Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[MsChickenMomma]

Never mind! Make that an 8 egg day! I just went out to check on the girls and Lilly is in the nest box. That is the most I have gotten in one day in a while! Normally I only get 1-4!

 

[MsChickenMomma]

Here is a picture of the eggs!



Since Annie and Alice's white eggs are identical, I don't know which is which, but I know for the other ones.

(starting at the top white and going right)

Annie or Alice (WL)
Chicken Little (My BO/RIR mix. not from Meyer)
Ellie (EE)
Amber (EE)
Annie or Alice
Lilly (BA)
Henny (New Hampshire Red. not from Meyer)
Sunni (BO)

The only one that didn't lay today was my other BO, Daffodil.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

How well does your speckled sussex lay?  I was thinking of adding one to my order in April

It seems like they were laying about 5 eggs a week. Biddy seems to lay more than Poggy (although it could just seem that way because Biddy is very vocal about her egg laying and Poggy is an egg-laying ninja ).

I am excited to start my backyard flock. I ordered from Meyer to be picked up in June...

Black Australorp
Barred Rock
Buff Orpington
Blue Ameraucana
Blue Splash Maran
Welsummer
Easter Egger
Salmon Faverolle


I am so excited. We are in the chicken coop planning phase right now and my husband so graciously agreed to make it for me. I think I am going to make it large enough for 12 chickens so that the kids can hatch eggs next year for a school project. They just wanted chicks this year and I just wanted as many hens as possible.

I can't wait.

Oh, best of luck with your first chicks! I got a Blue Splash Marans from Meyer back in June of 2012 and she is the sweetest thing ever! Here she is resting her head in my hand for some attention:

And just being fabulous:

She's also in my avatar.

Oh, I'll be getting a Welly with my order this year, too! Can't wait! e

My husband is planning a 8X6 coop. Do you all think that is sufficient for eventually 12? I was thinking 8X8, but he very much does not want it to look like a box... so 8X6 it will be  .

Thanks!

The answer to this question is this: it depends.

The rule of thumb is 4 square feet per large fowl bird inside, and 8x6 would provide exactly that for 12 birds. Things to consider, though, are what the weather is like year round, whether or not they will have a run, whether or not they will free range, etc. Of course, if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow and the birds might be cooped up as a result, you're going to want more floor space inside the coop so that they have plenty of room to live in. If you're going to have a covered run for them to come outside in rainy or snowy weather, you might not need quite as much space inside. There is no catch-all answer here.

Just remember to err on the side of having extra space, because once you start raising chicks (and especially once you start hatching them), you're probably going to want more, more, more! There's no such thing as too big of a coop for these birds, and the more space the better.

 

[SlipsWife]

My husband is planning a 8X6 coop. Do you all think that is sufficient for eventually 12? I was thinking 8X8, but he very much does not want it to look like a box... so 8X6 it will be

.

Thanks!

If you have the space/budget and he doesn't want it to look like a box, maybe 8x16? A good excuse for a larger coop would be less cuts for him to make

You could always section off a part for storage. We have an 8x12 with 8 hens, 6 are standard size and 2 are bantams (and many more to come, even if it means another coop, or 3

) and a 10x30 run. Our girls spend most of their time out in the run, even roosting in the run during the summer.

 

[daniellea2912]

It seems like they were laying about 5 eggs a week. Biddy seems to lay more than Poggy (although it could just seem that way because Biddy is very vocal about her egg laying and Poggy is an egg-laying ninja ).


Oh, I'll be getting a Welly with my order this year, too! Can't wait! e.

Thanks for the info! Based on chicken math, I'm guessing I will end up adding one to my order.... I'm getting a welsummer also Right now my order is just a welsummer and a few olive eggers plus whatever else I end up adding by the end of April when I go pick them up!

 

[dragonlord483]

I would like some ee but am unable to purchase this year

 

[AKhen]

I haven't gotten mine yet but am also curious to see what the olive eggers will look like. I get mine on march 17th alone with 15 others! yay! I love chickens!

Lucky. I'm jealous. I ordered early January for delivery March 3rd and they were out

. Out of BLRW too. But I'm looking forward to 16 other two of which are the rare marans assortment. Can't wait to see them.

 

[anba]

If you have the space/budget and he doesn't want it to look like a box, maybe 8x16? A good excuse for a larger coop would be less cuts for him to make

You could always section off a part for storage. We have an 8x12 with 8 hens, 6 are standard size and 2 are bantams (and many more to come, even if it means another coop, or 3

) and a 10x30 run. Our girls spend most of their time out in the run, even roosting in the run during the summer.

I would love to have an 8X16, but my husband thinks that a 8x6 is big. Oh well... I plan on having a nice large covered run and a new fenced in garden area for them to explore.

 

[anba]

Oh, I'll be getting a Welly with my order this year, too! Can't wait!

The answer to this question is this: it depends.

The rule of thumb is 4 square feet per large fowl bird inside, and 8x6 would provide exactly that for 12 birds. Things to consider, though, are what the weather is like year round, whether or not they will have a run, whether or not they will free range, etc. Of course, if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow and the birds might be cooped up as a result, you're going to want more floor space inside the coop so that they have plenty of room to live in. If you're going to have a covered run for them to come outside in rainy or snowy weather, you might not need quite as much space inside. There is no catch-all answer here.

Just remember to err on the side of having extra space, because once you start raising chicks (and especially once you start hatching them), you're probably going to want more, more, more!

There's no such thing as too big of a coop for these birds, and the more space the better.

She is beautiful. I am so looking forward to see how they all grow and develop as well as the pretty egg basket they ought to produce

They will have a covered run and access to our garden anytime I'm out there with them. I can not truly free range them, but I plan to make sure they have lots of "fun". I'm afraid that once I start keeping them that the chicken math will kick in. I was really pushing for the 8x8 then I would have room for a few more.

 

[anba]

Here is a picture of the eggs!

So pretty!