The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Melabella]

I leave for Hawaii on Tuesday for 8 days(won a trip to the Pro Bowl) and am scared to think how many posts I will have to wade through. Gonna try and keep up as much as I can on my phone, but seriously, it is Hawaii.

jealous

 

[aoxa]

So, today I got 6 eggs! I was finally able to identify 3 girls lay which eggs. I am pretty sure it is my red sex links that lay the darkest eggs. My barred rock lays the lightest eggs so far. I also finally caught one of my RIR's finally in the nest box. Before this though, my DH left for work, he told me he thought he saw a broken egg in the corner of the coop. When I went out sure enough, there was some evidence of a yolk, and what looked like a deflated balloon. Heck I thought, that must be a first egg from someone that I have heard about sometimes on here where the egg appears to just be a thin membrane, and shell less. I was convinced this morning, it was a first time layer, and looked forward to the day. Well, jump forward to me seeing the RIR in the box. After I saw her out of the coop and in the run, I went to see what her egg looked like, reached in and went to pick up.....
another soft balloon egg! It was like a paper egg, filled with water! And the coloring was so odd,, darker brown on top and bottom, and pale in between.. like a stripped Easter egg. Here is a picture of it.
The indent is my thumb print. I tore it open, and there was a perfect egg yolk and white inside.So, I give plenty of oyster shell, and have given back every single shell back to the girls from all of their eggs. I am hoping this is just new layer anomaly and not a chronic thing. I will watch closely tomorrow.


Can anyone weigh on this. Are there hens that always lay shell less eggs? I feel it is just new layer getting it right. Any body have experience with this happening?

So, this means I have 6 laying hens,, maybe more, as I am sure not all the hens lay every day. I think 2 are still a bit behind judging from their combs waddles and behavior. They still run from Duke, but he gets to them any way.

Thanks for listening... or I guess reading..

MB

Hen getting used to things. If it was an older hen laying a few of these in the middle of her cycle, it would be strange. Not good in my experience, but new pullets laying? Not a problem.

Give them some yoghurt too as a treat if you want. Probioitcs AND calcium. Plus it's entertaining to watch them go at it.

 

[Melabella]

Hen getting used to things. If it was an older hen laying a few of these in the middle of her cycle, it would be strange. Not good in my experience, but new pullets laying? Not a problem.

Give them some yoghurt too as a treat if you want. Probioitcs AND calcium. Plus it's entertaining to watch them go at it.

Thanks aoxa, was a bit worried...I was hoping for the same. I give them raisens and blueberries in yogurt, and then stand back....so funny how there can be a whole bowl full of berries, and raisens, and they still have to chase one another around when one has one in it's beak. "dummies,, there's a whole bowl right in front of you!"

 

[jlynnet]

I leave for Hawaii on Tuesday for 8 days(won a trip to the Pro Bowl) and am scared to think how many posts I will have to wade through. Gonna try and keep up as much as I can on my phone, but seriously, it is Hawaii.

Jealous! I would love to be in Hawaii again. Since np my boy Calvin Johnson isn't playing, the Pro Bowl wouldn't be so fun. I was away for 2 days and I just caught up! Whew you people can chat!
A hawk got my Wyandotte today. She was a loner. The others were all over hiding under things. Wish that bird would choose another hangout.

 

[Leahs Mom]

 

[Melabella]

Jealous! I would love to be in Hawaii again. Since np my boy Calvin Johnson isn't playing, the Pro Bowl wouldn't be so fun. I was away for 2 days and I just caught up! Whew you people can chat!
A hawk got my Wyandotte today. She was a loner. The others were all over hiding under things. Wish that bird would choose another hangout.jly

jlynnet,

SHoot.. that stinks! So sorry love. I have two girls that are like that... hang way back, like they don't have a care in the world. And they are nice birds too, I would hate for anything to happen to them. So So sorry....

MB

 

[jendodd79]

I can't keep up today! But just wanted to pop in and say hi

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

I can't keep up today! But just wanted to pop in and say hi

 

[delisha]

Delisha, for you. Haven't read the 3 pages I missed, I'll get back to it:



Quote:

sweet..I will have some rocking good silkies..I hope..woo hoo Quite a few porcelain and a few paints..Partridge too. more of the blue/ splash...no blacks..I do want the white..I have quite a few lav..I was hoping for black..oh well. The paints do look cute

 

[delisha]

Quote: Pullets do all sorts of odd wierd things when first laying..don't worry. Just like a young girl first starting menses.it takes a while for sexual maturity to level out and become regular.