Moulting and laying January 24, 2010
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: chicken, chicks, coop, egg, eggs, lay, laying, moult, moulting, rooster
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Well, today I noticed after collecting eggs for first time today that we had some big new eggs. Actually they were eggs I have not seen in a bit but are back. If you have been reading these logs then you know when tailess went into moult. After her two others followed after she finished. Those 3 are now laying again.
How do I know this is that we have been wieghing eggs. Only one of the eggs has been large up to today. Most have been med or med large. This past week I know 3 have started there first laying from size and color of eggs. Today we had color back large size which is not a pullet egg. So since tailless and her 3 sisters are well out of moult and showing red again I belive it is them. Another clue is 2 of the eggs are speckled. Since they went into moult we have not gotten any speckled eggs.
Nice thing here is that they are choosing to do a rotaional moult. 1 to 3 at a time which has been very helpfull. We are still getting 10 to 14 eggs a day. The lowest this has been has been 9. So even with those in moult others have started or in this case come back into laying.
Weather here has been much warmer than past month. Past week has been rainy and cloudy but chickens do not mind. They are foraging futher and further every day. Captain on the other hand has been a coop home body. We are having to physically remove him from the coop now. He has learned that if he stays in coop he can get the girls easier. Which is OK but he does need to get out and get some exersise and sun not too mention water since I am not leaving it in the coop.
At this time we have been making plans to expand coop like I metioned before. Hubby really wants a much bigger flock and is suggestion I get another 25 plus hatching out. Well, if I do buy another 25 it will be from another hatchery so I have different lines to breed too. Which one has been picked if our TSC gets there chicks from them again. Hatcheries I will not deal with is Ideal for I know they do do breed true. Whelp because they are just a drop shipper from Privett. MPC because they get theirs from Meyers. Why buy second carrier when you can get them from first one.
You know what got me is when all 21 start laying. Where will i put the eggs before they are sold. 
Heat wave comming. January 11, 2010
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: chickens, winter, crows, hawks, eggs
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Weather report for today 32 for a high. It is that now here for us so I suspect we might get a little higher. In the next couple of days we will see a high of 50 here. I can not wait no more of these low teens durning the day and 5 degrees at night temps. Wonderif we will have a repeat of last year with a real warm Feb.
Saturday we bought themometers one for the house and one for the coop. The house one does inside and outside it is digital with the leader that goes out threw the window. We have that one close to front door. Here is what we did not know local humidity here is 26 percent right now. That is way low.
Now the coop one is not that fancy just a plain old plastic unit that gives temp and humidity. According to that one coop humidity is around 68 percent. Temps in there are just a few degrees over outside temps. Now can you imagine if my coop that is very well ventalated and open up top was not how high would that humidity be. Most coop are not as open as mine is people just put in windows and made them draft free. Which in most cases is sealed up tight so mosisture build up more. Heck right now my coop is way more humid than even my house is right now. Yet we still have no frostbite at all and we still have snow of the ground. Yes, girls are out in it everyday.
On another note tailless has grown back most of her head and neck feathers. But not all of here tail as of yet. We are still getting between 11 to 14 eggs a day. Even with the dang hawks flying over head. Thank goodness for our local crows. They have been a big help this year.
More snow than before January 8, 2010
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: chickens, chickens in cold weather, free ranging, snow
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Well, so far total we have had 2 inches of fresh snow here. Chickens are not at all happy today. Since most everything is covered with snow they are not really foraging today. Some are out of the coop but the are staying up against the house which is 100 feet from the coop. I have spread out some feed for them which they are eating.
Sun is out now so I expect snow to disapear soon. That is if sun stays out. We are still very cloudy here. I am feeding wild birds too and the front yard feeder is very busy. Chickens have gotten some of that feed I throw it out back for the on the ground where I put scratch. Everytime I need to get rid of food scraps it goes out back door. Chickens hang out under back porch since it is a nice shelter. our back door is 10 feet in air due to slope of property there. Front door in almost on ground level so you can see we do have alot of slope.
Chickens coop is 100 feet down in our valley from the house. Shortly after coop it starts to rise to our hard wood forest. We have 4.6 acres here and no real close neibors. Which is very nice when ones is free ranging chickens.
I have gotten alot of questions about frostbite and snow. All I can say is that most frostbite that I know that happens comes from coop with too much moisture. A dry well vented coop is the way to go. One must remember wild birds turkeys,chickens ,quail ,grouse and songbirds are out in all types of weather. Right now as I sit here I can see the feeder for the wildbirds and they are in the snow as well as the feeder. They have no problems with it why should our chickens we raise for eggs and meat. I will not say that chickens are not cold but they seem to be handing it just fine. The coop pop door is open so they can come and go as they please. Some are staying in and some are staying out. But none have frostbite which is the point that dry coop well vented helps prevent frostbite.
