Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Chaneys Ranch]

You are an hour ahead of me. I was confused about the time. Sorry it was such a nasty day for you. And I don't miss sleet, freezing rain or snow

Do you get snow there luvs, or freezing rain at all? I could live without it, hate driving on ice.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Well, since Mustacheio is hounding me, I'd better post and let everyone know that Poppy the procrastinating Ameraucana has finally laid her first egg!

Woohoo! #2son called while I was out shopping and lunching with hubby to give me the news. Very excited young man!

With her contribution the daily egg count for today is 7! Poppy's egg is a pretty pale blue and small. Now only waiting for one more to start.


Went to TSC today. I think my excitement raised my expectations too much because it was good but not fantastic. And yes, the chicken stuff was on the right toward the rear.

Good selection of big waterers and feeders that I can't find at the feed store, and they had Muck boots! Disappointed that they only carried Purina feed. I was hoping for a better variety. Think I'll stick with what I'm using, higher protein.

Congrats on a successful hunting weekend, OK! Do you have to hang them for awhile before butchering? Sounds like a lot of work. How many pounds dressed out will you get from this doe?

Thanks for the pics cheeka! Gonna have some pretty girls there. I love little IttyBit in the last pic!

MC, I'd vote for whatever configuration gives you the most coop space. Seems there are always problems when chickens get crowded and stressed, so the more space the better. And then you can get even more chickens! I planned on getting 8 hens, so when we built the coop, we made it big enough for 12. (You know, just in case.) I now have 11, and wouldn't put more in without expanding. It's good that they get out every day.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Well, since Mustacheio is hounding me, I'd better post and let everyone know that Poppy the procrastinating Ameraucana has finally laid her first egg!

Woohoo! #2son called while I was out shopping and lunching with hubby to give me the news. Very excited young man!

With her contribution the daily egg count for today is 7! Poppy's egg is a pretty pale blue and small. Now only waiting for one more to start.


Went to TSC today. I think my excitement raised my expectations too much because it was good but not fantastic. And yes, the chicken stuff was on the right toward the rear.

Good selection of big waterers and feeders that I can't find at the feed store, and they had Muck boots! Disappointed that they only carried Purina feed. I was hoping for a better variety. Think I'll stick with what I'm using, higher protein.

Congrats on a successful hunting weekend, OK! Do you have to hang them for awhile before butchering? Sounds like a lot of work. How many pounds dressed out will you get from this doe?

Thanks for the pics cheeka! Gonna have some pretty girls there. I love little IttyBit in the last pic!

MC, I'd vote for whatever configuration gives you the most coop space. Seems there are always problems when chickens get crowded and stressed, so the more space the better. And then you can get even more chickens! I planned on getting 8 hens, so when we built the coop, we made it big enough for 12. (You know, just in case.) I now have 11, and wouldn't put more in without expanding. It's good that they get out every day.

Actually I took a buck. Saturday was a terrible day to hunt deer. Time was running out Sunday so had to take what I could get. Hanging them is preferred but the weather has to cooperate. The general rule is below 50 degrees you can hang them. Above 50 degrees and you need to skin and quarter them up and get them cooled down. It was almost 60 degrees here yesterday so I skinned and quartered it and have it in a old refrigerator that I use for this purpose. I will bone out the meat and let you know on the pounds. I already gave my hunting buddy a backstrap for helping so I don't have it all.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

FIVE

FIVE.....Yesterday We Laid Five. We Are Lacking Protein. We Need Venison To Lay More Eggs.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

As you can tell they have heard the news. I will freeze their venison scraps and give them very limited amounts spread out over time. I won't give them anything raw but from what I read some people do. No danger of affecting the taste of the eggs.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

OK guys, I may not be here much longer. I just saw this when I went to look at Beekissed post about hoop coops.... I am INFURIATED! see it here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/cattle-panel-hoop-coop

Sorry...due to not being able to mention the name of G*d on this forum, this content has been removed. This is America, folks...fight for it!

