Kitchen Pictures: Before and After

 Kitchen work began the first week of December.  Some things did not function, for example to open a utensil drawer, you first had to open the oven so the drawer would open fully. The counters were original gold swirl Formica.  The space the fridge was in, had been roughly cut with a jigsaw to fit the modern fridge into the space.  There were holes in the floor from where we moved the washer, dryer, and utility sink out of the kitchen. Also, the fridge was next to the stove.

In the new kitchen, the hardwood flooring will be continued from the living room (bye-bye laminate). Cabinets are custom built, white beadboard, with a Cambria stone counter (tan/brown, to reflect the warmth of the new floor). Also, there will be a stone and glass tile backsplash, with some accents.  I can't wait to post after pictures so you can see the new space!

The East wall

Close up of the sink

 

 

The  South wall leading to the living room and hallway

                                           Note the large burn mark in the old counter.

The West wall where the washer and utility sink were

 The North wall, where the fridge used to be

Some other pictures of details:

Constructions starts in a week!

Last week we got a call from the construction company. Our complete kitchen remodel was supposed to start in January or February.  They had a cancellation in their schedule, and it starts in a week.  So, for the entire month of December, we will have no kitchen. Great timing, eh? Work will supposedly be done on Jan 2nd. This date projects work being done the day prior to and following each holiday (i.e. Christmas and New Years Day).

Also, I won't be able to cook the wonderful roast I got for the holiday dinner.  Sounds like Chinese food is in order.

I will be posting before and after pics of each wall of the kitchen. 

Molting

Right now 2 of the hens are starting to molt. This is my first time experiencing a molt.  The Speckled Sussex started last week, and now my best layer, Blackie,  (a Black Star) has started (and is even w/the Speckled in terms of feathers lost). I swear, the Star's are the best breed of chicken. Early to lay, cold hearty, large and consistent eggs, and thusfar quick to molt. They look very scraggly and pathetic w/half their feathers gone. I've increased their protein a bit to help them get through the molt more quickly. 

1st year

August marks the end of our first year living here.  So much has happened since then! 

In the past month, I've watched a honey harvest, and winterized a few beehives.  The small colony that was cutout from someone's house and put in my yard returned from the mountains with very little resources for winter.  My mentor decided to we will put them into a Nuc (small hive) that we will feed over winter, and in Spring put them into a colony.

The chickens are well, the 2 new girls are well acclimated. The Speckled Sussex is laying, but the Buff is not.  She was infested w/mites, so I treated her. She hasn't started up since then. I suspect it's b/c she pulled some of her feathers out due to the mites, and she needs the protein to regrow the feathers.  Which brings me to another issue. All of my original 4 girls just completed their first laying year, and are due to molt this winter (meaning no eggs while their bodies devote protein to regrowing feathers).  It will be their  (and my) first molt. Chickens look pretty sad when their feathers fall out. 

I ordered my beehive, so over the winter I will be putting it together, and painting it. Also, over winter, I'd like to reorganize my chicken and bee area of the backyard. 

Goals and Mites

Beekeeping season is winding down, sadly so is my beekeeping apprenticeship.  It has been a fantastic experience!  I still have yet to experience a honey harvest, that will be in the next month or so.  Unless the harvesting experience is horrible, I have brainstormed a few goals for next beekeeping year.
1)  Add my own hive to my yard (in addition to the one I host)
2) Continue my apprenticeship, checking on a local hive (but change the location form last years)

I'd also like to add another animal to our abode. I was thinking ducks, since I have chickens down pretty well. We recently tried duck eggs, and did not like them at all. However, a friend reminded me that there is a high demand for ducks eggs here, so I'd easily be able to sell them.  Hubby doesn't like the idea of having an animal whose product we don't like ourselves.   We shall see.  I only want 2-3, and I have all winter to work on him.  :)

I also discovered that the Buff hen has a severe case of mites.  I have treated her and the whole flock (i.e. forcible dust bath in DE - natural non-toxic remedy) to help, but have ordered a product (chemical) that will take care of the problem for real. I am against using chemicals usually, and never have treatment my flock once.  Ever.  With any chemical.  But her mite load is so high, her behavior is off and she seems unhappy. And she stopped laying. I think the mite load is so high, she stopped laying.  So, I'll treat her and the coop when the product comes. It's similar to a 'flea dip' for your cat or dog.   Because it's a chemical and I'm weird about their use, I'll dispose of the eggs for a few days after I use the treatment. 

