Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[lindz8504]

lindz, that's a great price considering she's going to sit and do the selling! and those pullets/hens are beautiful!

Yea, thats what I was thinking too! I am excited to be getting them! Since I am going to be putting the boys in the freezer, that frees up some room! Plus I want to hatch some this summer if I have any broodys!

 

[showbarnmom]

1 egg today! Stoopid free loaders. *sigh*

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I am so sick of the mud.

X2! Mine is now froze solid

Next arctic thing is coming, and temps are dropping.
Supposed to not be as severe. At least the rain stopped early!

Cheeka - What kind is the bird that is sleeping to the left (if you're looking at the computer screen) of the silkie? She's got beautiful colors.

I just love all these captions. It's like I can almost hear the birds having the conversation.

I just ordered more chickies to come Feb 3rd. I finally convinced my friend to get chickens (she's been hemming and hawing for the past few months).
I'm going with Black Copper Marans (because I think the 2 I have are boys), Blue Cochin (need fuzzy feet), Golden Comets (maybe I'll actually get some girls) and Olive Eggers (why not)

My husband has told me too get more but I'm going to have to either get rid of some (shouldn't be a problem as I know I have at least a couple of boys I think) or come up with a bigger coop idea. My permanent run will be big enough to hold 20-24 so that should be no problem. I think I'll probably turn my temporary run into a coop until I figure it out. What's nice is by the time they're big enough to go outside it'll be spring so I won't have to worry about the temp as much as I will the wind/rain. And a couple of tarps/plastic should take care of that.

W4W - I'm doing a rain dance for you! Is it working?

I love marans and cochin!
I am down 19 chickens since Sunday. I sold 11 GLW today!
Referral from a customer, older gentleman came and bought ALL my extra wyandottes today.
Regretting processing all the boys, I only had younger cockerels to give him.
Roos are always free here if they buy hens. A tree wiped out his coop and entire flock during the ice storm and snow.
He has made room in his barn to house the flock until weather improves, and they will have a new coop this spring!
He was very excited to get them, and he really wanted Red too! Red is not for sale.
He has become a very good boy since he has grown up, and I am very pleased how respectful he is to his girls now.

Thanks for the sympathy. Remember the days when a woman was just a "thing"? Well, my husband has a similar way of thinking. He wants me to stay in the house when he is home. I rarely see my flock when he is here. That is just the way things are.
A television commercial made me remember that about a year ago, people were talking about an app. I don't remember if it was for hatching, keeping track of the flock (egg count, food consumption...) or both? Anyone here remember what app(s) I am talking about? Now that I have an iPhone, I can download it.

MEN... ah well we are stuck with them. Mine is a doll usually, as he gets older he is not motivated so much tho.
My youngest DD loves iPhones. I will ask her to look it up!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

MC, that is really cool - I may do something like this for the warmer months... PVC tends to shatter up here after a few winters... but it would last longer if I only solvent weld (glue) certain parts for good stability and still be able to disassemble and store for the worst part of winter... and that way, it could be expanded as there are still joints that aren't permanent... that glue basically melts the PVC and it fuses together as one piece, not a long cure period either. smart idea... lightweight, portable...

lindz, that's a great price considering she's going to sit and do the selling! and those pullets/hens are beautiful!

It does here too, I really want a nice sized greenhouse. May go with an aluminum frame.
Or cattle panels! I need to match costs and sizes.

I think Bonnie is either starting to lay, or going to really soon! She squatted today for both Rogue and Clyde! I also got a pretty light plum colored egg....Not sure who that came from

.... I think we decided which of the Marans boys is going to get to stay here instead of heading to freezer camp NEXT weekend! I am going to put all the other roosters in the freezer. The girl I've been getting the EE's from is going to help me! She is also going to trade me 3 hens for 10 dozen eggs! She has a wholesale buyer from the farmers market that she can sell to, and I haven't had any interest for my eggs here, and no time to go sit at the farmers market so it works out well for both of us. She is giving me $3/doz (avg price for our area) so I think it is a pretty good deal.

