Texas

[hungnguyen]

wow, what a difference in the 2 pix. the first pix looks like a roo. This gives me an idea of the best time to eat chicken/Turkey is .. when they moult

 

[jajeanpierre]

wow, what a difference in the 2 pix. the first pix looks like a roo. This gives me an idea of the best time to eat chicken/Turkey is .. when they moult

That naked pullet is not moulting! Her feathers have broken off, disintegrated and fallen out just from wearing an apron that was lined with fake fur to make it less damaging to her weak feathers!

Here's the double-copy frizzle cockerel--there is no mistaking which is male and female when you see the two together. He is the same age as the pullet--10 months. I'm in the process of buying him a couple of show-quality smooth bantam Cochin pullets/hens to breed to him. I'm determined to get my frizzle! IF he is fertile and bred to smooth feathered hens, he will produce 100% frizzled babies. They will be proper frizzles so will have a normal feather that has a bend in it rather than this stringy, dull, fragile mess of feathering that these two double-copy birds have. The little wires you see on the naked pullet are the shafts of the feathers with all the rest of the feather broken off.





Now, compare to what a proper frizzle (only one frizzle gene) is supposed to look like:

http://www.cochinsint.com/uploads/8/8/2/1/8821267/pics_frizzle_bantams.pdf

One of the hens I am in the process of buying for my mess of a cockerel above is coming from the breeder of the outstanding blue pullet pictured on the right in the link I provided.

 

[jajeanpierre]

For all you chicken keepers near Boerne:

During an the internet search a long time ago, I found a feed store that offered a lot of chicken supplies in the Boerne area. The selection was much more a normal feed store. I have never visited them and can't for the life of me remember their name.

Does anyone know of a really good feed store in Boerne?

Thanks

 

[txmel]

Theres 3 feed stores that I'm aware of in Boerne. TSC, Jonny's feed, and Wheeler's feed and outfitters I usually get stuff at TSC but I have gotten things from the others. There is also Randall Burkey company which is probably what your thinking of

 

[bnjrob]

This is what I am using but still takes a long time

Hmmmmm, do you think if you got a little bit larger mesh that the sand would sift through faster but still catch the straw? How big of a space are you having to do this with?

 

[bnjrob]

Sand harbors e-coli. Don't use sand at all. See here for ideas.

There are germs in dirt as well as straw, wood shavings - pretty much whatever a chicken has contact with has germs that can stay there. Heck, every time a person wipes their butt the only thing separating them from e-coli is a square of toilet paper.

Sand can often be kept cleaner than other types of litter because the poop can be removed so the chickens don't keep walking on the poop and then walk on everything else.

The key is to raise birds (and families) with healthy immune systems to prevent them from getting ill because there really is no way to eliminate every germ without unintended consequences.

I doubt that chickens would enjoy living in a sterile bubble.

 

[bnjrob]

Oh no! I will look at the website closely. I have heard bad things about the deep liter method also so what is the best, safest way to go?

Many people use sand without any problems. If you are raising birds with healthy immune systems, then you're fine. Sand can be much better than other things. There are always good and bad opinions on all of the various types of litter for your coop and run. If the sand is working for you, continue with it. No need to panic.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I got a check from my insurance company today for both my garage roof and my house roof. The roofer is coming by this afternoon to work out the deal with me.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Hmmmmm, do you think if you got a little bit larger mesh that the sand would sift through faster but still catch the straw? How big of a space are you having to do this with?

Na, just use that shavings fork without any wire. I'm telling you, it is a real skill to work a fork and a rake the way the racetrack grooms do. You don't dig into the sand--just take what's on top. Give it a couple of little flips, sort of like a chef flipping food in a saute pan. The sand will fall out. Then, gently rake the remaining bits into a pile, put the pile onto the upside-down rake and flip that a bit. You can get every bit of straw and manure off the sand and leave all the sand behind. It takes practice.

All joking aside (although I would never joke about the skill of a racetrack groom!), you don't have to get it perfectly clean. These are livestock.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Theres 3 feed stores that I'm aware of in Boerne. TSC, Jonny's feed, and Wheeler's feed and outfitters I usually get stuff at TSC but I have gotten things from the others. There is also Randall Burkey company which is probably what your thinking of

Yes,I think it is Randall Burkey. Are they worth a long drive rather than ordering on the internet?