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

[scottcaddy]

Success for you

Just as our chicken life was getting all peachy, another curve ball strikes (possibly) I may be jumping the gun here, but I have a suspicion that today, we had our brown eggs STOLEN!

It's only happened once, but it just seems odd. I am trying not to think into it too much, but if I suspect it happening again I will be setting up that CCTV and DVR to catch the person.

We are only about one more pullet away from having enough to start sharing them out once a week, so if it is someone jumping the fence I will be quite peeved to say the least.

A hot fence comes to mind!

Scott

 

[Bens-Hens]

I really hope I am jumping the gun, but I know I saw a pullet in the nest box and one waiting outside when I left for work, so not seeing an egg there at the end of the day really makes me wonder.

Benefit of the doubt this time around and if I suspect it again the Colur/IR camera kit is coming out.

 

[CB and CG]

It is possible for them to eat their own eggs without a trace. Experienced that first hand before... Just a thought.

 

[Bens-Hens]

I thought that, but I could not find a single clump of nest bedding, shell splashed yolk or anything. But I suppose that would be a trace hahaha

Like I said, I hope I am premature on that one and won't do anything until it happens again.

 

[NovaAman]

na, you'll know. If they eat it, you'll find something. Gooey mess for sure.

 

[Bens-Hens]

OK, two day's in a row we had only one egg...was starting to believe there was a thief.

I am still not certain, but I am going to blame the weather to save myself the worry lol. we had two days of wet and dreary stuff, hoping that was the cause for our young girls to go off a bit.

In other news, today we got to welcome a new layer. We not have 4!

!x Araucana - Jewel
2x Light Sussex - Sunny and Cleo
1x Black Australorp - Luna

4 eggs today, a new record hahahaha

They have not been drinking from the nipple drinker either, so tonight I took their other drinker away, so by tomorrow morning they should be thirsty enough to pay attention to the nipples when I try show them.

 

[ChickyDick]

Hi All, have been extremely busy, I now 25 big chooks,7 babies plus about 25 in the incubator due to hatch next week. I have really learned a lot, I accidentally left the incubator off for about 11 hours last Sunday!! I was horrified when I remembered!
I suffered a lot of guilt, then decided to google the obvious question.
Much to my relief, I found at 2 week's gestation, they had a good chance of being ok! I half expected a rotten egg smell, but no, they smelled perfectly healthy!
What a huge relief! So hopefully next Tuesday we will hear little cheeps!!!

 

[NovaAman]

I have had hens get off and accidentally locked out of the coop for several hours before, in cold weather. ALSO had moved a hen from her nest box because I was cleaning, both her and her nest, and when I went and opened up in the morning, she had moved back to the nest and left her eggs. This was in october, and all the eggs hatched. I was so worried! But thought, we'll see. Anyway, I had to move her cuz some younguns kept roosting on her nest box and it was just a poop pile all down the one side, and really needed cleaning.

Crap happens. Hope all is well! I'd candle them, you should still be able to see some wiggling.

 

[ozexpat]

I will be in your time zone in 15 hours. Just a few miles north.

I can't wait to hug the wife

 

[Bens-Hens]

C'mon down Oz! only 8.5 hours to go now.

Welcome back chickyDick sounds like you have been very busy. Last hatch I had an issue with my turner and had to remove it and mess about with it for nearly an hour and I was fretting over that time, but as it turned out, was not an issue for them. All fertile eggs hatched

I have been experiencing some technical issues with this forum, having trouble posting replies. I have just reported it (hopefully to the right place).

Anyone else ever had this? Can't write any text, and have to refresh and page hop a brazillion times to get the right box so I can talk!