Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[NotableNancy]

Yeah, I do need some good layers. Although I guess once the feathers stop falling off of them they'll start up again. Looks like a major feathered pillow fight in the coop and run now. It's getting worse.

Both my boys can put away some eggs and the competition is fierce!

Thank you, I am getting more content with keeping them in, it helps to think that I can get more chicks sooner too since their not free ranging. Plus my garden is doing so well now. We still do have a huge roll of hardware cloth too, so maybe we can get that run extension done soon too.

Olivia, our older EE is pretty tough on the younger ones too, but she never drew blood. Maybe she will get demoted a little if you cage her for a few days? The younger girls avoid her now and usually they try to stay clear of the other 4 older hens too. I think you have to cage her out of sight too. I hope that it works out, maybe it will on it's own?

I could understand getting less eggs with all the feathers you have flying but I'm getting less eggs and no feathers. As long as they produce enough to feed us I'm happy. I have learned I will always keep EE's!! They are my best layers. Better than my BA's and RIR! My 3 EE's are the only ones consistently laying right now. So at least I'm getting lots of pretty green eggs and my other EE lays a huge creamy colored egg so I'm good with that! And it is what it is so I guess I gotta be happy with what I get!!

Coop transition update: everyone is loving the new coop! They are adjusting to the heat well - I am keeping some veggies in the freezer & making their fermented feed a little "wetter" during this transition so they don't get dehydrated. I've also added extra amino acids and vitamins/electrolytes to their water for right now.

Today was very overcast & not as hot thankfully as my step-dad & I were outside working on the run. We are about 1/2 way done & I'm already wanting to expand it - it looks so much smaller than I thought it would. But expansion will have to wait at least a month...this will get us started.

I'm not sure I will get all the trim details finished & touch-ups done on the coop before the party, as it has been raining every evening. But they will get done eventually!

So hot here too. I'm going to freeze a cucumber like you suggested. I never did that before. And I have some watermelon for them today.
Can't wait to see pics of the finished coop/run!!

Ok, so since I opened the current bag of pellets, I have gotten 86 eggs (if I remembered to write them down). Anyway, by my calculations, $12.99/bag. That's about $2/doz. I'm totally happy with that! Especially since I've had one broody for the majority of the month and one roo too. Obviously, I'm only counting feed into my calculations, but that's the majority of expenses. Plus there's about a weeks worth of feed still in the bag Everything else is a few mealworms and kitchen scraps and a cabbage. The coop and medical supply kit - oh well! Calculating those in is just too much! Overall, I'm pretty pleased with this, especially with the fermenting and the new little ones bring hopes of even more eggs. Yay!

I just can't do the math of cost/dz. It would be to depressing.

The chicken run has 4 walls!!! I repeat the chicken run has 4 walls!!! WOOHOO

carry on.

Now to add hardware cloth, pavers, chicken wire roof...and install my chicken fountain...but we have 4 walls! (and I already want to enlarge it)

Woo Hooo.... that's awesome!!! Can't wait to see the finished product

Anybody here experienced a false egg song? I was just out in the garden and herd a girl that I thought was being hurt. So I ran over to see and it was a BR hen standing outside the nest boxes clucking away, unlike anything I have ever heard. I did put fake eggs in all the nest boxes now that the rooster drama has settled down. I am hoping that means eggs will start flowing soon!

ALL the time. I get tons of songs and barely any eggs right now. It's like they really really want to lay and nothing comes out. LOL

Update - here is a shot of Left Eye this am, she has been hanging out with the EE as they seem to be the least aggressive. Glad to see her out of the coop, she spent a lot of time in there yesterday. She doesn't seem to be getting picked on as much today.

Lastly can anyone Id the breed of these girls, they are darker and more maroon in color.

Glad to hear Left Eye is doing better!!
And the above looks just like my RIR as someone already stated

OMG, I got my first egg tonight! I am over the moon being a proud chicken mom. My guess is it was the BR. Small weighed 3 grams, look light brown maybe almost a pinkish tint to it. Here she is pictured next to a store egg for reference.




Also here is one of our RIR Roo's all dressed and into the oven. It's chicken night here!

So happy for you!!! I still love collecting eggs. It absolutely never gets old!!!
Good looking chicken too. Sounds like you made the right decision for your flock. It's hard to do sometimes but we have to make tough decisions sometimes.

 

[COChix]

I could understand getting less eggs with all the feathers you have flying but I'm getting less eggs and no feathers. As long as they produce enough to feed us I'm happy. I have learned I will always keep EE's!!  They are my best layers.  Better than my BA's and RIR!  My 3 EE's are the only ones consistently laying right now. So at least I'm getting lots of pretty green eggs and my other EE lays a huge creamy colored egg so I'm good with that!  And it is what it is so I guess I gotta be happy with what I get!!

So happy for you!!!   I still love collecting eggs. It absolutely never gets old!!!
Good looking chicken too. Sounds like you made the right decision for your flock. It's hard to do sometimes but we have to make tough decisions sometimes. 

Yes, after getting an egg yesterday it just reaffirmed our decision on the roosters, things are definitely more calm now. I am glad to hear your EE are good layers as we have 5EE and we will probably be harvesting our Cornish this fall. I love the egg song and collecting, I think I have checked the nest boxes 4 times already this am and it is just 10 am. Lol.

