Minnesota!

[FoxyChicken]

Good morning BYC!!! I have a feeling its going to be a long, cold day!!

Mornin' holms! You always up this early on a Saturday?! LOL

 

[lalaland]

My four BO pullets are now becoming two pullets and two cockerels.

THe seller in Chisago County still advertises them as pullets

Once I picked up some pullets from a guy out near Grantsburg, and when I was getting them I told him two looked like cockerels to me. He swore up and down they were pullets. Of course, they were cockerals, and about 2 months later when it was no longer questionable and was fact, I called him and told him I was bringing them back. Didn't want my money back, just didn't want to grow them out for butchering, and just wanted them gone. He was kind of unhappy, but I told him they were his.

Now, of course, I could see why you wouldn't want to bring them back with whatever things they would bring with them, but back then I didn't understand.

Anyway, he called me the next day and said his roo in his breeding pen died overnight and he was so pleased to have his offspring as rooster now. Separated his breeding pen into two pens, and told me the cockerals were happy and doing well, also said they were bigger and healthier than his. wanted to know why.

I told him you can beat having enough room to roam in the pen, and to stop feeding that commercial feed crap.

 

[lalaland]

ok, we are back to normal!!! windchills of -35 tonight. whoo-hoo!!!

 

[Rhetts]

ok, we are back to normal!!! windchills of -35 tonight. whoo-hoo!!!

Finally I can feel like we had somewhat of a winter! LOL!
What is a normal northern Minnesota winter without wind chills so cold you thought you were in the Arctic?

 

[lalaland]

well hells bells, the 2 yr old buff orp, not the one who won't walk, the other one, wouldn't come out of the coop this morning and was all puffed up. I checked for mites, nope. Checked for egg bound, nope. Offered her feed, nope.

Popped her in the kennel, plugged in the heat panel which really doesn't do much, and offered her a hard boiled egg. She was pretty eager to eat that but left a fair amount. I don't have more heated waterers right now, so gave her an apple and she was eating that when I left. I will pick up another waterer on my way back from the cities.

This isn't good. This isn't reasonable. This is not a good time with the cold snap to have a sick hen. And, this isn't fair!!

The Bo in the hospital/brooder cage actually stood for 15 seconds. Ate half the hard boiled egg I offered her. I have been worried she isn't drinking, so I was dripping water on her beak and finally she started going for the drop on my finger. Did that til my finger froze off. What is it with hens that won't drink but will eat a tiny bit?

What is it with the older BO who is puffed up like crazy, no appetite?

Only thing I know is that it is not anything respiratory.

Hoping you all are having much better luck with your flocks.

I 'm running behind to get down to the cities for lefse.

 

[holm25]

Is she broody?? This is my old broody orp hen.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Quote:
Nice!!! I really like the one that flew over you.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Yeah, the little roo was extremely healthy. Plenty of food and water, running around that morning. Thinking it might be either a rogue rooster got him, which is very unlikely... or sudden chicken death. I was reading about that and I think it might be the case. Here's a picture of that huge rooster I was talking about. He is really a gentle giant, but he is clumsy... So that might have been the case too. He is a blue orpington with what I believe is a lot of gold/red leakage. It's almost like he's a blue split with red. He's so beautiful even though it's technically a flaw. He's even bigger now and getting flowy tail feathers.

I'm newer on here. Posted a couple months ago selling a lemon cuckoo rooster, jubilee, and bbs... all orpingtons. I'm from Farmington.

This is my hubby and him in the fall. Two good looking guys!!

Here's my bbs orpington hen and roo.

What a bunch of great looking chickens. Thanks!!

 

[The BlanchRanch]

So DW is letting me research a potential new project for the upcoming summer. Here is a hint...



We wont be traveling this summer while we are working on building the new house, so it seems like a good time to consider it. I have a lot of learning to do before we go for it. We have the good fortune to be good friends with some hog farmers who will be a good resource.

You are so lucky!! I know where I will get my pork. If you are planning on that that is.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

I have been hatching from as early after Jan 1 until June, but not this year. I am only hatching for myself and a few select folks who I had made arrangements with already. Otherwise, just hatching eggs and then whatever started birds I will not need to keep.

This will not do. I was planning on getting a silkie from you for the DW. Not one of your high-end ones, though. I have no need for purebreds. I don't show them. Hope that is still possible.