South Carolina

[emptynester]

Amy Nadine,

How is the worm farm going? I read through the first 20 pages or so of the forum last night and was thinking about getting started this weekend. Are you still separating the stages or just leaving it in one bin?

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Billy, just let her sit. Take the eggs from her every day and let her sit on air. She is about to go through a heavy molt anyhow so you would not be getting any eggs from her. Let her sit, let her body rest and then she will jump up and spit eggs at you all winter. If you break her now you will mess up her clock and you won't get eggs for Christmas. Feed her BOSS and chicks starter to boost protein levels and I bet she will give you a nice supply of eggs for this winter.

I read somewhere on here where the egg laying had slowed since the earthquake. Mine must not have noticed because they are still laying as well if not better. In another 3 weeks all mine should be back on line and giving plenty of eggs through the winter for me. Let the bird be a bird.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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How wonderful! Marans are not known to lay that early so you are obviously doing something very right!
Those eggs are going to get bigger and a bit darker as she gets it all lined up correctly. Exciting to find a different color in the nest!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Depends on what you want to do.
I would think they would still follow mama bird around once she comes off the roost every morning. As long as they are warm at night cuddled into a corner I leave mine. In another 3 weeks they also will be flying or jumping up on the roosting board and finding a spot under someone's wing. Sometimes the roo will snuggle them and other times it is mama hen or another hen that is sweet tempered. They should be just as safe as they have been though they will start wandering further away from mama hen as they mature. Chicks that have been doing well in the flock continue to do well long after the mama has stopped watching them so closely. They still run back to their own flock when something scares them and are just part of the group.

Most of you know I let my Silkies raise batches of chicks for me. Those chicks will wander out of the fence and mingle with the free range flock and ducks. I have Marans chicks still in the flock while Silkie chicks are growing up from another batch. Everyone gets along, even the skittish EE hen that decided 2 days to jump in and live with the Silkies.

My birds can be so silly but they do pretty well together.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

Big doins at the farm today! Our farm sign is coming to be installed this morning. Now we be somebody!

 

[dixiebeast]

Ok I know I should ask this under sickness but really wanted opinions of people I feel I am learning a little about....This morning when I went out for my morning check about 9:30(I was out at 5:30 also but most were still roosting) my grey silkie,yes the one that started crowing yesterday,was still "sleeping". When I went in the run he did stand but was kinda acting like he was still half asleep and didnt open one eye so I ran and got the hospital kennel(he was normal last night) and went back i to catch him.Or so I thought....he immediatly became the impossible to catch without pulling everyone and everything out of the run pain in the butt he always is...and I gave up.I went back out a little later and if you are on one side of him he keeps closing that eye and looks like he is snoozing but when I put out more food(they had plenty) he ran to eat.I see no drainage and he seems fine otherwise,no wierd breathing,sneezing,and no more clumsy than normal.My question is should I go through the dramatic catch procedure or just watch him and see if he just has dirt in his eye? All my other chicks are easy to grab but him and one BLRW roo that I swear is his brother in stupidity!!

 

[dixiebeast]

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See now I want a sign!LOL but with only 10 chickens (according to chicken math I have none!) I guess I have some work to do first!

 

[Larkspur88]

Had a chick hatch and it came out the egg with a crackled sound coming from the chest. Anyone experience this? I am hoping it survives!

 

[emptynester]

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I would just keep an eye on him and that way no one is getting stressed out

If you really feel like you want to catch him, you might have to give up some treats to get him to come close enough without all the chasing, zig zaggin and obstacle course.

 

[dixiebeast]

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I would just keep an eye on him and that way no one is getting stressed out

If you really feel like you want to catch him, you might have to give up some treats to get him to come close enough without all the chasing, zig zaggin and obstacle course.

I am watching him close...he is just acting very lazy and laying around unless I go in the run...but he is not his normal self.I am hoping its becasue it is cloudy and cooler this morn that maybe he is just being lazy!Thanks for the input!I worry too much about all my chickies!