Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[showbarnmom]

I'm out of applicable pictures

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Pssssst! Take that black rooster and leave him would ya? He is really messing up my coop!

 

[cheeka]

so fun! good night everyone!

 

[cheeka]

oh boy oh boy!!! I picked up my eggs at the PO on my way home, and stopped up the road where the kennel was, and the guy said it was free! he told me he had put a sign up, but his 3 year old daughter took it off and threw it in the stream. Good thing for me! I have another neighbor who collects everything free and sells it for outrageous prices to visiting city folk. he would have taken it and charged me at least $50... it's missing some hardware but it will work, I have all kinds of stuff to use, plus I can simply attach it to Peachy's and use 3 panels..................... that's two sets of clips I won't have to cob... told him if he would like... come on down with his daughter to play with Mylee this afternoon. gave him 2 dozen eggs as well. I don't really know this guy... he lives almost a mile away, but what the heck... the girls are the same age and it's all about them anyway. gettin' to work!

 

[cheeka]

new pen is built, it's nice and small (4x4x5) and I tented the roof so I can stand up inside it's completely skirted in hardware cloth - I had exactly enough left to do it! the hw cloth covers all four sides up 3' and extends 1' out on the ground to prevent digging. the whole thing is tarped, with ventilation to keep it from getting too hot inside, but it's pretty dark. I got 8 eggs total. 6 SLW and 2 GLW. - the eggs are fairly small, but since I don't have any Wyandotte's, I don't know how big they are supposed to be in the first place. nice dense eggs... I did not candle them. I'm just letting things happen on their own. Mylee needs some attention now, so I'll get pics up in a little while.

 

[cheeka]

I tried to see if Violet would like to move in the new pen. Nope. she hates it. she clucked non-stop and paced at the door. so I let her loose... all the girls were free ranging, I wasn't sure what she would do... but she beat feet straight back to the dome, into the apple coop and into her favorite corner. so. I marked the eggs with a sharpie and gave them to her. she has all 8 and is very content. I'll save the new pen for when the chicks hatch. it was funny tho', when I was putting it together, Peach thought it was for her... tried to move on in...

 

[gainke10]

Okay, I have a question that has more than likely been answered many times. I have been really busy and haven't been on the best blog ever in quite a while. I have a black australop that has been sitting on the nest. She was sitting on 3 eggs (not hers by the way) and tonight I went to check her and there were no eggs under her. There is no rooster in my bunch, just the girls. Why is she going broody and acting like a rooster...trying to crow?? being dominate to the others by getting on their backs?? I just don't get it. Another question...is anyone having trouble with gnats?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Okay, I have a question that has more than likely been answered many times. I have been really busy and haven't been on the best blog ever in quite a while. I have a black australop that has been sitting on the nest. She was sitting on 3 eggs (not hers by the way) and tonight I went to check her and there were no eggs under her. There is no rooster in my bunch, just the girls. Why is she going broody and acting like a rooster...trying to crow?? being dominate to the others by getting on their backs?? I just don't get it. Another question...is anyone having trouble with gnats?

You answered your own question, you have no rooster. Sometimes a dominant hen will take the job!

the buffalo gnat is really bad this year. It can actually kill livestock, very nasty bugger. Use a quart bottle, add a tablespoon or 2 of imitation vanilla. Mix well and spray the birds, coops, etc. The gnats do NOT like vanilla.

 

[cheeka]

it's going to be a bad year for all the insects that love standing water around here... mosquito ~ something like 75 varieties??? I'm going to use the vanilla spray too! thanks JC!!!!!!

Violet is firmly planted, 8 eggs is nothing for her... I've seen her completely covering 14

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote:
I've heard you can use vanilla scented car fresheners too. You know, those type people hang from the rear view mirror.



Loved all the pics, everyone! I can just see Walmart being invaded with nosy chickens. There wouldn't be a speck of food left in the store and I'm sure Roger would figure out how to open the cans. Can you imagine the poop? Clean up on aisle 10... and 14, 3, 7... Clean up everywhere!