The Old Folks Home

[Peep_Show]

The 2014 Old Farmer's Almanac said tonight was a good time to set eggs as they'll hatch under a favorable moon sign for chickens! So ready, go, set!
Taken at midnight August 10th



I had 41 eggs, but only room for 40 and so a weepy Welsummer egg didn't make the cut (never trust a damp egg). They're all aboard the Bator Bus for a 21-day ride to Hatchville.
Notice the stark white egg in the upper left-hand corner? It's supposed to be a Cinnamon Queen, but I am highly suspicious about that. It was the 14th egg in a 12+ shipment, so no complaints...it's just odd. Possibly it's a California White (leghorn). The last hatch I did I also had a token white egg amidst my marans eggs because I needed a space filler as I had dropped an egg after submitting a count to a hatching contest. Thankfully TJ's was nearby and I could fill the void with a fertile egg.
The fattest eggs are Legbar x Marans Olive Eggers (F1 and blue) which will hatch out birds that lay eggs the color of the darker green eggs in the photo. The darker green eggs were F1's bred to FBCM and so the resultant F2 OE layers will produce something even darker.
All eggs except for the F2 OE's are sex-linked so that I won't have to feed a bunch of roos.

Here's hoping that the Almanac was right and it'll be a stellar hatch.

Here's an interesting observation: All the egg colors are the color scheme in my house! My walls are painted various shades of brown, olive, tan, cream with white trim and my wood floors are a chestnut color. Funny that. Who knew?

 

[JW12]

We had a wonderful day in the garden and I hope you do not mind me sharing some images .... I can hear the collective groan if I posted them on FB "Gees, more chicken photos!" and I thought you folks would understand We had a visitor: We only have a small 'garden' and the rest is lawn (it is still a work in progress): This patch of dirt belongs to the girls: Mother & Daughter: Dusty dug a hole next to the compost bin: and proceeded to have a bath: This pile of feathers is a combined Frizzle & Silkie bath: .. the result, one dirty Silkie: Thank you for looking!

I totally understand the " oh lord more chicken pictures" thing lol. I get it all the time too. I enjoyed them!

 

[Sylviaanne]

The 2014 Old Farmer's Almanac said tonight was a good time to set eggs as they'll hatch under a favorable moon sign for chickens! So ready, go, set!
Taken at midnight August 10th



I had 41 eggs, but only room for 40 and so a weepy Welsummer egg didn't make the cut (never trust a damp egg). They're all aboard the Bator Bus for a 21-day ride to Hatchville.
Notice the stark white egg in the upper left-hand corner? It's supposed to be a Cinnamon Queen, but I am highly suspicious about that. It was the 14th egg in a 12+ shipment, so no complaints...it's just odd. Possibly it's a California White (leghorn). The last hatch I did I also had a token white egg amidst my marans eggs because I needed a space filler as I had dropped an egg after submitting a count to a hatching contest. Thankfully TJ's was nearby and I could fill the void with a fertile egg.
The fattest eggs are Legbar x Marans Olive Eggers (F1 and blue) which will hatch out birds that lay eggs the color of the darker green eggs in the photo. The darker green eggs were F1's bred to FBCM and so the resultant F2 OE layers will produce something even darker.
All eggs except for the F2 OE's are sex-linked so that I won't have to feed a bunch of roos.

Here's hoping that the Almanac was right and it'll be a stellar hatch.

Here's an interesting observation: All the egg colors are the color scheme in my house! My walls are painted various shades of brown, olive, tan, cream with white trim and my wood floors are a chestnut color. Funny that. Who knew?

Just wondering if you leave the egg up by the turner motor? My instructions said not to so I haven't but I'd love to know who does and who doesn't and how it affects the hatching of that particular egg.

 

[drumstick diva]

Teila I love your yard photos - your birds are living in paradise and I hope they know it. The mom and daughter picture is my favorite. What kind of rooster produced a color like the daughter? What I know about genetics would barely fill a sewing thimble. Come on birds, give Teila some eggs, before she boils some water for soup.

BTW are visiting parrots a risk of disease for you chickens? I'm a worry wart.

 

[drumstick diva]

Peep Show wishing you a terrific hatch

 

[chickadoodles]

Teila your pics are very very nice and you chickens are very pretty. I'm with Diva I wonder if your birds might get something from the parrot.

 

[Teila]

Thank you!

Funnily enough the parrots are not the worry as they do not normally stay long .. it is all the Doves that steal food! They are carriers for worms, lice and mites and probably other things I do not think I want to know about

Unfortunately, there is no keeping them away. I am very vigilant with worming and lice & mite prevention and so far, doing OK. I have lost a couple of chickens over the years but not to anything that I could blame on the wild birds.

I used to feed these guys every afternoon. They would just come in, have some seed and then leave again .....



.... but sadly, I had to stop because 20-30 of these guys moved in and did not leave!



Now I have stopped feeding the parrots the Doves have dropped in numbers but I still spend afternoon feed time chasing them off. The girls have a covered run so it is only normally a problem during supervised free range.

Tee hee, that sewing thimble of knowledge you have of genetics is way more than I have!

To be honest, Cilla (probably should have called her 'hatch-mother') went broody and I purchased her some fertile eggs on-line. It was a 'surprise' mix ... the lady I bought them from just wanders through the pens and picks out a few eggs from each, cartons them up and posts them. She probably has no idea who the father is either

I do love my Blondie though, she is a beautiful little girl. None of my girls would probably win any awards and I have no idea about their breeding but I love um!

 

[vehve]

@Teila That's a nice garden, and some purdy chickens. Any of them the one with the broken time chip?

@Peep_Show Good luck with your hatch. That's a nice color spread.

It seems I was too quick to rejoice in Veera breaking her broodiness. She's been back on the nest again, and she's got the others trained to leave their eggs with her. This is Viiru making a deposit.

 

[Teila]

@Teila That's a nice garden, and some purdy chickens. Any of them the one with the broken time chip?

@Peep_Show Good luck with your hatch. That's a nice color spread.

It seems I was too quick to rejoice in Veera breaking her broodiness. She's been back on the nest again, and she's got the others trained to leave their eggs with her. This is Viiru making a deposit.

Oh my vehve; the ice pack celebration dance sounds like it was a bit premature

Luv the "making a deposit".

Thank You
Yep, the dirty Silkie is the one with the faulty time chip; that is Tina!

 

[Teila]

@Lacy Blues

Thanks again for the idea of grating the apple to see if my girls would eat it. I tried that trick today but alas, they are not apple fans

They are the fussiest (probably spoilt) chickens .. they also do not eat their peas!