Is there anyone out there that has had the dark Cornish from Meyer? I have been reading up on Cornish in general. I have read they grow fast and their legs are shorter than other birds and since they grow quickly their joints cannot handle the strain of the weight, some end up with broken legs, their feet giving out or just dying due to health. I was reading they don't forage/free range well and tend to hang out at the feed spots, which is something I have noticed. So based on that and the fact that they seem mean and I have seen them go after Left Eye, who is struggling to get some eating time in. So I am curious if anyone else has experienced raising them. The other draw back is I read they are not good layers, we really got the girls and boys more for eggs so that is an issues. We have 4-5 of them. Anyone willing to share?

 

[trsturself]

Yes, after getting an egg yesterday it just reaffirmed our decision on the roosters, things are definitely more calm now. I am glad to hear your EE are good layers as we have 5EE and we will probably be harvesting our Cornish this fall. I love the egg song and collecting, I think I have checked the nest boxes 4 times already this am and it is just 10 am. Lol.

Is there anyone out there that has had the dark Cornish from Meyer? I have been reading up on Cornish in general. I have read they grow fast and their legs are shorter than other birds and since they grow quickly their joints cannot handle the strain of the weight, some end up with broken legs, their feet giving out or just dying due to health. I was reading they don't forage/free range well and tend to hang out at the feed spots, which is something I have noticed. So based on that and the fact that they seem mean and I have seen them go after Left Eye, who is struggling to get some eating time in. So I am curious if anyone else has experienced raising them. The other draw back is I read they are not good layers, we really got the girls and boys more for eggs so that is an issues. We have 4-5 of them. Anyone willing to share?

I'll be interested to hear other's opinions. I hadn't heard any of that for the Dark Cornish, only the cornish X. I was thinking of getting a cornish for our sustainable meat flock because of their larger breasts and quick growth.

Mine and my daughter's best friends are moving back from KS this month.

She has a ton of chickens too and will need a place to keep them until they find somewhere to live so I will be sectioning off part of our run/coop for her flock. They won't have nearly as much room outside as ours but since it's temporary they should be fine. Later I'll use that same area for our breeder pen or for raising meaties.
That same friend sent me a link to a craigslist ad of someone in our town that was giving away parts of a chicken coop. She had 4 nest boxes, roosts, and a ladder roost. She didn't even know what she had. I think she moved into the house and that stuff was up in the garage/barn and she didn't need it so she gave it away. Score! It's a group of 4 nest boxes, perfect for her girls and then later for our breeder pen. The chickens are already checking out the ladder.

 

[COChix]

I'll be interested to hear other's opinions. I hadn't heard any of that for the Dark Cornish, only the cornish X. I was thinking of getting a cornish for our sustainable meat flock because of their larger breasts and quick growth. 

I might have misspoken about the Dark Cornish, I was reading on the Cornish X. However, I am still seeking info on the dark Cornish. I am reading posts on here of of course.

 

[rnchick74]

The coop has been warmed!!! It was down to the wire, but we got the run finished & opened before the coop warming party! I didn't get many pics of the party itself as we were too busy eating & having a good time. Here are a few pics of the chicks' first adventure outside!!



















This was taken before the roof was put on the run. I've also reinforced the apron around the gate so there are no gaps.



I still have no idea what I'm going to name my coop...though right now Cafe Merlot is sounding better and better for a LOT of reasons! This was a ton of blood, sweat, tears, curses, and $$$! Though I still came out about $600-700 ahead of the kit I was planning on buying

 

[trsturself]

The coop has been warmed!!! It was down to the wire, but we got the run finished & opened before the coop warming party! I didn't get many pics of the party itself as we were too busy eating & having a good time. Here are a few pics of the chicks' first adventure outside!!



















This was taken before the roof was put on the run. I've also reinforced the apron around the gate so there are no gaps.



I still have no idea what I'm going to name my coop...though right now Cafe Merlot is sounding better and better for a LOT of reasons! This was a ton of blood, sweat, tears, curses, and $$$! Though I still came out about $600-700 ahead of the kit I was planning on buying

Nice job. I'm sure the girls are very happy there.

 

[christine9]

I just love it. Very nice!

 

[rnchick74]

Thanks everyone! I'm so tired now - I've been working non--stop for 4 days to get everything ready...now to crash!

 

[Melabella]

I'm just loving these little Buckeyes. They finally realize I'm not going to bring them any harm and are very social and curious. Can't wait till they grow up! Anybody with a Meyer Buckeye grown up, or at least a teenager? Would love to see some pics!

I am receiving what I think will be my final shipment this week from Meyer. I would buy some more Olive Eggers if they became available.. or Austra Whites, but I think they are all done for the year. I have 3 White Marans coming this week. Anyone else expecting? I am a bit concerned though. After a summer of the most outrageously beautiful weather here in the Hudson Valley, NY,,, we are supposed to get a heat wave of ridiculous humidity that is just way too hot. Worried about the little ones traveling in the heat. I have never had a chick pass from Meyer. Always the best of health, so I figure I am due for a problem. Hope not. The chickens were all panting today. I kept refilling the waterers with fresh cool well water. Have a frozen watermelon for tomorrow ready. They will LOVE that.


MB

 

[jonsccm]

What is the size difference with silkie eggs! And how often do the Meyers silkies lay?