TexasMadness
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Location: Austin, Texas
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
We only have heritage breeds! I think part of it is having so few predators. They don't " grow up" with it. Or even heritage breeds are dumb! 
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6/1/2013, 2:22 am
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
We finally managed to get some hens 2 weeks ago. We have 3 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Ameracaunas and 1 Wyandotte.
The roosters are Cheech and Chong, and so far, the Reds are Prudence (Pru for short), Beatrice (Bea for short) and Matilida...one of the Americaunas is Gracie (not named the other yet) and the Wyandotte is Charlotte.
The runt of the bunch is Pru...and I think she is the only one laying eggs. In 14 days, we've gotten 9 eggs...not eaten any of them yet.
So far, so good !!!
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"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
~~@Saijen@~~
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6/17/2013, 6:52 pm
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Firlefanz
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
Enjoy the eggs!
I love the names you gave those chickens. How close are they to your house?
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6/18/2013, 7:40 am
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muladzh
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
We had named our chickens too - makes it harder when some predatory monster kills them though. The sight of Gertrude being eaten by a red tail hawk was not good. The memory of the lost Gertrude is harder. She was a strange bird. sometimes friendly, often vicious.
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6/18/2013, 2:53 pm
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
Muladzh...I had thought about Gertie for the other Americauna....and yeah, it is harder to lose something you've named, but I have a problem with having an unnamed animal.....I would name all of our landlord's cows if he'd let me, but he'd never remember them all...lol.
I did name some twin calves he has...that are now mothers themselves...they were Molly and Dolly....and my DH still calls them by their names.
We do keep an eye out for preditors...and thankfully, Benny has started alerting somewhat, when things aren't what he perceives as normal. Since he's not been here a week yet, he's still not totally sure what is acceptable, but he's learning very quickly. He and our little Corgi mix were fussing about something around 4:30 this morning...so I think we'll do OK.
Firle, they are about 210 feet or so from the house. Close enough we can hear if they make a fuss, but far enough away that we're not bothered much by the normal chicken yard smell and such. We have a nice fenced area at the main barn (which is falling down, unfortunately) with a coop for them all at night that is vented, but we can close the doors and nothing can get in to them...as it's up off the ground with a wood floor. The nesting boxes are all attached to the side...4 are inside, 2 are outside. The inside boxes, DH made so that they are accessible from outside of the chicken yard....so if I want to see if there's eggs, all I have to do is raise the 'lid' and peek in. Makes it nice, especially if it's been raining.
I'll be happy when all the hens start laying....we're still getting eggs from only one, that we can tell.
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~~@Saijen@~~
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6/19/2013, 5:29 pm
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muladzh
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
Froggy wants to get a chicken that lays green shell eggs. We occasionally got them in the Olympia Co-Op and she loves them.. Crazy girl.
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6/20/2013, 4:37 am
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
I love the 'Easter Eggers'....the chickens that lay colored eggs! I was hoping at least one of ours did...but so far, we still only have one hen laying! 
I think we've finally made it to a dozen eggs....I need to take them into the house and put them in that fridge...right now, they are in the fridge in the camper...but they need to get eaten! LOL
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6/22/2013, 3:03 pm
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Firlefanz
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
I love having eggs at my sister's place - they have their own chicken, sharing them with the neighbors. They switch weekly, the ones who take care of the chicken also get to harvest the eggs. It works very well.
So yay for your first dozen of eggs!
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6/23/2013, 9:42 am
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
I fried up 6 of the eggs on Sunday for breakfast...ohh soo good!!!! The whites and yolks are really thick, and the yolks are a super deep orangy-yellow...thick shells!
We still only have one hen laying, though. DH says if the others don't start, he's either selling them, or they'll go in the pot! We're supposed to be getting 4 more hens sometime in the near future...I think we're going to have to divide the chicken yard. One roost (Chong) tends to bully Cheech...so Cheech rarely comes out of the coop..just to snatch something to eat and drink, then Chong runs him back into the coop. Gonna have to separate them 
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6/26/2013, 4:15 am
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Finally getting started on chickens
YAY!!! More of our chickens are finally starting to lay!!!!!! 
We are getting between 3-5 eggs a day right now....I need to candle what's in the fridge and get them put up for use! Some are HUGE...some not so much...but they all eat the same and are SOO good!
We're not sure which ones are actually laying...but for now, they've managed to keep themselves out of the stew pot!! LOL
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~~@Saijen@~~
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7/2/2013, 3:12 pm
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