Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

little tufty chick got out of the pen somehow... and she has been eaten by something. just a pile of feathers left outside the pen wall. poor baby.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Waaaahhh! Not Tufty!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Chicken Bath!
My daughter was so curious as to what they do in that corner of the yard.

These are the two from the July Hatch. Around 5 weeks old.


It looks like he is checking her out. Question is...is it a her? I caught them fighting the other day which made me wonder if the little black one might be a boy.

At 5 weeks, a raspberry pink comb is usually a cockerel. To hard to tell for sure from pics on a monitor. Sparring and raised hackles is common for pullets too, so doesn't necessarily mean cockerel. You should see my Serama pullets in action! Looks like a cock fight!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

And my HUGE cabbage. They were 1.9 - 4.8 lbs!


For the record, creepy crawlies are the reason I am afraid of fresh vegetables. I won't do carrots (underground) onions (I did do them in a window box once) they are easier to buy anyway. I don't use many. Cabbage was the test to see if I could handle lettuce next year. I was growing them just for the chickens. Now I am being talked into cabbage rolls and saurkraut. The girls got one today. After finding two more worms on my counter tonight, I may give them all of them! Yuck!!
On the bright side, the plum tree that has not successfully held fruit in about four years has some nice plums. I gave them to the girls though. There is a tent of caterpillars on the tree I need to take care of. I also have to learn to prune the fruit trees. So much to learn/get used to. I am still a city girl, but I think I am doing pretty well!
OK, Sally ... Everyone! You had me walking to the house this evening with a Marans egg in my hand chanting, "I will not incubate eggs. I will not incubate eggs! I-WILL-NOT- INCUBATE -EGGS!!!" I may give in, and do it for the New Years hatch along. I (obviously) still need to lower my chicken numbers.
Night all!!

Beautiful cabbages! My girls just love them. Usually I'm not bothered at all by bugs on the veggies, especially if going to the chickens - extra protein and all that. At least if you can see a few bugs you know you probably aren't eating pesticides, which worries me more than the occasional creepy-crawly.

I say usually, because when we were in Hawaii, I got some lettuce from a farm market that was covered in little just-hatched slug-type critters. No amount of washing made me feel safe enough to let the boys eat any because the slugs can carry Rat Lungworm Parasites

which can give you a rare form of meningitis. And, of course, we were in an area where the problem is known to exist (Puna/Hilo). What's a little pesticide compared to rat lungworm larvae? Gory details at http://www.hawaiihealthguide.com/healthtalk/display.htm?id=732

 

[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
Not A Chance RK .....I Will Challenge To The End
Now Don't Get Corrupted....By Your BR Friend
You Will Get Your Prize.....Its Pie You Know
But First You Must Win.......There Is Five Days To Go
OK
So How Is Your Styrofoam Box Of Air.....Have You Lost Electric Yet?
And Watch That Humidity......You Don't Want Them Soaking Wet
It's Time For You To Get Nervous......Me I'll Just Sit Here Some More
It's Down To The Nitty Gritty.......The Day Count Is FOUR
RK Broody


No Worry Here....I Have No Reason To Doubt
Inside My "Box Of Air"......Four Chicks Will Hatch Out
Your Awful Sure About Yourself.....Make Jokes About My Ways
But I Will Be The Champion.......In Three More Days
OK
Good Luck To You.... I'm Done Talking Now It's Time To Prove
My Eggs Are Good.... They Will Hatch.....I Can Feel Them Starting To Move
So You Lock Down....And I'll Flatten Out....And See What We Can Do
It Won't Be Long Now......The Days Till Hatch Is Two
RK Broody

 

[okallthis4eggs]

THREE

THREE......Today We Laid Three Eggs. It's Too Hot. That's All You Get. Besides You Forgot The PIE

 

[cheeka]

Nine Eggs... dropped two, then broke two more, but the broody pen has been so reinforced it's ridiculous. no more losses. no real gaps to escape from down low even if there are some chain link areas to squeeze through, it's hardware cloth on the outside of that... unless it went out the chain link up high by the end of the roost... there was one spot possible, they've just discovered the roost over the last few days. it's blocked off now. had to be Tufty...

 

[lindz8504]

So sorry cheeka...
Good luck Ok. Isn't today hatch day or is it tomorrow?
I can't keep up!
I am getting ZERO eggs... both my hens that are laying decided they want babies instead.

 

[Sallysec]

Sorry Cheeka

 

[BullChick]

16 eggs today! Woo hoo! Wish I knew why so many aren't laying. Glad the new girls are picking up the slack! Or am I? 222 eggs, minus six dozen, plus 30.
222
-72
-----
150 eggs
+30
------
180 eggs

12/180=15 dozen eggs. I am giving DH's aunt (the best customer) 2 days, then I start cooking and baking! She was supposed to ask a restaurant owner if they wanted eggs. They buy by the case.