New Queen and Goodbye to Hive 2

The 2nd hive (the cutout, we call it) was determined not to have a queen. Which partially explains their awful temperament.  We gave them some eggs on 7/10 from my established hive, hoping they'd sense they were w/o a queen, and raise themselves a new one (a queen is like $35 to purchase one).  So, eggs were placed on the 10th, making the potential queen's hatch date today (7/26). 

Today's hive check started off grimly.  Their temperament was still foul, and lunged at me when I approached the inner cover. Not normal behavior AT ALL.  They calmed down once we smoked them and were 'normal' in their temperament after that.

We found no eggs, but we did spot several queen cells that had hatched!  Then, we spotted the new queen!!!!!  It looked like she hadn't mated yet, as her abdomen wasn't large and swollen w/eggs as it usually is. Also, we noted no eggs in the hive which kinda confirmed she isn't fertile (laying eggs) yet. 

The hive has no stored or food supplies at all, so will never make it through the winter. So this weekend, they are moving up to higher elevations (towards Mt. Rainier) so they can catch the wildflower nectar flow available there this late in the season.  Hopefully, they'll get some stores for the winter.

More additions..

This week was filled with lots of additions.

Bees:
First, my beekeeping mentor has a friend whose business is removing bees from people's properties. Usually they are swarms, which are pretty easy to handle and docile, b/c they have no honey reserves to protect. However, he brought over a cutout that had been in the wall/ceiling of someone's house for 3 years.  So it was a very well established colony, with LOTS of honey.

The first few days the bees were very angry, as their was honey comb all over the yard and lots of carnage (piles of dead bees from the move). They were also crawling all over the grass and couldn't fly. Very weird. They  have calmed down some after I cleaned up all the loose honey combs, however seemed pissy still and just not acting right.  We did a hive check and discovered no queen (didn't survive the move) which also contributes to bad temperament.  We gave them a frame of eggs out of my hive, hoping they'll raise their own queen. Once they have a queen they'll be better. If they don't manage to raise their own queen, they'll die, or well merge them w/another hive.

My 1st hive is doing very well, they filled up one honey super already, which will be their store for the winter. We added a 2nd honey super, anything they put in that box we will be able to harvest off of the hive in August/September. This is pretty good, as usually a first year hive has not yet built up the resources to harvest from it. 

Chickens:
On Sunday we acquired 2 new hens from a fellow beekeeping apprentice who is getting rid of her birds. They are a little on the old side (2 years) but for free I figure if I get 6months of eggs out of them it's worth it. 

 Zippy is a speckled sussex (the mottled one) and a Buff (blonde).  Zippy has been quite the trouble maker, and has been getting out of the chicken area somehow, despite the fact that I've cut her flight feathers so she shouldn't be able to get airborne and over the fence. 

The past few days have been a little rough, they are unused to going into my henhouse at night by themselves like the others are accustomed to. They tend to like to roost on top of the coop. Last was the first night they made it in themselves.  I think they'll be in the habit of it now, as the prior night they tried to but were thwarted when the door close on them. Anyhow, they may go back to their old ways of roosting on top of the coop.

Also, they've had to re-establish pecking order amongst the flock now that there are 2 new ones. The worst part is over, and any squabbles have been minor the past few days. The first day there were a few minor scratches that I had to clean up.  Buffy is now firmly at the top of the flock, and Zippy is somewhere in the middle. 

Gardens:
We planted a few more blueberry bushes, as well as some raspberries, strawberries, and other things in the garden beds (after taking out what we harvested already).

Beekeeping skills & 1st stings

I had an evaluation this week with my beekeeping mentor, where she rated my skills thusfar during the apprenticeship. Overall, I did well.  I think she over-rated me on many things.

Yesterday, we checked 3 different hives that I am assigned (2 other locations, and the one in my backyard). I decided to try doing the hive inspections without using gloves, to increase my dexterity. My gloves tend to get in my way since they are too big for my hands. The first hive check went smoothly gloveless. The 2nd hive check, I must not have zipped up  my hood completely, because I ended up with 4 bees in my bonnet. After getting them out, we returned to the hive to finish the inspections, where I was stung on two of my fingers. 

