11:40 1 green, 1 brown cannibilized.
1 more brown egg.

I should note that the hens have been laying on top of a bale of straw, not in their coop. Quite possible that the brown egg was rolled off the bale, broke and was subsequently cannibilized.

Coop is wet from all the rain, I think they're laying on the bale because it is dry.

11:30 AM 2 brown.
Leghorn is a bit perkier, has been eating. It'd be nice to have her healthy again.

10:20 AM, 1 brown. 1:00 PM 1 brown, 1 green. 5:00 1 more brown

so 3 brown, 1 green for Monday. Looks like at least 6 hens are producing, 3 yesterday, 4 today.

Leghorn isn't changing much, possibly a little bit more alert, but not wanting to get active, content to just stay in warm tote.

Rain supposed to continue all week.

1 brown, 1 green as of 10:00 AM. + 1 green by noon - 1 brown, 2 green

I've isolated the leghorn, put her in a tote with straw, feed, water and a light bulb for heat. Talked with owner of local feed store - I could buy a 200 year supply of tetracycline to treat her (and whole flock). I may ask a friend that is a vet tech if she could get me less than 250 gms of tetracycline, give the leghorn a small dose. I don't want to treat the whole flock as I'm allergic to tetracycline and it could make consuming their eggs problematic for the duration of treatment.

The leghorn is part of the oldest cohort of my flock. I believe Brooke first brought chicks here in spring of 2003 making her almost 5 years old... possibly it was 2002. Wikipedia entry on chickens puts that at the low end of a chickens natural span (5-11 years). I think that she's just old and has an infection that she's having trouble fighting an infection that's not causing trouble to the other birds. Breed may also be a factor as there is definitely one other bird from her age cohort - the barred rock hen is quite vigorous as is the rest of the flock.

It is possible that some of the rhode island reds are from the oldest cohort, but I have no way of telling - I'm going to band the legs of the chicks before they're mature so I know their age. Probably use nylon zip ties. I'll know pre 2008 from post 2008 hens that way. 2010 chicks will get a different color zip tie.

Saturday - 3 brown.

Leghorn is still under the weather - very inactive, conserving body heat and not interested in food or maintaining her prior dominance in the pecking order. One of the ducks was harassing her and she barely peeped. I hope she comes out of this ok.

I've not mentioned swimming since I started posting again. Pool had been closed for maintenance until last weekend. I've had a cold and felt that wet skin and 40 degree temperatures wouldn't help my immune system.

Cold is almost gone. If it isn't raining tomorrow afternoon I should get in my mile.

Monday no eggs
Tuesday 1 green
Wednesday 1 green
Thursday 3 brown
Friday 1 brown, 2 green

Leghorn hen is looking a bit ill from the rain this week. Yesterday she had burrowed behind bale of straw, She's quite spattered with mud as well. I'll be keeping an eye on her through the storms. She's not for the stewpot unless I see her moving with at least some of her prior vigor.

Saturday 1 brown

Sunday 1 brown, 1 green. I have hopes that there will be 5 hens in production by end of January. By the equinox 8 hens in production, 5 hens in stew pot.

Solstice should begin to get production from chicks, by autumnal equinox I should be eating a lot of quiche 6 old hens and 8-10 new hens in full production. Of course I'm counting my chickens before they're hatched at this point, but I feel confident I'll add new hens and slaughter as outlined so far.

Does anyone read these posts I wonder? Comments?

Yesterday 1 brown, 1 green. Today 2 brown.

That's 3 brown egg laying hens in production. And given the escape artist is at it again, I have to wonder if there aren't some green eggs hidden away.

In 2 weeks I think production will be 4 eggs daily. I'll have some idea which hens aren't laying as well and can take appropriate action.

production is increasing. 1 brown, 1 green as of noon. I guess my pep talk had some effect :-)

I talked with the hens for a couple of 2 minute talks telling them that there was a need for stewing hens and that they would be volunteering soon if they didn't start egg production back up. There will still be some slaughtering happening this winter - I expect to be down to 6 hens by the end of March, at which point I'll be purchasing some chicks that will be both layers for the coming 2-3 years and pullets - see inaugural post of 2008 for details.

If I collect any more eggs today I'll note it here.

Well, one of the aracaunas escaped today. Wing clipping time, given the end of molting season and the new feathers it is definitely indicated.

No eggs.

Chickens have fresh straw in their coop, had their usual hen party spreading it about.

One egg today, a jumbo brown one. First egg since I started blogging again.

None of the aracaunas is laying at present, both are fully fledged including their tails. Neither is escaping.

I should relate a chicken story from late summer. I was vacationing in Europe, drinking a fine Belgian ale in a small pub in Amsterdam. I get a text message from a member of my motorcycle club that animal control had left a note on my door about the chickens being neglected. I relayed this to the other patrons of the pub who were surprised that a software engineer from California would keep chickens. I told them everything was going to be OK and returned to my beer.

In truth the chickens had four levels of care givers - my next door neighbors, neighbors both up and down the hill from my house and the afore mentioned mc club member. So he called animal control and told them he'd be personally responsible until my return, I emailed him thanks and let him know that they should have been fine already. Animal control also told him that in addition to the welfare check they had a complaint about a loose animal.

I get back from Europe about a week later. I talk with all 3 neighbors about chicken care and am assured that the chickens had food and water checked at least daily. Late August can be hot, and the ducks could have splashed water. Regardless the hens and ducks weren't going to be suffering from no water as they'd have it refilled within the day.

I called animal control and arrange to meet them. I immediately determined that the officer was friendly and not wanting to be confrontational. After showing him the feeder and water and discussing the caregivers I had arranged I asked about why he had come out. he said that he'd had a complaint about neglected animals, done an inspection over the fence - hadn't seen the feeder, but seen healthy animals that had water. He also had a complaint about a loose (stray) animal. I told him about the escape artist aracauna hen, said I could slaughter her if need be, but maybe not, it might be worth risking a fine to tell a jury about the chicken that crossed the road. We both laughed at that and he said it wouldn't be necessary to slaughter her.

Wow, it's been a year since I posted.

Egg production is very low, there were a few weeks in which there were 0 eggs at all. About 2 weeks ago 3 hens began to produce an egg. Since Jan 1 I've collected 6 eggs.

My hens are all over 2 years old, some of them are nearly 4 years old. I'll be slaughtering half of them in the next 3 months for stew (flemish chicken stew, coq au vin, and chicken tamales). Will be purchasing chicks in March, probably get 8 rhode island reds, 4 barred rock, 4 leghorns. Will be slaughtering some spring chickens when they get up to weight for frying and BBQ. I aim to have 10 good layers by autumn, and probably still have a few stewing hens.

I've got a new kitten, had him since early October. Named RC Gizmo (Rodent Control Gizmo). He earned his name in his first week in the house, and subsequently there hasn't been sign of much rodent activity in the living space. Rodents are a tough problem when you have hens - livestock feeders aren't rodent proof which attracts them. RC is on the job now though!