ALABAMA!!

[mos68x]

Hi mos68x, I am south of Huntsville about 35 minutes from downtown. I would actually love to take one of your NH red roos but I need to find some flippin hens first.

I am new to the area and am trying to locate some young hens that are of a breed that will go broody and lays decently that I can use for meat. I would love to find some NH red hens/started pullets for a decent price. Someone recommeneded the Lacon Trade Day (in Falkville) to me and I will be going this Saturday.

that I find something.

Really wish I'd known about that Lacon Trade Day earlier lol, was at work this morning and could've swung down there afterwards and perhaps found something useful. I really want to find someone who wants a rooster as bad as I want another hen, lol I just wanna trade.

Just in case any of you are thinking of going to the Clay County auction tomorrow- I plan to take some lovely muscovies, a game hen with some pure lavender orpington babies (my lavender orpington stock was hatched from eggs that I bought from a lady with pure 5th generation stock bought directly from Hinkjc farm), possibly 1/2 dozen lavender orpington eggs, a breeding turken pair, a few young birds that are a cross between a white turken rooster and wheaten marans hens-crossed with the goal of producing a bird that lays a darker egg like the marans but is a more reliable layer like the turkens. Maybe a couple more miscellaneous hens from our layer stock. They are all very nice birds, I am just trying to make room for all of the lavender orpington babies that have hatched recently.

The lavenders are absolutely beautiful. There are some pics of them on my profile page, but they were really young and have filled out beautifully since them, so the pics can't do them justice. I am not taking any adults, but the chicks and eggs should turn out just as lovely!

Clay county is over 3 hours from me

why are all the great auction places so far away???

I'm in Chambers Co. Just north of Auburn. I hate to give the girls up. They really are spoiled pets, but that darn chicken math has snuck up on me and I am running out of room! lol

You're too far away even though I would really love to give the girls a new home, it would be an all day affair just in driving alone.


One of the ladies at the local feed store I go to is willing to sell me some hens and maybe even trade cockerels for hens, just need to contact her tomorrow since I'll finally have a day off. Maybe she'll have some wyandottes, I wold love to get a silver or golden laced!

 

[jdywntr]

Really wish I'd known about that Lacon Trade Day earlier lol, was at work this morning and could've swung down there afterwards and perhaps found something useful. I really want to find someone who wants a rooster as bad as I want another hen, lol I just wanna trade.

One of the ladies at the local feed store I go to is willing to sell me some hens and maybe even trade cockerels for hens, just need to contact her tomorrow since I'll finally have a day off. Maybe she'll have some wyandottes, I wold love to get a silver or golden laced!

Well we drove down there but it was a wasted trip. TONS of roos. And unless you are extremely knowledgable (I am not) about breeds of chicken I think with some people you need to be careful.
One lady had some White Giants that were obviously full grown and said they were 3.5 months old. Also some light sussex that I'm pretty sure were brahmas.
There were some nice bantams from another person and I'm kicking myself for not asking more about them.

We then drove further south to see a craigslist ad for NH red laying hens. Birds were dead in cages, the only one they were selling were older. Another waste of time.

Got home and checked CL again. Someone had posted an ad for 4 month old pullets. So up I went to the Athens area. Happily I ended up with 4 BO and 2 Araucanas that were very well cared for and look great.
This morning I'm heading back up that way again to look at a CL ad for an orpington roo.

I wish I'd just called all of the ads at the same time instead of driving another 60 miles roundtrip again today.

Glad to hear you may have found someone to get some hens from.

 

[Orps]

This morning I'm heading back up that way again to look at a CL ad for an orpington roo.

I wish I'd just called all of the ads at the same time instead of driving another 60 miles roundtrip again today.

Glad to hear you may have found someone to get some hens from.

I wished you moved here sooner. I had 2 beautiful blue orpington cockreals that I had to return to the breeder because I can't keep roo where I live. They are part English and the father of these babies is at least 15lbs!!

 

[jdywntr]

I wished you moved here sooner. I had 2 beautiful blue orpington cockreals that I had to return to the breeder because I can't keep roo where I live. They are part English and the father of these babies is at least 15lbs!!

Oh why did you tell me this???? I am sure they were gorgeous. I am very happy with the cockerel I picked up. He is 6 months old.

This is his pic from the ad. The people that had him were GREAT!! Everything so well cared for and clean. I am so happy. He has gotten a look at his ladies but I'm not letting him loose yet.

 

[jdywntr]

Hey. I figured I'd ask this here first since you all have similar environments.
Do you make something for your chickens to dust bathe in?

With all the rain and the clay soil here, the chickens (which I've had for a very short time) are trying to dust bathe but are not having much luck. The coop has some very dark soil. It hadn't been used in a few years so 3-4 years of shade, water and vegetation = very healthy but moist soil.
Outside of the coop is clay and it seems its either too wet or rock hard.

Should I build them something to dust bathe in? If so, what/how? In Florida it was so dry the entire yard was a dust bath and my birds there would just pick a shady spot.

Thanks

 

[Stumpy]

You can use some sort of container; just drill a few holes in it for drainage and fill it with sand, fine soil and diatomaceous earth. You can also add wood ashes if you have some. I have an old refrigerator drawer right now.

 

[jdywntr]

Okay, thanks Stumpy.

 

[Stumpy]

You're welcome!

 

[Orps]

My gals have a spot under a tree where they dust bath. I think it's okay for them to get a little wet because they will just prume themselves afterward.

 

[clcarpen251]

South Alabama here - my husband and I raised chickens years ago, and just recently decided to start again. We are trying to get a small flock of Barnevelders, but so far we have gotten only 1 chick out of 12 eggs! Really wish we could find someone in this part of the country who has barnies!