There is a problem in the chicken coop. There is some egg breakage going on in the nest boxes. Either the thin shelled eggs are breaking on their own or a hen or more have found out they can have eggs for breakfast.I like collecting eggs for my breakfast, but being greeted with the smell of rotten eggs when I open the coop door really doesn't make my day.
This afternoon Tom brought a bale of straw and leaned it against the coop. In a day or so I will use it to replace the smelly straw in the nest boxes.
I also asked for some DE. I didn't realize there were so many uses. I always get worried when I read the directions on the package of DE.
Too bad the photo of the chickens is so dark. My fault. I didn't go out until later in the day when it was shady and cooler. The chickens sure like the straw bale. They walk up to the straw, stand back, stick out a foot and scratch away at the bale in hopes of getting something good to eat. Chickens can be so funny.
Kristine made me take the day off because my cough came back, but later in the day when it cooled off a bit she held the ladder for me and I vacuumed down some of the cobwebs. I couldn't reach them all. I'm going to keep the table and my work table in this little room. After I paint, I will have to figure out something to do to the floor. Deck paint?
P.S. Kristine posted about another of her adventures in Phoenix (click here video).
Peek at the Past
(August 2, 2009)
I'm still using my chicken flag!
[4 eggs today]
~:>
Smiles
8 comments:
Hello Callie, it's nice to meet you! Thank you for your visit!
Great post. Interesting info on the D.E. also. I have heard some how it suppresses the symptoms of Lyme disease and various other health issues when ingested by humans. Its the wonder mineral. I have to say I have a 50lb sack in the barn and used it for several months trying to combat a mite problem with the chickens. No such luck and ended up having to dust the coop perimeter with seven dust.
Take care of that cough and hope you feel better soon.
-Leigh
I hate when the chickens break their eggs. I had a couple of buffs that I put with roosters this summer in hopes of hatching out babies. But both of them kept eating the eggs! Even the roosters were eating the shells. I was sorely disappointed. I've since sold both the hens and roosters. Well, actually Mike did while I was at work. But it's all good. Good luck with the egg breaking issue. If you find a cure to stop them of the habit, please let me know!
~Randy
I hope it's just egg breakage. You can't stop chickens once they start eating, other than to eat them yourself, can you?
Glad Kristine made you rest and glad she helped you, too. :)
Just make sure it's food-grade diatomaceous earth, and avoid breathing in the dust, and you'll be fine! We use it with our deep-litter method coop.
I hope the egg breakage stops. Rotten egg, yuck!
ewww rotton eggs are really not a good smell! I hate it when my chooks break their eggs...its less for us too lol!
Thanks for the advise on the broody problem, I havent thought of locking them in the pen all night but last night I did and it worked for 2 of them so I am happy! xxx
Dad used that DE on the grass one year.. It is suppose to be really good at getting rid of all kinds of bugs..
Glad you got those cobwebs down. Mom says she needs to do that too.. Ours have a few dog hairs in them..
Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie
I usually don't have too much problems with them eating the eggs, but if I forget to give them calcium (oyster shell) for a few days, then they will start.
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