Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote: Your coop-mobile is so cool.

The siding on the walls makes it much easier to keep clean. You are going to have happy chickens. I have coop envy! I've thought about adding shower board to the wall behind the roosts for just that reason. Maybe next summer...

Yeah, the dogs are better behaved when separate and not feeding off each other's excitement. Sometimes they really egg each other on. I've also noticed how they respond to my reaction around the chickens. If I don't get upset when one sneaks out, the dogs stay calm. If I freak out, they feel it's their duty to help chase and apprehend the wayward fowl.

Little dog must have some poodle in him because he's smart and learns quickly. He ignores the chickens completely now, no matter where they are. After the time he went psycho in the chickens' yard and tried to eat my EE, I put the fear of... well, me into him, and he understood right away that the chickens are off limits. Now I just have to show him that he can't chase my new kitty. He's a totally obsessive and gleeful cat chaser, but I don't think he'd actually do anything if the cat didn't run. Irresistible, those moving targets.

What kind of bunny do you have?

 

[gilcamp4]

here is my grandsons bunny, he is saying hello to chicken we got from side of road, fell from a truck taken him to be reproduces to a roaster, we kept him for about 3mths but got so fat could not walk, our bunny is a sweet heart, here is our baby midnight with granddaughter, he is a good dog with kids, she dances with him and he never yells loves being played with like that. the coop we have had for over a year and chickens love the room they have to move around, 2 of our peeps will not leave the coop, I put corn on the ramp and they came out to top oh ramp then run back in, can not get them to come into the run.



et heart

 

[lindz8504]

8 eggs today! Almost a perfect day, if you consider that only one of the EE girls is laying I think!
6 of the G.Comets laid, Clarabelle laid and an EE laid! That is the most eggs we have ever gotten in one day! GO GIRLS!!!!!!!

Rogue is still limping, and I can't figure out why.... I didn't see or feel anything wrong. It has been several days, and I am wondering if I need to do something about it? Clarabelle and the chicks finally ventured almost up to the house... The comets will come up on the back porch if we aren't careful!

I took them a "pie" this afternoon made with home canned tomatoes, a little hamburger grease, and baby cereal that my daughter won't eat anymore, plus some garlic and red pepper flakes for good measure. This was about 1 , and when I went down to feed a little bit ago there wasn't any left. It must have been yummy! Tonight is supposed to be the coldest night so far... and snow flurries are possible.... I am not ready for this yet

 

[cheeka]

5 Eggs here... Peach laid hers, it was the only egg in her pen (still nothing from the Cochins) and one of the Marans laid, plus one pink and 2 green...
it was brutal out last night, I was up worrying about the boys. they do not have their pens wrapped yet...but, they were just fine this morning. I had to make repairs to the Broody Pen, a sheet of vinyl slipped down, and there was a fairly thorough dusting of snow inside. Peach didn't mind, she was eating it... but the rest of her flock was mushed into a corner... reattached the vinyl and added one more layer, plus covered the door, added fresh straw, fresh water, warm feed and it was quite nice in there. when I got home from work, all the waterers were frozen (except the dome)... and I got the 2 dome coops wrapped and gave the boys a lot of fresh straw - I took one of the pieces of corrugated roofing and slid it along the inside front wall of the bantam boys section - it's 12' long, like the roofing pieces, so it was a perfect fit. it blocks the wind that comes along the ground nicely... that section of the Bachelor Pen is the most exposed. I need to get handyman back up to help me wrap the whole thing. most of the work we did last week didn't hold up to the wind. it won't be as cold tomorrow, and Thursday is supposed to be back up in the 50's. I have time to finish up before it turns into a mini ice age, but I can't mess around!

I could move Peach and her flock into the dome. there is more than enough room in there for all 9 of them. I don't know how much conflict would occur for Peach now that 9 birds "belong" to her and 3 of her chicks are high ranking young layers in the dome already, bringing her potential defense team to 11 plus the silkie who will need to be defended as well. when there were only 10 birds in there, Peach barely touched the ground. she flew from roost to roost, touching ground only once in between at most. I had food and water containers attached to the walls front and back, for her and Si, who ate while standing on the roost. I could do that again if necessary. I could then move the bantam group of 5 cockerels into Peachy's pen, and divide one large section of the Bachelor Pen into 2 smaller pens for the LF boys. smaller living space for the season, but less to wrap and maintain... too much to think about...

 

[gilcamp4]

8 eggs today! Almost a perfect day, if you consider that only one of the EE girls is laying I think!
6 of the G.Comets laid, Clarabelle laid and an EE laid! That is the most eggs we have ever gotten in one day! GO GIRLS!!!!!!!

Rogue is still limping, and I can't figure out why.... I didn't see or feel anything wrong. It has been several days, and I am wondering if I need to do something about it? Clarabelle and the chicks finally ventured almost up to the house... The comets will come up on the back porch if we aren't careful!

I took them a "pie" this afternoon made with home canned tomatoes, a little hamburger grease, and baby cereal that my daughter won't eat anymore, plus some garlic and red pepper flakes for good measure. This was about 1 , and when I went down to feed a little bit ago there wasn't any left. It must have been yummy! Tonight is supposed to be the coldest night so far... and snow flurries are possible.... I am not ready for this yet

yep I guess they are starting to lay, one of my sex links layed egg early this morning, they are not due till end of nov. but we have 9 others that should be laying, we got six eggs, hubbie found egg in middle of coop floor, maybe a new layer did not know how fast the egg would come. lol

 

[lindz8504]

yep I guess they are starting to lay, one of my sex links layed egg early this morning, they are not due till end of nov. but we have 9 others that should be laying, we got six eggs, hubbie found egg in middle of coop floor, maybe a new layer did not know how fast the egg would come. lol

How old are your SL? Mine started laying at 23 weeks.

