Blue Moon Valley Farm Chickens Blog

chickens troubles April 5, 2010

Well, spring has really been interesting so far. We have lost one more hen that my dog found. Wild tukeys are nesting on property and chickens freak out every time dog finds one and trees it. There call make the chickens go nuts.

Of late the chickens are out and about and running into the local snakes. Now this gets loud. 2 years ago I releashed a black rat that we found 2 years before that as a just hatched baby in late fall. Well, chickens found him in shed up on our mountian. What a racket that was and is still. One that is closest to the snake will sound off then another futher down will also sound off. It sounds like egg song but it goes on much longer and is much louder. 2 days in a row they found that poor snake. He must be eating well from what hubby said his size is now. Ofcourse it could be another black rat since we have seen a few around here. I am not worried about them getting into the coop. More than enough field mice arouind. Some even under the house driving me nuts at night.

Our broody is still sitting. I am going to pick up some chicks and put them under her to raise. TSC has them for sale now. So I can get some rocks from them. She has been a good broody in that she leaves the nest every moring to eat and drink then goes right back and sits. I just wish Captain could do his thing with more than one or 2 hens. But alas that does not seem to be. He will not be long for this world as his bad leg is getting worse in that is is now twisting. He still gets around but I have to take him out of the coop to get water since he can not go thru the chickens door. At night he has no problems going up ramp and into coop though. I am still planning on AIing a few hens and have them hatched. Just so much other stuff happening right now have yet to do it.

Egg production wise we havea drop in mumber due to a few going into moult. We are back down to a bakers dozen up to 14. As soon as these ones are done moulting I expect to see a real jump in eggs again. Well, there is a cake to make so off I go.

Sring and broody March 14, 2010

Well, Spring looks like it has finally come. Temps have warmed up and bugs are out. Many of our plants are coming up now too. It is great to see sun again after almost 3 months of clouds.

Chickens are showing the effects to of the change in seasons. We have a few more laying. So count is up once again on eggs. One has started laying outside of the coop but at least it is in a place I can get too.

Yes, we have our first broody. She is not sitting on eggs yet as none are fertile yet. Captain is having more problems with his leg. He is trying though but leg just hampers him. So I will have to AI the hens with him. This should be interesting to say the least. I have AIed dogs when I used to breed them but a chicken is a whole nother matter. There is a video on it on You Tube. I have watched it so it will just be a matter of getting it done now. Hopefully the rains hold off for most of the next few days enough for me to get most of the hens done. Right now I am wondering how many will go broody this spring. As these color variation is well known for broodiness. It was once reason I picked Partridge Rocks as my chicken to raise. I shall be updating as things progress here on this broody.