Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[vehve]

Don't, like I said, I enjoy the diversity here, and the chicken speak

I'm sitting here feeling very nervous. I have 3 month old chicks, but have my first order of shipped chicks that left yesterday, and today is supposed to be 97degrees. They were shipped priority, but that is still 1-3 days in transit. It's so hard to be patient.
The shared difficulty being patient is another thing I like about this thread.

People think of the chicks as something very fragile, and in a way they are, but they can also survive quite a lot. I don't think the post office here in Finland would agree to shipping live animals though, even eggs are considered a bit weird. The longest way we've ever had an animal travel, was when we got a dachshund from Brazil. She flew all the way here on her own in the cargo bay. When Karin went to pick her up, she was delivered to her with a forklift at the cargo depot

Hopefully your chicks arrive safely, and soon you can start expecting your pullets to lay their first bumnuts!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Don't, like I said, I enjoy the diversity here, and the chicken speak
I'm sitting here feeling very nervous. I have 3 month old chicks, but have my first order of shipped chicks that left yesterday, and today is supposed to be 97degrees. They were shipped priority, but that is still 1-3 days in transit. It's so hard to be patient.
The shared difficulty being patient is another thing I like about this thread.

Hi Hershy, yes we do ramble a bit but we are friendly and yes it eventually comes back to ' chook talk '. Hope your babies make it safely. The hatcheries would put some of those gel feeders in with them to keep them hydrated. If you don't have some on hand , I would recommend that you have some electrolyte s ready for them.
Save a chick is one product that some of the hatcheries will send with the chicks.

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/page25.htm

 

[Bens-Hens]

Well, I've been lurking for quite a while it seems and I'm still not caught up on the back story. Just saying hi and I appreciate that this thread is quite varied but always comes back to chicken talk!

HI and welcome Hershy! Yeah, we do wonder about a bit but many of these threads do, keeps some momentum up.

Glad you have got some help/info/therapy/entertainment for it hahahaha

Don't, like I said, I enjoy the diversity here, and the chicken speak

I'm sitting here feeling very nervous. I have 3 month old chicks, but have my first order of shipped chicks that left yesterday, and today is supposed to be 97degrees. They were shipped priority, but that is still 1-3 days in transit. It's so hard to be patient.
The shared difficulty being patient is another thing I like about this thread.

What breeds do you have, and are expecting? We have quite a diverse flock here. I agree with what Fancy say's about the gels and electrolytes.

Hi Hershy, yes we do ramble a bit but we are friendly and yes it eventually comes back to ' chook talk '. Hope your babies make it safely. The hatcheries would put some of those gel feeders in with them to keep them hydrated. If you don't have some on hand , I would recommend that you have some electrolyte s ready for them.
Save a chick is one product that some of the hatcheries will send with the chicks.

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/page25.htm

I have read they do that in the US.

Felix, I don't think (?) they let live birds post here either. I could be wrong but. If birds are to be posted they have to go through a different parcel system than regular post.

Speaking of chicken talk. Egg production seems quite related to sunshine in our flock. One sunny day does not change much, but string a few together and the girls seem to lay more. It's raining today though, so I am not expecting a big turnout.

I did find a 'practice egg' under a roost, thin shell and cracked at one end and somewhat smaller than our normal eggs. FIngers crossed it was someone either coming back into lay or that spinster SPW we have (although, pretty sure she sleeps the other end of the roost most nights)

Chicks are doing well, wet today so they will stay in the multi coloured brooder, probably living in fear of "The Hand That Descends" from time to time lol

 

[Fancychooklady]

Ben the chicks all look healthy and happy. I have some blrw and coro timed to hatch on our daughters 18 th birthday next week, but I swear I could hear chirping whilst momma was doing her ' dirt bath , stinky poop thing '. I popped some coro eggs under yet another broody silkie yesterday. I collected 16 eggs this morning. I think that they do ship chicks on ' the mainland ' of Australia , but through courier. I send mine over on the spirit of Tasmania with a couple I found on gumtree.

