California - Northern

[SilkiesForEver]

I voted yes on your poll. I'd dock the tail and castrate at the same time. I'm assuming this is a bottle baby? You don't want to keep an intact bottle ram lamb. They grow up not knowing their boundaries with people. We bottle raised a dorper ram last year and still have him as a wether since we couldn't put him in the freezer. He still follows us around the field this year and comes up and nudges our legs for attention.

We use an elastrator. If you don't have one, they are around $15 at any feedstore (the bands a few cents) and some feedstores will lend you one. I don't know if you are near us, but if you are we could come by and give you a hand if you need one.

Deb

We bottle fed a ram last year, and yes, he does not know his boundaries. Thanks for the offer to help, and I think right now we have it covered. We can't afford to keep a whether, so he won't be castrated. He will most likely be sold as a breeder, or go into the freezer when he is of age as much as I hate to say it. I'll go to the feedstore and check out an elastrator. By the way, how short should I dock his tail? I heard you put the rubber band around where the skin ends under the tail.
Thanks again!

 

[Miss Molly]

I want to thank everyone for the good thoughts

it's in the lords hands at this point.

Just a bump in the road!

 

[juststruttin]

be careful wiht oven themomoters. I have one wiht a probe, and a reptipro thermomoter wiith a probe, the oven one needs a 2 degree change before it shifts, teh repti .1 degree.

and HOLY COW! I will need some help in the morning people. I Did NOT plan this hatch well.
I ahve 3 chipmunk breeds that all hatched well, and I dont know who is who!

How do I tell apart
welsummers
silver leghorns
cream legbar girls
barnies
That is like 35 chicks that look the same, THEY ARE CHEATING.
at a few days old!

They all look so similiar! madnes. I will post pictures tomorrow. I thought Id know the wellies at least for sure, adn I thought the leghorns would be obvious too! and the legbars! gaa. My friend intended to look at the eggs and who came from what and mark em early, but 25 came out at once, lol. At least I know silkies and oe's...

The poor things got overheated in the car and I lost one . I gave everyone electrolytes and they look better now, everyone is sleeping or eating, but I wont be surprised if I loose one overnight from the stress.
( miss Zoo, I saw your PM and wil respond in the morning, i'm frantically watching chicks and cleaning since my mother decided she was going to make a surprise visit here tomorrow...

Sorry, I am laughing because I used to do that all the time, and I have been known for selling people the wrong breed (cough.... Laura...... cough) LOL I now have three hatchers and try to keep em separated by pattern but sometimes I still get completely confused. I raise 3/4 breeds you have listed and am happy to help once you get your pics up.

 

[ronott1]

Quote:
Yes! Trust the spot check. The first one lost the cover over the battery so I now have a new one.

 

[debs_flock]

Quote:
That sounds good, you want the tail pretty short, but just leave enough so they don't prolapse.

Deb

 

[threadgeek]

Welcome, threadgeek! Beautiful eggs!!! My husband works for UC Santa Cruz even though we live in the East Bay area. He is only home on the weekends and we don't seem to get down to Santa Cruz very often during the week because of our chickens. Where do you buy your feed? I have my husband pick up King Feed at Scott's Valley Feed. He has also purchased Modesto Milling Feed at General Feed in Santa Cruz.

Thanks for the welcome. I am somewhat new to the area and go to Scotts Valley Feed - mostly because it is the closest feed store and they are nice. I will check out the General Feed in Santa Cruz though. I also read great yelp reviews about the Felton Feed store, I have yet to check them out though.

While I was on hold with India yesterday, I spent some time looking at the farm and garden listings on Craigslist. Look at this ad that I found! If you have a weak stomach or a great love for rats, don't look! It gave me something to laugh about in the middle of a crisis!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/grd/3591102287.html

This ad is fantastic! Its hilarious and practical at the same time! We have a rat problem here and I would consider having them out!

I

 

[SilkiesForEver]

That sounds good, you want the tail pretty short, but just leave enough so they don't prolapse.

Deb

Okay, great! Thanks for your help!

 

[threadgeek]

Th
thanks! You guys are just going to make me more chicken crazy than I already am! I'm raising chickens mostly as a self sustainability thing. What is everyone else's motivation for raising chickens? (Besides how fun and addicting they are!)

I'm with you on the self-sustainability motivation as my driver for chickens. However I'd say next up are the health benefits and humane treatment of the animals. I can definitely see myself wanting to raise meat birds once I get a decent amount of egg birds going.

And someone also asked about ridiculous comments about eggs... my father in law doesn't like them because he knows they come out warm.

I guess he wants to imagine that industrial eggs are somehow cleaner than backyard birds??? I told him not to worry, I trained all my birds to lay eggs in the refrigerator.

Phew, I'm having a hard time keeping up with this thread!

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote:
I'm lighting a candle....it's a Catholic thing.....I know you have a lot of support and prayers here.

 

[OR4-hmom]

I did so well today. I had to pick up game feed today since they say we may have snow Sat. The chicks usually come in on Thursday but they came in early. They had dark & buff brahmas, cream barbanters, golden lakenvelders, anconas, silver hamburgs plus the usual. I managed to come home without anymore hatchery birds, but I think I'm hearing the dark brahmas calling me, or maybe that's the incubator.