The Chickendad Chronicles
- Thread starter MrsChickendad
- Start date
- Aug 12, 2010
- 131
- 2
- 119
Hey...How are you? I hope that you feel better. I am signing up for the Alma show/4H Poultry Palooza because they are a part of each other this year. My line up of show birds is looking pretty good and I think I have a pretty good chance of getting some ribbons in the junior division. How did the BLRWs turn out for you? My bantam BLRWs look interesting. They are so tiny. I ended up with two hens and two roosters. I already know what rooster I am keeping so if you think that you want another project let me know. My one hen is splash laced and the other one is a dark blue.
I started a project earlier this month called a Shell less embryo culture where you can watch the development of the chicken embryo outside the egg. It is going great. Two of them were alive when I left the science class room on Thursday. I am doing bone staining of the remaining chicken embryos later this week. The stain is for the presence of calcium. So I will be able to see the contrast of bone and cartilage.
I am excited.
Glad to hear you are better, Mrs. Chickendad. Do you really want to keep you head attached all the time? I find it convenient to lose mine once and awhile. Then I have a reason for being disconnected.
Life in Chicken City continues, and spring is arriving post haste. Yesterday we found where Blackie has been hiding her eggs, in plain site. She has been visiting the yellow coop and building a clutch there. DH brought in today's egg and she followed him up to the house giving him a "good what for" and continued for several minutes after he went in. Don't think she'll ask for petting today. He found 4 of her eggs yesterday. The days total was 19 eggs, and we have only 16 hens that are laying right now. The day before the girls only laid 6, they were mad because they have been on lock down for a couple days. I expected yesterday to be a good day, but 19!
The 15 yellow sex links aren't laying yet, though it won't be long. Lucky had his first visit from the hormone fairy, and is now attempting to mate his girls - they run screaming. I figure when they are more red in the face, the squat appears and Lucky gets lucky, I can start expecting eggs. DH was out calming the teen girls this morning after their visit from PJ, the head rooster. PJ mistakenly thought they were inviting him over for a good time and hysteria reigned.
We have had almost 2 months of normal rain, and it is green for the first time in months. It is also warming up and bugs are awakening, so the girls have been stuffing themselves during their daily foraging. This spring they discovered the neighbors side of the fence (barb wire) and have taken to eating his bugs and wandering down the grassy path to the woods of preditation. DH chases them back home with the chicken net (tool of discipline) and then confines them to their yard for the rest of the day; Anyhow, yesterday, the blue coop was having their hours of freedom, and after looking out the window he heads out with the net. I look up and see the girls and PJ racing back to their yard, and I could hear "We're sorry" "We didn't mean to go there" "We got distracted" "The bugs called our names" All the time they were doing the wing-assisted-running so the evil net couldn't ensnare them.
The babies did not arrive this AM, and I will be calling Privitt to make sure they did go out Monday. I suspect they did, and then set at the PO holding facility until Tuesday. They're probably in the Dallas area and I'll get them tomorrow. Nava's chicks were shipped yesterday, so if they don't come before tomorrow they shouldn't be stressed. Anyway, I am out to finish the super brooder, not that it will get done today, the babies can handle the old baby cage for a couple days. 55 babies won't fit in it for long. I know, 55, just 55... you are thinking. My biggest batch yet and since almost half are for someone else I should net about 15-18 pullets, a couple roos to guard the new or repopulated harems, and still maybe 10 boys for the freezer. More than enough - oops, forgot the 9 eggs incubating at the GD's house due to hatch during her spring break. My luck they will be 8 boys. Definitely enough new chickens for the year. Of course will sell some off in the summer.
So that is life here in Chicken City (I sell my eggs under the name, Chicken City Eggs, and have a website for folks to visit if they want to buy eggs. No I do not make a profit)
Life in Chicken City continues, and spring is arriving post haste. Yesterday we found where Blackie has been hiding her eggs, in plain site. She has been visiting the yellow coop and building a clutch there. DH brought in today's egg and she followed him up to the house giving him a "good what for" and continued for several minutes after he went in. Don't think she'll ask for petting today. He found 4 of her eggs yesterday. The days total was 19 eggs, and we have only 16 hens that are laying right now. The day before the girls only laid 6, they were mad because they have been on lock down for a couple days. I expected yesterday to be a good day, but 19!
