Thistlewick Smallholding - Chickens & Sheep (for now)

[thistlewick]

She's gorgeous.... I have comb issues also in my flock, but it's a real easy fix.

What are the 3 under her? Looks like you gotta thorn in between 2 roses ...

bwhahahahaha!!

I put eggs from all our other chickens under her, so she has 8 babies that are mixes from Chuck, our Easter Egger Rooster and Cream Legbar, Easter Egger, Starlight Green Egger, Sapphire Gem, Wyandotte (dunno which one) and 1!! Copper Maran, Sophia -- by the time Tilly was good and broody she hadn't laid an egg in awhile.

 

[thistlewick]

Oh also just news today;

I haven't had an egg from Sophia in a week. She isn't broody (though she looks like she's *thinking* about it possibly) and I only got 6 eggs today.

Is it time I went nest hunting?

One of my 17 week old Pullets, Phillipa

 

[thistlewick]

This morning when doing chicken chores Ayu was making an egg song and going in and sitting and then going out of nests. I'm wondering if this tiny egg is in fact, hers.

Apparently Ayam Ketawa can have light brown eggs and so, there we have it.

Helga was also making fretting sounds and looking at the nests, but she ran off.

When we got home from Monday morning errands, Spitfire (the hen duck!) was fretting about the lower nests as well.

They are all getting their hormones working up. Exciting times ahead!!

I took a gander at the hedge (you can walk in, it's freaking HUGE, I just hate doing it because... spiders.) and took a peek on the very edge and no obvious nests. But if they were going to lay out there in the hedge, they are gonna do it in the thicker part -- and I didn't have the gumption to do it this morning, I was in my nightgown

I like to basically cover myself head-to-foot to walk about in there.

 

[thistlewick]

Just wanted to show these nice photos my husband took last evening at lockup;

Heath, a Cockerel we absolutely DO NOT need - as he's a brown egg layer - some kind of Wyandotte mix. BUT he is a pretty sweet boy all the same. Very mindful, very demure lol

Also look at that dog fennel LAWD it's tall >< we have to mow but it's too hot its too hot its too hot

Helga (Vorwerk) and Lil' Peep (Light Brahma)

Lil' Peep was NOISY as a chick, but is very docile now and she isn't even laying yet. Helga is a flighty freakazoid. Helga, 18 weeks, Lil' Peep, 16 weeks.

Right at bedtime, the Lollipops were crying (they make so much noise lol) and I asked them if they'd like me to sit down. And why yes, yes they would.

Whoopie came and sat up there too but it was so brief a selfie was not possible. This is one of the triplets. They are 6 weeks old yesterday (Monday)

They still don't venture from the hen house general area - Heath stays with them, and Misserschmidt, the cross beak.

They are all visited from time to time by various members of the flock who come and swing by --

Tilly and her babies, they are MUCH too big for this business:

But this is them every night. They are 4 weeks old yesterday (Monday) All 3 hens mother them still. They go out with the big flock every day and spend it in the hedge doing big chicken things. She brings them back for forays for water back to the hen house, but they are just visits.

Those chicks are wary of me, but because Tilly, Harriet and Ginger love and trust me, they don't scatter when I am near. It's nice It's like they are telling them, 'It's ok, she's nice, don't be afraid'

Sophia is down there on the nest you can barely see her but she's *definitely* thinking about being broody. She hasn't laid in a week and when I tried to pet her, squawk and floof! But she is just pondering it.

I didn't know Marans are broody mamas hahaah

 

[wrathsfarm]

Just wanted to show these nice photos my husband took last evening at lockup;

View attachment 4162984

Heath, a Cockerel we absolutely DO NOT need - as he's a brown egg layer - some kind of Wyandotte mix. BUT he is a pretty sweet boy all the same. Very mindful, very demure lol

Also look at that dog fennel LAWD it's tall >< we have to mow but it's too hot its too hot its too hot

View attachment 4162985

Helga (Vorwerk) and Lil' Peep (Light Brahma)

Lil' Peep was NOISY as a chick, but is very docile now and she isn't even laying yet. Helga is a flighty freakazoid. Helga, 18 weeks, Lil' Peep, 16 weeks.

Right at bedtime, the Lollipops were crying (they make so much noise lol) and I asked them if they'd like me to sit down. And why yes, yes they would.

View attachment 4162986

Whoopie came and sat up there too but it was so brief a selfie was not possible. This is one of the triplets. They are 6 weeks old yesterday (Monday)

They still don't venture from the hen house general area - Heath stays with them, and Misserschmidt, the cross beak.

They are all visited from time to time by various members of the flock who come and swing by --

Tilly and her babies, they are MUCH too big for this business:

View attachment 4162987

But this is them every night. They are 4 weeks old yesterday (Monday) All 3 hens mother them still. They go out with the big flock every day and spend it in the hedge doing big chicken things. She brings them back for forays for water back to the hen house, but they are just visits.

Those chicks are wary of me, but because Tilly, Harriet and Ginger love and trust me, they don't scatter when I am near. It's nice It's like they are telling them, 'It's ok, she's nice, don't be afraid'

Sophia is down there on the nest you can barely see her but she's *definitely* thinking about being broody. She hasn't laid in a week and when I tried to pet her, squawk and floof! But she is just pondering it.

Great pics....

I didn't know Marans are broody mamas hahaah

Ok I wasn't going to respond until this was said.... Check this thread out.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wraths-marans.1625296/

He has a few Marans and they're notorious for going broody. All 9 of his Marans girls went broody last year and I believe he's up to around 15 this year with 2 that went broody twice already. I don't really believe it, but he says his Rooster Kong even went broody.

 

[thistlewick]

Great pics....

Ok I wasn't going to respond until this was said.... Check this thread out.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wraths-marans.1625296/

He has a few Marans and they're notorious for going broody. All 9 of his Marans girls went broody last year and I believe he's up to around 15 this year with 2 that went broody twice already. I don't really believe it, but he says his Rooster Kong even went broody.

I've been stalking and in your thread for weeks!!!

 

[wrathsfarm]

I've been stalking and in your thread for weeks!!!

Well that one went right over ya, didn't it?











I knew that...

 

[kattabelly]

Snap!

 

[Shadrach]

French Marans from France.

 

[thistlewick]

Well that one went right over ya, didn't it?











I knew that...

These kinds of jokes often do LOLOL