[Ag-eq] my chickens

Nella Foster nfoster at extremezone.com
Mon Jul 5 05:30:35 UTC 2010 

Susan:

Why are the shells thinner than on store bought eggs?

I've seen an egg with just the membrane before; they feel pretty strange!

Nella
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 5:52 PM
Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens


> Nella,
>
> Yes, the laying food is only bad for them if you give it to them too 
> early. The calcium in it may also build in their bodies because their body 
> doesn't have anywhere for it to go if they are not laying or nearly laying 
> yet.  I also never gave them crushed oyster shells until they started 
> laying.  We also, once they had started laying, added about 3 tablespoons 
> of white vinegar to their water everytime we filled their waterers.  This 
> helps the hens to metabolize the calcium into their system.  This was very 
> important if you noticed thin egg shells or on rare occasions, an egg that 
> was laid with no shell, just the membrane for a shell.  That would feel so 
> weird in your hands, almost like a thin reptile egg.  Just so you'll know, 
> your egg shells will be thinner than store baught eggs.  It took me a bit 
> to get use to that without cracking them too hard.
>
> Susan
> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Nella Foster" <nfoster at extremezone.com>
> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 11:03 AM
> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>
>
>> Susan:
>>
>> I've been feeding them pieces of fruits and vegetables.  They really seem 
>> to like that.  They also find bugs and such when I let them into the 
>> yard.
>>
>> I was told that the laying hen food is very rich and can be hard on them; 
>> is this true.
>>
>> Nella
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 9:45 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>
>>
>>> Not yet, I'd wait til August if they're telling you they will lay 
>>> towards the end of August.
>>>
>>> Go ahead and feed them soft or squishy fruit and vegetables like 
>>> tomatoes, squash, and even a piece of cabbage will also keep them 
>>> occupied to peck on.
>>>
>>> Susan
>>> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Nella Foster" <nfoster at extremezone.com>
>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 9:14 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>
>>>
>>>> Susan:
>>>>
>>>> I met to say the chickens might start laying near the end of August.  I 
>>>> believe they hatched on March 30 and I was told they could start laying 
>>>> at 18 weeks.  From everything I've read these breeds are known for 
>>>> laying early.
>>>>
>>>> I just started feeding them the chicken scratch; I was feeding them the 
>>>> stuff for chicks.  Do you think I should feed the food for laying hens?
>>>>
>>>> Nella
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
>>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 4:53 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Nella,
>>>>>
>>>>> How old are your hens.  I usually got mine in April or May at about 4 
>>>>> to 8 weeks old and then they would start laying by October.  I fed 
>>>>> them the baby crumble up til they were about 12 weeks and then 
>>>>> switched to adult laying mash.  You don't want to give them the adult 
>>>>> stuff too early because they can't handle the extra calcium until they 
>>>>> are a bit older.
>>>>>
>>>>> Susan
>>>>> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>> From: "Nella Foster" <nfoster at extremezone.com>
>>>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 8:54 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Susan:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yesterday it got up to 115!  I was so worried about the chickens, but 
>>>>>> they were o.k.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thursday evening I let the girls out to run around and eat bugs and 
>>>>>> such. I went back out about 8:30 to shut their gate; I could only 
>>>>>> feel 3 chickens in the coop, but thought the other was up on the top 
>>>>>> roost, which I can't reach.  Friday morning when I went out to feed 
>>>>>> here comes one of my chickens.  She was all upset since she was out 
>>>>>> of the run and the rest were inside.  I was able to catch her and put 
>>>>>> her back in. I've been trying to handle them a lot so they will be 
>>>>>> easier to catch, I guess it's paying off!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> They are really growing and filling out.  My neighbor said that their 
>>>>>> feathers look healthier than when I first got them.  They should 
>>>>>> start laying near the end of July, but I suspect they may wait due to 
>>>>>> the heat.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> How is everything going there?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I hope you are having a great 4th of July weekend.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Nella
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>> From: "Susan Roe" <dogwoodfarm at verizon.net>
>>>>>> To: "Agricultural and Equestrean Division List" <ag-eq at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Friday, July 02, 2010 8:56 AM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] my chickens
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Nella,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> When I can get my hands on them, I can tell the Buff Orphingtons 
>>>>>>> because they don't have much of a tail so to speak.  LOL
>>>>>>> I don't know exactly how long chickens can live.  I'm sure there are 
>>>>>>> a lot of factors to consider, however, right now my oldest ones are 
>>>>>>> about 5 years old and though they have slowed down a bit, they are 
>>>>>>> still laying good size eggs.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That is not a problem with letting your hens out like you are doing 
>>>>>>> and putting them up at night.  I can't do that here, too many 
>>>>>>> roaming hunting dogs, farrel cats and loads of active wildlife.  We 
>>>>>>> have 12 foot square enclosed yards for each coop.  They get plenty 
>>>>>>> of sun, wind, rain, bugs and mice, grass clippings, leaf rakings and 
>>>>>>> whatever vegetable/fruit we have of our own, local farmers market 
>>>>>>> and things we find really cheep on sale.  They love it all.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Susan
>>>>>>> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>
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>
>
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