Feb 26, 2008

Tuesday, February 26

Snow was actually melting this week end.  It's back to cold weather, but I know that spring is still coming. 


God has been so good to us.  A friend gave us a wood furnace.  I am so excited.  Our propane bill is very high, too high.  We have plenty of wood on our land and it's very good excercise.  When we moved from our last place, we decided to never burn wood again.  Never say never.  Now we can't wait.


I also bought some laying hens.  They are about 10 months old and I paid $3 a piece, but they should be laying like crazy soon.  So far, though, only two eggs.  I bought 15 hens and I really think they had better get laying. Any ideas to start them laying? I don't have any light on in the coop.  I know cat food can help a bit, and warm water, but I don't know what else.  Our old hens haven't laid all winter, it's getting frustrating.  I've never had this problem before.  Maybe they need more room. 


We're going on a field trip in a week or two over to a neighbor's house.  They are maple syrup makers.  It ought to be fun.  We have maple trees on our land and we use a lot of maple syrup, so maybe next spring we can try and tap our own trees.


Have a glorious day.

2 comments:

hdressel said...

Hi Glory Farm!


I'm a MN gal too - just south of the Twin Cities...but LOVE venturing northward on vacations! New to a homesteading lifestyle and new to motherhood, but learning much from blogs like yours! I'm adding you to my friend list so I can keep up on what's happening up north! :)


Holly

Trina said...

Hi Rhonda,

How old are your oldest hens.. it could be they have hit their first moult... a chicken needs 12-14 hours of light to lay eggs... most chickens once they get past their first year will moult and take a break most of the winter... to avoid being eggless during the winter get a few pullets every year, that will mature before the days starting getting shorter.. which means you want to pick them up before april I think it is.... they will start laying about august it takes about 5 months for them to mature..and then they will lay thru that winter... but the start of the next winter they will moult and start up again in spring.. The new chickens may have been thrown into a moult by moving them.. they will start up soon though I would imagine, but at ten months they will probably take a break next winter to:< the only way to combat this is have a light in their pen during the winter..then you will get eggs year round... and speaking of light and sunshine and the endless energy:> get a full spectrum light bulb and put over your computer or somwhere you are for a couple hours a day.. will help with the winter blues:> I do this for DD and it has helped all of us this winter... have a great day...

Feb 26, 2008

Tuesday, February 26

Snow was actually melting this week end.  It's back to cold weather, but I know that spring is still coming. 


God has been so good to us.  A friend gave us a wood furnace.  I am so excited.  Our propane bill is very high, too high.  We have plenty of wood on our land and it's very good excercise.  When we moved from our last place, we decided to never burn wood again.  Never say never.  Now we can't wait.


I also bought some laying hens.  They are about 10 months old and I paid $3 a piece, but they should be laying like crazy soon.  So far, though, only two eggs.  I bought 15 hens and I really think they had better get laying. Any ideas to start them laying? I don't have any light on in the coop.  I know cat food can help a bit, and warm water, but I don't know what else.  Our old hens haven't laid all winter, it's getting frustrating.  I've never had this problem before.  Maybe they need more room. 


We're going on a field trip in a week or two over to a neighbor's house.  They are maple syrup makers.  It ought to be fun.  We have maple trees on our land and we use a lot of maple syrup, so maybe next spring we can try and tap our own trees.


Have a glorious day.

2 comments:

hdressel said...

Hi Glory Farm!


I'm a MN gal too - just south of the Twin Cities...but LOVE venturing northward on vacations! New to a homesteading lifestyle and new to motherhood, but learning much from blogs like yours! I'm adding you to my friend list so I can keep up on what's happening up north! :)


Holly

Trina said...

Hi Rhonda,

How old are your oldest hens.. it could be they have hit their first moult... a chicken needs 12-14 hours of light to lay eggs... most chickens once they get past their first year will moult and take a break most of the winter... to avoid being eggless during the winter get a few pullets every year, that will mature before the days starting getting shorter.. which means you want to pick them up before april I think it is.... they will start laying about august it takes about 5 months for them to mature..and then they will lay thru that winter... but the start of the next winter they will moult and start up again in spring.. The new chickens may have been thrown into a moult by moving them.. they will start up soon though I would imagine, but at ten months they will probably take a break next winter to:< the only way to combat this is have a light in their pen during the winter..then you will get eggs year round... and speaking of light and sunshine and the endless energy:> get a full spectrum light bulb and put over your computer or somwhere you are for a couple hours a day.. will help with the winter blues:> I do this for DD and it has helped all of us this winter... have a great day...