Here are pictures of the 3 girls I am possibly trading for....

They look lovely, and very healthy!

Noggin day 2

Aww, the booboo does look better today tho.
That is so scary when it happens.

Quote: I used a pvc frame so all the babies had a tractor type safe area in the grass last year.
Much smaller tho, but very light and easy to move. I need to build another one.
I forgot to bring it in, and the wind tore it up late last fall

well i have a lot of eggs in refrig so we are going to have scapple, eggs and potatoes for dinner, we have been getting any where from 17 to 26 eggs a day, we have 29 hens waiting for the day we get 29, gerry put a sign out front yesterday eggs for sale, hope someone stops and needs about 9 dz, i have 11 doz in refig, we have the old camper made into a coop and are talking about how to do a covered run, hubbie is 81 and is not going to get on ladder so we do not know what we are going to do.

Yummmy! you have to share your recipe! I like making hash browns with onion, bell pepper.
Eggs over easy, and top the potatoes... now tummy is growling

I got another tiny egg today, and it was covered in yolk, so there must have been a soft shelled egg too... waiting for bantam Marans Esther... she might be starting, although... it could be a Cochin. 4 Eggs so far today

-0- chicken eggs, 1 pekin and 4 quail.

CLindz, that is one of my EE's. not sure which one, without a face... I have 6 black and white EE's, this could be 1 of 4 that are similarly patterned - funny, their faces look nothing at all alike. different colored beards, or no beard at all...


MC, show this to your husband. since forever... the tending of the flock has been Woman's Work (sorry OK) see here? the man and the boy are sitting on their duffs.

Might also point out there is a lot of turkey in the photo ~

~ Wild Eastern, Spanish and Bronze...
What a nice addition they would be! Roasted turkey home grown is beyond amazing!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

1 egg today! Stoopid free loaders. *sigh*

I still haven't added light but I sure threaten to!
Some of my girls are getting a little older so I am ok with having them longer and less eggs.
It did help my quail lay. They are "house birds" and have become pets

DH really likes them.
He let me put them in the attached garage. They have light and heat 16 hrs a day now.

 

[BullChick]

This is the dog run. It is simply a few stakes with the fence hooked on. Easy up. Easy down.

 

[gilcamp4]

This is the dog run. It is simply a few stakes with the fence hooked on. Easy up. Easy down.

this is something like we have now, just want and need someting larger, the pvc looks good but we are in open no trees and get a lot of wind so the pvc will not work for us, the fence may be moved, i said something last night about it, he is thinking also thinking of how to add to camper. we have a large one but he saw a small one and said something aBOUT MAKING A L SHAPE we will see, i am going to be going in to clean the coop out soon it is getting to deep.

 

[lindz8504]

Its snowing! We will probably only get a dusting, but my kids are excited to see some of the white stuff! (ok I admit, I kinda am too!)

I had a lady message me about the roosters that I have. I had posted an ad on Facebook a couple of months ago, and had given up on anyone wanting them. I have made plans to process them on the 25th, weather permitting. I was surprised when someone messaged me about them. I told her that I would take $45 for all 6 if she would let me know for sure tonight and come get them. If not, then processing is still on!

 

[cheeka]

gorgeous afternoon for free range, temps in the 40's, light breeze, sunny... everyone had a good time, and virtually no rooster squabbles, except for the big white Foster and Henry...

Henry WON! this must have boosted his confidence... because when Peach approached him, he put on his best dance moves...

she was impressed and followed him all over the place!

she ran off lil Red... she's not interested in anyone but Henry... I can't wait for her to resume laying - it must be coming soon or she probably wouldn't be interested in any rooster...?

 

[cheeka]

lindz, enjoy the snow! but I really hope you only get a dusting... even tho' you can't make a snowman, it's better to have little... I also hope the lady comes through and takes at least some of the boys! it would be nice to make a little $$ - and eat whoever she doesn't take...