 

[cheeka]

Congrats for all the eggs lindz! that is so awesome............ as for Rogue, it could be pretty much anything from tendinitis to the as yet, unknown... but it takes quite a long time for leg injuries to heal, after all, they only have the two, and can't really give themselves much of a break what with roosting and having to jump down, and all... as long as he doesn't have bumblefoot or anything obvious, just hang in there, he'll get better.

also Congrats to you gilcamp, for your new layers!

 

[lindz8504]

Congrats for all the eggs lindz! that is so awesome............ as for Rogue, it could be pretty much anything from tendinitis to the as yet, unknown... but it takes quite a long time for leg injuries to heal, after all, they only have the two, and can't really give themselves much of a break what with roosting and having to jump down, and all... as long as he doesn't have bumblefoot or anything obvious, just hang in there, he'll get better.

also Congrats to you gilcamp, for your new layers!

Cheeka, I started keeping track of them when the G.Comet girls started laying.... so far, just this month (12 days) I have gotten 52 eggs! YIKES!!!!!!!!!

 

[gilcamp4]

How old are your SL? Mine started laying at 23 weeks.

they are 20 weeks old I have 8 red and 7 black all hens I got them from a company that can tell you the sex of chicken so I ordered 15 hens and one rooster but he did not make it, they told me next time I get chickens they will send me 2 free. but we do have 29 hens and 2 roosters so we think that is it, but I had a easter egg hen and would like to get them again

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I got 6 eggs again today. 5 from the Comets and 1 from Clarabelle. Also got some pictures this afternoon.

Snickers checking out Sydney!



Bonnie.... not sure what kind she is. Any Suggestions?


Harriette... she is the G.Comet with the black tail feather.


Clyde

Hershey

Snickers


Gertrude... I think she may be part BR... Check out that crop! Usually the first to the feed bowl and the last one to leave!


The babies! Not so little anymore! The marans are bigger than Clarabelle!

Beautiful! I love your Hershey, she looks like several of Bunnys daughters we hatched this year.

Thank you guys! W4W you talked me off a ledge! I'll enjoy what I have!!!

On another note can I vent? I need a temporary run for the chickies for when they go out (still have a good 4-6 weeks). Anyway my husband won't help cause he's exhausted doing all the clearing for the fencing, permanent run (so really can't be upset)... But I'm so frustrated. I asked my dad to help but he just wants to build it his way! I hate being a girl sometimes... I feel so utterly inept. I work in clinical research for pharma so I can honestly say that I make a difference in someone's life (we do a lot of oncology, HIV, etc....no makeup) but that doesn't make me feel any better knowing how totally crappy I'll make this thing if I don't have some help.

My chickies have officially become therapy as I watch them to make myself feel better.

Its hard to do alone, but if you think in your mind how you want it, and then draw out your idea it makes it easier.
I always start with a frame and go from there.
When I did the first coop (large shed) and run, i browsed thru tons of the coops her on BYC.
I loved cheeka's idea, and did see a similar hoop coop, could also be used as a fantastic enclosed run with hardware cloth and only a partial tarp, for shade.
http://www.raincreekpottery.com/Pages/HoopCoopChickenTractor.aspx
I plan on a few for breeding coops but will use hardware cloth, not chicken wire since we have coyote etc.
90% of my coops I have done with oldest DD & myself. Some were flops.
DH may see you actively trying to do it and jump in and help... guilt makes a willing helper

Sillie Sue today. the winds were blowing and the poof on top would go with the flow...


I got lots of pics of Sue... but don't want to bore y'all... kind of repetitious after a while... and Isis finally held still long enough to get a couple of pics! her tail is still short, but all the feathers are there! she has darkened compared to pre-molt, and she has lots more blue speckles on her head

WOW Isis is just beautiflul! I wish I had pics of Bunnys girls, I have several with the blues on their fuzzy butts!

How many chickens do you guys all have now and how many eggs are you getting (and were getting before molt/less daylight kicked in)? You guys are making me nervous with how many girls I got. After this week I'll have 10. And in the spring I'm going to get at least 5 more. But now I'm nervous I won't have enough eggs! LOL I NEED MORE CHICKENS! WHICH MEANS I NEED ANOTHER COOP! My husband would KILL me!

LOL too many! I do not honestly have a count.

3 Oberhasli goats, 3 yorkshire piglets, 16 geese, 10 turkeys, 4 scovy, 6 pekin & 1 unknown misfit duck that hatched from the pekin hen!
(

she is a big flirt, think it was a wild duck) 70 or so quail, 30 or so guineas, and way, way, WAY too many chickens

My extra unwanted roos are free range. My backup roos live in a batchelor pen.
I used to pen all the boys, but they would get out or fight constantly. I have noticed those boys are exceptionally huge, so its been healthy for them, and better for my flock.

Quote: Its funny how we take things like snow for granted if we have always been around it.
We were lucky to just get a light dusting, but have teens forcasted tonight, BRRR!
I do plan to worm this weekend when I have extra hands. Pigs, Goats, everyone. Thats my thought too, what few eggs I do get, great time for it. I will still feed them to the pigs too even with the worming. I usually do it late fall, late spring so its time.
I wish I did have pics, asked DD if she will get some this weekend. Light may be a big part of it, good point! The old coop doesn't have windows.Just vents. The 2 little girls I suspect serama free ranged a lot this summer. They came from a discounted bin at the feed store. They have always been a little shy, will trust me, but are terrified of everyone else.