Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[vehve]

I'm surprised how little ours seem to eat, but they are allowed to free range almost throughout the day. Come winter, I suppose food consumption will go up.

 

[Bens-Hens]

The two roosters sold today, $10 is pretty good for them, shame they cost us that to buy as day olds!

Oh well, we chose to grow them up.

The Rock is a pretty hardcore broody, but it's nice to get a pat from her sometimes.

 

[cwrite]

Congrats on the sale Ben. At least it will be a bit quieter, but your buyers got some handsome boys.
Hoping you have both a good hatch AND good luck with the roo/girl ratio this time.

 

[joannefiddler]

Hi gang,
I'm perplexed by something and thought I'd ask for your opinions. My four Black Australorp hens have been wonderful faithful layers of large, light brown (with an almost pinkish tint), eggs for the last year. We've had a whole lot of moulting going on lately, and only two are currently laying. All of a sudden (for the past two weeks or so), I'm getting much darker and slightly larger eggs from one of the BA gals. The picture below shows the "new" version next to the typical Australorp egg. My only other layers are Cream Legbar (blue) and EE (green), and they are laying as usual. I have never seen such a color change. I've searched the forums and not found anyone documenting this. I can only conclude that this has happened since/because of the moult, but I'm not sure I understand why.

Any thoughts?

 

[scottcaddy]

Hi gang,
I'm perplexed by something and thought I'd ask for your opinions. My four Black Australorp hens have been wonderful faithful layers of large, light brown (with an almost pinkish tint), eggs for the last year. We've had a whole lot of moulting going on lately, and only two are currently laying. All of a sudden (for the past two weeks or so), I'm getting much darker and slightly larger eggs from one of the BA gals. The picture below shows the "new" version next to the typical Australorp egg. My only other layers are Cream Legbar (blue) and EE (green), and they are laying as usual. I have never seen such a color change. I've searched the forums and not found anyone documenting this. I can only conclude that this has happened since/because of the moult, but I'm not sure I understand why.

Any thoughts?

Have you or the feed company changed the feed that you feed? I am dealing with a feed company that changed the feed without telling anybody and they don't want understand what is wrong with that.

Good Luck with the egg change, I would like to know what to feed for a darker shell myself!

Scott

 

[Bens-Hens]

Hi Joanne, great to hear from you.

I can't offer too much on your situation. Our BA used to lay somewhere between your two shades, with a pretty clear purple tint to it. However, she did pretty much always lay that shade or close to it, even after her molt.

All our girls colours shift slightly, but I have not seen a shade change as drastic as what you have had there.

Todays news in our flock.

I would like to say things have been quiet in our flock, but thats not the case. After selling both the 'big boys' Dusty has really stepped up to flock master, and is quite happy to make sure the entire neighbourhood knows he is the only male remaining. We had hoped he would stay the same, but after a few days he has only became more frequent with crowing. Amazing so much screechy noise can come from such a small animal! We may have to advertise him too.

Tomorrow is Day 14 of our broody hatch. I will candle again then, and remove the clears, fingers crossed all is going well in the developing eggs. We still have 4 broodies, and I have learned that the Rock bite is not as bad as first thought so now I know what to expect I can endure he bites until I have finished looking under her.

Any suggestion as when to move the mum to be into a new nest so she can raise the chicks in peace? Sooner or wait until they have hatched and dried out?

 

[joannefiddler]

Have you or the feed company changed the feed that you feed? I am dealing with a feed company that changed the feed without telling anybody and they don't want understand what is wrong with that.   
Good Luck with the egg change, I would like to know what to feed for a darker shell myself!

Scott

No change in feed, I've been using Purina Flock Raiser for as long as I can remember. They free range but if it were something they are eating I would expect it to affect all of them. I wondered if somehow there's a build-up of pigment because she hasn't laid because of moulting...but I don't know if there's any valid biology there! I love the color, just don't understand it!:/

 

[joannefiddler]

Any suggestion as when to move the mum to be into a new nest so she can raise the chicks in peace? Sooner or wait until they have hatched and dried out?
[/quote]

My Cochin is broody again and I have moved her and her nest to a wire dog crate right away. She has food and water and I open the crate for a few hours each afternoon so she can get out for a stretch. It worked well with her first clutch and seems to be working well again. So my vote is "sooner".

Sorry Dusty has found his full voice!

Excuse the awkward quote...using phone...grrr

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi gang, I'm perplexed by something and thought I'd ask for your opinions. My four Black Australorp hens have been wonderful faithful layers of large, light brown (with an almost pinkish tint), eggs for the last year. We've had a whole lot of moulting going on lately, and only two are currently laying. All of a sudden (for the past two weeks or so), I'm getting much darker and slightly larger eggs from one of the BA gals. The picture below shows the "new" version next to the typical Australorp egg. My only other layers are Cream Legbar (blue) and EE (green), and they are laying as usual. I have never seen such a color change. I've searched the forums and not found anyone documenting this. I can only conclude that this has happened since/because of the moult, but I'm not sure I understand why. Any thoughts?

Hi Joanne. Flock raiser is 20% protein which is a little high for birds over 24 weeks. Ideally they should be getting somewhere between 16-18% . It's ideal for mixed flocks because it is low in calcium, 1.3%. The egg chart indicates that stress or excess calcium are usually the culprit for darker eggs, see #2. Are you offering calcium or oyster shell on the side that someone may be pigging out on ? http://www.alltech.com/sites/default/files/alltech-egg-shell-quality-poster.pdf

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi Joanne, great to hear from you.

I can't offer too much on your situation. Our BA used to lay somewhere between your two shades, with a pretty clear purple tint to it. However, she did pretty much always lay that shade or close to it, even after her molt.

All our girls colours shift slightly, but I have not seen a shade change as drastic as what you have had there.

Todays news in our flock. 

I would like to say things have been quiet in our flock, but thats not the case. After selling both the 'big boys' Dusty has really stepped up to flock master, and is quite happy to make sure the entire neighbourhood knows he is the only male remaining. We had hoped he would stay the same, but after a few days he has only became more frequent with crowing. Amazing so much screechy noise can come from such a small animal! We may have to advertise him too.

Tomorrow is Day 14 of our broody hatch. I will candle again then, and remove the clears, fingers crossed all is going well in the developing eggs. We still have 4 broodies, and I have learned that the Rock bite is not as bad as first thought so now I know what to expect I can endure he bites until I have finished looking under her.

Any suggestion as when to move the mum to be into a new nest so she can raise the chicks in peace? Sooner or wait until they have hatched and dried out?

Hey Ben, I'd wait till they hatch , don't want to upset the applecart.