Michigan

[teeville5]

Sigh...the heart went out of my day. I have lost one of my girls to a predator. I had just finished getting out the big girls and boys for the day and was turning my attention to my 7 bantams when I noticed my GS roo Mr. Peanut had his tail all askew like something had pulled on it. Looked better into their area and found a ton of feathers. Quick head count and realized it was my porcelain d'uccle pullet that was missing. Well, I was able to follow the feather trail into the back of our property and I found her. By what I saw, I'm assuming skunk and DH agrees as we've also been smelling that smell a lot recently (although a raccoon is also possible-been seeing them, too). I buried her where I found her.

She was the sweetest of the group, always coming up to me and looking for treats which I gave her because she was just so darn cute.
RIP Little Muffin

 

[babigyrl22]

teevile - I am so sorry for your loss

 

[M.sue]

I'm so sorry to read your sad news. I think prediators are everyone's greatest fear when it comes to their chickens......I know it's mine. Hopefully with the assistance of your DH you guys will catch or eliminate the culptit.

 

[sj3364]

Quote:
I have 2 buff orps (Buffy and Willow) who also show no signs of being ready to lay. They are 26 weeks and my RIR of the same age has been laying daily for a couple weeks. I wonder if orps are slow developers. They are huge birds so I guess that makes some sense. Anyone know?

 

[M.sue]

Quote:
I have 2 buff orps (Buffy and Willow) who also show no signs of being ready to lay. They are 26 weeks and my RIR of the same age has been laying daily for a couple weeks. I wonder if orps are slow developers. They are huge birds so I guess that makes some sense. Anyone know?

I have 3 buff orps and they started laying between 18-20 wks. They are now 5 months old and laying daily.

 

[chicken grandma]

Teeville, nothing worse. I am so sorry!

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

M.sue :

Urghhhhh.....Yesterday my DH collected eggs around noon. Had one broken egg in the nest, the other 2 eggs where whole. This morning I go to open the door into the run and another broken egg. Looks like it was dropped from the Roost! Dumb chicken. The 2 on the roost below where sampling the drippings and tidbits of of shell that remained on the roost from the drop above......scream!! I've had this happen recently (find an egg under roost) a few times but what really gets me is the broken egg in the nesting box.

I have a naughty girl. This will be a challenge trying to pinpoint which one it is unless I actually see her do it or if she's wearing the evidence on her face!!
Once I figure out which one it is......Is there a way to break her of it?

In my opinion, no. Sorry. I had an Isa Brown that did this and I had to cull her. As far as the egg dropping from the roost, I had the same problem and read on here that it was because the hen had to lay the egg in the early morning when it was still to dark for them to see to get off the roost. So I put a light on a timer to go on a bit earlier and the problem was solved. Good luck.


teeville, so sorry for your loss.

 

[tinalibnania]

Hi, My name is Tina and I am new here....great sorce of info and just plain fun reading. I live in Detroit, yes Detroit, and am new to chicken lovin. I currently have 15 Plymouth Rocks and they are just such amazing creatures. My hubby and I built a coop and run but the little guys just love running everywhere, thank God for tall wood fences.

I have made sure to make nice with the neighbors and let their kids look in on my bunch, the chicks are currently just under 5 weeks old but seem huge for their age.....so the kids luv um. I guess eggs will be passed out alot when these guys get bigger and nosier..lol. I was wondering if there are any other Detrooiters here, I am in the Warrendale area....and HI to everyone.

 

[MI chickens]

Quote:
I have 2 buff orps (Buffy and Willow) who also show no signs of being ready to lay. They are 26 weeks and my RIR of the same age has been laying daily for a couple weeks. I wonder if orps are slow developers. They are huge birds so I guess that makes some sense. Anyone know?

We have an assortment of hens that should be ready to lay: 2 BO, 2 GLW, 3BR, 3RIR, it seems only one of each variety are laying. They have been laying for about two weeks now. So I guess it's up to the individual bird what she's going to do.

Gosh its raining hard out now

 

[chicken grandma]

Welcome Tina!