Texas

[A1momof3]

I got my daughter a white silkie. Its VERY cute, but I have to say its got some lungs on it...lol
Its very attached to my Buff silkie chick. They cant be apart or they cry sooo loudly. Its kinda sweet. Lol

Where do you get just a few chicks? I have been looking for a place to order just a small number of chicks and I can't find one. Also, I read that the silkie are not good with heat? Have you had any problem with that?

 

[jockeyeba]

there it is!! Thank you mobile BYC! Lol... Ahem. I present to you, ( the only picture that would download is at 80% completion ) my new breeder coop! Alas, its empty... I should fill it.

reclaimed materials...........

 

[GaryDean26]

We added a new group to our small flock! So excited!!! A HUGE thank you to Curtis Hale.

We now have 4 Cream Legbar pullets and a cockerel. I can't wait for our first blue egg! I tried to get a picture of each girl but one was a little camera shy and one loved it. Its a little picture heavy so I made them small but you can click on them to make them larger.

I am glad they made it home safely. I am guessing you didn't get any blue eggs today, but wouldn't be surprised if you do tomorrow.

I think that you will really like that cockerel. Of all the Cream Legbar cockerels I have kept past 10 months (about 7-8) he is by far the one with the best temperament.

 

[LBejaran]

Well, I have a problem. My hens were laying a month ago, but the weather changed and I assumed they had stopped because there wasn't enough sun. Now, however, I can't tell if maybe it's their diet. I started soaking their feed and they certainly are gaining a little of the weight they lost over the winter. I haven't gotten any eggs, though.

Should I just wait it out? This weekend, I plan on getting more feed and some whole oats to mix together and soak for them as I did last year during. Should I add anything else that may help? They get plenty of layer feed and they free range all day. I can't think of anything other than the weather as being the problem. It's so frustrating and even though I have 2 dozen eggs in the fridge that I'm making my way through, I worry that maybe something I am doing is wrong. I haven't had this issue since lat year when I had barely started taking care of the flock. I feel a little thrown off.

 

[tjo804]

Well, I have a problem. My hens were laying a month ago, but the weather changed and I assumed they had stopped because there wasn't enough sun. Now, however, I can't tell if maybe it's their diet. I started soaking their feed and they certainly are gaining a little of the weight they lost over the winter. I haven't gotten any eggs, though.

Should I just wait it out? This weekend, I plan on getting more feed and some whole oats to mix together and soak for them as I did last year during. Should I add anything else that may help? They get plenty of layer feed and they free range all day. I can't think of anything other than the weather as being the problem. It's so frustrating and even though I have 2 dozen eggs in the fridge that I'm making my way through, I worry that maybe something I am doing is wrong. I haven't had this issue since lat year when I had barely started taking care of the flock. I feel a little thrown off.

I am not the most educated or "tried" person here but a few things to consider might be
Free rangers Are they laying them someplace else? (Hiding them)
Is or has something changed that may have stressed them out? A predator or change in their surroundings?
Are Snakes or other visitors eating the eggs?
Have any of their other normal behaviors changed? do they seem ill or extra scratchy?
Are they molting?

I hope this can help you grab a few new ideas
Good luck.

edited to add
Do they have enough water sources when they are out and about?

 

[A1momof3]

I am glad they made it home safely. I am guessing you didn't get any blue eggs today, but wouldn't be surprised if you do tomorrow. 

I think that you will really like that cockerel.  Of all the Cream Legbar cockerels I have kept past 10 months (about 7-8) he is by far the one with the best temperament. 

Where did you get theses beautiful birds? Are there any breeder her in Texas? I LOVE the cockerel, but they are all so pretty.

 

[TexasLisa]

there it is!! Thank you mobile BYC! Lol... Ahem. I present to you, ( the only picture that would download is at 80% completion ) my new breeder coop! Alas, its empty... I should fill it.

Very very nice!!! It looks.....so empty.....sigh.....you need CHICKS!!!

Lisa

 

[henless]

there it is!! Thank you mobile BYC! Lol... Ahem. I present to you, ( the only picture that would download is at 80% completion ) my new breeder coop! Alas, its empty... I should fill it.

I do believe it is one of the Texas by-laws. "If you have an empty chicken coop on your property, you MUST fill it up ASAP!!"

What kind are you planning on breeding?

The North wall is the right side in the bottom picture. These pictures are just the stall as is. When my husband gets home we are going to "pimp it out" LOL He is going to close in the open areas where need be and replace the cattle guard that is up with chicken wire and hardware cloth were needed. the back wall will be closed in and the chicken door will be back there leading out into a ginormous pin. LOL So there is a lot of work that is going to be done when he gets home next week. But I really like your brooder. I am planning on doing the deep litter, so putting it under the roost really wouldn't work well for me, I don't think?? But then again.... I don't know. LOL
The top of the stall will be covered with wire and ten in a way to provide protection from the winter winds but still have good ventilation.
Looking at your pictures really helps me picture the brooder the way I want it though. Thank you!

I plan on doing deep litter also. I just plan on either raking it off into the floor, or putting the roost poop in a compost bin. I really wanted my brooder outside and in the coop. Under the roost was the best place for it. I can also use it as a separation pen in case one of the chickens get hurt or needs to go in "time out". They will be kept up, but still "in" the flock so there should be no pecking problems when they get out.

Hey I just had a thought.... If I made the brooder a little shorter than yours, could I put their nest on top of the brooder?? Would there be any problems with that, that you can tell?

I had intended on making my brooder on the floor. Then got to thinking about having to get on my knees to catch the little buggers. I have RD (Rheumatoid Disease), and getting down on my hands and knees can be almost impossible. So I picked it up off the floor. This also doesn't take away from any floor space in the coop.

Well, I have a problem. My hens were laying a month ago, but the weather changed and I assumed they had stopped because there wasn't enough sun. Now, however, I can't tell if maybe it's their diet. I started soaking their feed and they certainly are gaining a little of the weight they lost over the winter. I haven't gotten any eggs, though.

Should I just wait it out? This weekend, I plan on getting more feed and some whole oats to mix together and soak for them as I did last year during. Should I add anything else that may help? They get plenty of layer feed and they free range all day. I can't think of anything other than the weather as being the problem. It's so frustrating and even though I have 2 dozen eggs in the fridge that I'm making my way through, I worry that maybe something I am doing is wrong. I haven't had this issue since lat year when I had barely started taking care of the flock. I feel a little thrown off.

tjo804 had some great ideas. The days are getting longer so hopefully it will help them to start laying again. Nothing worse than eating store eggs after you've tasted yard eggs.

 

[SlipsWife]

I am glad they made it home safely. I am guessing you didn't get any blue eggs today, but wouldn't be surprised if you do tomorrow.

I think that you will really like that cockerel. Of all the Cream Legbar cockerels I have kept past 10 months (about 7-8) he is by far the one with the best temperament.

I did end up getting and egg later in the day! He is very sweet. After having a mean Polish rooster (which I've since heard in uncommon for Polish?) the kids were not at all happy about another rooster until they spent a few minutes with him. He's perfect! Extremely calm, shows the girls where everything is. Our original group pretty much ignores him, other than our red Turken who just stand there and stares at him in awe.

 

[TexasLisa]

I did end up getting and egg later in the day! He is very sweet. After having a mean Polish rooster (which I've since heard in uncommon for Polish?) the kids were not at all happy about another rooster until they spent a few minutes with him. He's perfect! Extremely calm, shows the girls where everything is. Our original group pretty much ignores him, other than our red Turken who just stand there and stares at him in awe.

Awwww First Love.

Please take pictures.

Lisa