Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

wow, W4W and OK, those are sad stories, lucky my Dad was successful in retrieving his Pug from the frozen duck pond when she fell through the ice... I still get freaked out when I think of it...

speaking of Pigeons... this is the Pink Necked Green Pigeon, found in Malaysia, Vietnam and places in that area... not photoshopped... I promise... cool, eh?


Treron Vernans is it's official name. (I think I spelled it right... coming from memory)

anyway, yeah... I'm def in high demand at work... I got someone to cover my route at the last minute, so I did not have to do a double, but that carrier is still sick, so I will have to do a double today, and I will not make the afternoon truck, so I will have to drive to the city with the outgoing mail. kinda bummed knowing that... but I will go to the Trader Joe's in the area afterwards, so it won't be too bad...

time to go! MC, can't wait to hear when they set the eggs so we can start the countdown! this is so cool!!!!

 

[BullChick]

Quote: Yeah, I keep getting confused by genetics, but I know there will be sex links, and I think EE.

 

[BullChick]

JC, I have not been following the FF thread, so I have a question. Has anyone else had an issue with the girls not eating less? I want to be 100% sure that the reason that they are still eating the same amount is because they were started on FF when they were about 3 or 4 mos old (I keep track of everything. Not sure how I didn't note when I started FF!) and I assume their food intake is still increasing as they get older, bigger and begin to lay. Not to mention that they need more calories to keep warm. Did that make sense?
Also, I know Sally Sunshine is having a problem with it freezing in these extremely cold temps. If no one has given a solution, I can offer mine. I use a light in a cinder block for my water. I now use the same thing for my FF.
I am assuming you are keeping up with that thread.

 

[cheeka]

brrrr, it's so cold out... s'my own fault, i went out to bring the gang a snack and collect eggs with just a hoodie sweatshirt and no gloves. no hat... it's windy, it's nasty, but all is well in the dome. even Si was on the ground... which is good ~ and fairly rare ~ Archie thinks it's his job to police everyone, particularly Si...

7 perfect eggs!

found Peaches egg first, as I took care of the inside pets first. she was trying to take a dust bath in the old shag carpet that's in the dining room. I made her a dust bath in a box, she likes the carpet better.

having top neck clam steamers, shrimp over rice and venison leg steaks for supper. I'm

already, so I will be taking my leave now to go cook!

 

[cheeka]

oh yeah, meant to say... I've stopped the FF here for now. I don't have a practical way to keep it from freezing, even the heated waterer cannot keep up with the cold.

 

[BullChick]

I had a poop egg again thismorning. It was broken from hitting the floor, so I gave it to the girls later (broken up). I found another egg in the nest at one, and finally three more at three. I was kinda bummed. Three o'clock is when I usually have all my eggs for the day. 2 were in the nests, and I finally lifted a JG in the corner to get an egg from under her. I went back out at 4:30 to check again, and there were 3 more in the nests. I was very happy. Then I saw a JG in the corner again. I have 2, so I wasn't sure it was the same one. I picked her up, and she yelled at me, and pecked my hand, and settled back into the corner. No egg, but I am wondering... Could I be lucky (yes, I said LUCKY! Even in the winter) enough to have a broody?

I will see what happens tomorrow. If she is there again, I will check her at night. Then I will have my answer.
I did remember that the neighbors said they had an incubator. Probably the TSC model. It is still air, and that scares me, as does the fact that it may be filthy. I may decide to ask for it anyway.

 

[animallover505]

Guys! My granddaddy has a LOT of acerage, and I may be able to keep about 150 chickens back there if we can build a coop that'll keep coyotes and wild dogs out and will hold that many birds. I may be able to have a real egg business!! Any ideas on where to get that many chicks without breaking the bank? And how to sell that many eggs?? I'm so excited!! It may be about a year, though..

 

[BullChick]

Guys! My granddaddy has a LOT of acerage, and I may be able to keep about 150 chickens back there if we can build a coop that'll keep coyotes and wild dogs out and will hold that many birds. I may be able to have a real egg business!! Any ideas on where to get that many chicks without breaking the bank? And how to sell that many eggs?? I'm so excited!! It may be about a year, though..

Hatch, hatch, hatch. They make incubators that big and bigger. I would go with 20 eggs/hatch. At a 50% hatch rate, you will have all those chickens in under a year with time to spare for a few more (roosters happen!). Get a few Silkies and BO to help with the brooding.

 

[animallover505]

Hatch, hatch, hatch. They make incubators that big and bigger. I would go with 20 eggs/hatch. At a 50% hatch rate, you will have all those chickens in under a year with time to spare for a few more (roosters happen!). Get a few Silkies and BO to help with the brooding.

well, I can't have a Rooster where I live... I'll have to buy some of them. Or hatch some from a friend of mine!!

 

[cheeka]

good news here

crooked neck chick is roosting on the piece of trim. she was exceptionally straightened up today. no twisting at all while I was around. vitamins did the trick, thanks W4W!

can't believe the improvement was so dramatic and so quick... but I will give her a vitamin in her feed everyday for the rest of her life.

dinner was stupendous. period. I'm stuffed... tomorrow, the plan is a date to see Lincoln in the afternoon, followed by Chinese buffet at a terrific spot in Albany. I'm pretty psyched. I've been wanting to see Lincoln before having to wait for a dvd... so glad it's still playing!

animallover, that sounds like a fun and big project for you to do together! I'll send you hatching eggs in the Spring if you want, for free, I'll even pay for the shipping. mine will be all EE, but should be some really beautiful birds and varying egg colors... you'd be able to tell who the father is after hatch... feathered feet is Archie, no beard or muffs is Royce and plain legs with beard and muffs is Osiris. Si came from a tan egg, I want to put him with Isis. with her blue egg, they will make lovely blue feathered green egg layers. with the barred rocks... you can get blue barred rocks with beards and muffs from Si, or blue br's that lay a green egg from either of the others... I would love for you to hatch some... we'll talk more as you move your project along! Maybe we can hatch out that Rouge Barred Rock rooster that OK needs for his project!

MC, you must be thrilled to have not only soooo many eggs, but early signs of a broody...! I am so hoping for one. One of my Reds likes to sit, and spent lots of nights in the nest before everyone migrated into the dome. I'm hopeful... but I have a friend who has 2 perpetual broodies who I can put eggs under if need be.