Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[BullChick]

I'm still here!

Been keeping up with reading, just very busy and there's not much new around here except dry weeds and fox tails... in Scooter's ears, that took a massive chunk out of the monthly (yearly) budget. No more small fluffy dogs for me. Head has to be above seed level!

My broody is still glued to her empty nest and is getting skinny and making me worried. I have to somehow convince her there is more to life.

Went out the other night to lock up, and my Welsummer was outside the coop on the chicken jungle gym (a pallet with legs) in the run. She was standing still and all puffed up and I thought she had some dreadful disease. Crouched down to talk with her and see if she would let me touch her. Nope. Puffed up more and turned away but very slowly and went back to being still. Looked her over as best I could and at the last minute discovered the problem. Just in time, stuck my hand out and caught the egg she was trying to lay before it splatted on the ground! Warm wet egg

but it can't get much cleaner than that!

MC, more customers than eggs! Cool! How much did you end up charging? Supply and demand seems to indicate you could charge a little more.

Oh, I read this interesting thing about washing eggs. It said to use water warmer than the egg temp, otherwise bacteria is drawn inside the egg through the shell pores. I didn't know that and have been washing with cold water for the occasional dirty egg. No problems either way so far.

I agree about small fluffy dogs out your way. I kept my Pom-a-Poo shaved down all year round. DH and I were in Ca 90% of the time (truck driving). I kept clippers with me for upkeep.
I charge $2/dozen for eggs. The first woman informed me that she was getting her eggs for $1, but that woman never had eggs. It sounded like that woman only had a few hens. I surprised her by saying that if I sell her chicks, I will only ask $2-3 for the newborns. She thought it would be more. I had already explained that I knew I could get more, but really just want the money back for hatching. Apparently she thought I would still want more.
I DO need to get an idea of what to charge for the chicks.

 

[kian]

Because I opened my big mouth:

SO! After being all proud at how my broody is doing with her babies, and how cute it was that my other Marans was being a 'helper' to Mama....

She went a little nuts. (definitely been talking to Roger)

I had this one baby (the light splash) that I had to rescue 10 times between 8:30 and 10:30 AM yesterday morning. The last time was getting it out from under the A/C unit. When I got it out, I noticed a little blood right above it's tail. I figured I scraped it. I slathered it in NuStock and put it back with the flock. Well helper hen started going after it big time, to the point she picked it up by a wing and flung it away then pecked it. I grabbed it right up, saw a little more blood, cleaned it off and re-slathered with the NuStock.

Put it back only to watch the helper hen grab it hard above the tail. BIG hole. *sigh*

Grabbed the baby, washed it good, added more NuStock, put it in our outdoor brooder box with the run to keep it safe. Kept an eye on it and it was doing fine.

Hours later I put it back, stupid hen did it AGAIN and now, besides cursing myself, I started to think that maybe I had been rescuing it all morning because it was being rejected. Mama didn't seem to care much when I put it back or the helper attacked it.

So then, after more washing and NuStock, I put it back in the brooder and went to get Mama. I put her in with the baby and the baby ran to her and she clucked at it and tucked it under herself. So... off I went and gathered up the other 6 babies and put them all in the brooder box with Mama and injured chickie. Mama was very attentive and I watched for a long time. No one pecked at the hurt baby, Mama kept it close, it was eating and drinking, etc. I decided to leave them all in there for the night to give the baby time to heal up and be warm with Mama. I was actually expecting a dead chick this morning, from shock or Mama deciding to reject it, whathaveyou.

This morning? It was out with Mama, and eating and doing all sorts of baby chick stuff. I gave them some greens and everyone was happy. SO...

After a couple hours in there, I let them all out. She had them all over the yard, no problem. Helper hen got out and made a beeline for that splash baby. Tried to peck it a few times but I didn't let her get to it. Now SHE'S in the brooder box jail, and she is going nuts! Pacing and making noise (she has eaten). Mama has had all the babies all over the yard, and the splash has stayed close by. She's given food to it. Not one of the other chickens has even tried to peck at it, and they've all been in a big heap together when I gave them some wheat grass sprouts. So I've figured that the issue is solely with helper hen. She'll be in isolation for a couple days until it looks like she's gonna be nice. She still hasn't laid, but she won't just sit on the nest either. Maybe this will break her of that too.



The little hurt splash is the one in the middle there (the blonde). This was taken about an hour ago.

 

[cheeka]

day 22 and Peach is tucked way in the back of her kennel cab, flat as a pancake, but no signs of anything from underneath her. yesterday's egg count was 16, today is 14... no one was let out to range today, too crappy weatherwise, and I'm tired. I picked up enough chicken wire to fashion a roof to keep the boys from flying out of their kennels, but they are still getting wet. I need to move their enclosure into the "little woods" but if I can't get a few folks up to help me, that means taking the whole thing apart.

lilacs and lily of the valley are in full bloom here, so beautiful and fragrant, and the peonies have buds, no buds on the day or tiger lilies yet... but soon!




















for washing eggs... i use warm water, warm as in comfy for my hands, but not more than 20 degrees warmer than the egg itself... (that's more for wintertime when collecting such cold eggs) but my friend is having terrible problems with bad eggs. first, she was using soap to wash them... and once she learned that was a no-no, figured that was her mistake... but since she stopped doing that, she's still getting bad smelling eggs and has been told that she is using too much corn in their feed. I use about 25-30% cracked corn in their diet, 30% layer feed, 30% BOSS and 10% mixed seeds and scraps. I've never had a smelly egg... and I use more corn than she does (probably) as far as I can gather.... she's not leaving them on the counter for too long, she does refrigerate after washing... but she just threw out some 75 eggs.

