Been so busy! Cynthia, you are awesome to be all done. I finished yesterday, now on to wrapping....but I had to write to let you know my little black babies have names now. LaVerne and Shirley
They are doing great! The 60 watt light bulb has been fine. I have turned it off even during the day, the garage stays a lot warmer than outside, it is probably 50 out there during the day. They do not seem to mind the cold so far, even when the light is on they really do not hang out underneath like they are cold. The fatter one is filling out nicely, the other one is getting a little taller, and neck longer....still a little skinnier....uh oh.....still looking about the same through the feathers though so I am crossing my fingers. The fattest one we will call Shirley because we are so sure she is a hen. The other one, La Verne, I suppose we could shorten it to Vern if it goes south....haha
Still thinking hen, but because they are growing a little differently we will be cautiously optimistic.
I switched my chickens to mash from pellets, they seem to like the mash a lot more. Been laying great this week, the mash seems to have perked their spirits up. Still playing with that bale of straw I threw in there....my broody is off the nest, it looks like she is done, has not sat for a few days now! Still no eggs from her yet. Crossing fingers for some by Christmas! Of my 4 that are laying, I got 26 for the week. My BO and SLW held out on me one day. My EE and my GSL were egg machines. My sex link HenRee, she lays giant eggs, every day for a few months at 6 am sharp. She has given us 6 double yolkers that were whoppers. 4 in a row once, then two in a row a month or so later. Usually the day after her doubles are done, her regular big egg will fall out right on the coop floor before she gets up in the morning. Poor thing! I worry about her burning out fast because of how much her little body goes through! The Sex links sure are nice though as far as instant gratification for us newbies, she started at 17 weeks and missed a couple days her first few weeks, then on to her 6 am ritual. She spoiled us because we thought that was the way they would all be, until I started reading on the BYC to see that she was not the norm. The only other time we got a double was from our BO, one time, and it was probably the same size as HenRee's regular egg.
I think I will always keep at least one sexlink in the flock, just because of their predictability! And I do give oyster shell too, mine do not eat it if I keep it separate and offer it free choice, so I throw a little bit in their regular mash each day. And all the eggs we use I give the shells back to my girls. So far so good.