Once the snow melts some I will be turning the bedding. I did some fluffing yesterday but need to do more. Since some chickens are not coming out I shall wait till weather invites them out. Which will be tomorrow. Next week we will be back in the 40’s it will feel like a heat wave. Last year it was like this and when Feb came around we had a very early spring here. Strange weather being so much earlier than it used to be. Well, I am off to collect some more eggs. Stay warm all.
Cooped up Captain January 6, 2010
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: chicken, egg, free ranging, hen, nestbox, pullet
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Captain our only cockeral is playing it smart and staying in the coop all day. I have started leaving the water in there during the day now and remove it a lock up. that way they do not spill it like they were before and I do not have to kick Captain out of the coop so he can drink. I am leaving the food in there over night though.
Todays egg count was 14 total. Hubby took in another 3 dozen to sell to a standing cllient we have at his work. Someone commented that we are lucky to be getting so many eggs and what are we doing to get it. First off these are first years so that helps. Second there feed is 20% protien and I am giving very little scratch plus the have total free range abilty. Most mornings what they do is drink eat a little feed then go off and forage. We are lucky to still have green plants here not just everygreens either. Some grass is still green and some honeysuckle vine and many native herbs. So chickens are getting a good varity and it is showing.
Tommorrow we are to get 3 inches of snow or at least that is what they are calling for here. I will believe it when I see it. Stay warm all.
Snow and more snow January 5, 2010
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: chickens, chickens in cold weather, free ranging, snow
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Well, we have had a light snow for the past two days. Temps here have been in the low 20’s during the day and high single digits at night. Chickens do not seemed fazed at all. They still can not wait to get out of the coop and range. We are still getting 11 eggs a day even.
ranging in front
New Year new plans. January 3, 2010
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: bedding, chickens, chicks, egg, eggs, free ranging, new year
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Happy New Year everyone. I wish it to be a very good one for all. This blog started as a way for me to keep track of events with my flock. I figured it was a good way for me too keep records as I have been known to be slack that way. As a result I have listed alot of infomation one just cant find and have developed a following. Thank you all for the well wishes and comments. Now on to new plans for chickens.
As a result of what our chickens have done for us this year we will be expanding the flock and coop. Our chickens are not pets and do earn there living by bug control,weeding and fertilizing as well as eggs. Hubby let me have them as he had no choise since I bought them then told him. LOL Now he wants more since they are doing so well at what they do best. So no baby chicks will be sold this year so we can increase the flock.
I have been worried about the cold weather but so far everything is going just great. The new bedding straw has kept them nice and warm with no frostbitw at all even with temps in single digits. Coop is not sealed tight at all as under roof is all open and cracks around door and windows we did not seal. But bedding is very deep now up to 10 inches in some areas till they mash it down. We did remove all wet bedding when we put in new bedding and put that on the garden where chickens have been composting it for us. They are so good at that, we will put all bedding on their in spring before will till it.
Due to some posts on chicken forum I would like everyone to know what we found when we butcherd the dead pullet. Since we do free range ours no pen at all they are allow to eat whatever they want. Hubby said that he found alot of pine and cedar needles in that pullets crop. Now the North side or our property is lined on the fence with cedar trees. many of the chickens have been going up there to dust bath under them as it is still dry there when it rains. I know also they have eaten off the cut christmas tree branches we have out front. So that accounts for all of it as I do not think the chickens have made it all the way over to our pine forest yet which is on the south east part of the property. One thing I do know is pine is a natural dewormer and the chicken we butchered was clean of any worms. Now I am not saying cedar bedding should be used in a coop fresh as it will have the oils still fresh. Those oils can cause problems. But if the chickens eat fresh cedar off trees one should not worry about it. Digesting and inhalation are to very different things.
Right now our ground is frozen so I have increased feed. But still they only peck at it then go find what they can other places. We still have alot of green stuff here in grasses and vines. I have been giving them some black sunflower seed in hull which they love. They are also getting more scratch to keep weight on them. Egg laying has not changed staying around a dozen a day. Least we have gotten the past week was 7 and highest 13. Captain has been staying in coop unless we make him go out which we do so he will eat and drink. I took water out of coop due to them spilling it. Did not want wet bedding with this real cold weather. So I fiill it with lukewarm water and it is good for the day since I put it in the sun. Coop itself is not in the sun full so food and water are a little bit from it further that what the snow pics show.
Speaking of eggs we did make fresh homemade eggnog for New Years. I cut the recipe in half since it was just hubby and I. Well, dog helped too she loved it. Our goose that we had for christmas came our great I loved it. They are on the list to add for this year if we can do it. I want pilgrims. So if everything else goes OK they will come in late spring. For those asking about turkeys no they are not on the list and never will be. Turkeys live wild here we have a flock that lives in the area. That flock avg about 14 that included 2 toms and a jake or too also. So no turkeys for us. Till next time stay warm.