The 15 yellow sex links aren't laying yet, though it won't be long. Lucky had his first visit from the hormone fairy, and is now attempting to mate his girls - they run screaming. I figure when they are more red in the face, the squat appears and Lucky gets lucky, I can start expecting eggs. DH was out calming the teen girls this morning after their visit from PJ, the head rooster. PJ mistakenly thought they were inviting him over for a good time and hysteria reigned.
We have had almost 2 months of normal rain, and it is green for the first time in months. It is also warming up and bugs are awakening, so the girls have been stuffing themselves during their daily foraging. This spring they discovered the neighbors side of the fence (barb wire) and have taken to eating his bugs and wandering down the grassy path to the woods of preditation. DH chases them back home with the chicken net (tool of discipline) and then confines them to their yard for the rest of the day; Anyhow, yesterday, the blue coop was having their hours of freedom, and after looking out the window he heads out with the net. I look up and see the girls and PJ racing back to their yard, and I could hear "We're sorry" "We didn't mean to go there" "We got distracted" "The bugs called our names" All the time they were doing the wing-assisted-running so the evil net couldn't ensnare them.
The babies did not arrive this AM, and I will be calling Privitt to make sure they did go out Monday. I suspect they did, and then set at the PO holding facility until Tuesday. They're probably in the Dallas area and I'll get them tomorrow. Nava's chicks were shipped yesterday, so if they don't come before tomorrow they shouldn't be stressed. Anyway, I am out to finish the super brooder, not that it will get done today, the babies can handle the old baby cage for a couple days. 55 babies won't fit in it for long. I know, 55, just 55... you are thinking. My biggest batch yet and since almost half are for someone else I should net about 15-18 pullets, a couple roos to guard the new or repopulated harems, and still maybe 10 boys for the freezer. More than enough - oops, forgot the 9 eggs incubating at the GD's house due to hatch during her spring break. My luck they will be 8 boys. Definitely enough new chickens for the year. Of course will sell some off in the summer.
So that is life here in Chicken City (I sell my eggs under the name, Chicken City Eggs, and have a website for folks to visit if they want to buy eggs. No I do not make a profit)
So glad you are feeling better, Mrs Chickendad!!!!
It's really starting to feel like Spring here: It is warmer and very foggy and drizzly (Not great if you want to leave the island!) The redbreasts are saying rude things to each other accross the garden, and three out of four of my hens are laying.
My beautiful Buffy from last year's hatch makes the most enormous eggs, and has turned out to be the friendliest of girls. She is number 2 in the hirarchy after Hermione (her pseudo mom).
My crowing bantam wyandotte hen seems to have decided to be quiet as it upsets Bonus (the cockerel from 2 year's ago's hatch). Bonus is quite confused sbout Poor Abby: If she is a girl, she should need seeing to...but no dice. And if she crows she needs seeing to in other ways...
Hermione should be starting to think about going broody again very soon. She will be getting blue laying Dorking babies this year. We can't wait!!!
Thinking of you, dear Mrs Chickendad!
It's really starting to feel like Spring here: It is warmer and very foggy and drizzly (Not great if you want to leave the island!) The redbreasts are saying rude things to each other accross the garden, and three out of four of my hens are laying.
My beautiful Buffy from last year's hatch makes the most enormous eggs, and has turned out to be the friendliest of girls. She is number 2 in the hirarchy after Hermione (her pseudo mom).
My crowing bantam wyandotte hen seems to have decided to be quiet as it upsets Bonus (the cockerel from 2 year's ago's hatch). Bonus is quite confused sbout Poor Abby: If she is a girl, she should need seeing to...but no dice. And if she crows she needs seeing to in other ways...
Hermione should be starting to think about going broody again very soon. She will be getting blue laying Dorking babies this year. We can't wait!!!
Thinking of you, dear Mrs Chickendad!
Cochin!
That sounds REALLY interesting and WAY cool!!!!
Can I come and assist???!!!!
PLEASE let us know how you get on!
x
That sounds REALLY interesting and WAY cool!!!!
Can I come and assist???!!!!
PLEASE let us know how you get on!
x
- Aug 12, 2010
- 131
- 2
- 119
Hey, Fluffy.
