Chickens.

Owing to the outbreak of bird flue at Nafferton today we have had to put on hold for taking the chickens,I am about 20 miles away but at the moment the movement zone is 10kil. but there is signs of this zone being extended so I am worried about moving them
at the moment as it is 55 miles away to where they are going, I have been in touch with the chap today and we are leaving them where they are and when it is safe to take them I will do so. As for what type the are I don't know but there are some nice birds,when I find out what breed they are I will let you know.

 

I was thinking of you today @fileyboy re chickens and not being that far from Nafferton,nasty buisness...

 

So sorry to read that - but, wise move on your behalf: better to be safe than sorry!

@Lolimac - being so close ... positive thoughts going out to your chooks! I'm sure you know already that it can be spread via wild birds, so do keep your feeders covered and keep your chooks away (as best you are able!) from their droppings

 

Just had a call today from my mate who has heard that the exclusion zone has been dropped to 6 kil. so fingers crossed I hope to take them next week,but will check at the local police station first to be on the safe side.

 

I thought that a second hen had started laying at the weekend. On Saturday morning I had the usual egg on the roof, but also a larger one on the floor of the coop. Went down tonight and there were 2 on the roof and 3 on the coop floor. I only have 4 hens?????? Two of the ones in the coop were large and one smaller the 2 on the roof were roughly the same as normal. Could this mean all 4 are laying and one has laid 2 eggs today?? Very confused.

Rusry

 

Hi Rusty...I've followed your thread with fascination....what a terrific job you did on the coop and run!
Hens lay on a 25 hour cycle so in theory it's impossible for a hen to lay twice in one day. Mine have occasionally confused things by laying last thing at night or very early in the morning, but that doesn't explain your five eggs! Are you sure that one of them isn't completely round with dimples?

 

Could you have missed one on the floor Rusty? sometimes when they're scratching around the eggs can get covered

 

In Virginia, chickens cannot lay eggs before 8:00 a.m., and must be done before 4:00 p.m.

 

Sometimes the 2nd hen in the nestbox will re-arrange the straw and cover a previously laid egg, which might then be exposed by another hen.

We had one that could lay on a less than 24hr cycle so very occasionally we would get 2 in a day from her. I've read on the web that she's not unique, but it's very rare. She only failed to lay on about 4 days a year, but that was made up for by the 'extra' eggs. We were worried that she was going to wear herself out and die young, but she lived to a very good age for a hybrid hen. When she stopped laying and went into well deserved retirement, she'd go in the henhouse, collect all the other hens' eggs together and tell us that she'd laid them (obviously laying eggs had become extremely important to her).

 

They send round an henspector

 

I don't know whether to rate that as agree or disagree

 

Eggsactly

 

I'll get your coat Zig