4th Annual BYC NYD Hatch-a-long

[Lesalynn]

I just told my hubby tonight

Do you ever notice that when you think your partner is going to blow up, they do something like "oh? Oh ok...."?

Nope, but I got up at 4am this morning to finish up my very first batch of yogurt! The chickens love yogurt and I figured it's a lot cheaper to make it from milk than to buy it, so I did, and it is yummy stuff! Wow!

It's just part of the dedication that we have to our poultry

How do you make yogurt?? I want to try that....

 

[midwest]

Quote:
We did have a long wish list including Lavender, BBS Orps, Any Marans, Speckled Sussex, Buff Silkies, etc, etc. But with time and funds running out we would consider just about anything purebred. We dont have PayPal so we can only do money orders and with the time involved with getting them through the mail and cashed before shipping I think at this point our only option will be finding something local.

 

[Lesalynn]

We did have a long wish list including Lavender, BBS Orps, Any Marans, Speckled Sussex, Buff Silkies, etc, etc. But with time and funds running out we would consider just about anything purebred. We dont have PayPal so we can only do money orders and with the time involved with getting them through the mail and cashed before shipping I think at this point our only option will be finding something local.

Well, I was going to suggest checking with mbrobbins for silkies. She usually has some available, really good prices too. But if you don't have paypal, that would slow things down. I'd suggest getting a paypal set up if you can. It's really simple, and you can buy a Wal-mart money card to set it up with, using that card number as a credit card, just load what you want on the card, then send the purchase amount with paypal. Very easy mobile phone version too. Good luck finding some eggs, I hope you get some in time. If I had any purebreeds of laying age I'd send you some. All my silkies are babies tho.

 

[mrheinz77]

We did have a long wish list including Lavender, BBS Orps, Any Marans, Speckled Sussex, Buff Silkies, etc, etc. But with time and funds running out we would consider just about anything purebred. We dont have PayPal so we can only do money orders and with the time involved with getting them through the mail and cashed before shipping I think at this point our only option will be finding something local.

I might be able to help. I could do a mixed pure assortment or crossbreds. PM if interested.

 

[tadpole98]

Quote: I know! I think its crazy because all a rooster does is eat for free. but a hen works for her feed, so we are just gonna trade him rooster for rooster (an already processed one)

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

x2 what are you looking for, I bet someone has something available.

 

[coldupnorth]

Ducks, Turkeys and Pheasants set at Noon today (your own time zone).

 

[cochins1088]

Also check the feet. I do a lot of auction watching, and I see a lot of birds come in with those leg mites. Their feet should look nice and kempt, not revolting. When I purchase from auction, I look at EVERY SINGLE BIRD, if one looks like it's not healthy, I toss my buyer's tag in the garbage and scout the flea market for junk instead. And, when visiting another flock, or an auction especially, when you get home, IMMEDIATELY remove your clothes and toss them into the washer, and clorox the crap out of your shoes and wash yourself up. So far, this has worked well for me. We're also fortunate enough that a government group (I forget what group they're with) comes and does testing on the birds at auction. Of course, they do a random sample, not every single bird, so that's only a partial precaution.

I like the feet of a bird not just looking for illness, but it can also help you guess how they were kept if they're auction birds. If their claws are ugly looking, then they haven't been scratching much. I only choose stock that has nicely "manicured" toenails. Of course, my ducks toenails always look like trash, but I do go through the flock once in awhile to clip anything that's out of control (duck toenails, turkey beaks if they're too sharp and long, etc). But, if you see long toenails on a bird, then you know that they haven't been kept up with.

This is by no means all you should do but the first thing that comes to mind is to find out where they got them and how old they are? If it's from a reputable breeder/hatchery, they should be NPIP. Have they brought in any birds other than the original purchase? Are these the only birds which have lived in this coop?

I'm sure there are more questions to ask and hopefully someone else will chime in here pretty soon.

Oh, go in the coop and check out the droppings. You should know what normal, healthy droppings look like. You might catch him off guard too if you ask him right out, "Have they ever been sick?" Also, while you're there checking out the coop, take a close look at each bird. Look at their nostrils (clean?) look at their eyes (clear?) how about their color (nice and red?) feather condition (depending on their age, they're either molting or should be finished with it... feathers should be in good condition and clean) look at the feathers under the vent (clean?) If its cold out, is anybody standing around hunchy? Listen carefully... can you hear them breathing? Everything sound normal? If they're chattering, whistle quietly and they'll be quiet in order to listen to you. Then you might be able to hear any breathing that is not correct. If you have healthy birds, you know what your coop smells like (you should pay attention to this every day when you go to feed). Does this coop smell the same?

Thanks to both of you, these where both very helpful and I'll be saving them. Another question came to mind, what would you consider a deal breaker? I understand to ask questions and completely look over the birds and the coop, but what things would break the deal. Like if I found they had lice, I could easily treat that. I have very little understanding when it comes to chicken disease.

And I would keep them separate from my current chickens for while to watch. I guess I was mainly worried if there was something hidden like Mareks disease or something... Which brings another question, what if his birds are vaccinated and mine are not? Could they spread disease to my non vaccinated birds?

 

[mstricer]

Right now, we have six roosters. It's a lot, considering that we'd really only need three, however, I like the extra protection. I will get rid of one of my Ameraucana roosters eventually, but since the feed is free, and they all get along fairly well, and the roosters are all good to us and good to the hens, they haven't given me any reason to butcher them. Of course, when I start hatching off more leghorns, the new roos will have to go, along with any roosters I get from pretty much anything else I hatch. I want to get some olive eggers and something that lays a darker brown egg, but only need the hens and NO roosters from them (I just want a variety in the fridge, lol).

How do you get free feed, I want some

I also have six roosters, but they all have their own house and girls.

What zone are we going by? I'm Eastern standard time. Are we going by Central or Pacific or Eastern?

As for eggs, my ladies surprised me. G had the window open and that dang-blasted rooster has been crowing for the past half an hour. I decided to go down and chuck a few pieces of corn cob at him to try to get him to stop (to no avail, I might add, he's still out there blaring his mouth), but I caught one of the duck hens on the nest. Lo and behold, there were two eggs in there. I had just collected two yesterday, so I was expecting 0 eggs today! I've been getting an average of 7 per week, and the most I get is two, and then they usually skip the next day. So, with finding two eggs, two days in a row, I can only hope that this is a sign of them getting their cycles up to par (or maybe more hens are laying?) There are five hens and the first two eggs showed up one day about two and a half weeks ago.

I'm pretty sure it is Eastern time let me get with Jim.

Quote: Pretty sure it is Eastern time, so it is fair to every. Those in the Pacific are 3 hours behind us. If those set their time, then those of us on the Eastern time zone will get a 3 hour ahead start.
But I will check it out

 

[mrheinz77]

It is LOCAL time. It is also local time for the first hatched after midnight.