She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[scflock]

Uk is 6 hours ahead of me in Missouri, 5 hours ahead of east coasters I know I speak with many English folks often

How close is MO to the AI outbreak? After reading the thread that was posted in here last week, I did a lot of research over the weekend. That is some scary stuff! I have a closed flock, and don't live near any major waterways, but some say that when the waterfow migrate south for the winter, they may bring it with them. I haven't gotten my NPIP certification, because I haven't needed it, but with all of this going around I think it may be time

 

[MunsterChicks]

I have a pip! In the one egg that I least expected! Had kinda counted that one out. Lol

Any hatches yet?!

Also meant to add... I just got home from Rural King. They still have baby chicks for sale!

And even had a few banties, so if mine dont hatch, or I just get one or two, I can buy friends, if they don't sell out before I know if I need them or not!

Haha come take some of mine. Hubby says we can't keep them all. I need to get rid of some of these things!

Update on the tag team silkie hatch. Over the course of 8 days, I wound up with 15 chicks and 2 unhatched eggs. I have been getting a chick a day for the last week. My assumption is that those were the eggs that were laid after the broodies first set. I had hens swapping positions as the chicks made their ways out. There were a couple of days that I would come home to 3 hens on the nest. I know this will drive Amy nuts, but I just let them be. I did have to remove a couple of chicks myself, just because I was afraid they had been on the nest too long, but I still wound up with 15/17 in what was a staggered hatch. Tough to beat broodies

Aw they're like little fluff balls! Are they hard to keep clean? So, I have three eggs left to hatch. Today is day 21- so hoping they all hatch! The one I thought drown hatched just fine, that air cell must of drawn down a lot. Figures I'm at the Drs. So o can't be home to watch!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

They even sleep outside. They have the fanciest of all the coops, with windows, curtains, stuffed animals...

, and yet they pile up in the yard to sleep. My first batch did that, and every chick hatched for the last 3 years has done the same. I don't know if that's a silkie thing, or mine are just extra special

I know they can't fly, and like low roosts. They have them, but they don't use them. That's really what started me building the framed and covered roofs over half of my pens. Had to do something to keep DAISYs dry

Mine (3 out of 4 at least) are the first in the coop at night. I think they do it just so they can be on the top roost. All ten of the birds want to be on the top roost and I've seen them squish 9 of their bodies up there...lol

How was your egg hunt this morning Amy?? Lol

Open the door and 4 eggs right there in the corner in front of the door. All in a nice little clutch. I m going to try the course pine flakes in the boxes today, (I have the fine sawdust like pine on the floor.) And when I go to town today I am going to stop and see if the feed store has any straw yet. That was actually what I wanted to put on the floor to begin with.

They remind me of the popular cheerleaders in school. Very pretty, and everyone wants to hang out with them, but not the head of the class

 

[holm25]

I was 30 minutes away from an out break. I am now fone with new poultry. Only going to hatch my own. But I think I would have had it by now sunce we r next to a big pond.

 

[cppeace]

On the official accounting I believe very early in the season a few locations in Missouri confirmed AI but it hasn't had any further findings for a couple months. There hasn't been any major alarm over it here. No trades were canceled or restriction put in. My flock is literally in my backyard. I haven't heard of or seen any unusual dead birds. I think most of the migrating waterfowl are a bit north east of me though as that is where the big group of lakes is. It is scary stuff that's for sure. Being NPIP isn't going to really help you with AI much.

 

[scflock]

On the official accounting I believe very early in the season a few locations in Missouri confirmed AI but it hasn't had any further findings for a couple months. There hasn't been any major alarm over it here. No trades were canceled or restriction put in. My flock is literally in my backyard. I haven't heard of or seen any unusual dead birds. I think most of the migrating waterfowl are a bit north east of me though as that is where the big group of lakes is. It is scary stuff that's for sure. Being NPIP isn't going to really help you with AI much.

I know it won't help with AI, but if it scares potential customers from buying birds, then having my certification would be a plus

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Uk is 6 hours ahead of me in Missouri, 5 hours ahead of east coasters I know I speak with many English folks often

Yup. They are 5 ahead of us. Me too.

How close is MO to the AI outbreak? After reading the thread that was posted in here last week, I did a lot of research over the weekend. That is some scary stuff! I have a closed flock, and don't live near any major waterways, but some say that when the waterfow migrate south for the winter, they may bring it with them. I haven't gotten my NPIP certification, because I haven't needed it, but with all of this going around I think it may be time

I've been wondering about the NPIP certification and if there's any need for me to even look into it.

On the official accounting I believe very early in the season a few locations in Missouri confirmed AI but it hasn't had any further findings for a couple months. There hasn't been any major alarm over it here. No trades were canceled or restriction put in. My flock is literally in my backyard. I haven't heard of or seen any unusual dead birds. I think most of the migrating waterfowl are a bit north east of me though as that is where the big group of lakes is. It is scary stuff that's for sure. Being NPIP isn't going to really help you with AI much.

That's good. I'm guessing he's meaning because if your customers know you are NPIP they know you are regulated and tested and better chance of sales.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I know it won't help with AI, but if it scares potential customers from buying birds, then having my certification would be a plus

You beat me to it...lol

 

[WalnutHill]

Because if all barnyard animals went to school, chickens would ride the short bus. Silkies even have their own school. Seriously, I'm not being a SA. I have a minimum of one nest box for every 2 hens, and they always want to lay in the same one or two boxes. I will also get eggs in the corners, and I do use a different bedding on the floor than in the boxes. I've always attributed it to a nest box being occupied, but I'm not sure that's what it is

I have about 170 layers in the layer house, and 2 banks of 10 nest boxes set back to back with wire between. So there should be 8-9 eggs per box if all the hens were laying (they are not, this batch I would love to cull and start again) but I will find 8 eggs in one box, nothing in 12, and one or two in most and 5-6 in another. Plus half a dozen on the floor in one corner, and one in another corner, and a couple under the feeder. Every once in a while one will be pushed through the wire into the feed room.

The nests are Kuhl front rollouts, with plastic turf bedding. The floor is straw.

 

[scflock]

I m going to try the course pine flakes in the boxes today, (I have the fine sawdust like pine on the floor.)

Again, this is just me, but I prefer the floor bedding to be less comfortable to scratch and lay in than the nest bedding. The mulch is coarse, and the pine shavings are soft, so I think that encourages them to stay in the boxes. If I was a hen, I think I would love to lay an egg in sawdust