 

[cheeka]

kian, such a dramatic day! so glad that splash chickie is okay! absolutely adorable babies, can't wait for Peachy to finish up!

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Little Roger is roosting with the Big Girls tonight. Roger has been determined to roost with the flock and tried last night but got kicked out and Little Roger couldn't figure out how to get back up on the roost so they slept on the floor last night. Tonight Roger got up there early and tucked that chick under her wing and held on. (I helped a little keeping them away from her).

 

[cheeka]

OK, that is so cool! poor babies had to sleep on the floor, but tonight is a real big deal! Pebble was lots older before he roosted for the night! just went out to make sure the boys were all settled in and Carl flapped me so hard that he knocked my ear bud out, and I can't find it, not even with a flashlight. now I'm stuck in the window to talk on the phone... cell phone service is sketchy at best up here, and I keep the phone on the windowsill... I have a spare bluetooth, but it's not comfortable at all. oh well... live and learn, should have known better than to walk out there with it in my ear.

 

[cheeka]

oh yeah! who said something recently about being pecked hard by a chicken? I gotta say... gettin' beaked is nothing compared to gettin' "hook billed". Bird bit me. felt like a can opener biting my hand. hurt like all get out and bled!!!!!! and bruised!!!! Royce bit me today... I had to laugh... "that's all you got?" hardly felt a thing! (in comparison....)

 

[okallthis4eggs]

OK, that is so cool! poor babies had to sleep on the floor, but tonight is a real big deal! Pebble was lots older before he roosted for the night! just went out to make sure the boys were all settled in and Carl flapped me so hard that he knocked my ear bud out, and I can't find it, not even with a flashlight. now I'm stuck in the window to talk on the phone... cell phone service is sketchy at best up here, and I keep the phone on the windowsill... I have a spare bluetooth, but it's not comfortable at all. oh well... live and learn, should have known better than to walk out there with it in my ear.

Big broody is still on the floor with her three chicks but Roger is determined to roost with the big flock and have Little Roger right there under her wing. I had to keep the Comets off her till it got dark because she was in their favorite spot (of course) and they know how to move her.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

I'm going for it. Bought the lumber tonight to build a brooding house and attached run. Love the broody thing but they need their own space to raise chicks. Life will be so much more simple next time a broody hatches eggs.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Because I opened my big mouth:

Stuff like that happens to me all the time! Also can guarantee that a person will write a check in whatever line I happen to get in at the grocery store. Even the express lane!

SO! After being all proud at how my broody is doing with her babies, and how cute it was that my other Marans was being a 'helper' to Mama....

She went a little nuts. (definitely been talking to Roger)



The little hurt splash is the one in the middle there (the blonde). This was taken about an hour ago.

Perhaps the helper is responding to the light color? Not a very politically correct chicken you've got there!

Glad the mama is taking care of her little one.

day 22 and Peach is tucked way in the back of her kennel cab, flat as a pancake, but no signs of anything from underneath her. yesterday's egg count was 16, today is 14... no one was let out to range today, too crappy weatherwise, and I'm tired. I picked up enough chicken wire to fashion a roof to keep the boys from flying out of their kennels, but they are still getting wet. I need to move their enclosure into the "little woods" but if I can't get a few folks up to help me, that means taking the whole thing apart.

lilacs and lily of the valley are in full bloom here, so beautiful and fragrant, and the peonies have buds, no buds on the day or tiger lilies yet... but soon!






for washing eggs... i use warm water, warm as in comfy for my hands, but not more than 20 degrees warmer than the egg itself... (that's more for wintertime when collecting such cold eggs) but my friend is having terrible problems with bad eggs. first, she was using soap to wash them... and once she learned that was a no-no, figured that was her mistake... but since she stopped doing that, she's still getting bad smelling eggs and has been told that she is using too much corn in their feed. I use about 25-30% cracked corn in their diet, 30% layer feed, 30% BOSS and 10% mixed seeds and scraps. I've never had a smelly egg... and I use more corn than she does (probably) as far as I can gather.... she's not leaving them on the counter for too long, she does refrigerate after washing... but she just threw out some 75 eggs.

Haha! Great pics. Somebody likes lilacs!! Ours came and went last month during the hot spell. The buckeyes are finally blooming though, quite late for some reason. They have a lovely citrus-honeysuckle scent. I'll have to get some pics.

Weird about your friend's eggs smelling/going bad. I've heard folks say that feeding garlic or fish meal will make the eggs smell and taste garlic-y and fishy. I should try feeding butter and lemon and see if I can get the eggs to taste like Hollandaise sauce.

Little Roger is roosting with the Big Girls tonight. Roger has been determined to roost with the flock and tried last night but got kicked out and Little Roger couldn't figure out how to get back up on the roost so they slept on the floor last night. Tonight Roger got up there early and tucked that chick under her wing and held on. (I helped a little keeping them away from her).

That's awesome! It would be even better if someone could somehow get a picture of her roosting with her little minion.

Chicks are not quite 3 weeks, yes? Any signs of combs pinking up? You should be able to see potential boys soon.