California - Northern

[casportpony]

7 of the 9 d'Anver eggs hatched. They are so tiny! Looking like 4 khaki quail, 2 dun quail and 1 porcelain. They are SO friendly! When I come into the room they all come running to see me!

Couldn't get them to line up! They race around like baby quail!

Very cute!

-Kathy

 

[PetRock]

Pics please I am dreaming about these babies...literally

I promise to take some today! I have my grandbabies this morning but I have pic taking on my to do list for the day. I have 3 different age groups: 7 weeks, almost 3 weeks, and 4-6 days. I'll take some pics of each group. The oldest ones (Bresse, Pita Pinta/Langshan mix, 1 RIR cockerel) are a stitch! They are in an outdoor brooder but I let them out in a fenced area to play. They mob me and I can hardly walk without stepping on them. When I sit down, they are all over me. I feel like the bird lady in Mary Poppins! They definitely qualify as friendly birds!

 

[WendyJeepchick]

I agree with the LOUD! Back in the day.......My parents purchased a pair for a friend of theirs and kept them in the backyard near our chicken coop. Unfortunately they were under my bedroom window! I think they alerted at every gnat that flew by! I didn't get a lot of sleep while they were there! They are great birds, and fun to watch, but loud! LOL!

Thanks for warning me about the noise pollution. One of the things that I cherish the most about where we live, is the peace and quiet. So, whew...that was close...I ALMOST got more birds.

 

[fowlman01]

I'm very happy with the Delawares but SO FRUSTRATED with the Dorkings!!! 8 out of 9 Dels hatched but only 2 out of 12 Dorkings.

Since the Dels are hatching so well, that means that it can't be diet or handling, etc. affecting the hatch. It has to be the birds themselves.

So what is wrong??? They are not inbred, it's not inbreeding depression. I mixed several lines in the past. Birds seem vigorous. Cock is fertile, since 2 hatched. Some hens are having trouble with fertility. Mostly, last year it was mid to late quitters. 31% hatch rate with Dorkings last year.

I want to hatch 100 Dorkings this year. What can I do?

@fowlman01 do you have any suggestions?

Some males just don't mate enough. Maybe separate him for a bit and let him in with the girls for shorter periods. Absence makes the heart grow fonder in some roosters. Seeing the hens and not being able to get to them sometimes works too. If the diet is the same as the Dels, then it appears to be the male(s) themselves.

Walt

 

[BCollie]

We just moved into a new house and the chickens are causing trouble! We have a metal gate that they can get through to get into the front yard. They not only made a nest and EVERY SINGLE ONE of my birds laid an egg in the new nest in the front yard, but they went into the neighbors yard and dug up their plants. I've had to keep them locked up in the coop for the last week+ because I don't want them causing trouble and having our new neighbors be upset with us. Poor birds just want to come out and free range but they can't do that. We don't have their coop and run set up again, right now the coop is just sitting on the side of the house and the run is not attached. I've been putting them in the dog yard every few days so they aren't locked up 24/7.

Thanks everyone for your input on my brooder, I think I'll try it in the garage. I think I missed the answers to this - for 7 chicks that will stay in the brooder until all their feathers come in, about 8 weeks old, what size brooder do I need?

 

[OR4-hmom]

Can you attach netting to the gate? A picture would help.

 

[BCollie]

We could, BUT there's still the problem of the fencing next to the gate that the chickens could get through to go around the gate, and that fencing isn't ours to tamper with. We really just need to get their coop/run set up again, hopefully it'll be done within the next week or two. They get their own yard with access to the dogs yard whenever I open a gate. Spoiled chickies, not many chickens have their own yard!

 

[ronott1]

We just moved into a new house and the chickens are causing trouble! We have a metal gate that they can get through to get into the front yard. They not only made a nest and EVERY SINGLE ONE of my birds laid an egg in the new nest in the front yard, but they went into the neighbors yard and dug up their plants. I've had to keep them locked up in the coop for the last week+ because I don't want them causing trouble and having our new neighbors be upset with us. Poor birds just want to come out and free range but they can't do that. We don't have their coop and run set up again, right now the coop is just sitting on the side of the house and the run is not attached. I've been putting them in the dog yard every few days so they aren't locked up 24/7.

Thanks everyone for your input on my brooder, I think I'll try it in the garage. I think I missed the answers to this - for 7 chicks that will stay in the brooder until all their feathers come in, about 8 weeks old, what size brooder do I need?

But some chicken wire on the gate so that they can't squeeze through.

Silly Chickens!

Ron

 

[tommysgirl]

I too have visited those New Heritage Delawares and they are amazing!

I have one that is already a cull but even my daughters can tell the specialness of the little guy\girl.

I hope your little cross beak thrives!

I was going to suggest Australorps too! They are one of my favorites!

X3 They meet so many of my criteria, Color, temperament, Broodiness and productivity. I also love their shape.

I promise to take some today! I have my grandbabies this morning but I have pic taking on my to do list for the day. I have 3 different age groups: 7 weeks, almost 3 weeks, and 4-6 days. I'll take some pics of each group. The oldest ones (Bresse, Pita Pinta/Langshan mix, 1 RIR cockerel) are a stitch! They are in an outdoor brooder but I let them out in a fenced area to play. They mob me and I can hardly walk without stepping on them. When I sit down, they are all over me. I feel like the bird lady in Mary Poppins! They definitely qualify as friendly birds!

Yippeeee!!!! Have fun with those grandbabies!!!

 

[tommysgirl]

Do you all brine your fryer age cockerels? I prepared my first one last night and it was really flavorful. It's texture was good and yeah firmer than a store bought but the skin was like rubber. I ended up braising it at 350 for about 40 min but wondered if brining would help the overall texture.