We returned to my house to check the hive here. I anticipated it being full, and I was right! We had to add another box! I had gloves on for this hive check, and promptly DROPPED a frame that was full of bee. Yes, dropped.  Ugh.  No more stings, but I was very embarrassed.

Milking, Bee update, and Future

For the past 2 weeks, I've been in "training" learning to milk a friend's miniature goats, as I will be milking while she is on vacation. It is MUCH harder than I thought it'd be, as their teats are very small. Also, this 6am milking thing is.... well...tiring. I'm usually up at that hour anyhow to let the hens and dogs out, however I head right back to bed afterwards (it takes all of 10 minutes). No so easily done after being up for a while milking.  So I'm tired. And I suck at milking.  It's a very slow learning curve.

The bees are well, I recently had to add another box to the hive to make room for all the brood.  Yesterday we checked their progress, and have moved up into the new box and are drawing it out. What is drawn out in the new box is filled with brood.  With the weather warming, they are taking less and less of the sugar syrup and will probably stop completely over the next few weeks with the increase in pollen (i.e. protein) availability. Also, as you can see in this video, the entrance reducer probably needs to come off soon. You can see lots of pollen being brought into the hive!

Lately, I have really been wanting to add one of the automatic doors to the coop that are on a daylight sensor, and open/close automatically at the appropriate times.  This would make the chickens even LESS work, and make me feel like they are secure at night from predators when we go away for the weekend. However, they are expensive (several hundred dollars).

Cull and butchering

I agonized and agonized over the decision of whether or not I should cull the Wyondotte.  I kept going back and forth about it. Finally, I decided to do it.

I hosted the class at my house, a total of 8 people attended (including the teacher and myself).  We processed a total of 12 birds. 

I am glad I decided to cull the Wyondotte, she had lots of internal abnormalities, including inflammation on her reproductive (egg laying) track. It makes me feel better that her egg laying issues were not just a fluke, and likely to happen again. I feel like I made the right decision. 

I was also very worried about one particular part of the evisceration.  The very first cut you make, is a circle around the anus - you have to do so carefully so not to rupture the intestinal track.  I had read about it many times, and seen it once. The one time I saw someone do it, I didn't have a good view so couldn't really tell what I was supposed to do. This time I had the teacher standing next to me as I went.  I now feel 100% comfortable that I could do so again, by myself.   

To cull or not to cull....

The Wyandette has been laying shell-less eggs for 2 months now. I am hosting a chicken slaughter class at my house on Thursday evening, taught by an experienced member of the farm co-op.  I was planning on culling the Wyandette due to the oviduct issue.  This week, she started laying eggs with shells on them.  What the heck?!  I finally make a decision on it, then she kinda fixes herself. 

The problem is she still isn't laying completely 'normal' eggs.  They are incredibly small (peewee sized) and odd shaped. Kind of golf-ball sized, with weird bumpy ends.  Here is a picture of her egg, next to one of the normal eggs. 

So I am torn. She is still underproducing given the size of her eggs. I am worried that she will start laying shell-less eggs again. If I'm going to have to cull her anyway, I'd like to do so w/an experienced teacher (like I'll have available to me during the class).  Oi.

Oviduct problem

So the Wyondette is still having periods of acting droopy and weird, and laying eggs w/o a shell.  I think we've narrowed it down to an oviduct problem, as when she does lay eggs (1/2 per week, WAY below her norm) they are shell-less. They don't have the hard calcium shell around them, just the thin membrane that supposed to be inside of the shell. She has laid 3+ of these now, so it's not a fluke.  They are normal otherwise (size, yolk, shape).  The thin membrane holding the egg together is weird, and like a thin piece of tissue paper that holds the eggs together when gently handled, but easily ruptured. Below is  a picture of the egg w/o a shell (it didn't go to waste, was fed to the dogs).

My much more experienced chicken friend thinks it is an oviduct problem, and the hen needs to be culled.  I'm kinda bummer out, as I did just get her.  And she is the Easter Egger's friend, they hang out together and she protects the Easter Egger when the others pick on on her.  But she is droopy and sad looking a lot, so think she will probably need to be culled. 

Bee Installs and Queen Releases

This week was buzzing with beekeeping stuff. Over the weekend installed bees in 2 hives (one on my property), and the yesterday released the queens from their cages.  Below is a pic of the install in our backyard. My husband says it looks like CSI.

