Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Sallysec]

Look what I have! Marans

Blue. A friend was incubating them for me.

So Cute!!! I hope you get lots of beautiful girls with beautiful eggs. I love their eggs so much and the ones they hatched from are pretty.

SBMom- I have blues and blacks too! I can't wait to see the eggs? Were the hatching eggs really dark?? I'm not sure if you are familiar with sexing them, but I was told one way is how quickly they feather out. Girls are first, boys are slow. Hope you get lots of girls! If you need any boys, I have 10! I would love to send you some

I got 3 eggs today! It is awesome, but now I am not sure who is laying! I thought for sure it was the NH's but two of the eggs are light. Next closest in age are blue egg layers, then the BR's are only 3 months old. I think that is too early for them? Two were on the floor and one was in the next box! It will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings!

Question for those of you that free range. I have a large stand of cedar trees at the back of my chicken run. The chickens always run into that area instead of going into their nice, safe run. So far, the only daylight attack critters are over head. They can run into the treed area for cover. Should I worry about them? It is becoming more and more difficult to get them out of there when I have to leave, but I don't want to come back to a pile of feathers! I prepare two bowls of treats (Pie!) every morning and have the flock follow me to the run, but once something catches their eye, they are off in another direction!

For some reason I cannot post the pictures of the eggs and the shot showing the distance from my coop to the run, maybe tomorrow!

So I free range and I have a small yard in comparisson to most I would assume. I don't have any trees in the middle so they tend to walk along the edges. They have plenty of spots to hide and duck in. I notice hawks, infact I spotted one yesterday when they were out. If I lose a chicken to a hawk its completely my fault and I am prepared for it. I do have trees to one side and my father tied cd's to some posts to try and keep reflecting light etc. I let my dogs out regularly and for the most part I think that keeps most things at bay. I know I am taking a chance though so its your choice. At night they line up waiting to go in the coop. The coop is open and they can go in, but they know if they wait for me they will get a handful of scratch if they go in. Once or twice my husband and I have been late to put them up for the night and they had already lined up on their roosts. I originally said I would only free range while supervised, but nowadays I can't stop my husband from letting them out in the open to hang out with him if he is outside or just when they greet him in the morning. He was up at 6 am today from camping and they are marching all over the yard.

Now its 25 weeks. And they are EE.

Wow thats a long wait. How do they look? Red ? Weather and feed can account for some lateness I have read. I think one or two of my EE and my Splash Andalusian took forever. My white eggs and blue came last.

 

[cheeka]

25 weeks is not too long for EE, hang in there, they are not broken... they should lay anytime between next week and the following 2 weeks... most common start for EE seems to be 26-30 weeks... I promise... the eggs are coming! I feel your angst, I waited 26 weeks for my first which was green, it was almost 29 weeks for my first blue and then Peach waited til she was 30+ weeks, and she is a couple of months younger than the older girls... but that beautiful green egg was worth the wait! the December chicks all started so early, I wasn't expecting them to lay at all so imagine my surprise when I found 3 blue eggs in one day!

as for free range, I only allow them out when I have the time to stay outside. I try to make that time every day even if it's only an hour in the late afternoon, as long as it isn't raining. I've lost birds when I've been outside so it's a risk no matter what. I can't deprive them of grass and sunshine and bugs. I'm still mad that I lost Violet. everyone knows that I won't answer the phone anymore if the birds are out. I take some additional chances with the roosters. I let the big boys out in the morning, weather permitting and leave for work. they tend to hang around the coop, showing off, but they do bathe and forage some... they are all good size, and even Carl has spurs...

 

[luvmychicken]

25 weeks is not too long for EE, hang in there, they are not broken... they should lay anytime between next week and the following 2 weeks... most common start for EE seems to be 26-30 weeks...  I promise... the eggs are coming!  I feel your angst, I waited 26 weeks for my first which was green, it was almost 29 weeks for my first blue and then Peach waited til she was 30+ weeks, and she is a couple of months younger than the older girls... but that beautiful green egg was worth the wait!   the December chicks all started so early, I wasn't expecting them to lay at all so imagine my surprise when I found 3 blue eggs in one day!  

as for free range, I only allow them out when I have the time to stay outside.  I try to make that time every day even if it's only an hour in the late afternoon, as long as it isn't raining.  I've lost birds when I've been outside so it's a risk no matter what.  I can't deprive them of grass and sunshine and bugs.  I'm still mad that I lost Violet.  everyone knows that I won't answer the phone anymore if the birds are out.  I take some additional chances with the roosters.  I let the big boys out in the morning, weather permitting and leave for work.  they tend to hang around the coop, showing off, but they do bathe and forage some... they are all good size, and even Carl has spurs... 

