Peeps in Europe!

[BDutch]

The bantam RIR breed is quit different from the big RIR.

RIR is originally from Rhode Island, USA. The bantam RiR breed is from England, and they mixed a lot bantam breeds with just a little RIR to get the right looks in a much smaller chicken. And they looked for good egg laying capacity too. Normally bantam breeds lay less then the original bigger breed. With RIR they say it’s the other way around. Their characters seems to be quit different too.

 

[chickengr]

View attachment 2604959On the way back home on the ferry over the Rhine.

I picked up the eggs today. But I was very surprised that the color of the eggs was a very light brown. Some have just a crème colour.
I thought the Red Island eggs should be really brown. Research specific for the bantam says light brown. Where the big Reds egg colour says brown or even dark brown. Now I now that this is the right colour I’m quit happy with it. It makes it easier to candle the eggs and pick out the bad ones in about 10 days

View attachment 2604966
The eggs packed in toilet paper for the bumpy roads.

I definitely have 2 broodies now. 2 black Dutch sisters together in one nest. Tonight I’m going to change the fakes for real ones. Big surprise in the morning when they wake up.

View attachment 2604983
Black was not amused that I opened the lid.

good luck!

a friend of mine has large fowl RIR and they lay almost the same colour eggs.

 

[BDutch]

The two broodies where making a fuzz over one nest with the 5 fake eggs. I managed to separate them in 2 nest boxes next to each other. They seemed calm and happy that way as long as no-one comes near. A few hours ago I gave the broodies each 5 real possible fertile eggs.

Tomorrow I’m gong to add a extra nest box in the coop not too close to the broodies because the other hens don’t seem to know where to lay their eggs anymore. I found 2 separate eggs on the bare ground in the run

 

[maceleneo]

The two broodies where making a fuzz over one nest with the 5 fake eggs. I managed to separate them in 2 nest boxes next to each other. They seemed calm and happy that way as long as no-one comes near. A few hours ago I gave the broodies each 5 real possible fertile eggs.

I would love having two broodies at the same time, but they don't always get along, do they? anyway, I'm happy you too started your countdown!
I don't know why, but despite I'm "watching" this thread I didn't receive any notification for the last updates!

 

[BDutch]

I would love having two broodies at the same time, but they don't always get along, do they? anyway, I'm happy you too started your countdown!
I don't know why, but despite I'm "watching" this thread I didn't receive any notification for the last updates!

Yes I had 2 broodies on one nest twice, without any problems. It was great to see how two mothers care and divide tasks sometimes. I had nothing to worry if one hen got of the nest for half an hour or more.

2019 with Zoe and Ini mini. This was the nest box I hoped a broodie would occupy. Its in an attached run I can close if necessary. But with the weather of last week I was glad Black choose a nest box in the small coop. It got quit muddy around the outside nest box.

Because the nest-boxes in the small coop are off the ground with a chicken ladder/sloop I need to move the mothers + chicks to the ground floor (for a week) when they hatch.
I did this before. Hopefully I know what to expect. Cause you never know with chickens.

If you turn youre screen, you can see the chicken sloop/ladder to the nesting area.
People say the chicks go down and can’t find their way up again sometimes. But after a week they are definitely smart enough to do so with a mother calling them to come up.

 

[Erba]

So at long last, tomorrow is lockdown for my eggs. I sold two hens and a rooster to a really nice home. I am now thinking of course... I need more chickens! A friend of mine wants to try my rooster out in his flock, so I will be taking him down tomorrow evening. That wll leave me with one left to be sold or sent to freezer camp. Here are my chickens and Rooster in their new home. She bought them for her mother, I thought that was sweet

 

[abpatchy]

It's always nice to sell chickens especially when you know they have a great new home!

 

[Maiahr]

@BDutch I like the slope. My broodies always had to find a place on the floor in the coop because the chicks couldn't get up on the crevices.

 

[abpatchy]

They are growing up so fast...

 

[Papa John59]

Hallo my European peeps!
I hope that each of you are in good health, coronavirus free, and not going crazy with lockdowns!
It has been a long 6 months since I have been here. I am sorry for not saying anything earlier, I just wanted to be alone with my recovery. A long story short, as you may recall we were replacing our roof and painting the house. I took a fall off the ladder, landed on my left side, breaking the arm, shoulder, hip and shifted the vertebrae in the back . Not fun! Now after 4 surgeries, one being a hip replacement, I am almost at 100%! Just going to have problems with back pain, walk with a cane and I can now predict the weather. Recovery has taken longer because of all these crazy lockdowns. I was able to go to rehab in beautiful Bad Reichenhall, only to have them close down my fourth day. So rehab was here at home, twice a week, instead of getting daily treatments. Better than nothing. But rehab is finished and I am ready to restart living!
Now, my daughter took great care of her ladies (I am not allow to call them "mine" any longer). She enlarged their coop, rebuilt their first small house (which they outgrew) and they now use it for laying. She is planning on moving the coop to the other side of the garden and adding another coop enclosure for a new flock of chicks. All of her efforts has lead her to decide to study animal husbandry after she finishes school in two years.

Enjoy your Saturday!