Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[christine9]

I'm about 25 min from Willow Grove!!  Just a couple of exits on the PA Tpk. Worked at the Bennigan's there when I was in college ... a lifetime ago 

I probably would never have gotten started with chickens up there...although the DH were always talking about moving farther and farther out. The DH and I were living in Quakertown two years before we moved. When my parents decided they were going to retire to SC, the first thing that popped in my mind was chickens! (Maybe not the first thing). Now my brother, and my in laws (divorced) all live down here. I also have aunts and uncles trying to move. LOL and asking me to send pictures of chickens!!

 

[christine9]

I'm trying to figure out if my Buff Brahma is the one consistently laying a soft shelled egg everyday... should I put her in a cage overnight to see if it's her?  Almost every morning are the remnants of an egg on the poop board... a little eggy mess (what the girls didn't scarf down) and sometimes the soft rubber shell. I think my BR is doing it once in a while too but it's gotta be my BB too. 
I never ever see her in a nest. I mean never. Yet she squats and she used to lay a pretty egg with purple speckles on it and I never get one anymore. I do have to get rid of a few and would 
hate to get rid of the wrong one.  
As soon as my broody is broken I can try it out. I thought she was... I let her out this morning and she roosted on a branch for a few hours then I caught her back in the nest.  She's so sneaky. 

You could separate her. You could also do the food coloring on the vent trick to be sure. If she lays, you'll have an egg with food coloring on it.

My Dellie and RIR both lay eggs that seem to change significantly in color and speckling. It makes it difficult to ID the layer of the egg.

 

[NotableNancy]

I probably would never have gotten started with chickens up there...although the DH were always talking about moving farther and farther out. The DH and I were living in Quakertown two years before we moved. When my parents decided they were going to retire to SC, the first thing that popped in my mind was chickens! (Maybe not the first thing). Now my brother, and my in laws (divorced) all live down here. I also have aunts and uncles trying to move. LOL and asking me to send pictures of chickens!!

That's nice you have family there.. odd that everyone decided to move there. But nice (if you like your family LOL) Too hot for me... I need to have a winter; yes, I'm the weird one.

You could separate her. You could also do the food coloring on the vent trick to be sure. If she lays, you'll have an egg with food coloring on it.

My Dellie and RIR both lay eggs that seem to change significantly in color and speckling. It makes it difficult to ID the layer of the egg.

I didn't think of that! Easier than putting her in a cage. I'll put it on my BR and BB. Just a few drops on the outside of the vent??

 

[MamaShell]

I'm trying to figure out if my Buff Brahma is the one consistently laying a soft shelled egg everyday... should I put her in a cage overnight to see if it's her?  Almost every morning are the remnants of an egg on the poop board... a little eggy mess (what the girls didn't scarf down) and sometimes the soft rubber shell. I think my BR is doing it once in a while too but it's gotta be my BB too. 
I never ever see her in a nest. I mean never. Yet she squats and she used to lay a pretty egg with purple speckles on it and I never get one anymore. I do have to get rid of a few and would 
hate to get rid of the wrong one.  
As soon as my broody is broken I can try it out. I thought she was... I let her out this morning and she roosted on a branch for a few hours then I caught her back in the nest.  She's so sneaky. 

I have gotten a few soft shelled eggs in the last week, but, mine are just starting to lay. Your Buff brahma is over a year old right? Is she starting to molt? Could that be why her eggs are changing? If it is her, that is. Putting her in the broody cage for one day to find out if it is her is not a bad idea. I am wishing I had a camera in the coop so I could see who is laying what. It is hard to keep track when you are at work most of the day.

 

[NotableNancy]

I have gotten a few soft shelled eggs in the last week, but, mine are just starting to lay. Your Buff brahma is over a year old right? Is she starting to molt? Could that be why her eggs are changing? If it is her, that is. Putting her in the broody cage for one day to find out if it is her is not a bad idea. I am wishing I had a camera in the coop so I could see who is laying what. It is hard to keep track when you are at work most of the day.

Yes, she's almost 17 months but I haven't had a good egg from her in at least a month... I'm thinking it's about 2 or 3. I know I found a soft egg from my BR but she has laid good eggs as well. It seems if I give extra calcium to my BR she lays a good egg. The BB nothing seems to help. And I see all my girls in the nest but not her. My camera is in the run and another facing the roosts, not the nests but I work from home and check all diff. times of day. She's never in there. I am going to attempt the dye on the vent trick and if that doesn't work, the cage idea.
I don't think she's molting yet. I had 1 molt, Moe my Cochin who is now broody, but no others yet.


On another note... I looked into the coop today and all the nest boxes were full... with my little girls!! Seems they were practicing being big girls laying eggs... it was so cute. I gotta get a pic.

 

[christine9]

I didn't think of that!  Easier than putting her in a cage.  I'll put it on my BR and BB. Just a few drops on the outside of the vent??

Maybe more than a few. I saw it on here somewhere.

 

[christine9]

I didn't think of that!  Easier than putting her in a cage.  I'll put it on my BR and BB. Just a few drops on the outside of the vent??

Maybe more than a few. I saw it on here somewhere.

Going back, it looks like some have had luck with just a couple drops. One tip was to avoid red, so no one gets picked on

 

[NotableNancy]

Going back, it looks like some have had luck with just a couple drops. One tip was to avoid red, so no one gets picked on

guess i gotta buy food coloring... i only have red LOL


Do you think Blu-Kote would work? I have that.

 

[rnchick74]

Update on my silkie situation - are they boys?

I know for sure (almost positive) that Coco is a boy - wattles getting bigger everyday, hearing what sounds like a dying frog occasionally...possibly the 1st attempts at crowing?

But now Coco & Brownie are doing the chest bump thing - would a boy & a girl do that?

Oh, and I've decided that I NEED a Tolbunt Polish Frizzle female...yeah, I know, expensive tastes!!!

 

[christine9]

Going back, it looks like some have had luck with just a couple drops. One tip was to avoid red, so no one gets picked on

guess i gotta buy food coloring... i only have red    LOL


Do you think Blu-Kote would work?  I have that.

I bet it would work.