Ugh!!! Huh???

[SunAngel]

Sorry, yes I mean killing, processing, butchering, etc etc, (I wasn't aware it was 'get technical' day). She has already been removed from the flock...I am just trying to decide what her fate will be.

I don't know many people in our area and don't really want to pay someone. I am trying to gather the courage to do it myself (well with DHs help), if I can't, guess she will go to the auction.

Thanks for the constructive ideas and comments

 

[silkieluver_07]

Deb, I am so sorry to hear about this! From the sounds of it, this hen is a little devil!

I don't know of any processing/butchers around our area. If you take her to auction, maybe write on the box "EGGEATER" to give buyers an idea.

I'm going to reply to your PM right now.

 

[SunAngel]

Thanks

My guess is she was probably at the sale because of her attitude or egg eating...hard to tell. A big farm might not even know she was an egg eater, unless they lucked out and caught her in the act. Luckily I wasn't very attached to her and I sure hope she didn't teach this bad habit to any of my original group.

 

[SunAngel]

Ok, now I am royally confused!!

The above mentioned egg eater used to lay nice sized eggs for me right after I got her and before it got cold, then she just quit. I hadn't seen her lay an egg in weeks.

Yesterday morning when I went to let the chickens out into the run, I snagged her and put her in the rabbit hutch to spend the day. I got 2 or 3 eggs from the big girls coop without her in there, was hoping it would be more. I lock up the chickens yesterday evening and go to put her in the big coop with them for the night and she had laid an egg in the nesting box in the rabbit hutch!!! And to top it off, she didn't eat it!!

Oh these chickens are out to drive me crazy!

Why was she not laying in the big coop, but lays in the hutch? Why didn't she eat her own egg? Why didn't I get more eggs from the big girls if the egg eater wasn't there chasing them out?

I am sooo hoping there isn't a different egg eater and she was just a follower.

Not sure what the heck to do with her now! Maybe it was just a one time thing and I can go ahead and take her to the auction. I guess I will keep putting her in the rabbit hutch during the days and see if she keeps laying.

 

[henjoy]

Don't forget that egg production definitely goes down this time of year so maybe you wouldn't have as many eggs anyway. Absent other signs of egg eating (intact eggs covered with egg, shell fragments in nests, damp nesting material), I'd give this hen the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it was just a one time thing for her. Now, on the other hand, if you really, really don't like her temperment, homemade chicken soup IS delicious.