Eggs and Escapees

It seems like my hens are starting to get "with the program" Eggs that is. Consistently within the last week I've been getting 3 eggs. Yesterday, they surprised me with 5 eggs. Now to get the other two to become "team players". I know one of the hens that isn't a team player is Cleo.
She's a loaner. She wasn't part of the family we got the rest from so she's inserted herself as the Queen, hence her name "Cleo".

For the last 3 days now we've had a Roo and a couple of hens escape from their yard. I think they must be flying over. I've yet to catch them in the act. The weekend's here tomorrow and maybe I'll be able to watch them and find where our weak spot is.

Meanwhile, the chicks are doing very well. DB made a larger box for them in the garage. He hung one of my songbird feeders up for them and we've got a couple of ideas for a better waterer for them.
Look at his comb. Can you tell at this age (3wks) if its a roo from the comb?
This is one of the runts. He/she is small but sure fiesty. He/she holds its own with the larger one.

This is the other runt. I can't believe how they are growing. Their feathers are growing out. Their heads, I've heard are the last to get feathers.





I've been looking online to see what kind of chicks these are. I can't tell. They probably have to grow some more before I can tell. Some of them have the regular yellow legs and feet, some have green and some have black. They sure are a menagerie.

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Chicken and Chick Happenings

It's been a week and I think the hens and Fonzi are liking their new home. We let them out of their yard everyday that it's nice, so they can scratch. When they see me coming around 5, they scurry to the opening. They know what seeing me means. The rooster likes his harem and is exerting himself daily. When they go to far, out of our established area, we (DB and myself) herd them back. Fonzi has challenged DB a couple of times. He didn't win, but when he backs off, he crows and thinks he's won. NOT.

Now the chicks we got from a friend are a week old and they growing my leaps and bounds. We've also been letting them out of their space onto the patio for some exercise and sun. They love it. They exercise their wings and investigate. They don't like the grass, yet. I'm sure they will as they get bigger.
We have 11 and they are thriving. One has green legs and feet. I'm thinking he must be an "Easter Egger" as I've heard them called. I tried to get a short video, but I can't figure out my camera, yet.

On the egg front. We've been getting 3 eggs a day now for the last 4 days. They are all consistently bigger than store bought extra large. The hen that laid the first two hasn't laid again. (bad picture) Her's were perfect. Not sure why she's taking a leave of absence. I hope she starts back up again.

Homestead Revival: Give Away: Homemade Living - The Series!

Homestead Revival: Give Away: Homemade Living - The Series!

Progress

We've had our chickens since Tuesday, 3 days and I got an egg yesterday and one today. I think they are getting used to their new digs.

The one on the left is the first one and the far right one is the one I got today. They are huge. That an extra large egg container with a store bought egg that came in that carton. I can't even close the lid on the carton because of the one on the right. This is great. Once the weather starts to get nicer, I'm sure they'll be more appreciative.

Fonzi and the girls

We went to the Auction today to get 7 layers and one Rooster. I was in charge of picking the hens and my DB wanted to pick the Rooster. We looked at all the poultry and decided which ones we wanted to bid on. Believe it or not, we got the ones we wanted. I can't believe some of those Roosters went for $17. Here's ours:

He's the big guy. Fonzi




Three of our girls. This will be an adventure. We've both had chickens before. I was a young teenager and wasn't really interested then. I think I'm really interested now.