NY chicken lover!!!!

[Lynzi777]

I'm thinking maybe I'll join the New Years Hatch Along. My oldest egg is from the 3rd and if the set date is the 11th that'll only be at 8 days old. I'm kind of upset I haven't gotten a duck egg since Thanksgiving day. Why would she start laying like that and then just stop that soon? I think I only got a total of 3-4 eggs from her. Weird....but I would have loved to try to hatch an egg or two from her. So I'll keep collecting since I'm having a hard time controlling humidity. Still don't know whats up. I removed all water last night and started using a shallow dish rather than the troughs inside the incubator.

 

[rancher hicks]

Rancher, if I didn't have this poultry netting up, I think this blue Orp would go into the woods to roost! She's not the brightest. For some reason she does not go in the coop to roost with the others at night when they go in at dark. This was around 6pm (?) or so at night. She'd rather just sit outside. This is the third night I've had to try to scoot her in the coop when going out there to lock up.

As I recall I had a BR hen who wouldn't go in and each night I could not find her. Turned out she had a bruise on her side from the roo I think and was getting picked on. I gave her away.

Then there was another who I kept putting in cuz she would not go in, but stayed in the run. Well turned out she too was getting picked on and I found her dead one morning. I regret that and move a hen if things aren't working out.

I have had birds leave one coop and go in with another flock too. Not a good thing if you want to breed pure.

This is why spacing is so important. Can't say what's wrong with your girl though, but keep an eye out.

 

[Lynzi777]

As I recall I had a BR hen who wouldn't go in and each night I could not find her. Turned out she had a bruise on her side from the roo I think and was getting picked on. I gave her away.

Then there was another who I kept putting in cuz she would not go in, but stayed in the run. Well turned out she too was getting picked on and I found her dead one morning. I regret that and move a hen if things aren't working out.

I have had birds leave one coop and go in with another flock too. Not a good thing if you want to breed pure.

This is why spacing is so important. Can't say what's wrong with your girl though, but keep an eye out.

I definitely will...I think right now she's just hanging around outside so late waiting for her frizzle friend to come into the coop with her. I feel bad that I took the frizzle away but the only reason I put her in there in the first place with the orps was so that the blue pullet wasn't the only tiny one in there. They became buddies but now the blue pullet is almost as big as the adult orps. And with Gru out there on a mating spree again, I don't want him to try mating with the frizzle and end up injuring her...or worse! Weird tho because on days like today, where the temp dropped and there is a dusting of snow on the ground, all the chickens came out but then went back inside to the coop, and she went in with everyone then. Just at night she's giving me problems...

 

[Lynzi777]

Took pictures of the kids today for christmas cards that we send out every year...Thought it would be cute to incorporate a farm animal of some sort, but the pics weren't that great. I had the kids each hold a runner duck...





I wanted them to hold them at the same time and face each other with them but I was worried my daughter wasn't going to be able to hold hers long enough. I'm sure my ducks hate me now but owell. LOL They got treats after so hopefully that made up for it.

 

[JLaw]

DUCKS!!! I am so getting ducks next year wife just don't know it. Black indian runners is what I want I think. I like the sleek black look.

Second pic son looks like hmm do I got to touch this one also lol

 

[miquwid]

 

[miquwid]

 

[miquwid]

ps the chick is sleeping

 

[Lynzi777]

Those chicks are so cute Miquwid!!! Love the sleeping one LOL Did you build that coop all yourself?? Or is that the one you mentioned getting but was waiting on friends or something to help you move it? Thats a great coop. I like your use of the rabbit hutch as a laying area for eggs! At least it leaves enough room for more than one hen who want to lay their eggs at the same time rather than 2 trying to cram into a small nestbox.

 

[Lynzi777]

Wanted to share a pic of Gru back to himself again after his molt, as well as some pics of my blue pullet...



(thats Stella's tail sticking up behind him LOL)