Colorado

[Ashdoes]

If you don't win I might be able to help you out. I have a young flock of Swedish Flower Hens and hopefully they will start laying more eggs soon. They are laying now but just an egg or two a day. I'm 45 minutes SW of Denver in Bailey. I get to Littleton and Castle Rock area fairly often (at least a couple of times a month).  I have some photos of my birds on my website that's listed in my signature.  You might have better hatch rate with these, I know I'd take unshipped eggs over shipped any day of the week!

Well dang, I had no idea we had some so close. But I've already won. Thank you though, I'll keep your info if we have hatch problems...or if we find we need more later.

 

[COChix]

Thanks! We're excited.
Whenever I think we possibly have some kind of vitamin deficiency, I just add more of something and see if it helps. Basically trial and error with these chickens. If they look a little ragged I add protein for a couple months. If I'm not getting enough eggs, I put calf manna in their food for a few days on a row, that really pumps up the protein and usually fixes any problems. I buy a bag about once every three months. I'm sure I keep the bag too long, in a Rubbermaid tub, but im not going to throw it out or over feed it. I don't like to use BOSS as a protein supplement, because we've had some fatty hens and the treats seem to be the culprit. For just a small boost of protein I use Feather Fixer feed, it's only 15.99 a bag so the price isnt terrible. If after a bag or two there's no change, and you still think it's protein, add in some calf manna. I'm actually ready to switch back to regular protein, because all the girls are starting to lay again, and I'll just supplement twice a week with a little of the Manna.

Thanks, with 23 hens I have no idea who lays these eggs, seems to luck off he draw. I do the same with our girls, as far as their looks, if they are ruff I usually up the protein as well. What is Calf Manna? I had bought a bag of feather fixer and **** mice got Into the tub it was in and demolished the bag. You speak of fatty hens, can you elaborate what you look for to see if a hen is fatty? We have some bigger breed girls like the Welsummer and some of our Delawares are meaty. I don't consider them fat just thick. We might have a fatty cornish, but not certain.

Oh and congrats on winning your eggs!

 

[Ashdoes]

Thanks, with 23 hens I have no idea who lays these eggs, seems to luck off he draw. I do the same with our girls, as far as their looks, if they are ruff I usually up the protein as well. What is Calf Manna? I had bought a bag of feather fixer and **** mice got Into the tub it was in and demolished the bag. You speak of fatty hens, can you elaborate what you look for to see if a hen is fatty? We have some bigger breed girls like the Welsummer and some of our Delawares are meaty. I don't consider them fat just thick. We might have a fatty cornish, but not certain.

Oh and congrats on winning your eggs!

Calf manna is a feed for calfs, you can pick up a bag at any feed store, I get it at Big R. I'll top dress the feeders with a few handfuls, or if it's a nice day, I'll throw it out like scratch, it's red so the chickens have no problem finding it in the alfalfa or straw in their run.
The fat we see is when we process a roo or something, lots of yellow fat on them. I wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at them, like you said some of our breeds are bigger looking anyways. We gives treats too often, so seeing that fat usually isn't surprising. We don't keep our birds to old age, so I'm not worrying about them dieing from too much treats. I just use try to keep my girls from giving scratch every time they visit the chickens.

 

[carolynm]

Well dang, I had no idea we had some so close. But I've already won. Thank you though, I'll keep your info if we have hatch problems...or if we find we need more later.

And if your hatch goes well perhaps we can swap some chicks or eggs at some time to diversify genetics. Where did you get your eggs from?

 

[COChix]

Calf manna is a feed for calfs, you can pick up a bag at any feed store, I get it at Big R. I'll top dress the feeders with a few handfuls, or if it's a nice day, I'll throw it out like scratch, it's red so the chickens have no problem finding it in the alfalfa or straw in their run.
The fat we see is when we process a roo or something, lots of yellow fat on them. I wouldn't be able to tell just by looking at them, like you said some of our breeds are bigger looking anyways. We gives treats too often, so seeing that fat usually isn't surprising. We don't keep our birds to old age, so I'm not worrying about them dieing from too much treats. I just use try to keep my girls from giving scratch every time they visit the chickens.

