Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[cheeka]

it's fine... i'm cheering along with ya... they'll start... someday... I have to buy chicken feed tomorrow, so I'm not enthusiastic about spending $$ for eggs, I'm waiting it out. (for 10 days anyway, if I don't have eggs by then, I'll have to rethink my decision.)

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Before long you will be asking everyone to save you empty egg cartons. (Better start now)

 

[cheeka]

I started saving my cartons the same week that I rescued the chicks! I have 4 "dozen" and 2 "half dozen" saved, those are for sharing with others... mine I will keep in a bowl, like i did way back when... a friend who lives on my route is saving hers for me, she has her daughter and grandchildren living with her, so they eat lots more eggs, on the whole, than I do... she will be the first that I share with

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I may ask chuck if he wants him back, but maybe not since he told me I could eat him if I wanted, he has four more. I will let the other chickens watch, as today, they all seem much happier, so they will know the tyrant has met his end. I will keep his feathers, black with blue green and purple sheen. My game hen has a little roo and she is teaching him very well..he's going to be a good looking roo also. Right now he has a tiny little comb finally apparent. I'm down to four eggs a day since Reba's trauma, but she sat on my arm this morning and is getting around fine....I should have snatched out a saddle feather in front of her so he knows what that feels like...big bully....make him squawk like a chicken. No, I know he's just a stupid bird. Maybe I'll tether him out in the yard and let all the chickens laugh at him. What do you think should be his fate.?

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Cheeka - are you preparing for a population explosion this spring? I am counting the pullets I have and it seems like alot..and out of those...who might go broody. Plus if I can keep the three best broodies I have now, hatching ten eggs twice a year - at least sixty chicks next year. ( now, there are six pullets I think will brood, and I'm not counting the twenty or so chicks still with the broody) you may want to think about getting more hens...just saying... of course you can always limit the number of eggs they sit on...but...I can't seem to do that.

 

[cheeka]

I only have 6 large fowl pullets, 1 bantam hen (my new Peach) who may not lay for a while because of the big move... and 3 roos... I"m hoping for at least one broody... the 2 new boys don't mind living with just Peach for now, and I will give them time with my blue girls and see what happens... of course... I want more... chickens are fun! and I have room, and I have land and resources to make even more room...

 

[okallthis4eggs]

I may ask chuck if he wants him back, but maybe not since he told me I could eat him if I wanted, he has four more. I will let the other chickens watch, as today, they all seem much happier, so they will know the tyrant has met his end. I will keep his feathers, black with blue green and purple sheen. My game hen has a little roo and she is teaching him very well..he's going to be a good looking roo also. Right now he has a tiny little comb finally apparent. I'm down to four eggs a day since Reba's trauma, but she sat on my arm this morning and is getting around fine....I should have snatched out a saddle feather in front of her so he knows what that feels like...big bully....make him squawk like a chicken. No, I know he's just a stupid bird. Maybe I'll tether him out in the yard and let all the chickens laugh at him. What do you think should be his fate.?

No tether or snatching out feathers. Like you say he is just a stupid bird. No need to torture him. I know you wouldn't but other people read this too and might not understand that your joking. You asked so my choices are #1 rehome him. #2 clean quick kill if he goes in the freezer.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Yes, I am just joking, it wouldn't accomplish anything, hope no one takes it seriously, I did hold him on the ground though and let them all laugh. Interesting that all the chickens are coming to feed close to me now when before they didn't, especially the pullets. Odd really. No, he is just a big dumb rooster and for all I know the hen could have picked the fight. But top gun in the flock is a well defined role here and there's always another ready to step up. Going after a broody or her chicks means elimination. Quick and clean, no caffiene.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

I think I have a broody. Maybe two are broody.

 

[cheeka]

uh oh... you finally got them to start laying and now they want to sit... I want a broody, but not til next Spring... one of my co-workers lives on my route, he has a broody, sitting on a dozen eggs right now. he said she is always broody and I can use her to hatch eggs if I need her... I told him I might take him up on that and he could have his pick of pullets, he likes my birds, he's seen pics on facebook...

we had a major line of storms this afternoon, 60 mile an hour winds... a tornado hit Long Island, and we were under severe watches and warnings, so I hustled to get home to make sure everyone was okay... the tarps blew around some and it was pouring, but everyone was fine...the new babes in the portable run were a bit more drenched, so I brought out a few things for them to hang out under... anyway, when I went in to visit, Archie got brave and darted out through my legs and out into the rain! He headed for the lilac so I just got up off my knees, blocked the way for the other two, closed and locked the door and went to find him...but... he wasn't in the lilac... he wasn't anywhere! I got so scared that something could have been lurking that close to the perimeter in the rain... and snatched him that fast... but I tried to reason with myself, he's getting brave, but doesn't really trust me yet, he's hiding... and I spent an hour in the rain, walking around, looking at every branch, in every hiding spot I could find... and there are a lot! I almost had given up hope and was getting ready to head back inside to at least get dry clothes on, when he came out of the garage! I leave a little gap for the cats to gain shelter in there. Now, I had peeked in there, but there is an awful lot of stuff inside and too many hiding places, so I listened and heard no rustling, no perping... then continued looking in the woods... we had to go around the outside of the garage in a circle several times before he darted back in, so I followed, then lost him amongst the "stuff"... I finally found him roosting inside an old box spring that is propped up against the back wall. I got covered in spider webs an all kinds of icky stuff trying to lure him out, and finally just spun the box spring out ~ he flew into my arms! We sat together for several minutes, calmly perping together before I brought him back. When I showed back up with him in my arms, his fellows were seemingly very happy to see him, and he let me hold him again before calling it a night... PROGRESS! it was the pitts getting waterlogged, but it was worth it to bond with him finally!

P.S. still no eggs...