I sure hope so. They looke r hey are just bout ready. Its been really hot here in louisiana. But I am tryinf to be patient.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hate to see the kids back to school. butt is good character building.

Haha! I hope some character comes from this. Thought we were all prepared- physically, mentally, emotionally... but no. Poor boy was up until 1:30am worried and unable to sleep. He's going to drag through his first day of middle school, but maybe will get to sleep early tonight.

He felt a little better to hear that older brother had trouble getting to sleep as well as an older friend we carpool with.
Too young for so much stress!!!

Only 3 eggs yesterday and one was broken on the nest again. Those slackers better get busy today!
My broody is done being broody. Yay. Three partial days in the cage worked again. Now just waiting for her to start laying again.

My suspected internally laying BO is heavy and has a very soft and squishy abdomen between her legs. No egg from her since late winter, even though she sits regularly in the nest box. Any ideas on what else it could be? Is she doomed?

 

[cheeka]

W4W, your situation with the BO is so odd, I would not think she could not live so long if laying internally, perhaps she is able to absorb the yolks? found the following interesting... it's from a UK website

Egg Peritonitis

​

The Chicken Vet is commonly asked about egg laying problems and chickens laying soft shelled eggs. Sometimes these queries are nothing to worry about as your chickens are just going through a normal process of coming into or going out of lay. However, there are occasionally difficulties and these birds may be experiencing an internal or blind layer problem. These terms are used to describe birds whose oviducts (egg tubes) are not functioning as they should be.
Usually the oviducts carry the yolk from the ovary to the vent over a 24 hour period. During this time the white, membranes and shell are formed around the yolk. In chickens with damage to their oviducts the egg does not form properly and the yolk is laid internally into the belly/abdomen. These yolks can be absorbed over time but in most cases the chicken lays them internally faster than they can be absorbed resulting in a build up within the abdomen. This enlarges the abdomen and causes the chicken to experience discomfort and difficulty breathing. In order to help relieve the pressure on the abdomen the chickens adopt an upright penguin-like stance.

Post mortem with an
abdomen containing pussy yolks​

​

Some factors such as coming into lay and stress can cause the odd internally laid egg. However, severe oviduct damage, can lead to permanent oviduct problems and therfore they remain internal layers for life.
This condition leads to a life of discomfort. Often the chicken will lose weight and have prominent breastbones. Deceivingly, due to the build up of egg yolk in their abdomens, they appear to be roughly a normal weight.

These birds can be

• speyed (have the oviduct surgically removed)
• have a hormonal implant inserted by a vet to stop ovulation
• kept by a watchful and observant owner who knows the problem exists and makes veterinary contact if they suspect a brewing peritonitis

Or

• unfortunately, in some cases the most humane option is to put the bird to sleep.

The picture shows a post mortem with an abdomen containing pussy yolks.
The mass of egg yolk in the abdomen can provide a rich medium for bacteria such as E. coli to thrive and cause peritonitis. These birds become dull with hot swollen abdomens and in severe cases they will develop blood poisoning and go into shock and invariably die.

Treatment often involves using antibiotics which usually helps to treat infection, however, unless you are able to stop the bird laying internally, the peritonitis will usually return.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Thanks cheeka. Yeah, she's not doing the penguin thing yet. She runs around and eats like a pig, goes into the nest box, but no egg (she's my only cream colored layer). From what I've read, this problem is more common in hatchery birds, as is fatty liver disease. Ugh. When she gets to the point that she looks uncomfortable, I guess I will have to man up and put her down. Or maybe it's something else entirely, but I don't know what it could be. She seems healthy and normal otherwise.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

Oh man, that is gross, I was not ready for that picture. I really hope I don't ever have to deal with that. Poor chicken.

 

[Reina Rana]

Sneaky Chimi is no more...our dog broke his chain and killed her...kids came home to see him eating her. That's 3rd strike...Dozer will be no more.

 

[Chicklover2246]

Thanks for the cheering! Henrietta has laid an egg every day since Monday but across the coop from the nesting boxes instead of in one. It is brighter where she is laying so I guess I need curtains. Do curtains really help that much? I have golf balls in some but not all. Are fake eggs better? I don't mind making curtains but why red? I have sooooo many old jeans that I can make custom curtains out of without having to buy red material. (Purple, now that's my favorite color so I have purple material. Lol) Any thoughts? Thanks for the help!

 

[Chicklover2246]

Sneaky Chimi is no more...our dog broke his chain and killed her...kids came home to see him eating her. That's 3rd strike...Dozer will be no more.

I feel bad for Sneaky Chimi, what a horrible way to go and for your kids, having to see that! Dog needs to behave or not be where there are chickens. Good thought, no more Dozer. Sorry you have to go through that!