Even the chickens were curious what was going one! This week will be more bee stuff (checking for eggs to see if the queen is getting down to business).

The ladies (hens) are doing well. The Wyondette keeps having spells where she quits laying, poofs up, and gets lethargic.  She's laid a couple of weird eggs (no shell, very thin shell), so I think it's an egg laying issue.  I'd like to cull her, but she is Chicken Little's only friend and her protector when the other hens pick on her. This week's most recent concern is flies. It's been warm and no rain, so flies are getting bad. I put out fly traps, and yesterday the hens knocked one over and ate the dead flies in it. Im worried about their health after doing so as I'm not sure whats in the bait, so all of todays eggs are going in the compost (just in case). Next week Im going to make my own fly traps.

In other new, I get my stitches out tomorrow (hopefully).  :)

Beekeeping start and my injury - graphic pics

Beekeeping apprenticeship is going well.  Lots of hands on learning, which is exactly what I wanted.  I've done many hive inspections without a sting.  My host hive is set up in the backyard, and the bees will be put in this weekend, weather permitting.

Yesterday had to go to ER for an injury with the hedgetrimmers.  All my fingers are still there fortunately, but have several with stitches.  Luckily I was wearing leather gloves (that got shredded) but am sure saved me from further injury.  Below are pics, I put them at the bottom so those that don't want to see don't have to.  Scroll down if you'd like to see (somewhat graphic, not terrible though).

At hospital, before being cleaned out

At hospital before they cleaned it out

The next AM during bandage change

Injury and Demand

This past 2 weeks has been hell for the Wyondette. First, the Wyondette was ill, I isolated her, and she got better and was back w/the flock in a few days. Then, she broke a toenail.  She kept picking at it, and it kept bleeding and getting re-opened.  I cleaned it out, put antiseptic on it, and put a bandaid on it to stop it from getting picked at by her, and caked w/dirt. She could barely walk on it. The next day,  after some forced rest isolate in a cat carrier, she seemed much better.  Now she is back with the flock and seems fine. She hasn't started back up laying though.

Also, the demand for our eggs has increased.  We previously had more than we could supply, but now we have even more requests!  Today while at work, 3 people asked hubby for eggs, and last week people at my work asked for some.  A neighbor who bought some (as a one time thing) decided he really likes them and wants more.  Someone else on the neighborhood forum requested some.  It makes me want more chickens!

Beds and Buzz

Last weekend we got the raised beds together and filled. Below are pictures in action. Thusfar we have in starts of: onions, shallots, garlic, potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower.  We can put the Kale seeds in now, just haven't gotten to it yet.  :) We will have to wait until April (last frost) to put the rest of the seeds in.

This weekend was a big weekend for me in terms of beekeeping. I got my first up close and personal experience with several hives, as well as made up sugar syrup for spring feeding.  Also, I found out that I will be getting 2-3 hives in April, in addition to the ones located in the community that I am responsible for checking on.  The most amazing thing was the smell. Somehow, the books all failed to mention the fact that the hives have the most wonderful and distinctive smell. Who knew?!  Even the dead one that we dissected/cleaned still had an aroma to it.  It's like a floral, sweet flowery-buttery smell. 

Cleaning out the dead hive was a lot of hard (even  gross) labor. Lot of lifting, scraping out wax/propolis, found lots of crawly things living in the dead hive (even mold started to take it over).  However, was really interesting.  This is a hobby I can really see myself enjoying. 

Beekeeping start

This weekend the beekeeping apprentices to start our training- I am excited!  It is just to cover intro stuff (gear),  and we are doing a dissection of a hive that died over the winter.  What an incredible learning experience!  It is still undecided if our property has been chosen to be a 'hive host' this season. I'll post a follow up after the weekend!

Chicken Sounds

One of the things I enjoy the most is lounging outside with the girls while they free range.  They are so funny to watch. I love the sounds they make when they are content and foraging (a soft clucking sound).  One of the funnier sounds, is when I am in the house (especially the side the is close to the back yard), I can hear the trumpeting of a girl who just laid an egg. This is when they are at their loudest, they announce to the world that they laid an egg (who wouldn't be excited about that?!). It's a very distinctive noise.  I'll try to capture it on video to share with everyone!

