Uzi, please don't beat yourself up. I think you are a great bird owner. Polish are not a hardy breed at all from what I've learned. It may be genetic, certainly seems like the line of birds you bought had all the same issues.
maggiemo - I will let you about the silver bantams.
Percheronchick - If you end up with any extra LF silver ameraucana males, please let me know. I have 4 LF hens and have not been able to find a guy for them.
I have buff Chantecler birds from Fowl Stuff. You have to give them tons of time to grow out, like months and months. I hatched 3 last September. They are just now getting their size. The pullet isn't at POL yet, doesn't even look close. You will be amazing how stocky the little ones will...
I'm at 8000. I have had good hatches and lousy hatches so don't know if I'm any help at all. When I have problems it seems like it occurs at lockdown as well. Anyway, I use a Lyons TX-7. I try to keep the humidity at a wet bulb temperature of 84 and then up it to 90 for lockdown. That is...
I'm at about 8000 ft. Build them a good shelter that they can plan on staying in for several days with snow and wind and all. I agree with the larger combed birds getting frost bite, but that is mostly a rooster issue. I think all the breeds you mentioned should do fine. The EEs do fine...
All that snow on the front range is crazy. As for us in the mountains, no snow at all. We had cold wind and sunshine all day yesterday. The bad part is I have chicks coming in the mail. Well, they were supposed to be coming sometime today. I hope they aren't stuck in a snow drift somewhere...
Thanks everyone. Yes, I live in a beautiful place. Sometimes frustrating when you can't buy the stuff you want anywhere close, but for the most part great. I have my first bator of eggs set for the season and hurrah, candled eggs and they are fertile. I have bantam cochin and welsummers in...
Latestarter, you came to Cottonwood Hot Springs. Hope you enjoyed yourself. That is about 2 miles from my house which is north and west of the town of BV. Glad you enjoyed yourself.
Wind ugh. I thought it was going to blow our house away last night. It did move the goats' shelter about a foot, broke an H-post in the horse pen that was already old and buried my milli-fleur cochin coop door and waterer. I also have a little bantam OEGB hen that sleeps under the cochin...
Uzi,
Turkeys are like any other bird, except for bigger, way bigger. They are very curious, but very freaked out about changes to their pen, more so than chickens. The poults (what baby turkeys are called) are like chicks only bigger and make a way bigger mess. Their temperament varies...
I've ordered chicks from McMurray and they have been fine, no problems. I'm looking at standard bronze this year, about 10 of them. I'm in Chaffee County, so not too far from you. I grew up in Canon.
If you are photographers you all might be interested in the Stations of the Cross Shrine at San Luis. It is religious in nature, but the shrine is beautiful and the sculptures have amazing workmanship from an artists point of view.