California - Northern

[capayvalleychick]

It can be a real challenge to sort out utility birds. There was a large family with them at the State Fair this year. The judge DQ'd all of them. I gave the kids some chicks when they cooped out at the end of fair.

That was nice of you. Who judged the open poultry show?

Kim: Ozzie's crow is getting stronger and less like a croak. He actually waited for most of the girls to leave the coop before he did, he was sweet talking the juvies and he doesn't CHARGE!!!!! into things like a bull anymore... the boy is growing up and he is so beautiful. Harriet is a sweet pea. She makes such sweet little noises and will let me pet her. Like my other Dels she is really calm. I also peeked at some of your more recent pics of your new Del babies on the Del thread. Man oh Man are they amazing!

I am glad that you are happy with them.

The master showmanship (or round robin) at state fair this year, I was the poultry judge this year. Here it is broken up into small or large animal, so the competitions are separate, although you can qualify for both.



I always use pour on cattle ivermectin. It works great with both lice and mites. Since it's systemic, it will kill any parasite that sucks blood.

Can you explain what the round robin is?

Some lice are feather eating, rather than blood sucking, so ivermectin will not kill those parasites.

 

[capayvalleychick]

I keep forgetting to tell you all about a freak accident, and now I've heard about another risk for chickens.

Someone on anther thread just lost one of her young Delawares, because it fell into her PVC feeder and got stuck. It was the design with the y at the bottom.

My chicken accidents have all involved my adirondack chairs. There are gaps on the top backs of the chairs, between the vertical slats. The chickens fly up and perch on the chair backs. Twice, I have found youngsters hanging upside down, by the leg - caught between the stats of the rungs. Last time, a young pullet got her neck caught between the slats and was hanging by her throat. Luckily, I was right there and saw it or she would have died quickly.

So I wanted to warn those of you who free range around those types of chairs or who use the PVC feeders.

 

[tommysgirl]

I am glad that you are happy with them.


Can you explain what the round robin is?

I am too!

When a 4-H or FFA kids competes (maybe open kids too IDK) in showmanship at the fair and wins they then are allowed to move on to an event wherein they show ALL of the animals againts ALL of the other showmanship winners. So the girl who won with the rabbits is up against the boy that won in chickens and cavies and I think dogs, rabbits and turkeys etc and each has to show ALL of the other species. They do break it down now into large and small animal but when I was a 4-Her the girl who won with rabbits had to know her stuff with horses and cattle too.

It's HARD because you not only have to know how to show the animal you are grilled by the judges to determine your knowledge of the species as well. It is a real feather (or medal) on your cap to win it. Also there is usually a belt buckle and a cash prize involved as well.

I was good at showmanship but not so hot at grooming. One time at the Redwood Empire Fair the judge singled me out and said that I had done an excellent job of exhibiting my ewe but that her belly had straw dangling from it so he couldn't place me...details and tidiness, the bain of my existence when I was a kid.

Deb do you enjoy being a judge? My daughter is thinking of taking the class to learn to be a judge in equine events. I think it would be a great experience for her.

 

[tommysgirl]

I keep forgetting to tell you all about a freak accident, and now I've heard about another risk for chickens.

Someone on anther thread just lost one of her young Delawares, because it fell into her PVC feeder and got stuck. It was the design with the y at the bottom.

My chicken accidents have all involved my adirondack chairs. There are gaps on the top backs of the chairs, between the vertical slats. The chickens fly up and perch on the chair backs. Twice, I have found youngsters hanging upside down, by the leg - caught between the stats of the rungs. Last time, a young pullet got her neck caught between the slats and was hanging by her throat. Luckily, I was right there and saw it or she would have died quickly.

So I wanted to warn those of you who free range around those types of chairs or who use the PVC feeders.

Thanks for the warning. How old was the little one that fell into the feeder? I can see one of my cureent chicks doing something like that. Glad we haven't got round to constructing it yet.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I keep forgetting to tell you all about a freak accident, and now I've heard about another risk for chickens.

Someone on anther thread just lost one of her young Delawares, because it fell into her PVC feeder and got stuck. It was the design with the y at the bottom.

My chicken accidents have all involved my adirondack chairs. There are gaps on the top backs of the chairs, between the vertical slats. The chickens fly up and perch on the chair backs. Twice, I have found youngsters hanging upside down, by the leg - caught between the stats of the rungs. Last time, a young pullet got her neck caught between the slats and was hanging by her throat. Luckily, I was right there and saw it or she would have died quickly.

So I wanted to warn those of you who free range around those types of chairs or who use the PVC feeders.

Good information. I have found that chickens will find ANY way they can to kill themselves. It's crazy the situations they can get into.

 

[capayvalleychick]

How old was the little one that fell into the feeder?

3 months old. The feed level was low and she got wedged in, upside down.