Buzz and Beds

Exciting week this week.  I got official word that I have a beekeeping apprenticeship starting in the Spring! Yahoo!  I'm excited that I get supervised for my foray into my beekeeping. More details on that as they occur.  For now, I'm studying up to refresh myself, as well as getting my bee toolbox together for site visits (hive tool, frame lifter,  bee brush, smoker & fuel, antihistamine tabs/topicals, epi-pen, etc). I'm not sure how many hives I'll be assigned to check on, I will be meeting with the owner of the company this week.

This weekend we built our raised garden beds.  Next weekend we will be getting and mixing up a large batch of the substrate. We are using the "Square Foot Gardening" Method, so will be using "Mel's special mix" (a mix of compost, vermiculite, and peat).  The weekend of the 17th is the Tilth's Spring plant sale, where we will be purchasing our plants. We didn't want to start with seeds for our first foray into gardening - started plants seems more assured.

Vacations

With the weather getting warm, we are making plans for 3 trips this summer. 

The one I am most excited about, is in August when we are renting a house (on 4 acres) in the San Juan Islands.  The San Juans are an island group accessible via ferry, almost in Canada.  There is an Orca Pod (the J pod) who reside there.  The islands are very quiet and undeveloped. The house we are renting is reasonably priced, 10 minutes from town (access to grocery stores, shopping, restaurants) and has a Jacuzzi. And we can bring the dogs.

The soonest trip, is in April when we visit the Northern part of the Olympic Peninsula. It happens to be during their wine & cheese festival (yum!).  The trip was a "groupon" type deal, includes 2 nights, and 2 activities (kayaking, biking, etc). 

The trip mid-summer is to La Push, which is on the central part of the Olympic Peninsula, right on the Pacific Ocean. We got a cabin right on the beach!  La Push also happens to be mentioned in the "Twilight" series, and is very close to Forks (the main setting of the books).  The biggest attraction to this location is the ocean, and of course Olympic National Park. 

For the 2 trips to the Olympic Peninsula, we are unable to bring the dogs.  Which means hiring a pet sitter for them, for the cats, and for the chickens. I get a little panicky thinking about leaving everyone.  What if something happens? Most pet sitters won't know how to dispatch a chicken if needed.  Oi. Thankfully, I farm sat for a friend in the co-op a few months back, so she owes me a few days of pet sitting, that will cover one of the trips.  I have to keep telling myself  "they are just chickens", which a chicken mentor told me when I first started. Really, they will be fine.

Egg Rainbow & Integration

The girls are in full production, we are getting plenty of eggs! Since adding the 2 new girls to the flock, we've been getting 4 or 5 eggs a day.  One day last week, we got 6! The color range is beautiful, ranging from dark brown (Star's), cream (Wyandotte), light brown (RIR's), and green (Easter Egger's).

The Easter Egger (who my husband has named Chicken Little) has been getting along better, the pecking is much much less, and she doesn't get picked on nearly as much anymore. It still bothers us when it does happen, because she is such a sweet little girl, but it is much less (and I guess at a 'normal' level).

The 2 new girls haven't quite gotten used to roosting on the perches in the coop at night. I don't know if the other girls block their way, or what. But each night, after they've roosted for the night, I have to go out, pick those 2 up off the floor, and put them on the perch in proper roosting position. I was hoping that night after night of doing this, they'd get the idea and get up there on their own, but so far it hasn't happened.

Recommended Reading & Integration Update

Recommended Reading
About 2 years ago was when we decided we wanted chickens. We lived in Suburbia at the time and couldn't have them.  It was then we decided to move so we could live they way we wanted to. I started my chicken education by reading MANY MANY books. I wanted to be full prepared.  By far, the best book that I cannot recommend enough, is Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens (3rd edition).

I started by borrowing and reading all the books my local library had, and eventually found Storey's to be the best. When it came time to purchase, it is the one book I purchased.  I refer to it all the time for guidance.  Recently, I refer to it almost daily.  While introducing the new girls, I read up on that section.  When I got the new girls, I re-read the section on wing clipping before doing it.  Today, I found two random eggs in the yard and re-read the section about candling and float testing (to see if they are too old to eat).  When my girls started laying, I referred to the size chart as I was curious if my eggs were Large, X-Large (by weight).

