The New Flock 2021: Back to Basics

[oldhenlikesdogs]

A few of my older Easter egger lay very large eggs. I prefer green eggs too, especially from my bantam EE.

 

[speckledhen]

I love blue or green in my carton with the brown ones when I can get them. Layla's egg was double yolked, but both yolks were larger than her norm. And it looked silly sitting in the carton waiting for me to cook it, LOL. (the color is way off in the photo, but Layla's egg is fairly pale at the moment. The paint wasn't made to cover a duck egg!)

I took the first step in getting the EE hens incorporated into the Omega Rocks. The barred kids had been out awhile, were dustbathing at the bottom of the pen when I caught all four hens and placed them outside. Immediately, Nathaniel came up to investigate. He met Layla, who sort of stepped toward him and that was the end of that confrontation. He checked out all four from a short distance, then went back to the communal dust bath. Eventually, the EE hens except Layla began to walk down the hill toward them, stopping under a group of young trees and watched. After a long while, the kids all began walking back up to where I was sitting on a chair as the hens went to take advantage of the dust holes. No fights, no nothing. Later, I told my husband that we'd put Nathaniel's flock back inside then herd the hens back and into their normal pen. So, the introduction was made without any fighting. i was a bit surprised, but pleased. If Maddie keeps up her bullying, she can go attempt to bully the Omega Rocks and we'll see who cries "UNCLE!"

 

[speckledhen]

Looks like Juliette is back on the endangered list. If you recall, she bloated up, was expelling egg yolk, molted hard, quit laying and never started back again. She regained her weight and was going on a nest here and there, still no eggs, but she was energetic. Yesterday, I saw that same bright yellow yolk on the ground and wasn't sure who did it. Later, I noticed she was getting that sunken look around her eyes and seemed lethargic again. This may be her last hurrah.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Looks like Juliette is back on the endangered list. If you recall, she bloated up, was expelling egg yolk, molted hard, quit laying and never started back again. She regained her weight and was going on a nest here and there, still no eggs, but she was energetic. Yesterday, I saw that same bright yellow yolk on the ground and wasn't sure who did it. Later, I noticed she was getting that sunken look around her eyes and seemed lethargic again. This may be her last hurrah.

One of my first hens has been going through the same thing. There comes a point where all you can do is make sure they are comfortable and loved

 

[speckledhen]

That is very true and we have done that so many times, I've lost count. I was hoping she beat it, but they almost never do. Sorry about your hen.

 

[speckledhen]

Juliette, my splashy-wheaten looking EE hen, was really looking awful today. I am pretty sure she won't come back this time around. She weighs nothing, but until today, at least she looked interested in life. She looked like she was shrinking in on herself all day long, very weak. She's with her remaining "sisters" until the end, though. She will be #3 of 6 EE hens I've lost since I started with this group in April 2021.
When she is gone, I am considering really testing Rayna, Layla and Shelby with the Omega Rocks for real. They are the largest-bodied EE hens of that entire original group, especially Shelby. Then, if I lose Tally, those two cockerels will have more hens to divide the love.

 

[speckledhen]

Iris, little blue Iris, is crowing. She's been crowing for two weeks, but i never caught who was doing it, only that it wasn't one of my roosters. I caught her in the act early this morning. Silly thing. Remember that old Irish saying? A whistling woman and a crowing hen are fit for neither God nor men. And another version goes like this: A whistling woman and a crowing hen always come to some bad end.
Iris is in mortal danger now, LOL! I can't whistle so I'm safe. To insult a rooster, tell him he crows like a girl!

 

[1muttsfan]

That just makes me want to run around whistling

 

[speckledhen]

LOL, yup, rebel to the core, both of us!

 

[speckledhen]

I have my first broody in quite awhile-Dove. Why now? That little goof is stealing whatever egg is put in the top milk crate nest box (two stacked on top of each other). I think only Phoebe and maybe Cricket in that entire group is laying. I've had no blue or green eggs in ages. Four EEs hens and no eggs in months. Juliette is still alive and I swear, this may be her second comeback, but she quit laying the first time she had egg issues and never started back. She still weighs nothing. Tough gal, that one. .
No way Dove is even getting test eggs from the Omega Rocks. Weather is getting worse, colder and wetter, and I just don't have it in me to deal with chicks in winter