[Sca-cooks] What got into the chickens?

Saint Phlip phlip at 99main.com
Sun Feb 11 18:25:53 PST 2007


On 2/11/07, charding at nwlink.com <charding at nwlink.com> wrote:
> We find that white wood shavings work better than straw.  they don't kick
> it all out of teh nest box.

Well, straw is what we have or can get easily, so that's what I use.
And, they don't kick it out so much as mat it down. I use a relatively
thick layer, and replaced the wooden nest box boards with expanded
metal so when it rains, they drain easily. They're all outside with a
small wooden shelter, because the idiots in the CT tax office think a
chicken coop is a building. All of them seem to be happy and healthy,
though, other than the outside roosters getting a bit of frostbite on
their combs. Amazing to think they were originally tropical birds ;-)

> We are also experiencing egg-flation.  we were getting 2 eggs every other
> day and after the solstice have been getting 3 or more each day.  (except
> for teh past few days where teh temperatures at night have been down in
> the 20s.) This will increase over the next few months til we are getting
> 18 every day.

Huh- must be different breeds, then. I have 8 full sized hens, and 4
adult banty hens, with 3 youngsters who should start laying come
spring, and I'll expect to get 6-8 per day when they start laying full
speed. Of course, I need to corral the ducks, so I can get their eggs.
Want to get a small clutch, and put the tag-team Cochin hens to them,
have them raise me a few young ducks. Can't wait to see the expression
on their beaks when their little babies start to swim ;-) And, I think
I'll give Princess Layer, my white Cochin hen, some of the big hens
eggs to raise- none of my big hens seem to want to brood much.

> We trade eggs to the bakery down the road for bread and sandwiches.
>
> Maeva

I'm just raising them for fun and household eggs, although judicious
gifts of eggs to various friends allows me to give back a little of
what I've been given ;-)

-- 
Saint Phlip

Heat it up
Hit it hard
Repent as necessary.

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

Psalm 146
King James Bible



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