It's really hard to find current info on budgies and breeding. Most of the books others have recommended have been out-of-print, so I really appreciate this info. I'd really love to find info on genetics, too. Thanks for a good, solid article.
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Rusty
Love this thread! Got my first budgie when I was 9 and have loved the breed ever since.Now that I'm 78 I'm looking for birds that are a little less demanding than my Reds and budgies might just fill the bill. Can anyone recommend a good breeding book to help me catch up to what's happening...
Layer feed is for hens who are actually laying eggs. It is not for birds under 20 weeks or so who are not active layers. Grit is not necessary for chicks eating a complete starter feed. Treated starter feed is readily available to prevent cocci in young chicks, and it is balanced and complete...
It could be worse. My last hatch produced only 1 roo, but he's gorgeous. Probably the best roo I have ever had. Just one small problem...one leg is about an inch longer than the other. Never seen that in a chicken before. sigh.
I do envy your many choices here!
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Rusty
Somewhere in all that discussion someone asked local price on 50# of Show Flock starter, I think. Anyhow it's $19 and so is the Developer. Eventually I'll make the switch to S-F Developer and keep them on that. I don't like layer--too much calcium for my roosters. I add separate feeders for...
I tend to agree about some animal protein. But I never felt the need to add it to my feed simply because we have sooooo many bugs here naturally. My gals pounce on errant bugs, worms, and such probably a dozen times a day out in their runs and seem to find tiny baby creepy-crawlies like crazy...
Eye-popping for sure! What are you feeding at this point? Mine are on their 2nd bag of Tucker's Show Flock Starter and they are huge compared to last years chicks but sassy! I keep wondering if that's because of all the rain? I can't get them outside like I'm used to doing--everything is...
Nope. I'm old-fashioned. I ENJOY putting everybody to bed every night. Why have chickens if not to interact with them? I look forward to our one-on-one time immensely!
:woot
Rusty
Yeah, it's the perfect size for me. I do really small hatches and usually only once or twice a year. I'm trying to convince my girls to do the job for me but they always wait until very late in the season and those chicks don't seem as sturdy. Heritage RIRs are supposed to go broody, dang...
I know folks are always debating which incubator to use, so I thought it might be helpful to hear about my 1st hatch of the season with a new incubator.
I always start my gardens on May 1 and try to hatch my 1st chicks the first week in May because the weather seems so favorable around now in...
Very few of us leave our birds unconfined (ie roaming loose) at night. They are confined for their own protection from predators. They need approx 12" per bird on the roost. Smaller birds need a bit less BUT all birds need sufficient roosting space. Most of us are not factory chicken keepers...
(Just call me the resident grouchy old man.)
It all boils down to which is more important, 3 plastic purple coops or 20 living, breathing, feeling chickens? Your choice.
Just for the record: whether I have 2 or 22 birds EVERYBODY gets 4 sqft apiece inside my coops and 20-30 sqft apiece in...
I've been keeping RIRs for many years and it has always been my experience that even tho they are friendly, they DO NOT like being handled. They do tend to stick with their own breed, too, which is why I'm currently only keeping Reds. When I kept another breeds I always ended up giving the...
Don't get me wrong. This is a gorgeous tractor. BUT the 1st--and to me--most important purpose of any build is to protect the chickens it houses. 2 x 2 framing does not do that. It will not survive a determined racoon let alone a coyote or a pack of neighborhood dogs. Beef up the lumber and...