Edit: never mind, I found a local farmer who not only sold me some fertilized eggs, but also agreed to talk me through the harvesting process...or take my roos if I am not ready for the former.
Hi. :)
The chickens are going well for me. I'm really glad I finally got them.
I've only had mine for spring to now, so I have no winter related tips.
If you're looking at a small flock of about 5-10ish, i highly recommend City Chicks as reading material. Especially if you intend to use them as...
I just went out and cut off its head. The top girl grabbed it and the others started playing with the body. Not much red showing at all, so if they lose interest I'll cut the belly open.
I'm pretty sure the cat was what killed it. He was very proud. And it was still soft and pliable with a...
*sigh* they don't know what to do with it. I dangled it and one pecked once, but one watching freaked, and now they're avoiding it. I worry that because it's already dead and thus not moving, that they won't be enticed by it.
How long do you think it would be safe to leave in the pen with them...
The cat that adopted us last fall just gifted us with a dead mouse. We double bagged it and put it in the fridge to give to the chickens in the morning.
Any thoughts/ideas? Should I make a few slices in it first? Will they eat it cold? They've never had a mouse before. Since it's already dead...
8 week old Golden Laced Cochin bantam cockerel for free,
Not crowing yet, and i can't risk him crowing here,
I'd prefer he allowed to grow/live a little more before made into dinner if that's to be his fate,
Located between Whatcom and Skagit County.
He was the only chick that ever sat still...
Thank you all. We were hoping this bird was just a more observant female. Out of 5 hatchlings, only one is female, I guess. It's a good thing I bought three other chicks....though one of those turned out to be from a straight run (the feed store employee either lied or didn't know). It'll be sad...
Gender? 4 weeks old
Dad was a mutt, possible white leghorn, jersey giant, and easter egger in the mix. I'm pretty sure easter egger is in the mix cuz the other large chick is easter egger brown looking.
Mother of this was an australorp. (Mother of the large easter egger looking one was barred...
I might buy a camera later today to take pictures with, but for now...
Roo= black leghorn mutt
Hens= 2 australorps and 2 barred plymouth rocks
Incubator anomoly= day 14 had a few hours of 104f, killed 3 eggs.
Pipping started on day 23, Had to assist last two eggs to hatch.
Chick 1= plymouth...
Days 1-18 incubator temp was mostly between 99-102, humidity was between 40-50%.
Day 14 had wild fluctuations of 97 (maybe 2 hrs), and then again at 104 (maybe up to 4 hrs). Was worried it had killed them, but decided to wait and see.
Candled eggs on beginning of Day 18, saw movement.
Day 18+...
After years of debating whether or not to get chickens, and a couple of months trying to come up with a suitable coop design and paddock system for my yard....
I just now remembered that when the previous owners of this lot put in a lawn, they used sod that used bird netting to hold it together...
Hi Jules and Seven :)
I'm right on the border of the two counties, just a few minutes east of Alger.
I don't have any chicks yet. As soon as I figure out a coop design I like I'll build that in preparation for buying spring chicks. (We rushed like mad to get the frog pond dug and set up, I don't...
Admittedly the aroma and discussions of flies are on the con list for keeping chickens in that spot by the house. An alternative is that area behind the frame that I can put it, if I put a bushy/viney plant in the frame to hide the coop from the road. That area puts the henhouse at the county's...
The following are pictures to give an idea of what I am working with.
First, a shot from our 'back'yard area to the front to show what passerbys would have to look over/through.
A shot of our yard from our side of the 'wild area' between the road and our yard. There's not much growing now...
I am new to chickens. I've checked out almost every book from the library and have been reading various websites, including this one. I want to make sure that I feel ready for caring for chickens before getting any chicks.
While I live out in the county here, we are in an area that has an HOA...