Recent content by kmom246

  1. kmom246

    How long????

    It's very dry here in the desert and 90+ degrees. I have 3 that have been trying to hatch for over 5 hours. Is that normal? One is nearly cracked around, but the others just have big holes. The membranes are dry and tough on the egg. Should I help them out? Maran eggs, very hard shells...
  2. kmom246

    The GREEN aspect of Trimmings for the chickens

    "Feathered Pigs" - I love it! Yes, that describes my girls completely! Or maybe feathered piranhas if there are treats being tossed in the run!
  3. kmom246

    how well do pine shavings break down in a compost pile?

    I don't fully compost my pine shavings, and it seems to work ok. I let them sit in a pile for 3-6 months, turning the pile once or twice. I also periodically water the piles because, well, we're in the desert! When I can't recognize poo bits any more, and there is more of a dirt smell than a...
  4. kmom246

    What do you like/dislike about your duck breed?

    I think I'm doing good with the chickens, so thinking of adding ducks to the mix. Thanks in advance for all your comments.
  5. kmom246

    Are 4 roos too many for my flock

    Culled the two roos that became mean and the one mean hen. (2 hens previously were killed by dogs) Litterally within the hour, the flock became more peaceful. The ratio is now 10:1. I will pen the hens I wish to breed from with the alph male with a ratio of 6:1 for a month in the late spring...
  6. kmom246

    Pro's & Con's about Rooster Question

    After my recent experience with too many roos to hens, I think that the ratio is important. And I can't say too much about the temperment of the rooster, too. Almost imediately upon removing my two mean/rough roos and one mean (peck 'em 'till they bleed) hen, the flock settled into harmony...
  7. kmom246

    ALPHA ROOSTER : To cull or not to cull?

    We had 4 roos and 21 hens. We separated out the two mean and rough roos and one mean hen today in prep for giving to a friend to put in their freezer. It's amazing how much happier the remaining chickens are. The lame hen (she's a pet... and she lays well... just won't keep her eggs for...
  8. kmom246

    what roo to keep?

    Both of my EE roos are being culled tonight - as they got older, they got meaner and meaner and were rough on the girls. Both of my Maran roosters are mellow and gentle on the girls. I have EEs, Marans and SLW. I didn't get any roos out of the SLWs. Anyway, IMHO, I'd cull for temperment and...
  9. kmom246

    Anybody's MPC EEs laying blue eggs?

    I have one that lays pale blue eggs, one that lays a sort of olive green egg, one who has an almost white pale blue egg and one that lays a pink egg. The others are not laying yet.
  10. kmom246

    my americauna wont lay

    I have Silver Laced Wyandots, Marans and EE's - the EE's are the most unreliable layers. They took longer to start than the others and are more sporadic. I don't know which hen is laying which egg, but the egg colors are unique - so I know the one that lays the olive green egg only lays about...
  11. kmom246

    leg bands ?peck?

    I am using size 11 on my EE's, Silver Laced Wyand. and Cuckoo Maran hens. My roos are easily identifiable, so I didn't band them. The 11's would definately be too small for all of my roos (EE & Marans). Don't know what size the BOs or Brahmas legs are, but the description of the bands gives...
  12. kmom246

    leg bands ?peck?

    I use the cellulose (plastic like) legbands http://www.randallburkey.com/prodinfo.asp?number=23030 and they are working very well. I have 21 hens (dog got a few) and 4 roos. Using the bands, I have been able to identify 2 with broody tendencies and one who is a "feather picker". It took about...
  13. kmom246

    PetSmart visit ends in BYC cricket massacre

    I am just getting into chickens, and am so excited as I just now realized how they might help me with my grasshopper problem!!!! Yippeeee! It only took one trip to the garden and the chickens completely denuded it of grasshoppers (27 chickens in a 50ft x 75 ft garden)... but, unfortunately, I...
  14. kmom246

    Do all ur roos crow??

    And they don't just crow at day break! They crow whenever the mood strikes them. I am up at 3 a.m. to get ready for work and I hear my alpha crowing. My beta crow just likes to hear himself talk, I think (Like me!) and just crows all day long. My two other roos don't crow as often, but they...
  15. kmom246

    Is it true that roosters will not fight much (if at all) if...

    la dee da - as far as being a little nutty dreamer - uhem, I think we are ALL little nutty dreamers here! No answer for you about the roos as I'm pretty new to this, but good wishes for you and your flock. Keep asking questions - the people here are great - they certainly have been putting up...
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