Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Blarneyeggs]

Spangled/mottled Cubalaya cockerel. This is the body posture we breed for. Showing off the wide tail that the breed is supposed to be known for, also called a lobster tail.

Very nice!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Ok everyone, I asked in the marans thread and only got 2 replies and they were opposites of each other lol so I need your opinion. It's the pullet or cockerel game. Luna is 8 weeks old now, is one of the biggest chicks. I had no doubt up till a week or so ago that she was a she but now I'm doubting myself so what are your opinions

Side View of Luna

Luna next to her brother Blue and her brother Joel is in the background.

Now, Blue and Joel are always facing off, hackles raised but Luna never does that. She also has NO copper coloring on her at all. Then again neither does Joel but he has that beautiful green Sheen. So, opinions

 

[dheltzel]

Ok everyone, I asked in the marans thread and only got 2 replies and they were opposites of each other lol so I need your opinion. It's the pullet or cockerel game. Luna is 8 weeks old now, is one of the biggest chicks. I had no doubt up till a week or so ago that she was a she but now I'm doubting myself so what are your opinions

Now, Blue and Joel are always facing off, hackles raised but Luna never does that. She also has NO copper coloring on her at all. Then again neither does Joel but he has that beautiful green Sheen. So, opinions

I'm pretty sure that Luna is a pullet. Her comb would be much larger is she were not.

 

[SilkieSensation]

[COLOR=333333]"As for feed:[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]I use a 22% crumble that my mill makes called Turkey Fast Grow for all of my babies. I have chicks, ducks, turkeys, quail & guineas all eating it until about 8-10 weeks or whenever they get tossed in the adult pens. Meaties get it til about 5 weeks then get switched to my cheaper adult food, which is still pretty high protein. Baby food is non medicated. I also ferment from day 1 for everyone.[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]Older birds get a mix I have my mill make that's about 18% protein. It's 60% layer mash, 5% barley, 5% wheat, 5% dry molasses, 5% whole corn & 20% distiller's mash. There's some soy, but not a lot since the mash is also almost half distiller's grain. This mix gets fermented when weather permits to cut waste & boost productivity. I have also been known to add cayanne pepper when laying slacks in winter to get them back in gear."[/COLOR]


**Silkie- I know this was from 3 days ago, when everyone was talking about feed...I am still trying to play "catch-up"..anyway..you mentioned adding 'cayenne pepper" to the feed when laying slacks off...what does cayenne do for them to help boost their laying prowess? Just wondering because mine have fell-off a bit, I think more from getting the "broody-bug"...i am ready to change out some hens  here ...seriously! ...glad I have some extra cages..going to have to "break" some broodiness....this is not fun at all!

You know how when you eat spicy stuff it makes you feel hot physically? Same things with the birds. If their bodies are warmer then they aren't trying so hard to stay warm & are more willing to fork over the eggs. I won't use it in summer, but it has gotten my girls back in gear the past 2 winters. I just dump a little in the feed for a couple days when they stsrt slacking. Laying udually picks back up on day 2 & back in full swing by day 3. It's how I kept my girls laying even in -25F weather this past winter.

Ok everyone, I asked in the marans thread and only got 2 replies and they were opposites of each other lol so I need your opinion. It's the pullet or cockerel game. Luna is 8 weeks old now, is one of the biggest chicks. I had no doubt up till a week or so ago that she was a she but now I'm doubting myself so what are your opinions

Side View of Luna

Luna next to her brother Blue and her brother Joel is in the background.

Now, Blue and Joel are always facing off, hackles raised but Luna never does that. She also has NO copper coloring on her at all. Then again neither does Joel but he has that beautiful green Sheen. So, opinions

Luna is a girl. Her comb would be much bigger at this age like the other 2 roos if she were a boy. Marans get huge combs, even the hens, but the roos are always bigger.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I'm pretty sure that Luna is a pullet. Her comb would be much larger is she were not.

Luna is a girl. Her comb would be much bigger at this age like the other 2 roos if she were a boy. Marans get huge combs, even the hens, but the roos are always bigger.

Thanks guys. I was hoping so. Especially since I'm only allowed to have 3 roos, and we already do lol (hubby's orders). It's just confusing since she's so big and her very obvious sister has such a tiny little comb still with no color and is very petite. Luna is even bigger than her brother Joel lol.

 

[jmayday]

http://www.smarthome.com/31427/Add-A-Motor-D20-Chicken-Coop-Motor/p.aspx

 

[LadyBehir]

Another question - I'm just full of them...

I want to be able to let my girls out every now and then. How destructive will they be to established garden plants? Like tomatoes, cabbage, etc? Very? Not much? Somewhere in between? Or should I just be proactive and fence off all the raised veg beds?

 

[chiques chicks]

Another question - I'm just full of them...

I want to be able to let my girls out every now and then. How destructive will they be to established garden plants? Like tomatoes, cabbage, etc? Very? Not much? Somewhere in between? Or should I just be proactive and fence off all the raised veg beds?

I've heard of people doing it. In my experience they will destroy everything. I have my garden fenced to keep them and other critters out.

 

[barbiegirl]

Fence in the garden. My guineas ate everything last year!

 

[CochinMama396]

I started on this thread, and then stopped commenting. How does one keep up?