Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[Brookshire11]

I am really enjoying everyone's updates. I have not been able to get good pics. Mine are only still when eating!! They are 4.5 weeks.

Hungry monsters!
Olive (lt brahma) Pumpkin (wellie), Eggplant (ameraucana). Olive is still way behind in feathering. Her stance is a little bit rooish, but I can't worry about the possibilities. Just going to wait it out.

Eggplants comb. One row of peas? Please! Desperate for an ameraucana that will one day lay eggs!

Plum - lav orp. She's actually the flightiest of the bunch.

Pumpkin (wellie) and strawberry (SS)
I really thought they'd be just brown chickens, maybe one with some spots, but I'm loving their colors and how different they look.

Sarsaparilla - cuckoo marans Such a sweetie.

Looks like one row. If it helps, my roo's pea comb was noticeably brighter than my girls. I think thats a pullet..

OH MY GOSH! Maybe that's the other ameraucana I ordered and it was the lav orp that passed? Splash ameraucana??

Check the comb! the orp will have the single comb, if it's pea comb then she's the Ameraucana
Edit: I was going to say to check her legs too but I forgot the lavenders have darker legs as well
But don't feel bad getting them confused! Lol I did the same. I had my Russians and my EEs confused for almost a week before I realized their legs should be switched They all had the chipmunk pattern

Well, I'm about to run out of chick food...and my CCL are  11 weeks old while my Meyers chicks are 8 weeks old. Obviously I don't want to buy another 50 lb bag of chick food. But I don't think they are ready for layer food yet. My CCL are getting quite red combs though!

What should I do?? And what about oyster shell? I didn't think I should be adding that until they start laying, but should I add it closer to when the CCL are 18 weeks? Feeding mixed groups is difficult!! 

Does the feed come in smaller bags, if so you could just get some to tide them over til they switch

 

[daniellea2912]

Sounds like a Cooper's Hawk, AKA Chicken Hawk. That's the one that landed in our tree 10 ft from me and wouldn't leave until we hit it with a pellet gun! They are known for going after chickens, hence the nickname.

My flock is free ranging right now but it's foggy and freezing out. I think the hawks will be snug in their nests right now.

Seems like you see a lot of hawks- how do you deal with it? Supervised free range only? My girls are normally allowed to free range in an old backyard- the old farmhouse the yard belongs to is now a store. I am not usually supervising them all day, but about half the time I'm working in the farmhouse so they are watched pretty close then. I used to be comfortable with that because there's always people around even when I am not but now I'm worrysome about it sigh. They just always seemed so happy to have 10-12 hours a day to range around so it's a tough choice to decide if I want to coop them up.

 

[COChix]

We have a TON of mushrooms growing all over our property. I picked one yesterday that was as large as a softball and another awhile ago that was as big as a dinner plate. We have 3-4 different varieties. Unfortunately I know nothing of wild mushrooms and have no idea if they are edible or not.

yea I am the same but my bf is good at it and he has a book that he uses to help, before if determining if edible or not.

I put oyster shell out the first egg shows up. That might be a little late. I switched to layer once my grower/finisher was gone lol.

I out out oyster shell out the same way and after that then seemed like the eggs are starting to come. First girl laid at 21 weeks....

Feeding a mixed flock is hard when you buy bagged food. Our previous feed store carried layer or chick starter. Nothing else. Try to find something that is around 16-18% protein that isn't layer and put the oyster shell out separately. The little ones won't eat it but your layers will. They'll know when to start eating it. Without a mixed flock you should have a source of calcium by 18 weeks.

I read the same on raising a mixed flock in regards to roosters and the oyster shell, that if you out it out by itself, free choice, the girls that need it will eat it. The boys don't touch it, I don't have anyone younger. I do notice the girls with the more red combs and waddles are eating it more and more.....

 

[christine9]

At this point I am positive that I messed up IDing my chicks from the beginning.

This is the one I thought was the blue ameraucana. I could have sworn those were some fluffy cheeks! But I am pretty positive this was the lav orp (who passed) and that the girl I have now is the splash ameraucana. Yes, on the pea comb. Her color was really disappointing to be lavender. I'm still thrilled about this new discovery. Meyer had me send pictures of her for identification. Their breeding manager is supposed to look at them and get back to me. I can't wait for confirmation! I was hoping to get a splash even if it looks like she'll be clean faced. Now I just have to figure out what to get with my credit. I'm thinking EEs and ex leghorns.

