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fisherlady said:
well, Laverne is hatching on the coldest day of spring we've had so far, go figure.
She decided to brood in the bottom level of what we call the condo. I put a screen in front of the access this morning after I scooted 3 'midwife hens' out so she could have some privacy.
A picture of the condo. It's just a 4x4 shed which we split into 2 levels. It is attached to our main run about 20 ft from the corner of the coop. The birds use it as a daytime hangout and Laverne is the 4th hen to choose it as a brooding spot. (1 upstairs, 3 downstairs)
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Cute! Is Laverne a light sussex? Light sussex is not supposed to be broody though.
 
Hello! I just found this thread.

I'm wondering if anyone here knows of any breeders around Lancaster/Dauphin counties (or within reasonable driving distance of them) that have d'Uccles (I'd love porcelain but I'd be happy to find mille fleur at this point) or partridge silkies? They will be pets, not for showing or breeding, but I would prefer to find some from a breeder rather than a hatchery.

Thank you! ~Meagan
 
frannyglass said:
Hello! I just found this thread.

I'm wondering if anyone here knows of any breeders around Lancaster/Dauphin counties (or within reasonable driving distance of them) that have d'Uccles (I'd love porcelain but I'd be happy to find mille fleur at this point) or partridge silkies? They will be pets, not for showing or breeding, but I would prefer to find some from a breeder rather than a hatchery.

Thank you! ~Meagan
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Howdy from Chester Co...there was a pair of D'Uccles baby boys free on CL Philly (West Chester).....
 
2 of my hens escaped the run today. One was trying her hardest to get back in, pacing back and forth in front of the run's door. I picked her up and put her away and locked up the coop. I turn around and see my cat trying to pounce on something. I come out of the run and there is another hen! My cat chased her back to me. My good kitty, my hubby calls her useless because she is always trying to kill him(she is the good for nothing killing machine according to hubby). Then I go in panic mode counting to see if we are missing any more hens. It is getting dark real fast and trying to count black birds in a dark coop is impossible. I kept missing one. I am out there calling and calling but no one is coming. My hubby brought water down because my hose is still frozen. (stinking cold day again) and he looks in the coop and counted the right number of birds. My kittie is a good girl, she has rounded up chicks that have escaped before.
 
emorems0 said:
I had the second white laced red Cornish chick in the house for rehab today... She looked fine (well her normal weak/lazy self) when I brought out their new nipple water bucket this morning. The chicks mostly knew how to use it within seconds, but she didn't seem interested so I filled up the little water bowl for her and she drank a little. By the time I was done with the rest of my animal chores she was upside down on her back flailing around. I took her inside with me and fed her some rooster booster plus a little sugar water. She opened her mouth repeatedly like she was gagging (the two other chicks that I failed to save did that too... right before they died). She seemed to recover though. I had her inside for a few hours, I cleaned her pasty butt and kept feeding her the special water (there is also rooster booster in the big water bucket in the brooder). I had food but didn't really see her eat. She pooped several times (looked normal) and was exploring the house and calling for her friends before I took her back to the brooder this afternoon. I sure hope she is still doing okay in the morning... I decided I would call her Pumpkin if she survives.

Turns out I wasn't just imagining that these chicks are smaller and more fragile, it basically says so right in the description! I think I'll just stick with the dark Cornish from here on out https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/white_laced_red_cornish.html
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So, final count on the white laced red Cornish is 0 for 2 :( I found her dead under the MHP this morning. I think she was just too small and too weak to handle cuddling up with the other chicks. She was so unhappy inside though and wanted to be with her friends. I am regretting trying out this color now and wish I would have just gotten 3 dark Cornish instead of 2 WLR Cornish and 1 dark Cornish.
 
emorems0 said:
So, final count on the white laced red Cornish is 0 for 2 :( I found her dead under the MHP this morning. I think she was just too small and too weak to handle cuddling up with the other chicks. She was so unhappy inside though and wanted to be with her friends. I am regretting trying out this color now and wish I would have just gotten 3 dark Cornish instead of 2 WLR Cornish and 1 dark Cornish.
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Sorry you lost her :hugs, failure to thrive is the most frustrating thing to deal with! There is no issue to pinpoint and treat and I often wonder if it is just the cruelest rule of mother nature being brought to bear....survival of the fittest.
It is our human nature to root for the underdog, but in nature (and genetics) it really isn't the best long term plan.
I wonder what the genetic issue is with them if even the hatchery notes their weakness?

Cool feather colors, egg colors, egg numbers, sizes and other 'show traits' are interesting but I can't see the benefits of achieving those traits when it comes at the expense of the birds health, vitality or longevity.
 
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