In 2006 my youngest son left for college. After 27 years of having my sons around I was lost and needed a hobby to fill my time and my “empty nest”. It all started innocently enough - a few hatchery chicks. They had to have somewhere to live, so I "remodeld" a shed, a dairy parlor and the...
My chicks from the hatheries arrived yesterday - Rhode Island Whites, ISA Browns and a mix from Sandhill Preservation. I've also hatched two batches of my own (RIR's, EE's and Ameracaunas) and have both incubators full again. I've got 140 chicks right now.
Luckily I have a HUGE brooder to...
My Great Pyrenees puppies are 3 weeks old now and on the move.
About the only way to get a picture of them is when they are sleeping.
Next week they get moved to the barn with two bottle lambs so they can start bonding with the sheep.
Has anybody besides me been watching the Bald Eagle at Decorah? This is pretty amazing. She just had her 3rd egg tonight.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/decorah-
I have 2 Great Pyrenees - Kinzi and Captain Sully. They are excellent guardians of our sheep and chickens.
Kinzi had a litter of 7 GP puppies on Thursday
Quote:
pbjmaker is correct they are livestock guardian dogs. Kinzi and Sully both are around chickens, sheep and cats. I haven't lost a chicken since I got them. More often than not the cats will curl up on Sully's back to sleep. The only problem I have had with them is they tend to wander...
Spring has sprung - My Great Pyrenees, Kinzi, had 7 puppies yesterday.
They love laying on the warming pad.
The dad, Captain Sully, is totally oblivious. He was more interested in soaking up the 70 degree weather.
Quote:
Just read the info on the brooder- excellent article. This is exactly what I was looking for. I've got 75 chicks coming at the end of March and I will hatch out approximately 100 of my own so this will be perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Quote:
My plan is to set some in my new incubator on Feb 27th for a Spring Chicken Hatch. Anyone wanna join me?
edited for spelling
That's my plan as well. My cuckoo marans and EE's have finally started laying well again. Now, if the Ameracaunas and RIR's would kick it up a notch I'd be...
Quote:
Mine have 12 acres to roam and guard. If they both are loose they feel they need to guard the whole county I just alternate days with them being loose and they don't leave the place.
Quote:
It is common for GP to be white with varying shades of gray, red (rust), or tan around the face (including a full face mask), ears and sometimes on the body and tail. In the litter that Captain Sully was from two of his siblings had black spots on their bodies.
I have a female Great Pyrenees/Akbash - Kinzi and a male Great Pyrenees Captain Sully. They are both great with our sheep, chickens and children. The only problem I have encountered is I can only let one loose at a time. If they both are loose they tend to wander a little too far away from...
We are up to a balmy 12 degrees here in tropical SW Iowa so I am thinking spring and placed my chick orders today.
The majority of my chicks I incubate and raise from my own flock but I like to try something new every year too. This year I ordered some ISA Browns from Town Line Hatchery in...
Quote:
I ordered from Sandhill for the first time last year. I was pleased w/the chicks and the service. They didn't have enough chicks to cover my order so gave me a credit toward another order for this year.
I'm in Creston and have Rhode Island Reds (single comb and rose comb), blue/black/splash orpingtons, cuckoo marans and blue/black ameracaunas if you'd like to add any of those to your flock.
Quote: