Recent content by gickelvolk

  1. gickelvolk

    Opinions on best egg layers

    New Hampshires..... Need I say more? Docile, productive, great foragers......
  2. gickelvolk

    Chicken raising ducklings....

    Our Black Copper Marans hen, Mildred, is really a broody girl. In April Mildred went broody again, so this time my wife put a couple of our ducks eggs under her rump. We have 3 Blue Swedish duck hens and a Blue Swedish Drake (Lars, Mona, Tilly, & Edna). The hens lay an egg every day. Here are...
  3. gickelvolk

    Swede ducklings

    Hi! We have 4 Swedes that just turned 1 year this week. 1 Drake and 3 hens. Our Drake, Lars, has a green bill that started to change from black at around 3 weeks.... he has the brightest orange feet of all 4. He is the second one in the row.....
  4. gickelvolk

    Comment by 'gickelvolk' in media ''

    Nice Swedes! We have 4 Swedish Blues and they are really entertaining..... A drake and 4 hens. We get an egg a day.
  5. gickelvolk

    WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? WHAT DID YOU JUST RECEIVE?

    Wife and I bought 4 New Hampshire and 4 Welsummer chicks at TSC this year..... We've had them about 3 weeks now. They are really growing. First feathers are mostly in and they are very friendly... When we reach into the brooder there are a couple that hop right into the hand. Our older hens...
  6. gickelvolk

    Swedish ducks

    I love our Swedes but the hens are REALLY noisy at times..... The Drake, Lars, just kind of rasps along ...... The hens, Mona, Edna, and Tillie are VERY vocal... The drake is the one with the green bill. Edna is the tan duck, and the other two are only to be told apart by spots on their backs...
  7. gickelvolk

    Comment by 'gickelvolk' in article 'Chickens & Winter Egg Laying and Lighting'

    Should you decide to use a light BE CAREFUL OF THE LIGHT YOU CHOOSE!!! "Industrial Duty" and "Break-Free" bulbs have a TOXIC coating (generally a Teflon) on them to prevent shattering upon breakage. The bulb emits a gas from the coating and it is DEADLY to poultry........ Use on normal...
  8. gickelvolk

    Comment by 'gickelvolk' in item 'Marans'

    We have 2 young (10 months old) B/C Marans in our small flock and they lay chocolate colored eggs regularly. As they have started their first molt, they aren't laying right now. They are good layers when they do lay eggs. Some things we have noticed is that as juveniles they will produce dark...
  9. gickelvolk

    Comment by 'gickelvolk' in article 'Trailer Trash Chickens'

    Yep.... pictures would help. Generally, laying will start at 5 to 6 months..... Your mileage may vary..... :^)
  10. gickelvolk

    Wild hunter chicken

    Greetings from Nebraska! Our hens will definitely eat ANYTHING that won't eat them! A mouse or mole is a wonderful excuse to play chicken-tag! With treats!
  11. gickelvolk

    Dumbest Things People Have Said About Your Chickens/Eggs/Meat

    A vistor having coffee at our home, looking out the dining-room window, observed 6 of our hens having a mass-dustbathing session. She got a disturbed look on her face and uttered the following: "OMG!!! ARE THEY SICK???? DO THEY HAVE RABIES OR SOMETHING????" . . . I politely engaged her...
  12. gickelvolk

    Are my chicks gonna get too hot???

    just an fyi..... PLEASE turn off your caps lock when writing....... All CAPS indicates "YELLLLIIINNGGG".....
  13. gickelvolk

    RANDOM STUFF!

    HAMMER CLOCK FISH ORANGE . . . . . . CLUCK.......
  14. gickelvolk

    Extreme Heat

    To keep our hens happy we've been offering frozen veg & fruits, cold melon pieces, and keep blue-ice packs in their waterer. We also run a misting hose..... They free-range and can seek out the "cooler" spots to save themselves...... However, they couldn't cool off enough at night in the...
  15. gickelvolk

    What to line bottom of coop with

    Wheat straw...... They love it and it's easy to clean up after....
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