Ok so went out and did a quick read on Calf Manna and seems like good stuff, natural ingredients. One thing I am out off is FORCO which is a priobiotic and I was feeding that into their feed a couple times a week and that always seems to make a difference. I just need to order some more. Thanks for the suggestions, I want to try the feathe fixer and the calf manna to see what happens with coats and such. I usually see a difference with stuff like that within a week or two.i have been mixing 16% layer feed and a higher protein feed but will pick up a bag of one of those others mentioned above and see how it goes.

 

[Ashdoes]

And if your hatch goes well perhaps we can swap some chicks or eggs at some time to diversify genetics. Where did you get your eggs from?

We do keep our chicks in the house for two weeks, before moving them outside, but our Flock has tested positive for Mareks. Trading would be entirley up to you. We planned to only sell eggs, if we were going to sell anything. I wouldn't be offended if you didn't want any of our chicks.
The eggs are coming from Arkansas.

 

[Double Kindness]

Well the chicken math has got me into trouble.

In a few weeks the black swedish hens aka svart honas from greenfire farms will be out of quarantine at my friends house, and probably moving to my house along with a dozen gff ayam cemani chicks that my friend just hatched.

Considering how much these breeds were just a year ago, $99 for straight run day old chicks is a pretty good deal instead of $2500 for a juvenile mated pair.

I also have the crud cough thing going around. Critter tending chores aren't horrible today. I might make some split pea soup from scratch and some sourdough bread.

But for now, I'm waiting for this last chick to finish hatching and dry off so I can move the new chicks to the brooder box and clean the incubator again.

Edit to clarify: the svart honas are a 12 week old mated juvenile pair. So if anyone wants eggs or chicks later on locally, now you know where to get them.

 

[Ashdoes]

Well the chicken math has got me into trouble.

In a few weeks the black swedish hens aka svart honas from greenfire farms will be out of quarantine at my friends house, and probably moving to my house along with a dozen gff ayam cemani chicks that my friend just hatched.

Considering how much these breeds were just a year ago, $99 for straight run day old chicks is a pretty good deal instead of $2500 for a juvenile mated pair.

I also have the crud cough thing going around. Critter tending chores aren't horrible today. I might make some split pea soup from scratch and some sourdough bread.

But for now, I'm waiting for this last chick to finish hatching and dry off so I can move the new chicks to the brooder box and clean the incubator again.

Edit to clarify: the svart honas are a 12 week old mated juvenile pair. So if anyone wants eggs or chicks later on locally, now you know where to get them.

I'm not sure what kind of recipe you use, since you are Gluten Free, but I have the most fantastic Sourdough dinner roll recipe, if you're interested.

 

[uzisuzuki]

We do keep our chicks in the house for two weeks, before moving them outside, but our Flock has tested positive for Mareks. Trading would be entirley up to you. We planned to only sell eggs, if we were going to sell anything. I wouldn't be offended if you didn't want any of our chicks.
The eggs are coming from Arkansas.

Good luck with the eggs! I love the look of the SFHs, they're just too adorable

Well the chicken math has got me into trouble.

In a few weeks the black swedish hens aka svart honas from greenfire farms will be out of quarantine at my friends house, and probably moving to my house along with a dozen gff ayam cemani chicks that my friend just hatched.

Considering how much these breeds were just a year ago, $99 for straight run day old chicks is a pretty good deal instead of $2500 for a juvenile mated pair.

I also have the crud cough thing going around. Critter tending chores aren't horrible today. I might make some split pea soup from scratch and some sourdough bread.

But for now, I'm waiting for this last chick to finish hatching and dry off so I can move the new chicks to the brooder box and clean the incubator again.

Edit to clarify: the svart honas are a 12 week old mated juvenile pair. So if anyone wants eggs or chicks later on locally, now you know where to get them.

Oh my goodness, you have both really expensive all black breeds that I am interested it! I would love to know what kind of personalities the honas have. I haven't heard as much about them as I have the cemani. I hope that last chick hatches soon!

 

[Double Kindness]

Well.. I ran out of xantham gum, so no bread making today.

I have my own gluten-free sourdough starter that I had to start again after Christmas when I left mine at a friend's house on the western slope. I need a gluten-free roll recipe though

I will not cave and add another breed. If you believe me, then you must not know me at all lol.

Meet Balthazar my new kitty my bf got me for Valentine's day.

and now it feels like I rubbed ghost peppers into every pore of my body and mucus membranes. I'm allergic btw, but the mice are just too much!

Our garden is starting to look pretty good

and yes, the mice have started on my garden too