Peeps in Europe!

[Erba]

Hi Starlyte, welcome to peeps in Europe, glad you found us! I live about 40 minutes from the border of the Alsace, before this corona stuff started, i liked shopping there. I can get by in French, but it's not great. Lost most of it when I learned German, but if I'm there long enough, it does come back..lol

 

[Erba]

It's day 7 for my shipped eggs and I only had to take one out after candling , that wasn't developing....yeah! I just love my Borotto incubator. I really should treat myself to the humidity gadget though, I am adding water everyday at the moment. Or I could buy the 8 or 16 egg model that comes with it. Choices, choices...

 

[abpatchy]

It's day 7 for my shipped eggs and I only had to take one out after candling , that wasn't developing....yeah! I just love my Borotto incubator. I really should treat myself to the humidity gadget though, I am adding water everyday at the moment. Or I could buy the 8 or 16 egg model that comes with it. Choices, choices...

You're like me... should have gone with a better/bigger model. I am thinking of buying a larger Heka incubator and use the other one just for the hatching. We'll see... I have to come up with the money first.... so that will be next year around this time...maybe.

 

[chickengr]

FRANCE

AUDE, C.P.11310
Hi there. I am in the S of France in the Black Mts. not far from the Spanish border eastern side. I know there's lots of ckicken keepers around, but not English speaking, at least not that I know of. I'm hoping to get started in the Spring, so I want all ready, including supplies, and a chicken home of course.
I've been in this region for 20 years, and 15 before that near to Marseille.
I speak French, with an awful accent but I get by.
I hope I'm not alone here, any one else in Occitanie or nearby?
I'm probably going to get some red hens, they seem the local preferred breed, unless any one can give me a better idea??

welcome!

tell us the reason you want to keep chickens so that we can advise you on breeds better.

hybrids are good if you want to keep them for 2 years only. isa browns have some meat as well. but bresse gauloise (white) woud be much better choice for both meat and eggs. faverolles lay small eggs, about 4/wk. marans lay beautiful chocolate eggs, again mostly 4/wk, but in a warmer climate they lay almost year around. there are more french breeds but I am not familiar with them.

 

[Erba]

My flock is much nicer now. Today it was so lovely to watch the roosters, looking after their hens, no fighting anymore, and doing their job. Finally got rid of the jerk rooster and a sigh of relief, to not get attacked all the time anymore.

I also got 4 eggs today, so my pretty brown hens have all started laying now!!

 

[abpatchy]

My flock is much nicer now. Today it was so lovely to watch the roosters, looking after their hens, no fighting anymore, and doing their job. Finally got rid of the jerk rooster and a sigh of relief, to not get attacked all the time anymore.

I also got 4 eggs today, so my pretty brown hens have all started laying now!!

View attachment 2377452

Nice looking bunch!!
Getting eggs from our own chickens is just the best thing!!! You can't put a price on that!

Good for you for getting rid of your aggressive rooster. There are plenty of nice roosters out there, no need to put up with that.

 

[chickengr]

My flock is much nicer now. Today it was so lovely to watch the roosters, looking after their hens, no fighting anymore, and doing their job. Finally got rid of the jerk rooster and a sigh of relief, to not get attacked all the time anymore.

I also got 4 eggs today, so my pretty brown hens have all started laying now!!

View attachment 2377452

I am getting a small flock of light sussex

 

[Erba]

WHOOPEE..... I got 5 eggs today Goodness, it's been over two years (2018) since i had so many eggs and so many laying hens. All the disasters with the Hawks and Wiesel, it has been an uphill battle to keep my chickens from getting eaten by something, or die on their own. I should bake a celebratory cake, because I can't frame them...

 

[abpatchy]

you could frame this picture and stick it on your fridge!

 

[BDutch]

My chickens are calmer since the small big boss of the flock vanished. There is less shouting for food and they often hang out quietly in the run together.

After a week of confinement (after spotting a buzzard) I let them free range again a couple of hours. They come home again by themselves after 2-3 hours. And if I call them they come home within a few minutes.

I dont get much eggs these days. 0, 1 or 2 due to shorter days and a few birds moulding. For now this is okay. But I hate it if I have to buy eggs in the shop for a long period.

If they all stop to lay eggs I’m going to make LED lights in the coop and make a schedule (timer) for extra light in the morning to stimulate egg laying. According to others on this forum I should get eggs again within 6 weeks.