Mine are molting. i figured that had something to do with it. And we actually had to go buy a dozen eggs this week because we were using a bunch all of a sudden and we didnt have enough! Is there any way to help them through the molt? give them something extra?
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For those of you with few or no eggs yes your chickens are most likely in molt. When this happens most quit laying eggs. This is necessary for them to be able to produce eggs for the next year. If you want more information on this, go to the following links.
http://www.poultryhelp.com/molt1.html This one will take you to the other two eventually. I really like this guys website. There's a lot of links to some very useful information.
SparksNV - cool bird - could it be a hen - did you see saddle feathers
Here is a picture of my noisy chick - its first broody mom (Dora) scalped it and I took it from her. It would not stop crying, finally I got the heating pad, set it on medium, laid it on the couch and covered it with a stadium blanket set the chick on it and then covered the chick with the blanket. Chick stopped crying and slept for almost two hours. When it stuck its head out, I would offer water and moist food.
By that evening, chick was thriving and stopped crying. Hopped out of the brooder and walked thru the house to find me when I was doing chores that is when I figured it was time to go outside. I have another MF pullet who was broody, and I slipped the chick under at bed time.
Chick and broody have bonded and chick is thriving still a talker but no longer crying. Outside with new broody mom and step-dad these pictures taken on the 12th. Poor little head is healing and no one in this pen picks on the chick.
what a sweet chick! Your broody hen is beautiful! Olivia really wants some chicks next spring but we really don't have the room for more. Wish we could though. How's your hand?
Olivia has her final soccer game today - unless they win, then it's onto semi-finals! She and I are going to run/walk the "Run for the Gold" 5K tomorrow morning. Knee is a wee bit sore - still just run/walk schedule.
Bought a bushel of apples at Apple Hill - made some apple butter yesterday & canned it. Gonna make more butter and some applesauce today and tomorrow.
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Mmmm.... I LOVE apple butter. Coming from Maine it was the jelly to our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and when hot fresh cooked bread came out of the oven it was what you slathered all over it after it was nicely buttered.
We are doing all right over here. Still trying to get our coop up but no luck finding affordable plywood. I did finally find an amazing deal on around 250 ft. of heavy gauge fencing. We drove to Carson to get it but we got it for $40 plus gas and you cannot beat that price with a stick.
The babies are doing great, we should be getting the Orps and SLW's chicks next week some time. If anyone knows of anyone in the N. NV area that has around 10 plywood sheets to cover and 8X8 structure just laying around that they want to get rid of for less than $44/sheet could ya PM me? Otherwise it is going to be another month before the girls get their cozy coop.
I have pics, I just have not had a chance to edit them down to a reasonable size for posting yet. With the looks of the weather outside I will probably have tons of time to do it today.
HI there~ we live in South Reno! New to this site but was very pleased to see the NV thread!!
We raise mostly Bantams that the kids show for 4-H and here is a list: Seramas(1 Cockerel-Best in Show Youth, NV State Fair), Birchen Modern Games (1 Pullet-Best in Show 4-H Leader Show 2010) Partridge Wyandottes (1 Cock Best in Show 4-H Leader Show 2009), Golden Laced Wyandottes, Leghorns, White's and Blue's,(still perfecting the blues), Buff Brahmas, trying to breed some cochins no luck yet(our Black Cock as won several Best in Shows this year!), Hope to hatch some call ducks and African geese in the spring!
We also raise meat birds (Cornish Rock crosses from McMurray Hatchery)for 4-H and won Grand Champion and Res Champion trios this year at the NV state Fair.
I would like to tell you about the Northern Nevada Poultry Fanciers Assoc, upcoming Open and Youth Poultry show on November 20th!!. I am hoping we get lots of locals to come out or enter birds if they wish! This show is partnered with Feathered Friends 4-H Poultry club and we will have people from all over the west coast and more, we hope to receive more than our 500 entries of our last show. there will be show quality and breeding quality birds for sale there. This is also a great way to get a breeder to deliver your bird to you locally to save on shipping!
here is our website with the show book to download, please share with your friends with poultry too! www.wix.com/poultryfancier/nnpfa