Smoky Mtn East TN

[SkylineFarms]

Quote:
Thanks for the welcome!

Last summer and fall I hatched out a batch of D'uccles and a batch of Ameraucanas to start my flocks with but I had a huge problem with predators and ended up losing all that I had hatched out besides one of the Ameraucanas. I also lost my Faverolles hen and a couple of Silkie hens that I had purchased at the local animal swap too. All my loses were from being a beginner to chickens and not knowing how to secure my chickens and coops properly. I finally broke down and bought a super nice, secure coop, and also have my pens surrounded in hotwire. I haven't had a problem since.

That left me with the adults I have now which are a Salmon Faverolles Roo, Blue Wheaten Ameraucana Hen, and a Barred Rock Hen that was given to me recently. I have a batch of 7-week-olds which include 3 Faverolles Cockerels (and that's after I sold 2 of them

), 1 Faverolles Pullet, and 1 Splash Silkie. And then I have about seven 3-week-old Silkies in the brooder as well as 24 Faverolles eggs I just placed into the incubator today. I've not been having great hatch rates, mostly due to infertility issues with a batch of eggs I purchased from a certain person, so I'm hoping that I have a much better rate with these Faverolles eggs. I feel like I just keep hatching and hatching and not getting anywhere!

The D'uccles that I had hatched out last summer were black and blue mottles from Dustins Crystal Show Poultry in CT and the Ameraucanas were Blue Wheatens from Pokey's Poultry in SC. I LOVED the quality of the D'uccles but I'm not so sure if I still want to do a black and blue mottled pen or instead have a porcelain and mille fleur pen. I am loving the look of Porcelains. I'd love to see pictures of your D'uccles!

The Silkie chicks I have are out of the Glenn See show line that I bought from kathyleininger on ebay. They are 3 weeks old today.

I don't have very many pictures. I need to take some more.

The adult birds I have, my Ameraucana hen is on the left.

The new Silkies I hatched out. I sold about half of the ones pictured here.

 

[laughingdog]

@redridge,
Id like some pics, as was going to start hatching some eggs out, as my gal has started laying again, and figured id incubate some eggs so she had some friends as her guy just wants one thing and he is mean, and rest of hens stick to own breeds (chickens can be so snooty! Lol), and she is just playing by self or toddling after me or collie. other chooks got from buddy with her tried to kill her hurting her bad when they were poults, so she bonded to me my cat and collie.
I was actually going to ask about your rosecomb HRIRs, as keep hearings how good ol' fashion RIRs are, as well as dominiques are, eexcept everyone lately seems to be selling low quality production strains off as them. Lady wants "real" chickens for more egg and meat per bird, with same abilities as my not real just pet toy chickens now.

 

[RedRidge]

I will get some d'uccle pics today.
I LOVE my HRIR. They lay well and have nice carcasses. As a matter of facti have kept laying records.
The begin laying about 26 weeks and lay about 180-200/yr. And when they begin laying their eggs are full size not pullet size, and they aren't flash on the pan, they lay for years and years.
And they ate very calm and sweet... Not flighty at all, even the roos.
I had a hatchery red cock once that was so mean... I still can't believe hire sweet these are.

 

[RedRidge]

Here is a pic of the Belgian Bearded Mille Fleur who is going to be 3 this year.
The other 2 are slightly darker with a little more black and were hatched last March, so they are almost a year old.
This older girl is a great broody, but she's also a great momma.
I gave her RIR and Buff Orp RIR cross eggs last year and she hatched and raised them.
They tend to be rather flighty with strangers but calmer with "their human"... they spend a lot of time up high and very little on the ground when given the option - I suspect they feel safer there.

 

[laughingdog]

I'm not able to get pics on here for some reason now. just put newer ones of my mug on another site, so know not my phone.

 

[Searsmom]

Just a note - the Jefferson County Co-op in Dandridge is having a poultry owners meeting tomorrow night the 12th at 6pm. There will be vendors, etc. I think she said something about food, but can't remember. The co-op is across 92 from Jeff. Co High School.

All are invited, it's her first meeting so she's afraid no one will show up. So COME!!!

 

[pbandj]

If anyone is interested in Araucana, I have listed some on http://www.showbirdauction.com/ !

 

[JW12]

Hi everyone in good ole East Tennessee. My family and I are in Greenback which is in between Lenoir City and Maryville. We have 12 red sex links, 1 white Leghorn, 3 silkies, and 4 ducks. I look forward to hearing about your spring and what kind of chicken and dick adventures you all get into.

 

[RedRidge]

Hi everyone in good ole East Tennessee. My family and I are in Greenback which is in between Lenoir City and Maryville. We have 12 red sex links, 1 white Leghorn, 3 silkies, and 4 ducks. I look forward to hearing about your spring and what kind of chicken and dick adventures you all get into.

Welcome. I'm just across the river from you.

 

[Searsmom]

If anyone is interested in Araucana, I have listed some on http://www.showbirdauction.com/ !

I have no access to that server. Are you local?

Hi everyone in good ole East Tennessee. My family and I are in Greenback which is in between Lenoir City and Maryville. We have 12 red sex links, 1 white Leghorn, 3 silkies, and 4 ducks. I look forward to hearing about your spring and what kind of chicken and dick adventures you all get into.

Hi! I have 9 buff orpington hens, 1 buff orpington rooster, 3 easter eggers, 1 rhode island red, 4 black copper marans chicks, 1 easter egger chick, 3 buff orpington chicks, 1 buff duck and 5 buff ducklings. I must stop. I'm at maximum capacity....