Third time around Tampa Bay Area Chicken Swap - Saturday, January 28th

Has everyone signed this?
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/pinellas-citizens-4-backyard-poultry.html

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Hey guys and gals...I posted this on the FL thread, but think it's more appropriate here...

My barn owner where I board my horse has given me permission to have a swap at the barn!!! She's secretly hoping to add some new ducks and geese to her family, and possibly some chickens to her tiny flock of 2...I personally just like browsing at what's out there...(I don't need more chickens...I don't need more chickens...I don't need more chickens!!! Yea, that's really gonna work...NOT)

Anyways, my barn is in Pinellas Park (Pinellas County...west, central FL..i.e. Tampa Bay area for those who don't know where we are)...Please keep in mind, this is a private horse boarding barn, so we have to be respectful and not have people wandering outside of the swap area and messing with the horses...for their safety and ours...(sorry, had to say it smile


Anyways, since there was just a swap in St. Petersburg a few weeks ago, I was thinking of holding off a little bit before having another one in this area...(plus I work on the weekends, and have lots of OT this month and the beginning of next month, so I can't take a weekend day off anytime soon...) That being said, I want to start putting out feelers now to see what you guys thought...when you get a moment, can you please let me know the following:

1) Preferred day- Saturday or Sunday?

2) Preferred month (June, July, August?) Please keep in mind that it's hot as heck during those months, and the pasture we are being allowed to use has a whopping ONE tree in the middle of it, and it doesn't provide a lot of shade :-/ Portable canopys and stuff would be allowed...I just don't want to see any animals getting overheated...

3) Do you want this to be kept to poultry, or also include small livestock such as goats, mini horses, rabbits, etc?

4) Would anyone be interested in purchasing live organically, home-raised mealworms at something like this? I just got my starter colony in today, and am hoping to have a nice batch going in time for a swap...I'd be priced way better than the local pet stores, and you would get a lot more than those silly 100ct containers...If interested, please let me know, as I would hate to bring them out if no one was interested...

5) Would you be interested in maybe making this event some sort of fundraiser for a local 4-H or animal organization, and if so, would people be open to paying a small fee for space that would go 100% to whatever organization? Thinking something like $5-10...or is it tacky to do that?!

I can't really think of anything else to survey right now because I'm tired...lol...if anyone else thinks of anything, please let me know...

Hi Andrea,

It definately will be a bit warm to have one over the summer, but it sounds like you have a great location for it. I would love to get some mealworms from you - that would be great to be able to raise them for my chickens! I would wait till the end of the summer, maybe even fall. I was debating if I wanted to do another one in the fall or just do them once a year in the spring, so if you want to have one at the end of the summer/ early fall I'll help you promote it and I won't do one at my place. That's my input - good luck!

Hello!! I will have Rouen Duck hatching eggs if anyone is interested. Please let me know, as otherwise they are great for baking and will be used accordingly.

Check out the ones she was laying a few weeks ago:

I was surprised she wasn't passed out in the nest box when I came home!! They are normal size duck eggs now, and I will also keep any to sell for baking if nobody wants hatching eggs. I did not manage to incubate them in time before the swap (why I thought duck eggs only take 25 days, I don't know.. oops), so the fertility is untested. If you buy them (for cheap, or swap something for them) you will be part of the fertility testing. I may go ahead and put some in the bator so I can at least candle them before the swap and let you know the progress. They all have fertility spots in them, and my Simone is a GREAT layer - 6 or 7 eggs a week.



I may also part with a few POL pullets or laying hens, but I haven't decided yet. We may also have a few racing pigeons if I can convince BF to let a few go, as they are multiplying rapidly.

Whoa! That is big.

We have this fine fellow if anyone wants him before the swap...no takers on craiglist...at this point I am ready to give him away. He's still quietly trying out his voice. He's a speckled sussex. Quite beautiful and probably tasty but I have such little experience with processing...anywho, let me know.

Aw, he is hansom!! Hope someone takes him. Did you get him at my last swap?

Quote:
We got him at Nava's swap in September. He is 4 months old. Matt really wanted some Speckled Sussex. One out of the two we got is a female. We also got a fun buff laced Polish that day. Pretty sure that one is female... Our easter egger raised them. She is quite a good mom.

So who is coming this time around?
Will there be fertile eggs? What varieties of chickens will I get to check out?
I am already so excited!

I hope to make this one. I will have some laying Ameracuana pullets and a trio of Silver Penciled Rocks at least. I should also have some Barred rock pullets that are close to laying age. All from breeder stock. ........stan

I'm hoping to be able to attend. I will only be looking/buying. Is anyone planning on having ducks/ducklings? I don't have an incubator so hatching eggs are out for me. I would be interested in larger breed ducklings or females preferably Muscovy.