As far as hawks go. I guess fall is a big migration period and we will all see more and more of them. I've seen and heard a lot more owls too. Kinda freaks me out. Peppy (roo) does not leave the coop to free range with the girls. I guess he still doesn't like them that much. So I do not leave them unattended. If he proves to be a protector, I might be a little less paranoid. Time will tell.

 

[NanaLynn]

We've had a lot of hawks around here lately too. I am going to try to give my chickens a enclosed area to range outside of the coop. I won't call it free range since it'll be fenced in and covered with a temporary fence and cover. I think my hens need a little more space and activity to ease some of their tension in the coop.

Speaking of oyster shell, I am trying to come up with an idea for something to put the oyster shell in that attaches to the wall or fence in the run. I think I saw something on here before, but I cannot remember what it looked like or who posted it. Do any of you have ideas for containers that could hold oyster shell? I need something that will not flip over. I have used bowls before but eventually the bowls disappear under the shavings and compost in the run, so it needs to be sturdy and attached to something.

My chickens right now get their oyster shell when I give them their scratch grains every night. I'd rather just out it out free choice, so I can see if anyone is eating it.

 

[NanaLynn]

Can I brag a little? I hope that all of you do not mind?

This little one will hatch around March 24th, 2015


You can see his/her face and belly and the little leg and toes kicked up behind the date there on the right side.

They should be able to tell if the baby is a boy or girl by the next ultrasound. My daughter-in law is letting us come to that one too. I am so excited, she is 12 weeks along now and the next one will be at 16 to 18 weeks.

I cannot believe I'll be a grandmother. To bring this back to chickens: I am excited that once the baby is old enough, I can order little chicks just for him/her.

 

[jtn42248]

Speaking of oyster shell, I am trying to come up with an idea for something to put the oyster shell in that attaches to the wall or fence in the run. I think I saw something on here before, but I cannot remember what it looked like or who posted it. Do any of you have ideas for containers that could hold oyster shell? I need something that will not flip over. I have used bowls before but eventually the bowls disappear under the shavings and compost in the run, so it needs to be sturdy and attached to something.

Don't recall the thread but there was one on here that I am going to give a try. Basically a 3-4 inch PVC pipe with a U-joint fastened to the end of it. Attach it to the wall with strapping and the U-joint pointing up. Fill with oyster shell (make a second one for grit) and as they consume it the contents continue to feed down. My run is covered with oyster shell and grit that they kick up out of the dish. Lots of waist I am sure but I hope they are also getting some as they scratch abut.

 

[jtn42248]

Can I brag a little? I hope that all of you do not mind?

This little one will hatch around March 24th, 2015


You can see his/her face and belly and the little leg and toes kicked up behind the date there on the right side.

They should be able to tell if the baby is a boy or girl by the next ultrasound. My daughter-in law is letting us come to that one too. I am so excited, she is 12 weeks along now and the next one will be at 16 to 18 weeks.

I cannot believe I'll be a grandmother. To bring this back to chickens: I am excited that once the baby is old enough, I can order little chicks just for him/her.

So you candled your daughter-in-law and that is what you saw. Life just continues to prove how miraculous it is in every thing. Now if it was just over in 28 days instead of having to wait 9 months for the big event. Congratulations Granny.

 

[NanaLynn]

So you candled your daughter-in-law and that is what you saw. Life just continues to prove how miraculous it is in every thing. Now if it was just over in 28 days instead of having to wait 9 months for the big event. Congratulations Granny.

Ha ha, yeah I candled my daughter-in-law! Too funny!!

Thanks! and you win for the 1st one to call me Granny.

 

[christine9]

 
So you candled your daughter-in-law and that is what you saw. Life just continues to prove how miraculous it is in every thing. Now if it was just over in 28 days instead of having to wait 9 months for the big event. Congratulations Granny.

Ha ha, yeah I candled my daughter-in-law! Too funny!! 

Thanks! and you win for the 1st one to call me Granny.

Yay! How exciting. Congratulations!