Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[BullChick]

I was just looking at pictures I took today, and it hit me! I know which girl is currently laying. I feel like a genius for realizing it is the one with the bright red comb.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

 

[BullChick]

Using the pictures, it seems it was one of the adults that died a month or so ago. Again, the comb. I didn’t even see a comb yet on one pullet.
See? I always said I lost the knowledge I had. When I stopped answering others’ questions, I started forgetting all the answers. At least I’m able to look at the actual birds today, and if they stay still long enough, I can look at each comb to judge age.

 

[ronott1]

Using the pictures, it seems it was one of the adults that died a month or so ago. Again, the comb. I didn’t even see a comb yet on one pullet.
See? I always said I lost the knowledge I had. When I stopped answering others’ questions, I started forgetting all the answers. At least I’m able to look at the actual birds today, and if they stay still long enough, I can look at each comb to judge age.

You can also check to see which one has the largest vent

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Yesterday, in honor of the new chickens' one week anniversary, I put up a fence so they could have some outside time.

At first they didn't notice the open pop door.

But with a little encouragement from me, they finally got the idea.

and enjoyed some tasty grass.

It was fine until a couple of them figured the grass was greener on my side.
Bird brains!

That's a 6' fence. I helped them get back down on the proper side. Got to fatten them up so they can't fly so easily.

As long as I wasn't up near their coop, they were content to stay behind the fence.

Tried to let them out again today. 4 of them flew over the fence and were working their way toward the house. Not ready to have them mingling with the mob yet. Hubs picked up the lav orp and the other 3 raced to keep up with him walking back to the coop.
They really do like people. Maybe too much!

And a nice surprise this morning... my son found a small pullet egg in the run on the ground. Pretty sure it's the blue pullet of questionable breed. She is the reddest and squats if you look cross-eyed at her.

Ron, I think you are right about her being a blue Australorp. The egg has that heavy layer of bloom I saw from both of my other lorps. Makes it look pinkish.
Lots of scratches. Glad they didn't crack it.

Compared to brown store bought large and a cream colored serama egg.

 

[ronott1]

Yesterday, in honor of the new chickens' one week anniversary, I put up a fence so they could have some outside time.

At first they didn't notice the open pop door.

But with a little encouragement from me, they finally got the idea.

and enjoyed some tasty grass.

It was fine until a couple of them figured the grass was greener on my side.
Bird brains!

That's a 6' fence. I helped them get back down on the proper side. Got to fatten them up so they can't fly so easily.

As long as I wasn't up near their coop, they were content to stay behind the fence.

Tried to let them out again today. 4 of them flew over the fence and were working their way toward the house. Not ready to have them mingling with the mob yet. Hubs picked up the lav orp and the other 3 raced to keep up with him walking back to the coop.
They really do like people. Maybe too much!

And a nice surprise this morning... my son found a small pullet egg in the run on the ground. Pretty sure it's the blue pullet of questionable breed. She is the reddest and squats if you look cross-eyed at her.

View attachment 2451942


Ron, I think you are right about her being a blue Australorp. The egg has that heavy layer of bloom I saw from both of my other lorps. Makes it look pinkish.
Lots of scratches. Glad they didn't crack it.
View attachment 2451963

Compared to brown store bought large and a cream colored serama egg.
View attachment 2451961

It is likely!

She is very pretty

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Major bummer. One of my 2 remaining Serama hens has prolapsed. I have never had a hen survive one yet. Going to keep trying with this one. She is 7, though. I guess we all die of something.

 

[BullChick]

I’m sorry.

 

[BullChick]

The chickens have been making a mess of the storage area since they are shorter than the snow. Thursday they stood in the door, yesterday they made it to a cinder block covered in snow, with bedding covering it outside the door. I shoveled a little for them today, and they followed me up the path. I walked away to shovel elsewhere, and after a bit of Duckling helping, I said the chickens were stuck. She went halfway down the path, and kept saying to them she was going to rescue them. Obviously she couldn’t, so I went back to help. We switched places so the chickens would follow her. They were skeptical, but quickly began to follow her as she shoveled. Our paths met, and the birds went all the way up the hill with her.

 

[ronott1]

Major bummer. One of my 2 remaining Serama hens has prolapsed. I have never had a hen survive one yet. Going to keep trying with this one. She is 7, though. I guess we all die of something.

She made it to a good age.

I have seen success if you take the hen to a vet and have the reproductive tract remove. I watched a show from Disney about the doing this with one of their flock from their zoo in Florida