Utah!

[UrbanChickensUT]

Thanks! When is the Tour de Coop here in Utah? I would love to see some other setups. This is sure a fun hobby.

 

[Daloorashens]

Aravis, I just have to say that my boys' favorite bird is our buff orpington, she is the most gentle bird we have and a good layer, she averages 4-5/week, good sized eggs. We also have a blue orpington who isn't as friendly, but also has been a great layer so far, she lays 6 days/week now, she just started laying. I love how fluffy they are, but really it's just a matter of preference.

I'm not normally a fan of bantams, but I LOVE bantam cochins, I love their fluffiness and feathered feet, we have 4 of them, 2 are new so they're still getting to know us, and of the other 2 one is very friendly and my boys can pick her up wherever they are.
Keep in mind, my boys are 7 and 4 and though there has been a learning curve, they have done well this summer learning how to 'be nice' to the chickens. And they love gathering the eggs... I also love having a colorful egg basket, again, preference...

Hattie, so sorry about your girlie that died... poor thing...

Cynthia, why oh why did you have to say anything about your SFH???? I REALLY want some, but there is no way you're going to talk me into taking chicks this time of year, I just can't do it, I was thinking about trying to hatch some after Christmas when I get my incubator=) And, interesting story about the respiratory thing, I think I'm going to get soem Denagard to have on hand, I've just read enough about the respiratory stuff and I have enough chickens I'd rather keep have it available... Did it affect your hens egg-laying??

Lisa, thanks for the pic of your egg!! Can't wait to post my new egg pics!!

 

[Cynthia12]

How does having multiple breeds all together work? Would I need to have more than one of each? For example, could I choose four breeds and have just one of each? What about introducing more hens later. Could I get two now and then when they've reached the end of their laying years add two more? I didn't think I would when I first started researching, but I'm finding this five hen limit to be really stifling!

Mix and match...that's what most of us are doing! Chickens don't care. I have even had the bantams running with the Large birds.

Sounds like you would really like an Australorp for sure. Lots of eggs. Sex links..lots of eggs. EE, a lot of eggs, but not as many as the former mentioned here, but, your kids..and you, would love the color of the eggs! There are so many that lay quite well.

You just have fun looking around on the net, look up the different breeds. Have fun window shopping so to speak. Buff Orpingtons are usually sweet and are a larger one, the kids could like that one, and I have found, out of all of my chickens..that the red sex link is the friendliest of all. Well, my Speckled Sussex comes in pretty close. Very talkative though..almost non stop while you are out there. You might like that, it's fun when they talk back while you are talking with them. They don't lay real large eggs, but are good egg layers for the first couple of years.
Have fun looking!

 

[Cynthia12]

Sphinx

!!! Wish I could have been there. Very funny. I think I will just stay with keeping chickens and my dog.

Lisa that egg is awesome! Love the color.

aravis

Newtochickensut glad to here your chickens are doing ok.

Daloorashens so happy you are getting your chicken coop built!! Would love to see pictures.

Cynthia have you heard anything from Ideal? I'm just curious. I'm thinking after looking at pictures they must be birchen but whats with the curl?

I sent pictures to them yesterday. They said they would either call me back or e-mail me. They've always been good to get back to me. If I haven't heard from them soon, I'll call them back.
Here are the pictures I sent..

Curled up feathers.

brown feathers?

I sent this too, and this is the one I kept. Curlies, for a change

A lot of brown, I thought they would be all black, like my Cleo..Ameraucana

I'll let you know when I hear from them.

 

[Cynthia12]

More pictures for Jill...you were thinking that the Bantam Faverolles look like little wheaten Ameraucanas..here are some pictures from the guys chickens that I have in the bator...there are other colors! That's why I was so interested, besides the knowing that they are very sweet as a LF.

blue!

Love this splash!

Not sure about this color, but I think it may be barred

white

 

[blujems]

I had to post my egg pics :0
This is from one of my girls from pawtraitart. Her second egg.
Dark, nice color! Good girl!

Just popped in for a bit
Welcome to the new people, sorry I haven't been around much. Sorry about all the losses people have had lately.
Hope everyone's chickens are all healthy and happy now.
Lisa...you are so terrible...tempting me with new colored eggs.......

On other news, I have found a good use for all those little bitty eggs from the Old English....I have been using them for pickled eggs. They are perfect!

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Just popped in for a bit
Welcome to the new people, sorry I haven't been around much. Sorry about all the losses people have had lately.
Hope everyone's chickens are all healthy and happy now.
Lisa...you are so terrible...tempting me with new colored eggs.......

On other news, I have found a good use for all those little bitty eggs from the Old English....I have been using them for pickled eggs. They are perfect!

Guess what!? You have got this one in the bag, right? Because you have the same two birds that made these little babies. Cross your marans and your wheaten lol VOILA chickens that lay these olive eggs.

Not sure who is the dad though, and who is the mom....wouldn't the dad have to be the marans? Sphinx? How does that work?

Pickled eggs...great idea! Will have to try that, my bigger eggs I am selling, but there are some pullets whose eggs are still way too small to sell, and the lav ameraucana's eggs are smaller than banty eggs even. those little eggs are piling up all over the refrigerator So glad you posted that idea.
So glad you are on here too, good to hear from you!

My "little eggs". Right now I have 6 girls laying L-XL( I sell those), and 6 laying S-M, 1 laying XXS! We are eating so many eggs we cannot keep up. This weekend--german pancakes and baked custard. AND will definitely try pickled eggs now! Will have to google up some ideas. I have lots of dill in my garden

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Hey you guys, what do you use to measure a standard large egg's worth of egg if you break a bunch of smaller eggs? I was thinking 1/4 cup is one large egg's worth of egg, does that sound about right? Does that question even make sense? I think you will know what I am asking...!

 

[aravis227]

Casa - 1/4 cup sounds right to me!

All the pictures of chicks make me want to run out and get mine right now! Must build coop first...or at least start it!

Ok, I think I'm going to start with an Australorp, a Swedish Flower, a Golden Sex Link, an Olive Egger, and a Buff Orpington. I'm a little bit worried about what I'll do once they all slow down/stop laying and I can't get any more hens but I have years before that happens...I'll worry about it then, in that time maybe the law will change and I'll be allowed to have more. I mentioned getting five at once to my husband and he didn't seem too opposed. He's mostly worried about what will happen if we get a year into it and change our minds. I told him that a) when have we ever changed our minds about a pet once we were a year in and b) if that happens we can always sell them and at least break even. So now I need to finalize and draw out my coop plans so we can get started building.

Speaking of which, what is this Tour de Coop that newtochickensut mentioned? That sounds like fun! I would love to see some backyard chickens in action, so to speak! I've only been around one person's "backyard" chickens and they live on several acres and have a full barn, so it's very different than mine will be! We're going to the Fair tonight and I will definitely be looking at the chickens with a whole different interest than I ever have before!

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Aravis, there is no way you will regret it haha, we are all laughing together thinking how you are going to go crazy and want more chicks and you will be hiding chickens in your closet and garage just like the rest of us in no time at all. That is called "chicken math", the law says 5 hens, so therefore chicks and pullets don't count until they are a year old right? So 6 babies in your living room brooder, 12 teens in the garage brooder, 6 pullets out in your coop and 5 laying hens = "5 hens"

Save this post, you will look at it in a year and know exactly what I am talking about. and have a good laugh!