Back on the 16 of July, I got my first Egg from the Chickens. They were 17 weeks old at that time and was I surprised to see this perfectly formed (all tho small!) white Egg laying in the bedding. I was so excited and I took pictures of it along side a store bought large Egg to show how small it really was.
It was pretty clean and I just put it in an Egg carton in the fridge. I had dreams of finding more of them in the coop over the next few days! So I fried up this little guy along side two store bought Large Eggs a few days latter. It may have been small, But the flavor was so much better than the other two!! And it fried up so pretty and was wonderful with the hash browns I had with it!
But that was just a pipe dream! No more Eggs until yesterday! I got # 2 yesterday and # 3 today! Both small copies of the first one, White, clean and Perfect!
So who's the BIG GIRL? Don't know, But they will be 20 weeks old come Monday and I hope that this is the start of something Good!
I believe that the two RIR's are Roo's and the 4 Brown Leg Horns are Hens. When I get home from work each morning, "PEN Head" and "Knuckle Head" (the two RIR's) Fly over the fence and run across the yard to great me, Knowing that my arrival means that breakfast is not far off. They all look forward to their bread ration and Chicken feed.
Question for you, Now that I have gotten a few Eggs, Should I switch over to a Laying type feed? After loosing the Rabbits, I still have some of their feed left and I have been adding a little of that to the Chicken Crumbles each morning. They seem to really like it and that is what they eat first. Another thing, They seem to like the feed just dumped on the ground! If I put it into a feeder, They do not pay any attention to it until later when I dump it out for them. Then they act like they are starving and make short work of it!
Tomorrow I will start leaving the gate open for them to free range. As tomorrow is a day off and I will be working in the yard most of the day and can keep and eye on them. Daisy has only chased them once and when I told her "NO", she backed off. She now watches them from a distance and is just as happy!
So, They are "Teenagers" now, and adulthood is not far off. Tomorrow I will get pictures of them. I'm amazed at their colors and how big they are getting! No longer the little "Fluff Balls" they were when I first got them.
The next Chicken project will be to enlarge the coop and add more Chickens next Spring! And maybe get some Ducks or Turkey's (or both!). I like the looks of "Swedish Blacks" or "English Runner's and maybe "Ruben Red's". And what about "Ginny's"??
Woe, Big fella! Remember, one step at a time!
I hope to get Picture's of all of the Birds and the project's we have been working on tomorrow and get another post up soon. So stay tuned!
Tom
It was pretty clean and I just put it in an Egg carton in the fridge. I had dreams of finding more of them in the coop over the next few days! So I fried up this little guy along side two store bought Large Eggs a few days latter. It may have been small, But the flavor was so much better than the other two!! And it fried up so pretty and was wonderful with the hash browns I had with it!
But that was just a pipe dream! No more Eggs until yesterday! I got # 2 yesterday and # 3 today! Both small copies of the first one, White, clean and Perfect!
So who's the BIG GIRL? Don't know, But they will be 20 weeks old come Monday and I hope that this is the start of something Good!
I believe that the two RIR's are Roo's and the 4 Brown Leg Horns are Hens. When I get home from work each morning, "PEN Head" and "Knuckle Head" (the two RIR's) Fly over the fence and run across the yard to great me, Knowing that my arrival means that breakfast is not far off. They all look forward to their bread ration and Chicken feed.
Question for you, Now that I have gotten a few Eggs, Should I switch over to a Laying type feed? After loosing the Rabbits, I still have some of their feed left and I have been adding a little of that to the Chicken Crumbles each morning. They seem to really like it and that is what they eat first. Another thing, They seem to like the feed just dumped on the ground! If I put it into a feeder, They do not pay any attention to it until later when I dump it out for them. Then they act like they are starving and make short work of it!
Tomorrow I will start leaving the gate open for them to free range. As tomorrow is a day off and I will be working in the yard most of the day and can keep and eye on them. Daisy has only chased them once and when I told her "NO", she backed off. She now watches them from a distance and is just as happy!
So, They are "Teenagers" now, and adulthood is not far off. Tomorrow I will get pictures of them. I'm amazed at their colors and how big they are getting! No longer the little "Fluff Balls" they were when I first got them.
The next Chicken project will be to enlarge the coop and add more Chickens next Spring! And maybe get some Ducks or Turkey's (or both!). I like the looks of "Swedish Blacks" or "English Runner's and maybe "Ruben Red's". And what about "Ginny's"??
Woe, Big fella! Remember, one step at a time!
I hope to get Picture's of all of the Birds and the project's we have been working on tomorrow and get another post up soon. So stay tuned!
Tom
Oooo! I've always liked the look for the Runner ducks, so I vote for them next year. Don't know what to say about your egg situation though; you'd think I'd have some idea since we go through the entire chicken life cycle several times a year here, but nope....got me on that one!
ReplyDeleteHey Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteI though by now you would have all the answers about Chickens!
I got another Egg this morning, So I figure it has to be just one that has started to lay. Maybe the others are waiting until week 20 to get started?
As far as the Ducks go, Yours is the first vote I have for
"Runners"! I like the looks of them too and it would be nice to add their Egg's to the Homestead. But I will have to see how that works out.
Tom
Congrats on the eggs. I have 6 hens. I get 4 to 5 eggs a day. Once in awhile I will get 6. Some chickens don't lay daily, especially at the beginning. My eggs are different shapes. If you can, save them awhile and compare the shapes. After a time, you will be able to tell how many chickens are laying. If you had the time, stick around the hen house for a day and you can watch to see who is laying.
ReplyDeleteI would do research on feeding rabbit feed to the chickens. There might be stuff in it that isn't good for them. I know it has stuff in it that will eventually kill goats.
Hope this wasn't too much of a downer comment.
T
TEA,
DeleteThanks for the comment. I got Egg # 5 today and will have them for dinner tonight. The Eggs are all the same, Small, Perfectly formed and very clean.
That's a good idea about the Rabbit feed and I will Google it to see.
Tom
I would stick with feeding poultry, poultry food. It's got everything they need - including calcium so the egg shells will stay nice and hard. I wouldn't mix feed - just saying. Hopefully, the rest of the girls will catch on and everyone will be laying soon.
ReplyDeleteHey Susan,
Delete# 5 today and they are 20 weeks old! So hopefully the others will catch on soon!
I will stop the Rabbit feed until I do some research to see if it's OK. For now I will continue the Bread ration along with the regular feed and Kitchen scraps.
Tom