 

[Flowers of Abba]

So I may be moving in a few weeks. How the heck do you move chickens when you only gave one coop? I can't truly afford another and I have a limited amount of time to move.

My current set up is not move friendly.

I have been racking my brain trying to come up with a solution and I haven't come up with a satisfactory plan.

Any of you had to do a move with chickens?

We also have used cat carriers , dog crates, guinea pig cages. Don't forget your brooder. Once we just left them in the coop loaded it in the trailer and off we drove!

 

[lawatt]

eleven (one broke) beautifully dark marans eggs arrived today! some combination of birchens (what i was after) and duckwings (which i've never seen, but she didn't have enough birchen eggs, and these sounded like the most interesting substitute). i'm letting them rest & will put them tomorrow under Frances, my repeat SPPR broody -- she's the most reliable of the lot!

and hey, in case anyone is a subscriber to Lucky Magazine (or, more likely, if you see if while standing in line at the grocery store check-out), flip to page 183 -- there's a photo of my garden, by me, that was approved for publication by none other than ANNA WINTOUR, the most witheringly-critical eye on the planet! it was taken before the coop was built, it would be off in the distance otherwise. (my sister is the beauty editor there, her column is on page 190.)

 

[Ali707]

Poultry shows are "cooped", your bird has to stay the full length of the show. Like in the case of our state fair, three days. Birds can't leave until the show is over. Here that means when the building closes to the public at 10pm. Then everyone can remove their birds from their coops, put then in carrying cases and go home, commonly called "cooping out"............or "cooping in" when you first get there.

The master showmanship (or round robin) at state fair this year, I was the poultry judge this year. Here it is broken up into small or large animal, so the competitions are separate, although you can qualify for both.

I was pretty easy on the kids. I supplied all the birds that were used, I only had one kid recognize there were two seramas there. Everyone else called them OE games or Japanese

For each of the birds, I asked the kids to evaluate it for good/bad. All the birds I brought had something wrong with them that would make me not show them. One kid dinged the silkie for having five toes

I always use pour on cattle ivermectin. It works great with both lice and mites. Since it's systemic, it will kill any parasite that sucks blood. Added bonus................I spill so much on my hands or accidently squirt it in my face, I figure I am parasite free as well

We also have used cat carriers , dog crates, guinea pig cages. Don't forget your brooder. Once we just left them in the coop loaded it in the trailer and off we drove!

You know, if I can get the heavy part in the truck in one piece that isn't a bad idea!!!

eleven (one broke) beautifully dark marans eggs arrived today! some combination of birchens (what i was after) and duckwings (which i've never seen, but she didn't have enough birchen eggs, and these sounded like the most interesting substitute). i'm letting them rest & will put them tomorrow under Frances, my repeat SPPR broody -- she's the most reliable of the lot!

and hey, in case anyone is a subscriber to Lucky Magazine (or, more likely, if you see if while standing in line at the grocery store check-out), flip to page 183 -- there's a photo of my garden, by me, that was approved for publication by none other than ANNA WINTOUR, the most witheringly-critical eye on the planet! it was taken before the coop was built, it would be off in the distance otherwise. (my sister is the beauty editor there, her column is on page 190.)

 

[tommysgirl]

eleven (one broke) beautifully dark marans eggs arrived today! some combination of birchens (what i was after) and duckwings (which i've never seen, but she didn't have enough birchen eggs, and these sounded like the most interesting substitute). i'm letting them rest & will put them tomorrow under Frances, my repeat SPPR broody -- she's the most reliable of the lot!

and hey, in case anyone is a subscriber to Lucky Magazine (or, more likely, if you see if while standing in line at the grocery store check-out), flip to page 183 -- there's a photo of my garden, by me, that was approved for publication by none other than ANNA WINTOUR, the most witheringly-critical eye on the planet! it was taken before the coop was built, it would be off in the distance otherwise. (my sister is the beauty editor there, her column is on page 190.)

The Prada wearing Devil herself?!?! WOWZERS that's so cool...not that you impressed an alleged meany but that you impressed someone known for such a discriminating, artistic eye. I will have to check it out.

Oh and congrats on the eggs. Are marans eggs easier to hatch under a broody than in a bator? I would think they coud be.

I am looking out my french doors into my back yard and Petunia , my avatar girl, just walked by. She is the result of a pairing of a dorking roo and a buff laced polish hen hatched by me from an egg that cam from BYCer bethbug. Usually she is on the run but she has such a great way of carrying herself when she is strolling. Her tail is all Polish upright, she carries her head erect too and the crest which is just the right size IMH is less than half the size of a pure polish crest and swoops up and back not forward. She is a fabulous forager too I guess because she can see. Just sharing the moment...when things green up here she will look stunning. The only dorking you see in her physically is that she has 5 toes on one foot and the occasional dark grey feather. It will be fun to see how she matures.