Alaska Chicken Lover's Soup for the Cold!!

[PaulaJoAnne]

Any more news on the chicken feed issue? I looked on Craigs list and did nto see anything.
Wondering, because my neighbor just came over and wanted to make sure we were not using WalMart feed, cause it was killing chickens.
Told her we were safe, cause we make our own

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Quote:
Paula, another friend of mine has lost some birds and believes it is the feed. This is probably at least the third or so incident I have heard of. Should be more news shortly, Krystal was taking her birds to the DEC today for testing.

This is really a bummer for me. I don't use their layer pellets, but now I don't trust any of their products and I relied heavily on Calf Manna and their rabbit pellets. I guess it really forces the issue to switching all of the critters to a more natural diet, which I'm sure will be good in the long run, but will probably hurt my chances at the rabbit show in December because I am SURE I won't have it completely dialed in by then.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

http://steveandpaularunyan.blogspot.com/2010/10/teaser-pics-of-what-steve-has-been-up.html
Here are a couple of pics. We will upload the rest later on tonight or tomorrow.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Well, my spring chick wish list is officially 100 strong, from 3 different sources. Nearly half of them are Orloffs!

Here's what I'm looking at so far:

Sand Hill: Orloffs, a few Cream Brabanters, Buff and White Chanteclers. (50 total)
Welp: All Orloffs (25 total)
John Blehm: Buff and Lavender Ameraucanas, Buff Chanteclers. (25 total)

What's on your wish lists, or am I the only one already looking at my spring orders!

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
I need chicken math help here. I have 50 hens and 3 roos. I want more breeds and I am SOOOO chomping at the bit to plug in the bator. I need rationilization. Help me here. I have some hens that getting older. I am currently getting between 16-31 eggs a day. I sell them all.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Whoa, you've got some slackers if you have 50 hens and sometimes get as few as 16 eggs in a day! I'd say start picking out your culls and crank up the 'bator.

For me? I can have a wish list all i want, but SOMETHING will have to give before next spring. Either we move, or we buy the place, because there is no way in hades our landlord would let me have approx. 150 birds on the property, even if I tell her I'm just growing them out to pick under 50 keepers! Heck, she's not thrilled with my +/- 20 right now.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
I have about 20 of them molting right now too, so I am feeling lucky. I had orders for 12 dozens eggs that I could ALMOST fill immediately. I am 11 short. I want to crank up the bator but I need REALLY good reasoning behind it to sell it to Ken. I want buy silkie eggs. I want to show silkies and my Americauna roo - blue wheaten and gorgeous.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I have a wish list a mile long... but I know I'm not getting it. In fact, my flock is decreasing as I mentioned last weekend. Concentrating on beefing up the vigor of my Dorkings, working on the BBSL Orpingtons, and the Black Copper Marans. The BRXRIR=sexlink doesn't need much work.

So, this time next year, that will likely be all I have in my layer coop. Last chance for roosters... they're going away on the 20th of November...

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

I must have missed that, Tori. Is this a change you're happy about or no? I guess my goals are to primarily focus on the Orloff, and then have a project pen for that Alaska Super Chicken I keep talking about. I want to work some on the Dels, but without buying new stock, and I think I want to give the Buff Chanteclers a good go.

Even though I'm hoping to have about 200 chicks pass through here next summer, I want to winter fewer than 10 of each breed. (Unless I build up a really good market for eggs!)

 

[BirdBrain]

Rachel, I sent in my order to Sandhill weeks ago for 10 Delawares (dh wants me to raise more of these), 6 white Chanteclers, and 9 assorted heavies. They will come late May or early June. My Del male from this summers batch has grown out beautifully and is the big man of the coop.

One of my blue orps is getting to be a pretty massive guy. Dh wants me to breed more of them as well. I keep wondering when I am going to wake from this wonderful dream where dh encourages more chickens....I overhead him chatting with the ducks recently. I just love it that he is enjoying them too. I think he bonded with them when I was away a few weeks back.