Arkansas folks speak up.........

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
Sports is a term for mutants or throwbacks, genetics that are hidden way deep, like several generations of red chickens sudeenly producing a white chick. It might come from a hidden gene or it might be a mutation. I think what you are thinking of is "game". These are certain chickens like the Old English Game. Some use the word "game" as a generic term for chickens you describe, smaller, compact, usually wilder birds.

It's currently snowing here too. I'm going to have to get out in it pretty soon. My wife fractured her arm in a fall Saturday and we need to go to a bone specialist today. The crack is barely visible on an x-ray and she is still able to use it some as long as she does not twist it.

 

[Stumper]

Snow day here! I work in Auto-Cad and have in loaded on my home computer so nothing like getting paid to sit at home and get paid to play on BYC (shhhh...) in my pajamas!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I'm off today too! I'm a ranch hand & the other 2 guys are closer, so,they'll feed & go home. I'm going to play hunt video games!!!

 

[cbbantams]

Quote:
There are a number of ways to get started breeding show quality birds.The best way is to go to shows,and dont be afraid to ask questions.That is what I did.Then talk to someone about buying good breeders to start with.Most of the people I have met are more than willing to help someone getting started.If I can help with what I have learned,I will answer questions I can.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Thanks for the schooling Ridgerunner

Now maybe I'll know a little more about what I'm talking about.

So we set the heat lamps for the chickens tonight. It's supposed to be 15, and by Thursday, we're looking at a low 8 degrees.
My cuckoo maran roo has a really big comb and it's recently been frostbit. What a shame! I've read somewhere here that if you can catch them, it's
good to put a thin layer of vaseline on the comb and wattles to keep the frostbite away. Anyway we're getting ready for it. Tomorrow they'll get some fresh hay in the run since it's dry, anything to retain some precious heat. It's dang cold out there!

Oh and I have eggs in the bator. I know for sure that two of them are wiggling. I salvaged those two from the fridge. They are the offspring of my dear departed Robbie girl. The rest are from my cuckoos and ee/cochin girls. I'm not sure that I'm seeing any veining in anything but the two Robbie's, but the cuckoo eggs are pretty dark.

 

[Tala]

How is your coop ventilated Chicky Tocks??? I will have to do a good inspection tomorrow while I'm off work in the daylight, but I haven't noticed any of my birds showing signs of frostbite and we're in the same weather you are....
My RIR has a nice big comb so I'm sure if anyone got it he would. They seem to be taking the weather all in stride. All the winterizing that I've done is to put out heated waterers so that they have liquid water at all times. They fluff up and sleep closer together, but seem to be taking it just fine.

The 8* weather on Thursday is supposed to come with north winds 15mph gusting up to 25mph even at night, so I'm gonna put a tarp up on that side of the coop before then! They can do cold just fine, but that much wind has me worried!!

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I know what you mean Tala! That wind is the clincher. I have 4 Black Copper Maran, four Cuckoo Maran, and a cochin trio that sleep in the coop. It's an enclosed 10 x 8 with cross centered windows that I have cracked, and there's a 250 watt infrared bulb inside. I haven't integrated the BCM with the rest of the flock yet, so the Buff's and the EE's (7 chickens) are in a separate run that's wrapped in Tyvek. We put a 100 low white watt bulb behind their roost. These are the ones I worry most about, but the wind should be blocked by the Tyvek.

 

[jenjscott]

I put hay in acouple of pens, and lights in a couple, and got a small electric heater for the trailer.

 

[FarmGirl01]

I put all my birds in a small enclosed house tonight. I usually leave the pop door open but its closed now. The mules have a big bale of nice hay and a belly full of grain. Everyone should be fine.

 

[Tala]

Mr. Rooster is lookin pretty good!

I did a little coop cleaning and winterizing today, in preperation for Thursday/Friday. Found my first frozen/cracked egg today. It was one of Queenies (brown egg) and I thought she hadn't laid any in a few days. Guess I missed it. Found it in the baby's coop (chicken tractor) where she often lays, and the youngsters were in there for bed when I gathered eggs so I guess they were sitting on it! lol It was frozen solid and split open, so I put it in the dog's bowl to thaw for her dinner tonight.
I also saw a young hawk scopin out the flock while I was out there. It flew fearlessly right over my dog too! I don't know what I'm gonna be able to do about that threat. *sigh*

You can see other pix in the link in my siggy