Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

all I wanted to do was edit my post... and the whole thing disappeared!

anyway... good plan lindz, get those girls, you will enjoy them I'm sure and they should lay "regularly" (3-4 eggs a week) til they are around 5...

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I already do love my "Henery" as I like to call him... that session was just as much for me as for him... he's very very handle-able and sweet, I don't know. maybe it's just me... I've always had a knack for all kinds of animals. anyway, Henery ate grapes from my fingers while sitting on my other hand... he's so small - it's hard to tell from the pictures, plus he's super fluffy feathered... an illusion of size. He is spot on perfect for Peach!

Haha! That's exactly what I was thinking. Henry needs a good girlfriend and Peach would be a great match. They would make almost pure bantam Cochin babies.

I am really torn about which breeds to add to the bantam coop (which is still in pieces on the patio). The Serama are small, good with people, but seem like they would be feisty with other chickens. They are also so small, that it wouldn't take much for a larger chicken to do some serious damage.

You guys have sold me on the Cochin, which is a breed I've always liked, but the personality is so attractive. The other breed I'm thinking about are d'Anvers, which look a lot like mini Ameraucanas, complete with the blue legs (but not blue eggs, darn it!). I could easily see myself ending up with too many bantams. Luckily they don't take up very much space.

 

[lindz8504]

Haha! That's exactly what I was thinking. Henry needs a good girlfriend and Peach would be a great match. They would make almost pure bantam Cochin babies.

I am really torn about which breeds to add to the bantam coop (which is still in pieces on the patio). The Serama are small, good with people, but seem like they would be feisty with other chickens. They are also so small, that it wouldn't take much for a larger chicken to do some serious damage.

You guys have sold me on the Cochin, which is a breed I've always liked, but the personality is so attractive. The other breed I'm thinking about are d'Anvers, which look a lot like mini Ameraucanas, complete with the blue legs (but not blue eggs, darn it!). I could easily see myself ending up with too many bantams. Luckily they don't take up very much space.

Cochins are perfect! They are small, and fluffy, and sweet, and they waddle, and they are the softest chicken I have ever touched! I wish the huskies hadn't killed most of mine.... At least I have eggs under Clarabelle, and one of the brooder babies is part cochin if not both. The other doesn't have feathered feet, so that stumps me! I would love to have some of the Seramas but I am afraid because they are tiny!!!!!

 

[BullChick]

I just moved the two splash EE out of the Marans coop(they were bought together.). It was easier than I thought with the big fishing net! I checked the leg bands. They are plenty loose. I wasn't sure before.

 

[SullyD]

Cheeka - Henery is adorable! Poor thing with all those boo boos though. I hope Peach likes him!

Lindz - Personally, I would get the chickens. They may not lay much, but you won't have to wait months for them to start!

W4W - Love that your son is not too cool yet to stop calling your chickens "squishy's". They grow up so fast!

I got two eggs today! I think they were standing on the very top of the roosts when they laid them though. One was a soft shell and was a mess on the floor to clean up and the other one was cracked, so the dog got to eat it. It feels like deja vu all over again

The girls and boys have been great going to the chicken run, everyone, (except for the stoners, they still like hanging out under the coop), goes right in! What a sigh of relief when that happens! My fence guys were here today and enclosed the other side of the barn overhang for the baby goats. Hopefully coming in November. Temporarily housing the boy Marans until they are big enough to go into the run. Right now they will fit through the wire! Welcome to my zoo/ark/farm! My family's whispers of "hoarder" are getting louder!

 

[cheeka]

W4W, yes! get Cochins! they are larger enough compared to the Serama's that they would be able to handle feisty behavior, and they just are so wonderful! I just realized, I've had Peach for a year already! I picked the three of them up on Labor Day, Sirus, Archie and Peachy...I'm sure she'll hate Henery at first, but she'll warm up to him... they'll produce 3/4 Cochin X EE's. Peach is so Cochin tho', the only EE features are her beard and muffs and her gorgeous green eggs... her Buff color is too light, but she's got really nicely feathered legs and feet...

as far as bare shanks, lindz, most feathered shank chicks have them at hatch, but not all. I have 2 Marans X's that developed the feathers within the first couple of weeks, they are just as feathered as their hatchmates now. so you never know...

I ended the day with only those 7 eggs.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Peach is a doll baby! I can't wait til next week when Clarabelle's eggs hatch, and she has heads poking out from around her! I don't know how she manages to cover the eggs, much less cover babies as they grow, she is a TINY girl! She is such a sweet girl though, and she really wants some babies, so I am hoping that she is going to be a good momma!

I need some advice.... I found 2 Blue Lace Red Wyandottes on a FB page. The guy lives about 45 minutes away, and is asking $5 for both hens who are 3 years old.... What do you guys think about the deal? Below are the pictures that he sent me of the 2 girls.....