Where are the crows!!! December 29, 2009
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: chickens, eggs, free ranging, hawks
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Today is a sad day. Hawk killed a chicken. Left it behind when we ran out so we are making it to dog food. Crows showed up real late this time. Right now everyone is in the coop but 3 pullets one being tailess. They are staying near the cedars where they have lots of protection. So we are now down to 21 pullets and Captain.
On a good note we are still getting eggs. I had to put another nest box in due to laying outside of them. That took care of that problem. We have 15 laying and are getting moslty 12 a day with some high and lower days.
Tailess is in moult. Her head is bare and she stopped laying. I expect to to go broody in spring. I know Captain has not mated with her as she is more attached to me as top. Good thing is he has his favs he does mate with and I know which ones they are as they have bands on. He has chosen the bigger girls which is good. He is a good size rooster with very good conformation. I look forward to seeing his offspring.
Well, I am back out to see if I can get the last 3 back in to the coop.
second snow December 22, 2009
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: chickens, chickens in cold weather, free ranging, snow
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opening coop for day
Winter chickens December 14, 2009
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: chickens, crows, eggs, hawks, winter
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Thia weather is wacked and I am surprised the chickens are not sick from the changes. But they are doing great. Not frostbite at all that I can see. We have had a couple of nights down to the low teens. Yesterday it rained like crasy and it got warm then cold again. So far chickens take it in stride even staying out in that weather all day.
We still need to cut that smaller door for them. Weather just being friendly enough when hubby home. I have since put a trap on the side of the coop that they were going under to lay eggs. That has helped as we have since gotten 13 in one day. They are avg 10 now. It is a good thing too for I now have standing orders for eggs.
Last week I sold 8 dozen and I gave a way 3 to my neibors. Hubby has a buyer at work that is buy to 18doz cartons each week. At out local hang outI have 2 that are buying each time we bring them in. For this coming week I have 5 wanting eggs for xmas cooking. Lay chickens lay.
We bought a goose for our Xmas dinner. Because one I had never eaten one and hubby has not had one since years. He grew up on a family farm where they raised cows and pigs and a few geese. They also grew there own feed. Now hubby is talking about us getting geese here if I like our goose for xmas. Little does he know that I already checked into that long time ago. I just never went further with it for we did not have an area then for them. Guess we need to expand the coop in that area too beside for more chickens.
I want Pilgrim Greese. I did have a source for them but do not know if they still have them. This past few years here have been hard on many with a hard drought and loss of jobs. I will have to look into who has them local once again. I will also post the recipe for the goose when I find one I like. Not sure if we are going to do my mushroom stuffing or not with it. That depends if I find another that sounds more interesting.
Oh I forgot we had a interesting hawk day here last week. Big redtail came in and got chased off by our crows. Love those crows. Anyway a young coopers hawk I guess got scared and landed by one of our cars. They chickens were not that far away from it but were not scarred of it either as it was smaller than them. I went out thinking it was hurt only to find it was trying to avoid the crows. They chase it far away. Such good crows. We are buying feed for songbirds this week and putting up more feeders. We will not be chasing crows away this year.
Chickens first snow December 7, 2009
Posted by Tamara in Uncategorized.Tags: chickens, chickens in cold weather, free ranging, snow
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Well, we had snow 2 days ago. It was funny when I opened the coop for the chickens too go out. One started to come out then put on the brakes fast. Since I do not have a small poop door the big door was open. All the chickens were lined up looking out at all that strange white stuff. Sorry no pics I forgot to take camera with me.
Since food and water was outside they had to come out. Well, finally one brave pullet did then a few more, till all the girls were out. Captain stayed inside most of the day. We had to get more straw to put int the coop since it would be 20 that night. When we got back from picking it up we got Captain out of coop so he could eat and drink.
It snowed most of the day but did stop around 5pm. Our coop is 8×8x8 with a wood perch and wood floor. I have for bedding tree chips/mulch from company clearing power lines. On top of that is straw. Total depth is like 8 inches now. So far the past 2 nights which have been the coldest have not caused any problems. There is no light in coop or extra heat and it is Not insulated. I do have alot of chickens in there though 23 but since they only sleep in there it is fine. This is what is keeping temps up in the coop. When we added the extra straw we also put in the hanging waterer. It has not froze since it has been in there. So it is much warmer inside than out.
I have been feeding extra but still they rather forage than eat chicken feed. They have been spending alot of time in our woods since they are getting the most food there it seems. Which is all good from grass can not take there scratching right now.
One good thing about that snow we know how many are laying for sure. 11 right now. We just had another start this week. We have been getting 8 to 9 eggs a day with sometimes 10. Found a couple more under coop again, we still need to seal that off. Two days in a row our new layer has layed outside of coop. Once next to the house second time in front of compost pile. I think she was laying under the coop too. Well, hopefully today will break that as they are staying in coop till 10 am since it is so icy outside yet. Other than that everyone is doing great with there first snow and real cold weather. No frost bite at all. Next snow I will get pictures. We are expecting later this week maybe for more snow but who knows things change.
