Anybody want some stew hens?Remember me mentioning the FarWest Hatchery booth we visited at the State Fair? Well, I've been mostly frustrated in trying to get ahold of the owner ever since. We finally talked a week or so ago, and then again yesterday. I told him what I wanted, and he mentioned he had some started chicks available if I was interested. Yes! They will be better able to handle the cooler whether and we'll be one to two months closer to egg production that way! While he doesn't have any Golden or Black Sex-Links (our Red Sex-Links have been our best layers), he does have some of my other top picks - Speckled Sussex, Silver-laced Wyandottes and Ameraucanas. Next Thursday afternoon we're supposed to meet so I can pick up three or four young ladies. Four more chickens would crowd our coop and chicken yard a bit, so we're trying to figure out what to do. A friend down the hill has agreed to let Ebony retire at her place; Ebony hasn't laid a single signature green egg all summer so she can give up her spot. I think the Rhode Island Reds are freeloaders, too, and one of them has not been looking well this week; she's sideways to the camera here:
Brian says he won't give up "Roostie," the other RIR who has taken on rooster-like characteristics, and Morgan (below) is his favorite so she'll stay until she dies.
It really is pathetic to only be getting one or two eggs a day from eight hens who aren't that old. Sigh. It would seem we are collected unused horses (not mine) and useless chickens at Boulderneigh. My sheep are the most productive animals on the "farm"!
That's it for now from . . .
15 comments:
I can completely relate. I was able to send all non-laying hens that had a bad attitude to freezer camp, but the sweet ones that lay hit-or-miss are still around freeloading. I have one RIR that probably hasn't laid an egg in two years, but she's Lucy and will stay until she keels over. It can be a hard choice.
We're going to have old hens here too. My lady just loves them and doesn't care if they lay!
The biggest problem here is that Rick doesn't allow free-range chickens, so we have to keep our numbers at a level where everyone can be healthy and happy -- and also have to buy most of their food. That makes freeloaders expensive in both feed costs and space....
Right now, all my hens are in various stages of moult, which causes a severe cut-back in egg production. Couple that with the decreasing light, they're taking a powder. If you want eggs through the winter, put a light on a timer - on at 3 am, off at 7:30 am - that way, it will get naturally dark and they can find their roosts.
I have an Americana who lays brown eggs - I thought she was a freeloader, until the only chick that survived this year is most definitely hers!
You can feed them to your dogs (if it's ok with Brian) - mine love them. I don't cook them, just give them raw - the bones don't shatter when they're uncooked. I cut them up to "confuse" the dogs, but Lyra knows it's chicken anyway...
Laura, I had a confirmed chicken-killer dog as a teenager, so I'm not willing to risk that! (Maybe our freeloaders need to go to YOUR dogs!) Our timer doesn't work pre-dawn; only x-number of hours post-dusk. But your idea makes more sense, so maybe I'll switch in out for the one in the house that goes by the clock.
Morgan is a looker! Oh my, it's been way too long since I've made the rounds of my favorite blogs, Michelle...I had no idea about the heart attack! You both WILL be in our prayers and I'll check back here for updates, but please feel free to email me anytime (address at bottom of my webpage)if there's something specific we can be praying for. Sending our love and hugs across the miles via the internet...!!
Robbyn and Jack
Thanks, Robbyn!
Brian found the RIR hen that's been sick dead this afternoon, so that's two RIRs that have died this year. There's another reason they are not my favorite chickens! With a home for Ebony, that makes room for three new chickens, for sure. I'll probably push it and get four, just in case we lose another one, new or old, or Brian lets someone else take Roostie.
Perhaps you should print out your post and nail it to the coop wall - they may start laying again!
Very often, the hatchery chickens only lay for one year. They are bred to super produce but then they burn out and die. It's not natural and the chickens pay the price for it. You might try finding some started birds from a local breeder. They won't lay quite as many eggs per week but they will lay for much longer than the hatchery birds.
Why won't Rick allow free ranging?
I don't use a light but my bantam cochins and my large fowl, Buff Orpingtons laid eggs all winter long last year. In fact, my two buffs started laying in the fall and didn't quit until mid-summer! They took two to three weeks off and are back to almost daily eggs again.
Brian's lemon blue Ameraucana is BEAUTIFUL!
You know, Nancy, that is what I have been suspecting all along. Unfortunately I don't know of any local breeders or how to find them.
As for Rick, I think he just adopted his dad's attitude as a kid. His dad didn't want the chickens pooping everywhere (particularly on his vehicles!), and Rick is the same way: No free-range poop! It's a shame, but that is the man I'm married to.
And what a lovely description of Morgan's color! I really had no idea what to call her, since I'm not a fancier, but I like "lemon blue"!
They look nice anyway :-)
Wizz
I was reading that calcium deficiency can cause reduced, if not a complete lay off, of egg production. Don't know if you supplement but I give a hand full of oyster shell every two or three days.
My three tough old girls have dropped off their egg production too. The Ameraucana has always been unsteady in her egg production, but she and the Australorp are going through a moult right now, so they're entitled to a break. The old Salmon Favorelle hen is the only one laying now. I started supplementing their light this week. I always try to start the extra light around October 1st.
It's great you finally got some new chickens lined up. I'll be interested in photos of the new gals. So far so good for us for egg production, but with days getting shorter, I'm preparing in my mind for that change.
I could tell by the photo that the RIR would probably not last long. Once they get 'that look' about them around here it is only a matter of time. I try and stay away from the high production breeds and go with the Americuanas, Dominques, etc etc. As I've said before though most of my chickens continue to lay fairly well up into their seventh or eighth year. Mine are free range which is certainly an advantage. The only thing that would puzzle me with your brood is since they are a variety of breeds and not really 'old' why they would all just stay off the egg producing wagon for this length of time. It might be something to look into, as far as supplements or something.
Tammy
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