Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Lutz Farms]

Yes, but ugh, now she jumped off. Need to go check to see if she was just hungry. How many eggs can one sit on do u think?

 

[Lutz Farms]

Nope, she off. Ugh.

 

[Lutz Farms]

So, do I do the throw her into broody stage.....ugh, I hate to do that.

 

[Fuxzi]

Alright everyone I got some news. So Stoughton WI is having its first ever poultry swap this up coming summer of 2015. The date it will be held on is July 11th. So if your interested Please look us up on facebook at - Stoughton WI Summer Poultry Swap - give us a like and hope to see you there!

 

[Cindlady]

Lutz.... never heard of anyone TRYING to make a hen broody, most of us want them to give up! LOL Hope it works for you.

Fuxzi..... remind us closer to the date.

BBL

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Its kind of a strange time of year to expect a hen to go broody. I have a broody right now and I just want her to stop!

 

[delisha]

SClark what breed?

And does anyone know how much it costs and what (if any requirements) there are to ship a full size chicken? I have several people wanting me to ship one of my cockerels but seems like it would cost a lot?

It depends on weight of the chicken. Yes the Po requires specific boxes for shipping birds. The average cost for a 10 lb chicken to ship is $60.00. They charge you a counter hand fee for all poultry now since all poultry is only hand sorted and never belt sorted. Boxes for up to 10 lbs of chicken is $6 plus shipping.(horizon)

Puppy update: Theo has decided that it is time to clear out the garden. He is picking the squash out and then pulling the plants out and storing them separately. If only I could teach him how to get the squash off the vine without putting holes in them.

Yesterday, I had to take soccer equipment to a friend and had opened the front passenger door for the boxes. Theo decided that he was going for a car ride and hoped right in. I kicked him out, but opened the tale gate so he could ride in the back. I find this actually comical as he is mimicking almost everything that I do. I love that dog!!!!!

A question for training techniques: Theo is at a point that he is just fine on the really, really long leash but if I let him off of it he will still occasionally run into the ravine, street or neighbors yard. So, I believe that we are at the next step for training. Should I tie him out while I'm home on the long leash and just keep an eye on him?

In other parts of the zoo....the chickens have stopped molting and are working back toward regular laying in response to adding the timed lighting. I also decided to get out the ole electric waterer at refill time today.

DH & I are heading to a Fermentation Festival in Reedsburg, WI Saturday. Join us if you can....http://fermentationfest.com/fermentation-fest-classes-2014-2....I haven't decided which class to take:

• Oct. 11 Raising Chickens In Your Backyard - already know about this one too
• Oct. 11 Kefir: History, Health Benefits And How To Make
• Oct. 11 Vegetable Lactofermentation
• Oct. 11 Fermented Energy: Beyond Using Corn And Grain To Make Ethanol
• Oct. 11 An Introduction To And Tasting Of Hard Cider: America’s First Fermented Beverage
• Oct. 11 Introduction To Kombucha- not doing this one as I already ferment it
• Oct. 11 The Secret Life Of Chocolate
• Oct. 11 Introduction To Homebrewing
• Oct. 11 Charcuterie, Cheese and Beer Tasting
• Oct. 11 In A Pickle Or A Jam: Tips For Home Canning and Food Preservation
• Oct. 11 How To Make Hard Cider
• Oct. 11 Everyday Fermentation
• Oct. 11 Chocolate And Beer Pairing
• Oct. 11 Food/Drink DTour (previously Reedsburg From Scratch)
• Oct. 12 Behind The Brew And The Bean: Exploring Coffee Fermentation
• Oct. 12 Wine Fermentation And Tasting
• Oct. 12 Beekeeping For Beginners
• Oct. 12 Yogurt: History, Making And Creative Uses

CHOCOLATE AND BEER!!!
I think you could fix him this spring when he is a year unless he starts running.
Cookie weighed in at 87lb today and the vet thinks she is a bit lean for winter. We are not getting her fixed yet either.

Hello. I am new to this thread, but I thought I would break in and ask for some advice with the cold weather rolling in. My question is "Do I need to heat the coop???"