They survived until day 14 and now I am doing part two which is bone staining. I am also devising a new type of sterile chamber that I think will work allot better along with trying to use only one incubator. If you are interested in trying it yourself I can send you a procedure. I have made many amendments to the original. I am going to do this three more times this year. I am using this experiment to get scholarships.
If you would like when I am done I can create a page about it.
They survived until day 14 and now I am doing part two which is bone staining. I am also devising a new type of sterile chamber that I think will work allot better along with trying to use only one incubator. If you are interested in trying it yourself I can send you a procedure. I have made many amendments to the original. I am going to do this three more times this year. I am using this experiment to get scholarships.
If you would like when I am done I can create a page about it.
Cochin...
It's all WAY too scientific for me to try! But REALLY interesting!
Would love to read about it all.
And I hope it goes well and you get lots of little fluffy butts and a mahousive scholarship!!!!
Good luck with it all!!!!
xxx
Cochin...PLEASE CREATE A PAGE!! Fascinating!! THANK YOU!!!
Life in Chicken City
Things have finally quieted down in the yellow coop, the ladies are grown up now, can accept Lucky's attentions with just a fluff of feathers. Eggs have started, I have the first dozen pullet eggs set aside for Easter, GD is looking forward to coloring them, the 'baby' eggs are so cute. One girl has started out with a medium egg, so I guess she may just produce jumbos once she has the swing of things.
I am still using my old brooder in the garage, "Super Brooder" is missing one side panel, and the lid. I just haven't had the go to work outside. It doesn't help that it is garden time. I missed all the really cool weather planting time, so not I will just get the hot weather things in the ground. The greens and all will have to wait until fall. (Love TX weather - 3 months of fall,winter and spring - 4 if we are lucky. But back to the brooder, I have my 20 EE chicks getting bigger, they are half way to moving their new home. I am raising them for a friend that just has terrible luck with babies. Anyhow, my 5 NH are starting to look red, and the EEs are getting so cut, Looks like I have a boy, but I don't intend on keeping him. I had wanted 5 for me, so 25 were ordered from a large hatchery in NM. Well, they didn't get here until Thurs and were so stressed, I lost 5 the first 24 hours, and I rarely lose one. Won't be ordering there again.
This week was spring break, so three weeks ago I was rushing around getting the incubator set up and collecting a few eggs from my ladies, as my GD wanted to hatch some chicks. So amid all the running around I the stuff up at here house. Yesterday we moved the babies into the brooder tub. I suspect momma will be tired of Chickie dust and they will be in my garage in a couple weeks. We place 9 eggs, one wasn't fertile, so 8 went the distance and 7 hatched. Even have one Naked Neck chick. I also have 4 that are marked like EEs, not surprising since PJ is an EE roo. I am curious to see how the NN chick grows out, hopefully it is a girl. Lets hope it is not one of those 80% male hatches. So I still may have some EE girls this spring. Otherwise no further additions until the fall, when I finally get my NN chicks.
Mrs Chicken Dad, take care. Hope you can get back to your feisty self.
Julie
Things have finally quieted down in the yellow coop, the ladies are grown up now, can accept Lucky's attentions with just a fluff of feathers. Eggs have started, I have the first dozen pullet eggs set aside for Easter, GD is looking forward to coloring them, the 'baby' eggs are so cute. One girl has started out with a medium egg, so I guess she may just produce jumbos once she has the swing of things.
I am still using my old brooder in the garage, "Super Brooder" is missing one side panel, and the lid. I just haven't had the go to work outside. It doesn't help that it is garden time. I missed all the really cool weather planting time, so not I will just get the hot weather things in the ground. The greens and all will have to wait until fall. (Love TX weather - 3 months of fall,winter and spring - 4 if we are lucky. But back to the brooder, I have my 20 EE chicks getting bigger, they are half way to moving their new home. I am raising them for a friend that just has terrible luck with babies. Anyhow, my 5 NH are starting to look red, and the EEs are getting so cut, Looks like I have a boy, but I don't intend on keeping him. I had wanted 5 for me, so 25 were ordered from a large hatchery in NM. Well, they didn't get here until Thurs and were so stressed, I lost 5 the first 24 hours, and I rarely lose one. Won't be ordering there again.
