Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[fisherlady]

We use a sharpie to mark all of our hatching eggs also...and out of 27 broody hatches this year alone + others before we have yet to have a chick hatch with a tattoo! LOL

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Interesting signage there, LOL.

Thanks! My coop was built with mostly free or salvaged items. The yard sale sign was an A frame with hinges, but sturdy peices of plywood. When I assembled the coop, I had several people tell me I shouldn't change it, so I didn't! Lazyness wins again!

That makes a nice enclosure for your girls!

Thanks! It should give them enough room

 

[dheltzel]

Thanks! My coop was built with mostly free or salvaged items. The yard sale sign was an A frame with hinges, but sturdy peices of plywood. When I assembled the coop, I had several people tell me I shouldn't change it, so I didn't! Lazyness wins again!

Thanks! It should give them enough room

I always try to reuse stuff, unless it's in bad shape and will not last in the weather. I have an outdoor brooder with a roof that says "Parking". It's a re-purposed sign also. And it sits right in front of where we park the cars -- purely coincidentally.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I went out and relabled Cookie's eggs with a sharpie. So much better! Lol. I also took a scrap piece of plywood and covered the front 3/4 of the nest box opening so there's still a gap, plenty big enough for her to get in and out but should give her some privacy and hopefully deter some of the other girls from trying to use her box. Do you think that's ok to do? Or will it cause more interest in the box because of the new set up. She was so good while I did it. I had to screw in 2 screws in from the outside of the box and 1 from the inside, right beside her. She didn't move or flinch or anything. I was talking to her the whole time though, reassuring her that everything was ok and I'd be out of her feathers in just a minute lol. I gave her a little rubbing before I left and she just closed her eyes and relaxed

 

[dheltzel]

I went out and relabled Cookie's eggs with a sharpie. So much better! Lol. I also took a scrap piece of plywood and covered the front 3/4 of the nest box opening so there's still a gap, plenty big enough for her to get in and out but should give her some privacy and hopefully deter some of the other girls from trying to use her box. Do you think that's ok to do? Or will it cause more interest in the box because of the new set up. She was so good while I did it. I had to screw in 2 screws in from the outside of the box and 1 from the inside, right beside her. She didn't move or flinch or anything. I was talking to her the whole time though, reassuring her that everything was ok and I'd be out of her feathers in just a minute lol. I gave her a little rubbing before I left and she just closed her eyes and relaxed

Sounds likes something you should make a children's story out of -- "Cookie the tiny mother hen"

 

[barbiegirl]

I have 2 broody hens. My rooster is molting. Will he be able to fertilize the eggs? I haven't given the girls any eggs to sit on since I really didn't want a broody this time of the year. Why couldn't they go broody eariler this year? Oh and one of my little roosters, (4 months old lucky me) just started to crow this morning. I hope he doesn't get the other boys going as well. We have 15 roosters we need to process. I always get more roosters than hens, this time I got some hens!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

I always try to reuse stuff, unless it's in bad shape and will not last in the weather. I have an outdoor brooder with a roof that says "Parking". It's a re-purposed sign also. And it sits right in front of where we park the cars -- purely coincidentally.

Pics please!

Sounds likes something you should make a children's story out of -- "Cookie the tiny mother hen"

Agreed!

 

[fisherlady]

I have 2 broody hens. My rooster is molting. Will he be able to fertilize the eggs? I haven't given the girls any eggs to sit on since I really didn't want a broody this time of the year. Why couldn't they go broody eariler this year? Oh and one of my little roosters, (4 months old lucky me) just started to crow this morning. I hope he doesn't get the other boys going as well. We have 15 roosters we need to process. I always get more roosters than hens, this time I got some hens!

He should still be able to fertilize eggs, and actually, even if he looses interest for a few weeks it is no big deal because if he mated any hen within the past 3-4 weeks she would still be laying fertile eggs. Hens continue to lay fertilized eggs for up to 4 weeks since their last rooster exposure.
The only problem would occur (possibly) if you wanted to put him with some fresh hens and collect eggs from those particular hens and he wasn't interested....

 

[barbiegirl]

I seen him on a Barred rock hen this weekend. I know he still tries. lol He isn't looking so pretty, no tail feathers, no neck feathers. He is in with the same girls as he has been. The girls are still sitting and scream at me when I open the box to get the eggs. It's like when you startle someone in the shower and they scream, it cracks me up.

I think I lost one of my free ranging roosters today. When I did my night time lock up I was missing one. sigh I don't know what could have taken him.

 

[stake]

I seen him on a Barred rock hen this weekend. I know he still tries. lol He isn't looking so pretty, no tail feathers, no neck feathers. He is in with the same girls as he has been. The girls are still sitting and scream at me when I open the box to get the eggs. It's like when you startle someone in the shower and they scream, it cracks me up.

I think I lost one of my free ranging roosters today. When I did my night time lock up I was missing one. sigh I don't know what could have taken him.

Bgrirl:

Was he your primary roo or a secondary? my crew has started to hug the bushes and run from cover to cover all morning long...think the hawks are migrating...my crew only relaxes in the afternoon and forages.....hope your boy shows up tomorrow....