If you are thinking of getting chickens, or haven't had them in a long time, it is a recommended read.  It is available on Amazon for $12. I've also read the Storey's Guide to goats, and some of their other titles.

Integration Update
Each day, the little Easter Egger seems to be more and more a part of the flock. Her first few days she underwent some pretty intense pecking from the Rhode Island Reds.  Yesterday and today they free ranged all day together unsupervised, and the pecking has greatly diminished in intensity and frequency.  Sometimes they tolerate her very close to them while foraging, as a part of their flock, with no pecking. Other times, they'll give her a quick peck, or start towards her, and she'll run off. The Silver Laced Wyandotte will try to protect her as best as she can. The Silver Laced Wyandotte is fully part of the flock, and puts the other girls under her in the pecking order, so they don't ever attempt to bully her.

Last night, after everyone had roosted, I took the 2 new girls from their dog crate(serving as a temporary coop) and put them on the perch's w/the other girls in the main coop.  I plan on doing this for the next night or two. I'm curious to see where the new girls will go to roost on their own.

2 new girls

Yesterday I picked up the 2 new girls; a Silver Laced Wyandotte (pictured at right) and an Easter Egger (pictures, left).  Very sweet, and beautiful girls.  The Wyandotte is now my prettiest girl.  

Introductions didn't go as well as I'd hope. I set up a dog crate in the yard for the new girls, so they could all see each other w/o the ability to hurt each other. Eventually, I let them all free range together. The Wyandotte bosses all  my girls around, and has no issues because she asserts herself well. The Easter Egger is much smaller, and the 1st day was picked on a lot by the Rhode Island.  It was to the point that I had to break it up, and put them back in their crate. Because of this, I decided to keep the new girls in the dog crate for the night - so had to insulate it, make it rain proof, and give them a nest box (old cat crate).   

Today they foraged one group at a time in the yard, then together (under supervision). There were a few minor spats, and the Easter Egger started standing up to the other girls.The spats they had today weren't nearly as intense as yesterdays.  I feel like I'll continue this arrangement for the next few days, then eventually put the new girls in the coop w/the others at night.  My biggest concern now is if the Easter Egger is in a confined space with the others (i.e. the coop or enclosed run), she'll have a harder time getting away from the others when they start pecking her. 


In other news, I applied for a beekeeping apprenticeship for 2012, and feel pretty confident I'll get it.

Eggs, Escapes, and Additions

Escapes:  Last night while walking the dogs, we encountered the neighbor who lives behind us. He said he and his wife found one of our chickens wandering the alley between our houses, they attempted to catch it/corral it back, but could not.  Which is strange, because none of our girls have been missing.  I guess she found her way back in.  But last night I went around and plugged up all the holes under the fence large enough for a hen to fit through. They like to forage/dig under the fence line for treats, and in some places the gap they opened up was 6/7 inches. 

Eggs:  Today was the first day we got 4 eggs! Also, one of the hens is laying in the middle of the night, which is not normal at all. Last night I went out at 9pm to let the dogs out and check the girls. I found one laying on the coop floor, nesting in the bedding. I thought it was weird, put her back up on the perch, and didn't think anything more of it.  Then, this morning at 6am (again, out w/the dogs), I checked on them to find her AGAIN on the floor of the coop. This time when I moved her, she was sitting on an egg.  It's not really normal for them to lay in pitch black of night.  Consultation w/chicken experts (egg-sperts) seem to think she'll straighten her cycle out since she's a new layer.  The problem is since she lays in the middle of the night, it's too dark to find her way to the nest boxes.

Additions:  I think I have settled on 2 girls from someone nearby, who has an Easter Egger (XL green eggs @ 4/week), and a Silver Laced Wyandette (L brown eggs, @4/week).  I think I'll get these girls, unless someone emails me w/something I like better (i.e. a Leghorn or Austraorp would be my top choice). But these two girls are VERY pretty, so think they'll add some variety to my flock.

Egg count and sales

Now that all the girls are laying, I started keeping track of how many we get each day.  This week we got 18, which is way more than we can eat. So we sold our first dozen to hubby's coworker. There was a good reaction, and many people wanted to purchase the eggs!  Which has me thinking of adding to our little flock.

I really would like Australorps, due to their high egg production (5/week). However, I seem to have a hard time finding them online, at a good price, within a reasonable drive.  I did find someone selling 2 Barred Rocks close by for a good price, however the only lay 4/week.  But they are pretty birds, and I did want to try having that breed. Also, they are almost exactly the age of my girls. 

