Well the back fence is finished, the doorknob is replaced and the lawn is almost all mowed. I still need to get the trimming done and go in and mow the lawn in town before I am caught up though.
This morning it looks as if the heat wave is finally breaking as some much cooler temps have blown in over night with a line a thunderstorms that gave us about an inch of rain. The West paddock can surely use it as it tries to bounce back from the sheep being left in there for so long.
The sheep are back out in the main hay field enjoying the shorter grass left over from last weeks cutting and baling. I still have to cut and bale the top section which I will hopefully get started on next week and by the looks of things the front field will be able to be cut one more time before putting the equipment up for the Winter.
The chicken situation seems to have finally stabilized. We have been closing the front of the barn up to keep them from coming out that way and so far it is working. The hens will go out into the main section of the barn and then come out into the back lot where the dogs cannot get them. No chicken casualties in almost a week now.
Most of the hens are still a bit afraid of the sheep though and of course the sheep for their part choose to nap right in the gate that leads to the chicken area of the barn. This causes some comical chicken drama when they want to go back to the coop but their path is blocked by a sleeping sheep. Some of the hens will not take flight to save their lives while others just hop over.
Egg production is almost nill however. We only have six hens that are old enough to lay and five of them are old enough to be slowing down I guess. The other twelve hens do not appear to be laying yet at all. I did notice Rocky courting one of the younger hens the other day so maybe some of them are getting close. I have checked about everywhere I can find thinking maybe they are laying out in the barn somewhere but so far I haven't found any wayward eggs.
Any rate I will have to worry about that tomorrow because now it is off to work once again. Looks like the dead period is over so time is becoming an issue once again.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!!
Things are coming together, but slowly.
ReplyDeleteI am back to cutting wood here as it has cooled a little. Check around, your hens may be hiding eggs somewhere.
ReplyDeleteIt may take a month to a month and a half before the hens will start laying again. Making any change in their habitat/home will do that to them. So hold tight and in another few weeks your egg production should go up, only to go down again when sunlight hours shrink.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore my chickens all 48 of them!
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ReplyDeleteI'm down to one egg a day also. My hens are in their second laying season so surely not too old? Maybe molting but I haven't noticed an excess of feathers around.Guess I need to have an egg hunt!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that your chicken drama is starting to subside. I think your sheep are having some fun with your hens! haha Hang in there for the eggs, the older girls will start to molt soon and the lessening daylight hours will affect their production. But if the pullets were from a spring hatch, you should have some eggs from them soon. Watch their combs/wattles to see if they are getting more red in color. That will indicate that they are getting closer to egg production.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add that high temperatures will also affect egg production.
DeleteDo you remember life before chickens? Not nearly as interesting! Are your chickens laying elsewhere? Dan found an 8-egg stash under the bushes the other day. For some reason, our chickens don't like their nest boxes.
ReplyDelete