Category Archives: Pets and Animals

Broody? Or Just an Angry Chicken?

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We are not really sure what is up with Omelette our white Leghorn chicken. She is really old, hardly lays eggs anymore and has recently started to just sit in the nesting area all day long, even at night when she usually would sit on the stick. When we go to get the eggs of the other chickens, she is sitting on them. She doesn’t seem to know or care that there is no rooster around to fertilize them.


Omelette giving me the evil eye

Unlike the other chickens, she won’t let us put our hand underneath her and grab the eggs. She has tried to peck us and fluffs up really big to defend her post. When I finally scare her off the nest she squawks like no other. We are not sure what to do. Do old chickens decide they want to go broody? Or is she just getting old and demented?

We would like to get some new chicks to replace her, but I don’t think we could catch her without her screaming her head off. She’s always been a little skittish ever since we got her. Any recommendations or ideas?

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Where to Buy Baby Chicks in Greeley area

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We have been asked a few times where to buy baby chicks in the Greeley and Northern Colorado area. This is the list that we know of so far. I’ll add to it as I find others. If you see a place that is a feed store, a ranch supply store, or a mercantile of some sort, it might be good to stop in. Most of the time you can only find baby chicks in spring time around this area. For full-grown birds, check the Foco craigslist out. I would call these places first before driving over, especially if you are looking for a certain breed of baby chicks.

If you are planning on buying more than 5 or so, you should probably order direct from the hatchery (like McMurrays or Welp, etc). They will deliver the day-old chicks direct to you through the post office, but be sure to pick them up right away.

J+T Feeds -6380 W 10th St # 1, Greeley – (970) 378-0240

Country Corner – 843 27th Street Place – (970) 351-0868

Poulsen Ace Hardware – 151 S. Oak Ave, Eaton, CO 80615

Jax Mercantile – 950 East Eisenhower Boulevard, Loveland (970) 776-4540

Bomgaars -3720 Draft Horse Drive Loveland CO 80538 (970) 593-6283

Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply 2255 N. Main St. Longmont, CO 80501 (303) 682-5111

Ranchway Feeds 546 Willow Street Fort Collins, CO 80524-2442 (970) 482-1662

Poudre Pet and Supply 622 North College Avenue, Fort Collins – (970) 482-2741

Jax Ranch and Home 1000 N US Highway 287, Fort Collins – (970) 484-2221

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Hen House Migration

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Twice a year we have a migration of the hen house. The chicken coop goes in the greenhouse in the fall through winter and it comes out spring through summer. It works out well because inside the greenhouse it can be 40 degrees warmer than the ambient air in the winter when we aren’t growing anything in there. If it’s still cold in the day or snow’s on the ground they have a dry spot to peck around in. It still gets cold at night, but with the coop inside the greenhouse with a heat lamp and blanket insulation really our chickens are more spoiled than most.


Britton moving the coop with the help of Kitty (standing looking into the coop), Greenfoot and Football

But then we have to drag it back out (by we I mean Britton of course) in the spring. This is nice because we get our greenhouse back, but it also kind of stinks because that means opening them up in the morning and shutting them in once the sun goes down. We didn’t use to do that but we learned our lesson after the hen house attack last summer.

But all the hassle is ok because like daylight savings, it’s a sign of finally moving out from under winter’s long grip, and I’m all right with that!


Another sign of spring: white crocus

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An Egg Without a Shell!

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Britton found an egg in the chicken coop that was frozen solid. When I looked at it a few hours later it was apparent that it had been laid without much of a shell. It is an egg without a shell! This was laid by Omelette who is pretty old for a chicken -probably 3-4 years old. So her eggs aren’t quite as top notch as the younger hens and so she needs oyster shell supplements to help her make hard, solid shells.  But her eggs are MUCH bigger, so we still keep her around. 🙂 Check this shell-less egg out…it’s very weird looking!

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