Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[karl69]

how longer do you think I'll have to wait for eggs?
This weekend they will be about 20 weeks old

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I'd bet you have a few more weeks still. Are they showing any interest in the nest boxes?

 

[Debby27]

how longer do you think I'll have to wait for eggs?
This weekend they will be about 20 weeks old

It's the longest wait, unless you are waiting for a baby to be born...LOL...I must have checked my nest boxes for 2 weeks before I finally heard the "song"...hang in there Karl...they are coming!!!

 

[Debby27]

Hi All, Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th....Got a quick question/observation? My 1 1/2 old RIR Gladys just came out of the nest from laying and when I called to her to come get some treats, she started over to me and stopped to pick a leaf up and try to put it on her back?? Now she has nothing missing from her back...feathers are all intact and look good...but she stopped twice again and tried to put grass on there as well....When we got the 2 replacements a month ago....one had been pecked so bad she needed a "saddle" to cover up her poor back........and she did put stuff on her back while I was getting something ready to put on there to keep the sun off her & Marie (the other replacement) from pecking on her.....Why would a hen do that when she has nothing missing? I have never seen her do it before....

thanks,
deb

PS.....SUCH A GORGEOUS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[karl69]

I'd bet you have a few more weeks still.  Are they showing any interest in the nest boxes?

No because sometime ago some had told me to block them of because all 6 birds were in two boxes and after bolcking that off now they all want the rafters, so now I have those blocked off and the boxes opened up. I spent the whole afternoon down there cleaning and fixing feeding and watering . I hope that they are happy because I'm tired!
I was wondering about my roos the ones flight feathers are sticking out and his wing seem to sag like he can't hold them up, I'm not sure if he has every seen a roost! I've seen calling him Tommy Two Toes because he only has two full Toes on his left foot. Any ideas of why he would be doing that?

he is the one on front.

 

[karl69]

I think it's awesome how when my chickens go to bed the hens go in the coop and the roos go in the run, I do not have a co-ed coop! Its nice not having to separate them.

 

[cheeka]

Debby, my broody hens put stuff like leaves, bits of straw or other small stuff... on their backs. usually when they are building their nests... but I've seen them do it randomly. I've only seen broody's do it myself...

it was an extremely quiet day, well weekend... I didn't do anything but chill out. I let the Dome out today. not the back pen residents tho'... too many to keep track of. I'll let them out tomorrow, weather permitting.
I also moved Esther and her chicks to the broody pen, and put the 2 house chicks in the apple coop. it's going to be warm enough at night for them to be just fine.

the butterflies are everywhere here now, lots of varieties, although, no Monarchs yet. I was fortunate to get these shots today, most of the bugs weren't very cooperative.

 

[Debby27]

Debby, my broody hens put stuff like leaves, bits of straw or other small stuff... on their backs. usually when they are building their nests... but I've seen them do it randomly. I've only seen broody's do it myself...

it was an extremely quiet day, well weekend... I didn't do anything but chill out. I let the Dome out today. not the back pen residents tho'... too many to keep track of. I'll let them out tomorrow, weather permitting.
I also moved Esther and her chicks to the broody pen, and put the 2 house chicks in the apple coop. it's going to be warm enough at night for them to be just fine.

the butterflies are everywhere here now, lots of varieties, although, no Monarchs yet. I was fortunate to get these shots today, most of the bugs weren't very cooperative.

Hey cheeka, thanks for answering me....

I sure hope she's not going broody, although she did growl like a wildcat at Tillie today when she was on the nest laying...there was already an egg in there and she went and sat on that one and laid hers...and I noticed the other 2 hens were really hanging around checking her out...I always thought they just did that..LOL....kinda like "how big is YOUR egg?"....today though when I heard her growl at Tillie I was like WHOA! never heard her growl that loud before!! It was after she laid that she came out and started the piling on of debris on her back......From what I've read on the thread as long as you keep their eggs out they will usually get out of that broody state right???

Your photo's are beautiful!! I love this butterfly....we have them here as well and they will land on you if you stand still....my 3yrs old nephew thinks it's just the coolest thing...he just laughs and points and tries to catch them......I have a picture of one on my phone I'll try to remember to get it off....

Again....thanks for the info! and Have a great nite! & even better tomorrow!!!

 

[mommato5chicks]

I think it's awesome how when my chickens go to bed the hens go in the coop and the roos go in the run, I do not have a co-ed coop! Its nice not having to separate them.

It would be some work trying to lol

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote: Yeah, you don't want them sleeping in the nests, but once they get used to the roosts, shouldn't be a problem and you can fix them up. Once they start showing serious interest, you can put fake eggs or golf balls in the nests to give them a hint where to lay.

Chickens will hold their wings out like that when they are too hot, so if it's been hot out your way, that could be his problem. Some get heat stressed more easily than others.

As far as roosting, maybe his missing toes make it hard for him to roost, or maybe he's been kept mostly in a wire-bottom cage (which might explain his missing toes if rats got to him). Try putting a 2x4 a few feet off the ground, flat side up. A wider roost is easier on their feet and it might help him. Being ground birds, chickens and turkeys don't have the same kind of foot structure as song birds, who are able to easily perch in thin twigs. Their tendons actually "lock" into a grasping position, so they stay put easily. Ground birds do better in wide flat surfaces. Wild turkeys here perch on the biggest branches they can.