Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Scrambles55]

Scrambles, you could try putting him in with the older girls, but they will fight back a lot better than the chicks... tough situation.

Henry is in with the 3 hens. the move was quiet and quick. I put him on the roost next to Esther, but he hopped down and jumped up on the roost on the opposite side of the pen, so he's next to his bachelor buddies, but chain link separates them. morning should be interesting. I think this is good timing, as it is supposed to rain for the rest of the week. they have to learn to cope... well, have to is strong, I can take him out if they are beating on him...

Thanks Cheeka... I might do that when free range is over. Either way... he will go. I do not want a roo.

 

[lindz8504]

Cheeka I hope the move goes smoothly.
Scrambles if it were me I would put him in with the big girls. They will take him down a notch or two. Just give him a few places to get away from them if he needs to.

 

[lindz8504]

Sydney decided that my terracotta bowl was the purrfect place for a bath and nap.

 

[smhoekzema]

2 Eggs today!! :yiipchick

The darker brown is from my Australorp who lays prettyuch every single day. The lighter is from the RIR who seems to take plenty of days off :/

In other news, I have put the babies in with the big girls on their own roost tonight after they had a civil couple of days free ranging together. Supervised everyone getting to bed and there was no bickering. Fingers crossed all goes well in the morning.

 

[Scrambles55]

2 Eggs today!! :yiipchick
How old are the babies?
The darker brown is from my Australorp who lays prettyuch every single day. The lighter is from the RIR who seems to take plenty of days off :/

In other news, I have put the babies in with the big girls on their own roost tonight after they had a civil couple of days free ranging together. Supervised everyone getting to bed and there was no bickering. Fingers crossed all goes well in the morning.

 

[cheeka]

Big Broody was up when I pulled in from work, so I dashed over to see what she had left. there were 5 eggs, but 1 didn't look right, and it wasn't... she ate the contents, and she also had another 1 broken, the poor little chick was half eaten. and the smell! holy moley! she has 3 eggs left, all are pretty heavy. I can't get that smell off my hands and outta my nose.

we're having a heavy thunderstorm, perfect day for a nap. ooh there goes some lightning! best log off! bbl!

 

[Scrambles55]

Big Broody was up when I pulled in from work, so I dashed over to see what she had left.  there were 5 eggs, but 1 didn't look right, and it wasn't... she ate the contents, and she also had another 1 broken, the poor little chick was half eaten.  and the smell!  holy moley!  she has 3 eggs left, all are pretty heavy.  I can't get that smell off my hands and outta my nose.

we're having a heavy thunderstorm, perfect day for a nap.  ooh there goes some lightning!  best log off!  bbl!

OMG... Is she eating her babies as they hatch?Or eating already dead chick? Someone ate one of Rumples eggs/chicks.

 

[chickenlindz]

Waiting her turn for the well nest!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Big Broody was up when I pulled in from work, so I dashed over to see what she had left. there were 5 eggs, but 1 didn't look right, and it wasn't... she ate the contents, and she also had another 1 broken, the poor little chick was half eaten. and the smell! holy moley! she has 3 eggs left, all are pretty heavy. I can't get that smell off my hands and outta my nose.

we're having a heavy thunderstorm, perfect day for a nap. ooh there goes some lightning! best log off! bbl!

That is weird! I wonder if all the bacteria that must be in the nest (based on the smell) is infecting the eggs and killing the embryos. Someone was talking about bacteria causing egg yolk peritonitis which kill chicks pre-hatch, but that was in an incubator. If she had killed a viable chick, it wouldn't smell that bad.


Oh, and my sweet little beautiful bantam cochin, Minnie Pearl, tried to pull one of the serama chicks through the wire! It's all food to chickens!

Here's the new set up for the hatchlings. Minnie Pearl's attack made me add on several more layers of wire. Chicken Fort Knox. Glad I was there when it happened. Oh yeah, the chick is fine.

No chicks were harmed during the filming of this dust bath. (Although there were some close calls!)


Having two broodies work together is great. No cold chicks.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

2 Eggs today!!

The darker brown is from my Australorp who lays prettyuch every single day. The lighter is from the RIR who seems to take plenty of days off

In other news, I have put the babies in with the big girls on their own roost tonight after they had a civil couple of days free ranging together. Supervised everyone getting to bed and there was no bickering. Fingers crossed all goes well in the morning.

That is a big egg. Maybe the RIR needs a day to recover before the next one!

I have read that, like people, chickens are born with all the eggs they will ever lay. Some chickens lay almost daily, but only for a year or two, and some lay a few eggs a week for 4-5 years or more. I'd rather have the eggs come slowly for a longer time. I am now feeding 2 non layers that quit after 2 seasons.