Notice i blacked out the "o" so this thread doesn't get whacked too. If this is the real deal, I will be leaving BYC for good. Shame too, I sure have met some awesome people I will miss. This is purely RIDICULOUS. I consider this a violation of my right of free speech. I won't stand for it. I am waiting to see a reply on my complaint.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

OK guys, I may not be here much longer. I just saw this when I went to look at Beekissed post about hoop coops.... I am INFURIATED! see it here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/cattle-panel-hoop-coop

Sorry...due to not being able to mention the name of G*d on this forum, this content has been removed. This is America, folks...fight for it!

Notice i blacked out the "o" so this thread doesn't get whacked too. If this is the real deal, I will be leaving BYC for good. Shame too, I sure have met some awesome people I will miss. This is purely RIDICULOUS. I consider this a violation of my right of free speech. I won't stand for it. I am waiting to see a reply on my complaint.

We have other options. We could start a private group on facebook. Comments could only be seen by members. We could recruit from here. Don't leave yet. I have to get to work. We need to talk before you leave.

 

[Judy]

Folks, we do not censor the word "God." If we did, I would also have been censored.

This is from our rules:

Quote:
We do allow any number of "off topic" discussions, but determining where the line is between appropriate and inappropriate is tricky at best. Some communities allow all manner of religious, political, and sexual discussions. Some have extremely strict restrictions on every post. Over the past 13 years we've worked hard to find the balance for our community, and our rules of conduct reflect this. Please realize that we get complaints of certain posts being "too religious," just as we do of the opposite.

If you see posts that you feel are inappropriate based on our rules, please click the report flag on that post and our team will review it. And as always, if you have questions, feel free to report or PM.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Cheeka-i loved the beauty pageant this am...they are looking more distinct now huh, soon youll have no trouble telling then apart...Count me in OK if we ever decide to boycott good old byc, you know, to be honest, I had on occasion followed bees threads, but gave it up because of content. Sometimes getting pretty rude crude and nasty for my taste and the knowledge gleaned not worth it. Personally the old timers i know are very polite, knowledge and not off color. Now I've worked in some inner city er and not much can shock and bug me.....its just not expected on a site like this....besides I'm not getting paid. Forage about...lots of good info around (hoop coops are centuries old) . However, a bit odd to have a moderator jump on in here...just goes to show, you put it out there on the internet its out there all our silly nonsense are other people really reading it? Haha. I thought we were the only ones! Hahahah....spooky!

 

[BullChick]

Did you guys say that a pullet might sing the Egg Song a few days before she lays her first egg?

I knew when I walked out this morning it wasn't Baby or Penny singing. They never have. I thought it was the neighbor's girl until I got closer to my coop. But no egg. Sooo... When do ya think she will be laying?
While exiting, Mr. "I am never going to learn. You may as well eat me" Red did what I have been hoping for weeks he would do. He ran out of the coop to get me. He tripped over the thresh hold, and realized he was out. And he was freaked. I shut the door to keep the others in, and watched him, taunting him the whole time. He finally started around the coop, and I decided to let him back in. Then the fun started. He kept running the wrong way. I got him behind the door, and opened it, but he couldn't figure out to come around the door. Then I got the dog involved. He has no desire to chase his flock (more now since they are bigger than him!

) but I finally got him excited enough to help me get Red to move in the right direction. THAT didn't last long.

Debating again about not letting the mean thing back into the run, I grabbed a fence panel (taken off when I extended the run) and used it to block the wrong way. He was just so stressed, I swear he will go into a molt!
You know? As much as I wish I could find a pattern to what makes him mad now, but not then, I am starting to find his behavior as acceptable. He body slams my ankle. He only goes to my knee when I have the pot in my hand (scratch). I just might let him live after all. I do, however, plan on keeping him in the new coop alone when I get it built. I am considering going out to hand feed him several times a day, making him eat out of my hand, or live on grass. Not to the point of starving! But if I can make him stop, great.
Speaking of food... I know if a hen goes without food/water for "any length of time" she will stress, and not lay that day (or longer). Can someone tell me definitively, just how long they can go without food in their faces? People ask if I feed the chickens morning and night. No, they have food 24/7. But doing the FF, I keep a feeder in the coop so they aren't hungry before I get them out in the morning, and feed them the FF. So? What is the time frame I have to be sure to feed them?