pretty normal appetite. We've been doing a lot of free ranging which I think has helped everyone's spirits a bit!

 

[chickadee5002]

In case anyone was wondering... She's doing better much less skulking and back to having a pretty normal appetite. We've been doing a lot of free ranging which I think has helped everyone's spirits a bit!

Awesome! I have never had a sick chicken and definately don't plan on it! I'm glad she's doing better no one wants to be sick.

 

[NanaLynn]

Got my first order of chicks Wednesday. I ordered 4 chicks from Meyers but got a call that one did not hatch. I was really disappointed and decided to just take the remaining three. To my surprise, they included a mystery meal maker. I am very satisfied with my order. Chicks seem happy and healthy. I was able to choose their vaccinations.

I like Meyers because I could order a small number of chicks and ordering during warmer months seemed to prevent delivery deaths. The only downside to ordering chicks this way was dealing with the post office. If I could find a local breeder/hatchery I would consider buying there. For now, I will stick with Meyers!

Cute chicks! Meyer's is very helpful. Congrats on your new arrivals!

In case anyone was wondering... She's doing better

much less skulking and back to having a pretty normal appetite. We've been doing a lot of free ranging which I think has helped everyone's spirits a bit!

So glad to hear!

 

[NanaLynn]

Nancy - I have joined your elite club. I have a broody hen too! Olivia the EE was in the nest box all yesterday. She only came out at bedtime to eat some treats before I locked everyone up for the night. I have chased her out twice them morning only to have her go right back in. She did lay an egg late yesterday and sat on that egg and the nest golf ball forever.

I moved the egg yesterday and the golf ball today and now she is just sitting on nothing.


I blocked off the nest box, she's really the only one that uses this one.

Here she is with the group. She eventually sneaked right back in and got in the other nest box. So I am going to chase her off that one and put another barrier in the way for the other nest box.

Here she is after being chased off, not a happy hen.


So I have her being broody and then one of my BR's, Pepper, who looks perfectly healthy has not laid an egg since last Wednesday. Not sure what's going on with her either. Maybe since it is cooler now, but it is in the 70's, that's not too cool?

I also have Daisy who looks so ready, except not squatting and no eggs from her either. I guess any day for her, she is quite chatty to me and look at those wattles.


Here is Big Mama, she is still laying well along with Oreo-BR and Ash-RIR. She has really developed a large comb over recently.


So if anyone has advice for what to do with a broody, please let me know. It's way too early, she's only 32 weeks old!

Also, should I worry that my one BR has not laid in almost a week?

 

[NotableNancy]

Nancy - I have joined your elite club. I have a broody hen too! Olivia the EE was in the nest box all yesterday. She only came out at bedtime to eat some treats before I locked everyone up for the night. I have chased her out twice them morning only to have her go right back in. She did lay an egg late yesterday and sat on that egg and the nest golf ball forever.

I moved the egg yesterday and the golf ball today and now she is just sitting on nothing.


I blocked off the nest box, she's really the only one that uses this one.

Here she is with the group. She eventually sneaked right back in and got in the other nest box. So I am going to chase her off that one and put another barrier in the way for the other nest box.

Here she is after being chased off, not a happy hen.


So I have her being broody and then one of my BR's, Pepper, who looks perfectly healthy has not laid an egg since last Wednesday. Not sure what's going on with her either. Maybe since it is cooler now, but it is in the 70's, that's not too cool?

I also have Daisy who looks so ready, except not squatting and no eggs from her either. I guess any day for her, she is quite chatty to me and look at those wattles.


Here is Big Mama, she is still laying well along with Oreo-BR and Ash-RIR. She has really developed a large comb over recently.


So if anyone has advice for what to do with a broody, please let me know. It's way too early, she's only 32 weeks old!

Also, should I worry that my one BR has not laid in almost a week?

Oh boy, I for some reason thought EE's didn't go broody to much.
My broody, Moe, sits on nothing too. I have 5 nest boxes and she doesn't care which she sits in. She just sits and sits and sits.
I take her out of the nest at night and put her on the roost and she stays there the whole night but then right back to the nest in the a.m. And I kick her out all day long. When I shove her out of the nest she goes outside and immediately starts scratching the ground, then gets a little food/water, grooms herself and then back to the nest.
I'm not desperate enough to make a separate cage for her with the wire bottom that (I think) Pipd recommended but that seems to work for most people. I heard dunking their bottoms in cool water will help too but haven't tried that either. Moe just snapped out of it last time at about 3-4 days. Can't remember exactly. I think she's going on about day 3 now.

