Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

I was taking picture of the chicks.... and Brutus hopped right up. he hung out for quite a while

the whole family was taking a sunbath. I got a bunch of pictures... I have to touch them up, the sun was so bright it washed them out a bit

my Pie Assistants for the day... they have to sample each stage of preparation...


11 Eggs today and the meal worm farm is loaded with fresh worms! we'll have another harvest in the morning!

I'll get chick pics up in a little bit

 

[cheeka]

this is Tufty Chick... she can perk up those feathers... it's so cute

she's got them perked up in this shot, still a bit washed out, need to put them on the laptop, better photo programs...


one of the boys

both of the boys, too bad I cut off the face... but that's the one in the previous pic

the other pullet and Sillie Silkie

Tufty is gonna be a cutie! Mama dug up a bunch of really big grubs! and she got one all to herself, it was fun to watch her shake it and peck at it and gobble it up!

I didn't have as much photo time as I would have liked today... didn't get the details I wanted like their feathered legs... but they all have 'em.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

this is Tufty Chick... she can perk up those feathers... it's so cute

she's got them perked up in this shot, still a bit washed out, need to put them on the laptop, better photo programs...


one of the boys

both of the boys, too bad I cut off the face... but that's the one in the previous pic

the other pullet and Sillie Silkie

Tufty is gonna be a cutie! Mama dug up a bunch of really big grubs! and she got one all to herself, it was fun to watch her shake it and peck at it and gobble it up!

I didn't have as much photo time as I would have liked today... didn't get the details I wanted like their feathered legs... but they all have 'em.

Lots of nice pictures cheeka

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Quote: Two Weeks Have Passed......7 Days To Go
Got Your Silly Machine.....But I'm A Broody Pro
I Won't Get Up.....You Might Steal Them Or Cheat
Just Turn That Thing Off.....And Admit Defeat.
RK Broody

 

[cheeka]

RK Broody will beat the bator
you'll learn the truth sooner or later.
the pay out my friend, will be in Pie
the Pie's you'll owe will reach the sky!
the flock is counting on Broody
pay no mind to Roger, she's moody...
expect eggs in the nest and admit defeat in this race...
or else! you'll end up ~ with egg on your face!

 

[lindz8504]

Regarding the hawk. It won't carry off a large chicken. However it can kill any chicken you have. The hawk will eat what it can eat and leave the rest laying there. The fact that it is hanging around should alarm you. It intends to kill one of your chickens for a meal. Just waiting for the right opportunity. Now here is the problem. Watching out the window will not keep the hawk from killing a chicken. When he decides who will be his next meal he will kill the chicken when he makes his strike. You won't get outside in time to save the chicken. The force of the hawks strike will kill the chicken upon impact usually by breaking its neck. To compound the problem hawks are birds of prey and are protected. So you are not supposed to shoot them. However from my understanding most veteran chicken keepers say their chickens are protected too. They don't go into details. I won't guess.

I knew from the get-go, that hawks were going to be one of our main predators around here. I didn't think that it was big enough to carry off a large chicken, but I wasn't sure either. We are planning on building a covered run this weekend. I first thought that we would free-range and just deal with the occasional loss now and then. What I didn't really count on was multiple losses at a time! I mean, I knew it could happen, but was expecting that type of predator loss to happen at night. It didn't. It happened between 1 and 3 in the afternoon. I also knew that there really wasn't anything I could do to stop it if it really wanted to get a chicken, but thought that possibly I could make it a little more difficult, and maybe keep the casualties to a minimum. As far as my son watching out the window, it made him feel better that he was taking care of his chickens! Who was I to tell him any different? LOL

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Quote: Predators will look for the easy opportunity. Free range chickens are just that. It goes with free range and nothing wrong with it as long as you are willing to accept the loss when it happens. However sometimes they tell their friends about the easy meals at your place. Regarding your predator or predators and attacks in the afternoon I think you have a fox, coyote, or dog if you are not finding half eaten chickens. Those three will carry the chicken off to another location to feed their young or eat in peace because they know you will shoot at them. If you are finding partially eaten chickens that were attacked during the day then a hawk would be a good guess. Coons, Opossums, Skunks, are for the most part nocturnal and prefer to kill while chickens are roosted. If you find them dead in the coop in the morning those three are a good bet. Snakes I don't even worry about and I see them often. They are after the mice or a egg. It is worth giving them a egg when they run out of mice to eat. Especially black snakes I really welcome them. Snakes are like bats. Got the creepy reputation but really a very important part of the food chain. Love seeing your little guy involved. Buy him a live catch trap and let him catch coons and possums for you.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

RK Broody will beat the bator
you'll learn the truth sooner or later.
the pay out my friend, will be in Pie
the Pie's you'll owe will reach the sky!
the flock is counting on Broody
pay no mind to Roger, she's moody...
expect eggs in the nest and admit defeat in this race...
or else! you'll end up ~ with egg on your face!

I feel pretty good about my chances. But RK is a rock solid broody. Still to this day I have not caught her off of those egg not one time. So I will win

 

[Wishing4Wings]

this is Tufty Chick... she can perk up those feathers... it's so cute


Tufty is gonna be a cutie! Mama dug up a bunch of really big grubs! and she got one all to herself, it was fun to watch her shake it and peck at it and gobble it up!

I looove Tufty!!! When we were kids, none of the chickens got named except for one... Mary-chicken. Don't remember where she came from, but Mary-chicken was some sort of barred Polish cross and was super friendly (unlike most of the others who were more in the look-but-don't-touch camp). Her crest was awesome, poofy and round but swept back from her face so she had no trouble seeing. She would ride around on your shoulder and snatch her share of whatever food you might be eating. I'd be a happy camper if I could get another Mary-chicken! What is Tufty's cross?

 

[cheeka]

Tufty is a Marans cross, she's a Mama's girl but she'll let me take her picture. the other Marans X pullet is so cute, but hides under Mama, or in the lilac, or behind Tiny Sillie... OEGB Brutus is people possessive friendly. He flew up on my neighbors head. only fair... the neighbor is on his property after all...
13 fabulous eggs today, but still no egg from Blu. I have to get a pic of her, she is really beautiful with her new feathers