What did you do with your flock today?

[ChicksnMore]

Started turning the shipped eggs today. Down to four actively growing eggs. 8 blood rings and four with nothing at all still. Think the combination of long distance and thanksgiving delay did a number on the eggs in spite of how well they were packaged.

 

[Smokerbill]

I should try tracking food consumption some time just to see if my thoughts on it match reality.

One of the things I like about my dwarfs is how little they eat. Now that the hamburgs are laying I can compare egg size, and their eggs are almost the same size as the dwarfs. Just a tad bigger. But their body size and food needs are another story! Think each hamburg has the mass of 3-4 dwarfs. They're not heavy feeders but do eat more. Funny thing is the yokos weight is probably 2-3 dwarfs worth, lay similar size eggs and they eat about double what the hamburgs do. Not sure why the yokos eat so much feed compared to the hamburgs. It's not about egg production... they're not prolific layers. But they eat the most of any of my birds. Even the huge peacocks eat less.

At least that's how it seems to me...I really should track it sometime to be sure!

It's pretty easy to do for me. I just have a single feeder that I let run completely empty before I open a new bag and refill it, making note of the date. I have to dump about a days worth on the run floor to get it all out, but my chickens know how to scratch for food. LOL

 

[PopoMyers]

Think you might be tired of the rain by the time it clears up there... if you're not already!
I was hopeful for a moment that there's more rain in our forecast here, but nope...think we got our share of it and it's back to sunshine.View attachment 3696282

I could enjoy your current weather. Now I know why so many people from here go snowbirding in the winter to AZ and NM.

 

[PopoMyers]

That sounds like enough to me if she's eating it all. Why are you worried? A good diagnostic for starvation, as often the case, lies in the poop. Birds which are well into starvation mode usually produce poops which are just a puddle of clear liquid with a few small, dark green lumps in it. If her poops are normal, that's a great sign. Might be worth grating some vegetables in with her mash for an added boost?

So good to know. I'm just one of those who are concerned if I'm unsure about anything I haven't had any experience in. She'll get some veggies maybe some berries tomorrow. Thanks again!

 

[PopoMyers]

These were eggs from a friend. She has buff Orpington, Black Australorp, Silver Laced Wayndott hens, an Australorp and a Wayndott roo, so not sure what we got lol

Barnyard mix for sure. She looks like a good mama.

 

[kurby22]

Raining here too...just a gentle drizzle. Got a rainbow the backyard View attachment 3695903
Spent the afternoon outside staring at birds and wondering what genes they carry. Came in and played with the genetics calculator for a bit and realized I'm no where near to figuring out genes even with amazing help from people on byc .
But that's ok because it sure is fun . So narrowing my focus to just figuring out which of my birds are silver or gold. I was feeling all ahead of myself this morning and getting overly ambitious with breeding plans...but a session with that genetics calculator made me realize...oops, I don't know half of what I sometimes think I've figured out .

Genetics in breeding is so insanely layered and complex! I feel your pain

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Spent some time with my teen agers trying to definitively call these pullets or cockerels, but I just still can’t tell for sure (they are about 14 weeks old). It’s so fun to just watch them chicken. I have a broody with 12 who is due tomorrow. Fingers crossed - I have not bothered her or the eggs once. I hope they all make it, or atleast two

 

[Shetland lover]

What a little chicken!

I know, right? My boys are not the bravest when it comes to the unusual. It's not even as though he's never seen snow before as we had some last year. Must have forgotten about it, I guess

 

[Shetland lover]

We used to have a moluccan cockatoo determined to chew electric cords. Had to watch her like a hawk whenever she had free time indoors. And a bottle fed kitty that grew up in love with chewing computer cords. Think something about them reminded her of her baby bottle.
Makes me grateful for non-chewing chickens! Though they still find ways to get in trouble don't they?

Absolutely they do! Clara got stuck in one of the humane rat traps last week. You'd think she'd have more sense, having observed at length the 9 sparrows that were caught in it just the day before

 

[Shetland lover]

So good to know. I'm just one of those who are concerned if I'm unsure about anything I haven't had any experience in. She'll get some veggies maybe some berries tomorrow. Thanks again!

I'm a worrier too. Completely get it and I'm glad to help if I can ❤