They are very pretty, don't know if they will produce much longer. They may surprise you. I don't use artificial light and hopefully the prior owner didn't either, that makes a difference.

I just went shopping, and picked up a pumpkin for the chickens. The dog didn't get anything. Now I feel guilty.

shhhhh! we won't tell

Quote: Not sure what they are but theres patches of eggs at the base of some feathers matting the feathers together. I have seen a few pics of that, so I have to look them up.
Red has turned into a coward from Rebels temporary rise to main rooster, now dethroned as well.. Rebel attacked my turkey hen. not happening.
Then he BIT me, hard, the twist and pull bite! Grabbed his legs and paraded him upside down around ever animal i own.
Rebel went to the quarantine coop aka JAIL. He has been there over 3 weeks now.
That was fortunate with Red, he doesn't even enter the coop since I had to move the BAs in with the main flock.
He roosts in the utility area. I am still checking all the birds to be safe tho. I have the itchy creepy crawlies even thinking about it.
Red is miserable, even tho I don't much like him, I hate seeing him uncomfortable. I didn't even have a struggle dusting him.
He has a bad molt right now too, and a bare blukote butt and some of his neck.
Poor Red. Surprising that he still stayed isolated with Rebel in jail. Maybe he's has the mites for a while and is a bit weak. It sounds like the same thing my guy has. These are the bloodsuckers that live on the bird pretty much constantly, although they can live for 2-3 weeks in the coop or on the ground. (One thing I read said they can persist in an empty coop for months???) Cleaning up molting feathers with the eggs attached is a good idea and spraying the coop and runs is needed. You have to redust weekly to kill hatching larvae.

What a pain. Do the water fowl ever get mites? I don't remember my ducks ever dusting themselves. Maybe we'll switch to ducks. There are some very good laying breeds and no crowing! Who am I kidding? Everyone loves the chickens. My soon to be (on Fri) 15 yr old, 6ft tall, deep voiced, manly son calls them his little "squishies." Everyday after school he goes out for a little chicken therapy. How are the squishies? I'm going out to pet the squishies. Ooooh, they're so squishy.

Takes me back to the days of security blankets and stuffed animals. Don't have to keep up the cool persona around the chickens!

This coop is going to be torn down soon, so It will be happening sooner than later. The roof and joists are bad, and termites are in the structure. Its at least 30 years old..12x14 shed. We are rethinking where to build everything going forward. DH wants to make actual breeding runs and divide up the breeds (YAY) I only have my polish and BA split up now. In the meantime I am cleaning and dusting everything and will be doing it every week to be safe. I got thru about a third of my birds today (going by breeds) and so far just Red has them.
I don't think waterfowl do get them, but am going to look into it. I have 17 geese and 14 ducks so am worried about them too.
Aww well a very happy birthday to him! My 31 year old DD calls the geese HER weewee's

There's not much she will smile about but I see that sweet lil 5 year old face when she goes out with the geese. You aren't kidding, geese don't care if you are "cool" either. I think she loves when they all run and flap their wings to greet her, impressive sight

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Cheeka - Henery is adorable! Poor thing with all those boo boos though. I hope Peach likes him!

Lindz - Personally, I would get the chickens. They may not lay much, but you won't have to wait months for them to start!

W4W - Love that your son is not too cool yet to stop calling your chickens "squishy's". They grow up so fast!

I got two eggs today! I think they were standing on the very top of the roosts when they laid them though. One was a soft shell and was a mess on the floor to clean up and the other one was cracked, so the dog got to eat it. It feels like deja vu all over again

The girls and boys have been great going to the chicken run, everyone, (except for the stoners, they still like hanging out under the coop), goes right in! What a sigh of relief when that happens! My fence guys were here today and enclosed the other side of the barn overhang for the baby goats. Hopefully coming in November. Temporarily housing the boy Marans until they are big enough to go into the run. Right now they will fit through the wire! Welcome to my zoo/ark/farm! My family's whispers of "hoarder" are getting louder!

Oh my, baby goats! precious

Ignore the wispers they go away

Quote: Cant wait to see how the meeting goes. Peach deserves a good roo.

 

[lindz8504]

I am going Sunday to get the two older hens! Monday will be 21 days for the first of Clarabelle's eggs so hopefully we will have peepers soon. I don't know whether to go ahead and move her to the broody coop or to wait til they hatch.

 

[cheeka]

lindz, as close as it is to hatch, as long as nobody is trampling her... leave her be til they hatch. however, if she's having to defend her nest too much... she should be carefully moved - in one unit if possible... it didn't work for Violet to try to hatch in the apple coop with everyone bugging her... I wish I had been able to move her, but she hated everything but her "spot"...