Background: I am new to chickens. This is my first year and I got my flock in July so I have not been through a winter yet. I have 3 EEs that are 23 weeks and 2 BA mixes that are 19 weeks. They have been in the coop since they were 5 weeks old with no form of supplemental heat.

My coop design looks like a big outhouse. It has pallet walls with plywood as the outer layer. We put fiberglass batting insulation in the pallet walls and covered it with plastic on the inside. The top has an angled roof (like an outhouse) and I left the sides open at the top for ventilation. So there is about a 6 inch gap between the top of the walls and the roof that is open, but covered with hardware cloth. Hopefully this explanation makes sense because I do not have a picture to post right now. Everything I have read says that ventilation is critical to release moisture because moisture is what actually makes the birds cold. I also have about 6-8" of deep pine shavings on the floor of the coop.

They all sleep on the same roost, which is a 2x2 board so they usually hunker down and cover their feet, but they have not shown any indication of being too cold (no feathers fluffed up or heads tucked). Since I have solid walls with insulation and deep litter, will this be enough to keep them warm through the winter? The thermometer said 34 degrees when I went to let them out this morning and I know it's only going to get colder! I would rather acclimate them to the cold than have to maintain a heat lamp - concerns are fire, power outages, etc. I want them to learn to go outside in the run during the winter, as well, and I thought they might not want to leave a heated coop to go play outside!

Thanks for your help.

no, you do not need to heat the coop. I have large upper windows that I keep cracked open all year. You might want to place plastic over part of the north and east exposure vents and leave a small opening. Snow can blow in and that will cause a wet coop. It is the wetness that causes problems. If the snow can't blow in you are fine. Terri O has open barns for her birds. They are well ventilated on all walls.

Quote: I have stitched up back of heads on hens. Have you checked your birds beak? Sometimes a beak can get cracked or have a really sharp edge. A little filing can fix that problem. That wound is from breeding and a sharp beak, not from bad or mean behavior.

So, do I do the throw her into broody stage.....ugh, I hate to do that.

you can't throw a bird into a broody stage. Few birds will be broody this time of year and if they think about it..it is usually for a few days. Where is Sturtevant are you? I am in Mt Pleasant.




Ok I forget who said what so forgive me for not doing names...my quote button would not work anymore.


The one bird someone was looking for what breed it was and sex..it looks like a male road island red they mentioned a thud when it jumped down.

The *grey* bird someone hatched from my eggs..
That bird is a *blue*. It comes from 100% Imported English Orpingtons. He looks beautiful..great job with him


someone also was asking about the sex of a black ameracuana..male


I do not have any more chickens left to sell..I am down to my winter stock. I sold all of my Ameracuanas.

. I loved the blue eggs but hated three eggs a week from each hen when they were just two years old.

I think I forgot the rest..

old age..

Ohio Nationals are coming up..I getting the birds ready..13,000 birds expected entered..I think I will get lost. Some picture of the birds..some from Internationals..some of my Chocolates..some of my Gold laced.

 

[Sclark73]

I am now the proud owner of a SQ Duane Urch White Wyandotte trio, I'd show pics but it was dark by the time I got home and they are somewhat in molt. I'm in love with the type on these birds! I hope to get a few shots tomorrow at least. Tyler also bought a pair of Blue Swedish? ducks I think is the name from the Neillsville swap, I am still going to beat that kid with an ugly stick one day. Everytime I downsize he adds more to the flock. Only good thing is I had the extra quarantine pen I left up just in case I decided to get a pig, goat, cow, elephant, who knows anymore. Also got 2 more Blue Wheaton Ameracaunas for my Zeus to make some nice EE. Get my Foley BLRW on the 17th, so excited. Those girls combs are getting redder by the day. One of these days I'll check for eggs and stop being disappointed. Neillsville swap was packed with sellers, not so many buyers but I still only came home with 4 of my own birds, Black Split Lav hen and her daughter, cockerel and pullet SS. I'll keep the SS for breeding and the other girls will stay to give me house eggs.

 

[Lutz Farms]

I'm only a stones throw from u. West of it off route 11 on Braun and 57th. Too funny.

 

[Lutz Farms]

ND....that hen got off the eggs mid day so not sure what now. Looks like quiche. Sad day.