Wing It Ranch

[WingItRanch]

When I looked at the coop footage, the brown EE laid her first egg at 5am! It was pitch dark. I guess she felt the urge and instead of letting it drop from the roost, she hopped in the nest box. Then went back to bed. Good girl!

Also on the footage, the larger of my red girls (maybe Welsummer or maybe Olive Egger) was in the nest box for half an hour the day before. Pretty sure she's next! I'm most looking forward to seeing that egg for confirmation on breed. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/welsummer-or-olive-egger.1635248/

 

[WingItRanch]

Ok not really an egg update but something interesting.

This morning when I was looking over my Blue Australorp for any issues (she's been laying 2 eggs in one sitting but hasn't laid any eggs for 8 days). She's fine but I noticed something.... she has tiny little feathers in the same spot on each foot!!! I called the place I got her and confirmed that they had Blue Marans at around the same time and must have grabbed the wrong one for me. That explains the darker egg!

 

[WingItRanch]

I present one of my Welsummers! She laid her very first small speckled egg today at the age of approx 7- 7.5 months old. The egg feels very rough in texture.

 

[WingItRanch]

My colorful basket!

 

[WingItRanch]

My other Welsummer laid her first egg today at 7.5 months old!

Not as speckled as I would have hoped but still a great addition to my basket.

 

[WingItRanch]

So... now 10 out of my 11 pullets are laying! The only one that I'm waiting on is my Blue Easter Egger but I have a feeling I'll be waiting until Spring. She still looks pretty immature. Light pink comb.

She's my "special" girl. I've always felt something is a little off with her. She's lowest on pecking order and she spends a lot of time dust bathing by herself. She doesn't seem to have the same instincts as the others and she appears to have some vision problems. She is very pretty and sweet, though!

 

[Bawkbok]

Congratulations on your eggs. Your EE is pretty.

I made the dirt / ash bathing bed in the kiddie pool yesterday. It's not in the run as it doesn't fit well so I placed it in the sunny spot of the yard where they like to sunbathe. The girls walked up to it and looked at it, stretched their necks, reaching over the top and pecking around for bugs of which there weren't any as I bought two bags of clean top soil from THD and used ash from the pit, about a 70/30 ratio as you suggested. So, I placed some of their favorite treats in the middle, two of the three jumped in to eat the treats and well --- back out again. I may have to get in myself and demonstrate what it's for. That should make a funny youtube video for the people watchers next door. HA!

Our golden comet, the non producing production bird, 8 mos. is still going in and out of the nest daily - no eggie yet. She sure is trying; definitely knows where to go when it's time. I feel bad for her (and us). Still very warm here - mid to high 80s daily. We can't seem to get out of this icky weather pattern.

 

[WingItRanch]

Congratulations on your eggs. Your EE is pretty.

I made the dirt / ash bathing bed in the kiddie pool yesterday. It's not in the run as it doesn't fit well so I placed it in the sunny spot of the yard where they like to sunbathe. The girls walked up to it and looked at it, stretched their necks, reaching over the top and pecking around for bugs of which there weren't any as I bought two bags of clean top soil from THD and used ash from the pit, about a 70/30 ratio as you suggested. So, I placed some of their favorite treats in the middle, two of the three jumped in to eat the treats and well --- back out again. I may have to get in myself and demonstrate what it's for. That should make a funny youtube video for the people watchers next door. HA!

Our golden comet, the non producing production bird, 8 mos. is still going in and out of the nest daily - no eggie yet. She sure is trying; definitely knows where to go when it's time. I feel bad for her (and us). Still very warm here - mid to high 80s daily. We can't seem to get out of this icky weather pattern.

I'd watch that demonstration! Haha. That's odd that they didn't immediately dive in and bathe. Every time I add some fresh dirt and ash, they basically push me out of their way to get in.

It's interesting your girl still isn't laying. I will say that I had a ton of new layers upon the first "cooler" temp day. We had a cold front that dropped temps to the low 70s and bam! Eggs!

 

[WingItRanch]

RIP Blue Marans (formally known as Blue Australorp).

She had reproductive issues and passed away this morning.

 

[Bawkbok]

RIP Blue Marans (formally known as Blue Australorp).

She had reproductive issues and passed away this morning.

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that.

It seems to me there's too much of these reproductive issues. I guess it's all normal but not for me being new to chickens. I'm sorry for your loss - so sad.