2018 Newbie Chat!

[PNW_Peepers]

Horrible news.
My cousin won’t be able to take my Lavender Orpington. The airline refuses to see “livestock” as living animals. They won’t allow the chickens on board as pets. They are classifying them as cargo, & will ship them at a rate of four hundred dollars per bird. We can’t afford that, nor do I want them in an uncontrolled air and temp area for four hours. Instead I’ll be building a chicken ark to move them to permanently. If we do end up with any cockerels in our chick group I’ll move him in with the girls once he’s big enough.

 

[No More Empty Nest]

Guys I'm addicted to updating...

I added 3 stationary windows(plexiglass) to the coop. I wanted them to have more light. I have to say since I expanded this-they are more comfortable and even quiet in the mornings until I get them out.

I added I guess something similiar to what I would call a kick board, so they can't kick mulch in. Just as I was looking at this pic I think I'm making that into a square with a piece of plastic(similar to a dog door) for the winter.

View attachment 1543396

That's an awesome coop! I have a kickboard in mine, but it's to keep the woods shavings inside, lol.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Horrible news.
My cousin won’t be able to take my Lavender Orpington. The airline refuses to see “livestock” as living animals. They won’t allow the chickens on board as pets. They are classifying them as cargo, & will ship them at a rate of four hundred dollars per bird. We can’t afford that, nor do I want them in an uncontrolled air and temp area for four hours. Instead I’ll be building a chicken ark to move them to permanently. If we do end up with any cockerels in our chick group I’ll move him in with the girls once he’s big enough.

That is appalling! How on earth do these airlines get away with it - someone should shove them in a cargo hold for four hours and see how they like it!
Great idea of yours though but feel bad for your cousin who really wanted Jackie, its so awful and so wrong of the airlines to treat animals this way!

 

[PNW_Peepers]

That is appalling! How on earth do these airlines get away with it - someone should shove them in a cargo hold for four hours and see how they like it!
Great idea of yours though but feel bad for your cousin who really wanted Jackie, its so awful and so wrong of the airlines to treat animals this way!

I have no clue. Horrible in my opinion. She was willing to have them shipped via USPS, but again I’m not comfortable putting my birds through undue stress. Life goes on, just wasn’t meant to be!

 

[CannedMonster]

Hatcheries ship started pullets through the USPS.
You can purchase the shipping box/container from most hatcheries.
Just throwing that out there for anyone that might be reading.
I don’t think it’s an airline industry priority to ship around people’s animals.
They’re concerned with people.

 

[CannedMonster]

There’s an EE thread on here that talks about the common EE colorations. Feather patterning is the easiest give away to what sex you may have. Other than that, coloration of the pea comb and size compared to the other EE. Cockerels are always bigger than the rest IMHO. There are two variations of the pea comb, one is single rowed and one is triple rowed. I used to think the triple rowed pea combs were male, but one of my female Ameraucana has a triple rowed pea comb. Another good indicator is stance. Pullets will walk and run lower to the ground, cockerels will stand pretty much upright all the time.

Well based on that I’d say Skye is female. Just an independent confident girl.
In fact, Taka also is that way but she doesn’t let me approach her.
They like to jump up on things; recently the table we have on the deck.
I remember my neighbors EE was a very good jumper and flyer and would wander around the neighborhood and I really hope mine don’t do that.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Well based on that I’d say Skye is female. Just an independent confident girl.
In fact, Taka also is that way but she doesn’t let me approach her.
They like to jump up on things; recently the table we have on the deck.
I remember my neighbors EE was a very good jumper and flyer and would wander around the neighborhood and I really hope mine don’t do that.

If they got their blue egg laying gene from an Ameraucana I’d say all bets are off on flying. Mine fly all over! If I didn’t supervise during free range I’d probably never find them again. They’d end up roosting in my trees! Mine are so light they can jump really high too! Very adventurous
When I’m busy in the house it really helps having an enclosed run that they can’t get out of.

 

[llombardo]

Well that explains how agile my Rose is. She actually flies from point a to b all the time. She also talks to me all the time.

For those that don't remember--this is my Rose. She is always on top of the coop

 

[Geranium]

Hey, newb question. So I was originally planning to feed my chicks medicated starter, then switch to developer feed around 5 weeks. But I ended up giving them unmedicated starter grower. So I can just keep feeding them that, right? Until they're ready for layer feed?

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Hey, newb question. So I was originally planning to feed my chicks medicated starter, then switch to developer feed around 5 weeks. But I ended up giving them unmedicated starter grower. So I can just keep feeding them that, right? Until they're ready for layer feed?

Yes! Keep feeeding them that until POL.