Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[mortie]

OMG. I am sitting here in tears. I was ticked that I missed Mortie's first egg. I went back, and found the post. Then I saw the picture. I am really crying. I am so happy for you!!

I am happy, too!

I wish I could have felt the same way I do about my ameracaunas. I expect them to take like 25 weeks to lay so when one does, it will just be a nice surprise. With the reds though I just couldn't wait for an egg. The last few days were torture. Then the day after she laid was too because I was anxious to see if she would do it again. This morning I was much more chill. I kind of expect her to take tomorrow off though so no high expectations for that.

Look at those turkeys, MC! Glad you checked in!

Cheeka, where are you? It's a weekday, I expect to hear how the mail went!

 

[cheeka]

howdy howdy!! and welcome to more newcomers!! we had a heck of a storm today!!



hard rain pelted all the pretty fragile flowers and I had a huge load of parcels - so I looked as droopy as this sweet bloom by the end of my day...


17 Eggs collected when I got home, no free range, but we did have some extra eggs for a snack...
Big Broody is due to have chicks in TWO DAYS! I hope for some pullets, these are looking suspiciously roo'ish. not the bantams, but the other four standards... time will tell

 

[cheeka]

MC, the turkeys are looking great! glad you got their setup put together. I'm already concerned about winter and making plans to rebuild the roof structure for the Bachelor/Foster pen. Handyman has been up to look it over and discuss my options. he really liked what I did to the little coop, nice to get his approval, he would have done the job if I'd asked... figure about $250 in supplies will get the job done. then his wage, which is beyond reasonable... I was so hoping the house would sell...

 

[mortie]

Breathtaking pictures today miss cheeka. BTW if I ever call you cheeks it's my phone.... the autocorrect does not like the word cheeka!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Still trying to keep up lol! Hope you are all doing well!
My leghorns are laying now, lil stinkers are hiding eggs. I was given 2 jaerhorn roos, they are same type as leghorn and just flocked together.
Not setting or hatching anything else this year once the turkeys are done

Its funny, I like the traditional layers the best. BR, RIR and my EEs.
My BCM and BM hens add color too and are very sweet birds. Colors are pretty amazing and the egg cartons look pretty awesome.

 

[mortie]

Hi jchny! I want a marans. I went to the breeder a couple of weeks ago and managed to resist getting one but it was tough! Such pretty eggs! Congrats on the new layers!

 

[chickenlindz]

I like my Marans, but the color from a hatchery bird isn't as bold as a breeder. I'd love to get some from a breeder.

Now the eggs I'm really thrilled with are my olive eggers. I'm loving the green. I have an EE that lays green but the OO are much more 'olive' in color. Again, I would love a breeder quality vs a hatchery but I'm too lazy to go looking.

 

[BullChick]

A few pictures of a Bourbon displaying. And the BBW. He isn't as impressive with the splits in his tail.




That tote is just there for the heck of it. Apparently digging the straw out of it is what she wanted to do. I have seen them jumping on it today too. Now if I can just get them to roost at night again. Maybe next month when the BBW are gone.

 

[valjean]

I'm seriously kidding myself if I think I will get eggs before the fall. It's too hot here, even though we are having a "cooler" spell of high 80's (but killer humidity). My cuckoo marans hopped on my shoulder yesterday and her feet were so hot, and she was panting away right in my ear. Oh well, I will keep hoping.

Anybody out there whose chickens first started laying during the hot part of summer??

 

[mortie]

I dunno mine started in July. It has been cool here though. mid 70's and gorgeous with only a few hot as hades days mixed in.

I went out at 6 am to see if we had an egg from penny yet. Newp. I went back to sleep and woke up again at 8 and looked again - YUP! I went and got baby Mortie take2 and asked her to go see if we had any eggs and she was pleased as punch to bring one back.

After the trilogy went to school, dh and I sat down to breakfast ala Penny. I cooked the 3 eggs we have from her over easy plus 1 store bought and we each had two. Being the amazing wife I am, I gave him 2 penny eggs. I had been anxious to see how the shells were and how the insides would be. The first one was perfect inside but crazy thin shell. She did NOT disappoint. Perfect thickness shells, and flawless insides. The one storebought egg had a tiny blood spot.

GOOD
GIRL
PENNY!

I'm taking her to Fleet Farm to pick out a treat.

I think someone else might be thinking about trying this whole egg laying business. Someone dug a big hole in one corner of the coop right down to the wood. There are like 5 inches of shavings in there. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Penny because she knows where to put her eggs and seems quite content to put them in the box. It has been a relief to not jump up and run to the window every time I hear a chicken go up the ramp but now I am tempted to stalk them again!