I'd also be interested in some Easter Eggers, they lay 4/week, but are Extra-Large Blue green eggs, but I haven't seen any for sale at a reasonable price nearby.

Snow and egg box update

This week was filled with eggs and snow.  The first day of the snow, they chickens were out forging in the yard as it snowed and didn't seem to mind at all.  It melted the next day, however the following night we got 5 inches.  With the ground/grass covered, the girls were reluctant to venture out into the snow. It seems that as long as there is dirt/grass for them to forage in, they don't mind the snow. So, for 2 days they were confined to the run below the chicken tractor.  As you can see from the pictures, I opened the door to let them out, however they chose not to come out.

They black colored Star, has been consistently laying in the egg boxes by herself. Henrietta is hit or miss if she'll lay in the box, or the bottom of the coop.  Neither Rhode Island Red has stated laying yet, despite one having a large comb/waddle.

In other news the in-laws visited, and, of course, we made them an egg breakfast!

Coop Commotion

So now that 2 are consistently laying, they are laying on the floor of the coop. They refuse to go up to the nest boxes, located on the 2nd floor of the coop.  I think they don't like the perch they have to get onto, to get into the next boxes.  They tend to not be able to get down. They tend to 'fall' down, which they don't like.  So I solicited help from fellow farm co-op members, and received some good suggestions and suggested modifications for the coop, which I plan on making this week.

They've been laying every other day, so I wasn't expecting them to lay today.  However, I heard a racket in the back yard, and went outside to hear the most god awful screeching from the ladies. I thought they were being attacked or were hurt. Seriously, it was that bad.  I thought my neighbors would think I was harming them! Last night I put a wood box in the coop in the spot they had been laying, hoping to encourage them to stand on the box to get to the nest boxes.  The two layers, were pissed as hell the box was in their 'laying spot' and were trying to find a spot to lay.  And, of course, squawking in displeasure.

I picked them up and put them in the nest boxes. They quickly stopped yelling, calmed down, and started to 'sit' and look broody in the nest boxes, looking like they were going to lay.  I feel better knowing they were acting like they are supposed to in the nest boxes.  Although I'm still confused,  they've been consistently laying every other day, and I was expecting any eggs today.

UPDATE:   After letting them sit in the boxes for 30 minutes, I went out to check on them.  Both had laid in the nest boxes!!!!   Yay!  We will see if they use them next time, this time I put them in the boxes, I hope next time they climb up there themselves! They both seemed to really like the next boxes, they were rearranging the bedding in the boxes to their liking.

2nd hen laying

The first hen to lay was the black colored 'Black Star' (I call her Blackie - I know, not very creative).  She laid every other day so far.  Today, Henrietta started laying as well (she is also a Black Star hatched the same day).  I knew Henrietta would start laying soon, as the pelvic gap was large (3 fingers) and her comb & wattle were getting very large and brightly colored.  Today, I caught Henrietta acting broody, then an hour later there was an egg w/a blood streak on it (indicating its likely the first egg to pass through the cloaca). Also, it was differently colored than the other eggs Blackie had been laying. (B's have been solid chocolatey brown, and H's had white spot on it). So I figured it was Henrietta's but was certain when  the other egg appeared a few hours later (Blackie's egg).  Today, they were both warm when I pulled them from the coop!

The Rhode Island's should start next week I am guessing. One of their comb/wattle is getting larger and brighter, but the other's is still small and pale colored.  Maybe 2 weeks for her? 

1st egg!!!

Got our first egg today!  Obviously I am so excited.  :) A few pics.  It wasn't in the egg box, so am going to amp up the egg box training.

Update...

Just a quick update.  Thusfar, the ladies are not laying even though they past the age of 20 weeks (probably due to the lay of daylight hours).  The good new is the winter solstice has passed, so they should start laying soon!  Everytime I have to purchase eggs as the store it frustrates me!

On the bright side, I am farm sitting in a few weeks. Someone is going away for the weekend, and I volunteered to take care of her farm (9 chickens, 20 meat rabbits, and 2 pregnant does).  The does are so sweet, it really make me want some. Especially since her property is smaller than mine and she manages just fine!  I figure it'll give me an idea of the care, without the milking.