California - Northern

[PetRock]

Thank you for the info! What are these trays normally used for? Sprouting, or something else? I might also try this for our tortoises!
Thanks for that link!

I think that they are used to mix cement? We find them in the row where the cement, sand, and bricks are. I think that they cost around $6 each.

Forgot to say that DH drills holes in the bottom of the trays for drainage. Lots of holes!

 

[member 142084]

Quote: So e-mailing this idea to my hubby. I have the fence line where I fill their water. We have ducks too so it gets filled everyday. The line is always green. The kids picked the greens and feed the chicks through the fence. Plus they share the clippings fro the lawn with the horses.

 

[Happy Chooks]

They are only on wire while being brooded. After they feather out they are on the ground and and in pens with enough room that playing in the water in not an issue because of the large space provided.

Walt

Thanks for clarifying!

okay, here are the chicks!


two silver campines -- a third has hatched (that's 3 out of 3 eggs set, hooray!), but only about ten minutes ago, so it's still drying out in the incubator


and three blue isbar/SFH crosses (also 3 out of 3, double hooray!) -- one splash and two blacks. will be very interested to watch them grow & see if the distinctive mottling from the SFH side kicks in...!

Adorable babies!

Happily cutting the bottom out of some egg flats in prep for lockdown at noon.

Good luck!

Waits for Incubator to arrive...... should be here today.

Yay!

I tried Mottled Javas for awhile. Very pretty because of the black & white contrast. They looked like my splash AMs but instead of light & dark blues they were stark black with white spots. I was disappointed at first but after their year molt they looked great.

I too had mottled javas for a while. They didn't have much of a personality and they never came out of the coop, so I rehomed them.

 

[lawatt]

Maybe the chickens will leave them alone, maybe not. I would be more concerned about your children picking up the leaves and putting their hands in their mouth. Oleanders are so highly toxic, livestock frequently die from accidentally ingesting the dry leaves.
See if your neighbor will keep them trimmed. Maybe explain your concern for your kids.

re: oleander, i have several large bushes of it (planted by a previous owner of the house), & the chickens often forage nearby but have never had any trouble -- there are actually quite a few plants that they completely ignore (lavender, sage, rosemary, the daffodils that are up right now, etc).

edit: sorry, should have quoted @manychitlens directly, but couldn't find the original posting! this thread moves too fast!

 

[CackleJoy]

I'm sure this is very true. That's interesting about the wider-bodied birds being less flighty, I hadn't thought about that! Also interesting about your EE's, it seems like everyone I know that has them thinks they are the friendliest of their bunches. I honestly don't know much about the legbars, I've just started looking into them. I do love that I would KNOW whether I had girls or not, I figure with my luck I'll pick out 10 chicks and 9 of them will be boys.

That's another problem that I have, I'm worried about what to do with the boys since I absolutely cannot keep them. I thought maybe I'd have a better chance at giving them to 4h kids or something if I got some nice bloodlines... do you all think that's true? I get so attached to things... which is why we have a horribly mean rabbit that is 7 years old. I can't bear the thought of something happening to her, so here she still sits.

Well, I'll throw in my 2 cents

The basque are so friendly they are annoying. So are the Dark Brahma's. Our Dark Brahma Cockerel would eat daintily out of any one's hand and trail along behind people like a puppy. Even as a chick the DB pullet would seek out human interaction. These are sexable at a pretty young age, the pullets have lovely silver lacing and no black feathers whereas the cockerels have solid black in their feathers.

The Basque though, they are almost strange because they are so friendly! I step on them when they get between my feet. A good thing about the Basque is that they are also sexable young. AND, they have a Mille Fluer pattern that breeders are culling so you can get a beautiful and friendly pullet for low cost.
Our crabbiest birds are Wyandottes (sorry people) and the flightiest are the Leghorns

Sorry. That's just how it is. I wouldn't recommend either of them for pets, egg layers, yes but not for pets. With a flock of just 5 you'll want uber friendly birds!

I do not have either the DB or Basque for sale, this was just an excellent reason to brag a little about two of my favorite breeds.

 

[liz9910]

Quote:
My friendliest girls are my Buff Orpington and my FBCM. Both of them I trip over daily lol.

 

[member 142084]

My orps flock to my feet everytime. It's har to walk in my coop and I always step on someones foot.

 

[PetRock]

Well, I'll throw in my 2 cents

The basque are so friendly they are annoying. So are the Dark Brahma's. Our Dark Brahma Cockerel would eat daintily out of any one's hand and trail along behind people like a puppy. Even as a chick the DB pullet would seek out human interaction. These are sexable at a pretty young age, the pullets have lovely silver lacing and no black feathers whereas the cockerels have solid black in their feathers.

The Basque though, they are almost strange because they are so friendly! I step on them when they get between my feet. A good thing about the Basque is that they are also sexable young. AND, they have a Mille Fluer pattern that breeders are culling so you can get a beautiful and friendly pullet for low cost.
Our crabbiest birds are Wyandottes (sorry people) and the flightiest are the Leghorns

Sorry. That's just how it is. I wouldn't recommend either of them for pets, egg layers, yes but not for pets. With a flock of just 5 you'll want uber friendly birds!

I do not have either the DB or Basque for sale, this was just an excellent reason to brag a little about two of my favorite breeds.

Funny! We have a buff Brahma hen who is so laid back. She mostly meanders around doing her own thing. The only time she moves fast is when you come out with treats. Then she charges across the yard and reminds me of a ship of war cutting through the water! She is sweet and mellow but ranks close to bottom for egg production. One of our crabbiest and least friendly is our Silver Laced Wyandotte. We bought 2 hatchery ones at the beginning of our chicken keeping because they are such a beautiful breed. Maybe their bad attitude is because they were hatchery birds but we quickly decided that we would not get any more of them.

 

[chrissyr]

Welcome to the thread. Never too early to join but beware... this forum is full of enablers!!

Amen to that! I, myself, have been influenced! Deann is not kidding here

And Welcome!!!

 

[ronott1]

Amen to that! I, myself, have been influenced! Deann is not kidding here

And Welcome!!!

Sadly, I influence myself....