The Burrow

[BleuSaphir]

@BleuSaphir Thanks! We went for some higher egg layers, and then a couple of fun ones (the houdan and brahma). We are going to (try to) wait 2-3 years until our next batch of chicks, but I'm already picking out what I would like next! I'm leaning toward easter eggers, but my husband wants to choose more for cool looking chickens rather than egg color (he really wants one of the varieties of wyandotte, and I also have heard great things about speckled sussex).

If all goes to plan we will have a long time before choosing

Just got one of each! Problem solved! You get the green egg, he get the variety. Personally EE are very variable in looks.

 

[ldirk7]

The Burrow chickens continue to grow and thrive! They are currently between 19.5-20 weeks. Still no eggs, but I have prepared the nests and put the fake eggs in! Judging by comb size, I think either Bonnie or Stella will be the first to lay!

We are adding the glass windows onto the coop this weekend finally, as our low temperatures will be very close to freezing next week. I am planning on making a coop article once that is complete since the coop will be officially done! I’m also starting to research and plan for my water heater and insulation for the winter.

Bonnie (barred rock)- Bonnie has gotten more and more friendly as time has gone on, and now loves to be petted and is one of the first on my lap. She broke off the tip of her beak a little over a month ago, and it looks to be growing back! I think she will be one of the first to lay.

Stella (buff Orpington)- Stella is my cuddle chicken, always on my lap, wanting to lay down and get pets. I think she will also be one of the first to lay!

Annette (houdan)- Annette is such a clown. She just is too funny when she moves around and gets chicken zoomies. She is my smallest bird by far, but appears to be buddy buddy with my top hen so she’s higher in the pecking order. I think of her as Rosie’s little toadie (like the bullies from A Christmas Story) lol.

Rosie (light Brahma)- Rosie is my top hen and one of my favorites because she is hilarious. She’s my biggest bird so when she gets chicken zoomies it’s just comical. She also just gets a bug up her ass randomly and lays down the law with my other birds, along with flapping chicken zoomies. Except Annette of course, Annette is her little buddy.

Ginny (rhode island red)- Ginny is my least friendly hen. I don’t have a ton to say about her because she shows less personality. I still love her.. as an introvert I get that we need our space so that is how I show her my love. Recently she has let me start petting her on the ground, which is improvement!

 

[ldirk7]

Ginny, our Rhode Island Red, squatted for me yesterday! I'm so shocked because her comb is not as big or red as Bonnie and Stella. Bonnie and Stella both did not squat, and I totally have been thinking those two would end up being the first to lay!

Fake eggs are in the nesting boxes, and I have my coop cam set up to motion alert so hopefully I get to see who lays first! I think we are close!!

 

[ldirk7]

First egg!!!!!!!!
Pictured here exactly as I found it, next to the fake ceramic egg. It’s way bigger than I expected!

We are so excited!! Unfortunately I don’t know who laid it! Weighs in at 69g.

Stella is my leading contender, she has the largest comb and has also squatted:

Here are the ladies enjoying a celebration feast of veggies and fruits:

 

[ldirk7]

Update: I've been watching the coop cameras like crazy today to find out who it was, and Ginny (Rhode Island Red) has been on the same nest that I found the egg in for a good 40 minutes!! I'm surprised- she was the first one to squat for me but her comb is still smaller than the some of the other ladies!

Go Ginny!!!!

 

[ldirk7]

Ok I couldn't take the suspense and went home and checked- Ginny laid another egg! So exciting!

 

[ldirk7]

Stella laid her first egg today, at the same time as Ginny!! They both broke out into the egg song which was so amazing to finally hear! So proud of my ladies!

https://imgur.com/a/PCNXMhQ

 

[ldirk7]

First full carton! (We have been eating some, too). Ginny has laid every single day since she started (darker eggs)!

 

[ldirk7]

I feel like I’m talking into the void here on my thread but I don’t care, I’m still gonna share my chicken joy!

I haven’t updated in a long time! My flock is doing well.. winter here is brutal and we have had a little bit of frostbite on some of my girls with larger combs on some of the ultra cold nights (-20 F and below), but otherwise they seem to be happy and healthy. My coop has enough ventilation- I’ve been monitoring humidity inside and out as well as checking for condensation in the windows. I also put up some wind/snow blocks around the run for them, which is semi successful. It doesn’t block all the snow but at least it gives them little areas to go to to have no wind and dry spots. I’m excited for a month or so when I’ll do a full top to bottom clean out- new mulch in the run, rinse everything of dirt, scrub the inside of the coop.

I still give them little treats every other day or so, usually including veggie scraps and some blueberries and bananas, which are their favorite!

All 5 are laying and seem really happy. We are really enjoying the eggs. I love them so much, and I’m trying really really hard to wait another year for adding chicks to space out the egg laying a bit.

Here are some photos:

Bonnie, today

My coop and wind block setup:

Camera photo of the nesting box line (there are 3 but they prefer one of them):

Stella (buff orp) and Annette (houdan):

Another photo of a coop hangout:

Snow still gets in the coop but it makes it better for them than without the wind block:

Cuddled up on a very cold night

 

[Iluveggers]

Have your Houdans done ok with the cold temps? I love the way they look but read somewhere that they aren’t cold hardy so we didn’t order one this year. So beautiful!