This week was spring break, so three weeks ago I was rushing around getting the incubator set up and collecting a few eggs from my ladies, as my GD wanted to hatch some chicks. So amid all the running around I the stuff up at here house. Yesterday we moved the babies into the brooder tub. I suspect momma will be tired of Chickie dust and they will be in my garage in a couple weeks. We place 9 eggs, one wasn't fertile, so 8 went the distance and 7 hatched. Even have one Naked Neck chick. I also have 4 that are marked like EEs, not surprising since PJ is an EE roo. I am curious to see how the NN chick grows out, hopefully it is a girl. Lets hope it is not one of those 80% male hatches. So I still may have some EE girls this spring. Otherwise no further additions until the fall, when I finally get my NN chicks.
Mrs Chicken Dad, take care. Hope you can get back to your feisty self.
Julie
- Thread starter
- #160
Further Adventures of Little Chickie #18
Little Chickie #18 was nearly ready to go back in with her girlfriends, but Mrs. Chickendad noticed she was still a bit sneezy. So she put Little Chickie #18 in a crate and brought her into the living room where she would remember to give Little Chickie her medicine and see that she had plenty to eat.
Chickendad came by and decided Little Chickie needed some exercise, so her let her out of her crate so she could investigate the house. Pretty soon, the Chickendads heard the “ticka ticka ticka” of her claws on the kitchen floor. She went over to where Mrs. Chickendad keeps her chicken shoes, and perched on the shoes long enough to leave a few surprises for Mrs. Chickendad the next time she put her shoes on. Little Chickie was grateful!
Little Chickie likes to sit where she can keep track of both Chickendads. If there is only one of them available, she will follow after them.
The Grandchicken children came for a visit on Saturday. Little Chickie enjoyed the time outdoors and did some landscaping in the flower beds. Pretty soon she noticed Chickendad and Grandchicken Natalie walking across the lawn to the tree house. Little Chickie #18 could not get her drumsticks pumping fast enough. She had to catch up with them! She took off with her little white cochin feathers trailing behind her. Mrs. Chickendad scooped her up and put the little girl on her lap. Bobby the Big Ameraucana and his ladies were out trolling, and she was afraid Bobby would be trolling for little cochin girls, as he has been known to do in the past. But as long as Little Chickie had one of the Chickendads available, she was happy.
Little Chickie has appointed herself Personal Trainer to Chickendad when he does his exercises on the living room floor:
Little Chickie #18 was nearly ready to go back in with her girlfriends, but Mrs. Chickendad noticed she was still a bit sneezy. So she put Little Chickie #18 in a crate and brought her into the living room where she would remember to give Little Chickie her medicine and see that she had plenty to eat.
Chickendad came by and decided Little Chickie needed some exercise, so her let her out of her crate so she could investigate the house. Pretty soon, the Chickendads heard the “ticka ticka ticka” of her claws on the kitchen floor. She went over to where Mrs. Chickendad keeps her chicken shoes, and perched on the shoes long enough to leave a few surprises for Mrs. Chickendad the next time she put her shoes on. Little Chickie was grateful!
Little Chickie likes to sit where she can keep track of both Chickendads. If there is only one of them available, she will follow after them.
The Grandchicken children came for a visit on Saturday. Little Chickie enjoyed the time outdoors and did some landscaping in the flower beds. Pretty soon she noticed Chickendad and Grandchicken Natalie walking across the lawn to the tree house. Little Chickie #18 could not get her drumsticks pumping fast enough. She had to catch up with them! She took off with her little white cochin feathers trailing behind her. Mrs. Chickendad scooped her up and put the little girl on her lap. Bobby the Big Ameraucana and his ladies were out trolling, and she was afraid Bobby would be trolling for little cochin girls, as he has been known to do in the past. But as long as Little Chickie had one of the Chickendads available, she was happy.
Little Chickie has appointed herself Personal Trainer to Chickendad when he does his exercises on the living room floor:
Similar threads
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
There is a time and place for shenanigans. (edit: THIS is that time and place)- Started by azurbanclucker
- Replies: 448
-
Caged Bird and Parrot Thread!!!!- Started by ShrekDawg
- Replies: 351
-
This is what a balanced layer feed with no treats delivers- Started by Perris
- Replies: 122
-
-
-