As far as some not laying, from what I understand it's not the cooler temps but the less hours of daylight that affects their egg laying. If you don't have artificial light you may just get less eggs til spring. Another thing that was odd was last time my Moe went broody it totally threw the other girls off their laying. I was getting about 7 -9 eggs religiously around then and then I got 1 egg!! I think they were so interested in watching Moe they didn't lay but the next day I woke up to 7 eggs in the nests by about 8 a.m. They typically were laying throughout the day so maybe that's throwing them off too?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I was on my way here to type up a post about my Light Brown Leghorn, Whiri, who was nesting, but then I heard her cackling! She laid her egg before I could even make the announcement that she was nesting!! e

Here she was on the nest, just a few minutes ago! She's 19 weeks and 2 days old!

 

[chickadee5002]

I was on my way here to type up a post about my Light Brown Leghorn, Whiri, who was nesting, but then I heard her cackling! She laid her egg before I could even make the announcement that she was nesting!! e

Here she was on the nest, just a few minutes ago! She's 19 weeks and 2 days old!

Yay! Congrats!

 

[NanaLynn]

Oh boy, I for some reason thought EE's didn't go broody to much.
My broody, Moe, sits on nothing too. I have 5 nest boxes and she doesn't care which she sits in. She just sits and sits and sits.
I take her out of the nest at night and put her on the roost and she stays there the whole night but then right back to the nest in the a.m. And I kick her out all day long. When I shove her out of the nest she goes outside and immediately starts scratching the ground, then gets a little food/water, grooms herself and then back to the nest.
I'm not desperate enough to make a separate cage for her with the wire bottom that (I think) Pipd recommended but that seems to work for most people. I heard dunking their bottoms in cool water will help too but haven't tried that either. Moe just snapped out of it last time at about 3-4 days. Can't remember exactly. I think she's going on about day 3 now.

As far as some not laying, from what I understand it's not the cooler temps but the less hours of daylight that affects their egg laying. If you don't have artificial light you may just get less eggs til spring. Another thing that was odd was last time my Moe went broody it totally threw the other girls off their laying. I was getting about 7 -9 eggs religiously around then and then I got 1 egg!! I think they were so interested in watching Moe they didn't lay but the next day I woke up to 7 eggs in the nests by about 8 a.m. They typically were laying throughout the day so maybe that's throwing them off too?

I guess I'll just keep getting her off the nest to eat and drink. and yup,,,the EE's I have learned first hand can easily go broody. I hope my few layers do not slow down like yours did. I don't want to dunk her in water either, but I'll keep doing what I have been.

Pepper laid an egg, I think I may have been confusing her eggs with my BO's egg, because this one is a little darker then she usually lays and looks about the same shape as the BO's egg.

I have a little chick now, Ellie the EE who seems to be in shock. The chickens had a close encounter with a hawk and she must have saw death in their eyes, she was stuck out in one of the garden boxes, The rest of them all made it safely inside. She looks unharmed but is just walking around slowly and very cautious and not eating or drinking. I hope she snaps out of it soon. They're all locked up again. I wish I could figure out a safe way to free range them, but nothing seems to work. So frustrating!!!

I was on my way here to type up a post about my Light Brown Leghorn, Whiri, who was nesting, but then I heard her cackling! She laid her egg before I could even make the announcement that she was nesting!!

Here she was on the nest, just a few minutes ago!

She's 19 weeks and 2 days old!

Good job, Whiri and she is gorgeous!

 

[hopefulpeeps]

Good job Whiri! I just love your chickens, Pip!!

Ive been lurking though not posting... My 6 girls are 18 weeks now! Was hoping one would start laying now, but I dont feel like amy are super close. Havent noticed anything Id call squatting. Theres some good comb and wattle development on a few, but their hipbones last I checked were maybe 1.5 fingers. Ill try to get some pics up this weekend!