 

[Hershy]

Yes, you all seem so welcoming.
It's funny how easily a couple chickens turns into "I want (need) more". I told DH a couple years ago that I wanted to be responsible for more of our own food, I already garden and wanted to add chickens, but since they weren't allowed in our subdivision, we made plans to sell and get more property.
Last September we found 2.5 ac and haven't regretted a minute of it. In March we ordered a coop, bought 6 chicks (2 polish, 2 BA's and 2 EE). Went to a poultry swap a couple weeks later and fell in love with a buff Orpington. So, as soon as the coop was delivered, the older ones moved in and the buffies got the garage. Everyone is happy and healthy and those buffies are so sweet that when one of my neighbors asked if I'd be selling eggs, I took it as a sign and ordered some different colored Orpingtons. (Had to, the feed stores were out of chicks)!!! They are coming from a breeder, and grogel is supposed to be included.
I can't wait to be getting my own practice eggs, but in the meantime, thanks for letting me live vicariously through your stories!
Jill

 

[lindz8504]

My broody Golden comet (RSL) hatched 5 chicks today! Just from my flock, but I am hoping for some olive eggers!

 

[satay]

HI and welcome Hershy! Yeah, we do wonder about a bit but many of these threads do, keeps some momentum up.

Glad you have got some help/info/therapy/entertainment for it hahahaha

What breeds do you have, and are expecting? We have quite a diverse flock here. I agree with what Fancy say's about the gels and electrolytes.

I have read they do that in the US.

Felix, I don't think (?) they let live birds post here either. I could be wrong but. If birds are to be posted they have to go through a different parcel system than regular post.

Speaking of chicken talk. Egg production seems quite related to sunshine in our flock. One sunny day does not change much, but string a few together and the girls seem to lay more. It's raining today though, so I am not expecting a big turnout.

I did find a 'practice egg' under a roost, thin shell and cracked at one end and somewhat smaller than our normal eggs. FIngers crossed it was someone either coming back into lay or that spinster SPW we have (although, pretty sure she sleeps the other end of the roost most nights)

Chicks are doing well, wet today so they will stay in the multi coloured brooder, probably living in fear of "The Hand That Descends" from time to time lol

There are quite a few transport companys now that transport by road on the east coast at least. They are not the cheapest. I think they can be transported by air too.

 

[vehve]

My broody Golden comet (RSL) hatched 5 chicks today! Just from my flock, but I am hoping for some olive eggers!

Congrats! How is the new mother taking it?

 

[Bens-Hens]

Hershy, sounds great. A nice mix of flock you have there. Sounds like the chicken bug has bitten you hard too lol. It's very satisfying being even the slightest bit self sufficient with something. 2.5 acres is a nice chunk of space to be looking after yourself.

Lindz, thats great news. I didn't think RSL's would go broody (we have never had one) so cool to hear yours not only hatch but is raising too.

I added two more perches to the run this morning before taking off. It's been rainy and the three perches were full of birds and a few were left walking around. I thought I would add some more dry roosting space for them to hang out on which they seem to like.

Coming home I found another thin shelled egg in a nest box, had a small hole in one end. My guess is she stood on it or gave it a peck and being so thin it popped a hole in it.

No idea who laid it though.

 

[vehve]

I'm hoping the sunshine rule applies to us too. In the past couple of weeks, we've only had one properly sunny day, but finally today the rains seem to have given way to that big ball of gas up in the sky and it's finally sunny. If yesterday's afternoon egg was laid by someone else than Veera, we might be getting our first day of two eggs today. If it was Veera's, it's probably going to be a zero day

I'm hoping I'll know by noon, because I don't think Veera could produce an egg in just 19 hours.

The water combined with the warming weather is doing wonders for the nature. Looking out the window, I see a lawn that desperately needs mowing, even though it's been mowed on Saturday.

Ben, hopefully you don't have an egg eating problem brewing up, are you using the golfballs? I can warmly recommend Wilson and Titleist balls, using them Veera has not laid a single egg outside the nests.

Our birds really like the run perches too, only problem is that they don't go into the coop to sleep every night. Yesterday Karin had to lift 6 birds in again at around 1am. Our birdies really stay up late. Seems to me like it's related to cloud cover, whenever the skies aren't clear it's a bit darker, and they tend to fall asleep in the run.