Our first eggs! New questions...

[mobius]

I have heard that if you are actually able to get them to join your flock, they are a great asset. They will willingly perch along side your more docile Gallus Gallus at night, and have been known to offer protection. Many flock keepers have gone to tend their flocks in the morning, and found the remains of common chicken predators laying under the perches. Coons, weasels and owls seem to be a favored treat for the GGPF. I personally would love to try hatching some of these birds. If any readers know where I can find some fertile eggs, please PM. However, I want to be sure that I get eggs of pure bred GGPF, and not hybrids.

My understanding is that hatching is a breeze and cleanup is non-existent as they actually kind of "chew" their way out of the shell. And then they eat the shell. Easy-peasy. Then the best thing to feed them is a little raw hamburger for the first three days or so...

Can't find them on Ebay though...it sure would help me with the predator problem....how cute, huh?

 

[lazy gardener]

I've heard that GGPF roosters will lay eggs without a hen. This egg came from a standard LF flock which had a single GGPF roo, but no hen. Obviously, this egg was not fertile.

 

[lazy gardener]

Quote: Yes, they are cute little critters. I honestly don't know why the hatcheries are not selling them.

 

[cavemanrich]

@lazy gardener

• Well I am slightly puzzled , I once did find an egg under one of them. Then I figured that someone wanted to play a joke on me. I took a picture of it and then I just tossed it.
• What do you think, It looks similar to the one you have.
  
• 
  Maybe I should have saved it and pull a fast one on someone else.

 

[lilwildrabbit]

Wish I had a few of them birds in my flock a few weeks ago when they were hit by dogs would have called animal controll to remove the remains of the dogs lol

 

[lazy gardener]

@lazy gardener

• Well I am slightly puzzled , I once did find an egg under one of them. Then I figured that someone wanted to play a joke on me. I took a picture of it and then I just tossed it.
• What do you think, It looks similar to the one you have.
  
• 
  Maybe I should have saved it and pull a fast one on someone else.

That is puzzling, to be sure. That egg doesn't look anything like the sterile one I showed you. But, perhaps this is the difference between the sterile and fertile eggs. Wondering if this is a case where the eggs are fertilized after they were laid. Given the teeth of these birds, I'm thinking a hen would prefer to fertilize the egg in the nest, after the roo had laid it. If you find an other one, perhaps you should incubate it, and see what comes of it. It would be a hard one to candle.

Wish I had a few of them birds in my flock a few weeks ago when they were hit by dogs would have called animal controll to remove the remains of the dogs lol

Any readers have experience with these birds in a situation where you also have dogs and cats? Are they aggressive to domestic animals they are familiar with? I'm guessing that they have more of a drive to remove any predators/animals that are a threat to the flock. I would expect Fido and Felix would be safe, since they seem to mingle well with Gallus Gallus, Even the GGPF roos seem to get along well with the GG roos.

 

[Justso]

You will never need to change out the deep litter in the run. You will need to continually add to it because it will melt into the soil. Eventually, you should be able to harvest some compost from the run to add to your gardens. The fact that they are doing some new excavating is IMO an indication that they are finding some new inhabitants in the DL to supplement their diets! And that is the benefit from the DL. You can put grit in one container, and oyster shell in an other for them to use as they see fit.

Consider ending Deep Litter method when your yard starts to look like this..

 

[lazy gardener]

Quote: Need more chickens, and a bigger coop.

 

[EasterEggDrew]

Tonight's dinner: romaine salad topped with sliced hard boiled eggs. Loving this, so far!

 

[lazy gardener]

Sounds yummy!!!