The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Wow...I bet it has a double yolk. I'm with you - I don't like to see those or double-yolkers. Makes me a bit nervous!

I see you have an egg skelter...do you like it? I've considered getting one but I don't want it to take up too much room on the counter. I also looked at a ceramic egg carton which I think would take up less room but not hold as many, of course!

Here's what the ceramic carton looks like:

 

[Leahs Mom]

7,000

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
Yes, that is the one. I read that isolating an aggressive hen for a few days completely away from any flock contact, it helps them change their attitude. So I thought I would try it before just sending her to the pot. She lays too well not to try. So I put her in the 3x4 brooder box in the shed with the light on in there as to not trigger her into broodiness. Put a small box in it for her nest and food and waterer. Checked on her once a day for egg collection. She was in there from Sunday evening until this morning. She did not chase the 3 teens like she was doing ALL the time before. So depending on how she does with them over the next couple of days, she has a stay of execution at this point.

 

[Ashdoes]

Aoxa~I thought that big of an egg, from a hen that lays a smaller egg was an issue? I wouldn't be surprised to get such a big egg from one of the sisters(sex-link) but getting it from my cochins seemed something to be concerned about.

The egg Skelter turned out to be smaller then I thought it would be, I love it.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: When I left for work it was the big giant poofy wet snowflakes falling and we had about 3 inches on the ground.It looked so pretty on the bird betting above the run. The hens were yelling for the area to be shoveled so they could venture out, tho from the tracks they were out already in the snow (spolied brats) The temp was 35 degrees, warm for this time of the year. In the city its been snowing all afternoon and the winds have picked up off the lake so its bitter cold again. I am guessing probably more of the same at home just more snow.

But alas only 1 egg today per my Mom. Tho I did start adding fresh parsley & cilantro to their FF plus give it to them as greens as well. (cant wait for that hen treat ball to put them in instead of cutting them with scissors) Going to see if it changes their laying habits.

As Mumsy likes to say, you wont know unless you try it

Plus the greens wont cause them any harm so either way its good for them.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I'm trying the garlic in some wet feed but the birds did not really want the wet feed. I'm thinking I'll try it for a week and see if I get eggs. It is cold here today but no blizzard.

For those of you that are talking about the incubators, is it possible to get the money back by selling chicks or is that more of hope. I ask because I would like to see the eggs hatch but really don't want to increase our chicken numbers yet. And if I can convince myself and husband, there would not be a large money loss then maybe an incubator could be in my future.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Yes, that is the one. I read that isolating an aggressive hen for a few days completely away from any flock contact, it helps them change their attitude. So I thought I would try it before just sending her to the pot. She lays too well not to try. So I put her in the 3x4 brooder box in the shed with the light on in there as to not trigger her into broodiness. Put a small box in it for her nest and food and waterer. Checked on her once a day for egg collection. She was in there from Sunday evening until this morning. She did not chase the 3 teens like she was doing ALL the time before. So depending on how she does with them over the next couple of days, she has a stay of execution at this point.
Thanks. Please keep us updated. I may want to try that with "Atilla" if it works for you!

The egg Skelter turned out to be smaller then I thought it would be, I love it.

Really!!! Maybe I should get one!!!!

 

[Bulldogma]

Lookie what I'll be picking up on Sunday...


I'm guessing this one is a Silcochin (Silkie x Cochin) chick based upon the dark mottled appearance of the beak and legs.


Same Silcochin surrounded by either Heritage RIRs or Production Reds. More are pipping and zipping as I type (according to ki4got who has incubated and is hatching them for me).

 

[Sally8]

I got a super big egg from one of my Cochins girls today, double yolk.
It's the last egg in line, and next to it is a regular Cochin egg.

I'm really hoping it's the last, since I'd be sad to lose any of my girls. While I think they're lazy, they're becoming quite the fluffy pretty little things.

I continually get these huge eggs from my Delawares. I've been looking into little sitz baths for the fluffy butts.

 

[delisha]

Finally my first silkie..they sure have black skin..the egg is marked white but it sure looks like it is gold....wow that takes a long time to zip. The one that piped is still just piped and nothing..it is peeping though..nothing else on the rest of them. . Depressing for sure.

I loved that video..that chick just popped his head out..never seen that before.