California - Northern

[tommysgirl]

Also I used to help out with a local pet rescue and have rescued multiple dogs ...and now 2 chickens.....I guess it is holdover from that but I am seriously wanting to do background checks on the people who will be taking my chicks. Do any of you ask if they will have room to range and about the size and security of the coops? Even for the boys I want to know that they are going to have nice lives until that last day. Am I being absurd? I know people can lie and I know it will probably make it harder to get rid of the extras but I know they have the life here and I will hate watching them leave without knowing that they will be going on to somewhere as good/better.

I am thinking a casual conversation about their set up isn't too over the top. What do some of you who raise ornamentals do? I imagine since they are more likely to become pets you might ask some of these questions?

I guess I can prepare a chick care handout to email to prospective clients. I can nag them in that

Ack!

 

[Audio51]

So I'm WAY behind on this thread, again. So while I'm catching up: I have a theory that I'm wondering if anyone had discussed/researched or disproved already. I've been watching my older (11 days old - 2 Cream legbars and 4 BCM) feather out and it seems that the girls get tailfeathers way before the boys. Now I'm not positive of the pullet/roo status, the breeder I got them from feather-sexed the marans (CLB are girls) but the CLB and BCM girls all have definite tails and the boys are still total fuzzy butts. They all hatched within 24 hours so I also know it's not an age thing. Here are 2 photos on day 8.
Boy:



Girl:


Sorry for the different angles, I need to get more photos.

I'm going to track my younger batch as well and see if it holds true.

Comments Welcome!

This method works very well with my Marans. I put colored bands on my hach that included the Mottled AM Project birds. There were 7 (I think) Maransd chicks and I was right on all but 1 just by watching the growth of the tail feathers. Don't know about ither breeds though.

Quote: How exciting for you!

I don't blame you though....Baltimore?....Hawaii?....I think I would choose Hawaii too...

had to pass this along...

Quote: I have had some act like that too, but never commit. I think it's like it is with (and I apologize to anyone who thinks this is sexist) many women. We all "oooh" and "ahhh" and want to hold other people's babies, but that doesn't necessarily me we want to take them home and raise them.

I hope she does go broody for you though.... Nothing like a good broody hen!

 

[chiqita]

Also I used to help out with a local pet rescue and have rescued multiple dogs ...and now 2 chickens.....I guess it is holdover  from that but I am seriously wanting to do background checks on the people who will be taking my chicks.  Do any of you ask if they will have room to range and about the size and security of the coops?  Even for the boys I want to know that they are going to have nice lives until that last day.  Am I being absurd?  I know people can lie and I know it will probably make it harder to get rid of the extras but I know they have the life here and I will hate watching them leave without knowing that they will be going on to somewhere as good/better.

I am thinking a casual conversation about their set up isn't too over the top.  What do some of you who raise ornamentals do?  I imagine since they are more likely to become pets you might ask some of these questions?

I guess I can prepare a chick care handout to email to prospective clients. I can nag them in that

Ack!

I charge a lot for chicks and send them home with corid. People often just ignore your advice however. I am a bit frustrated about people freezing chicks. I know people who have been doing it for years can look at chicks and tell if it is the right temperature but you have not check the frigging lightbulb is too cold! ! Yes you 70°brooder is why they died I dont care if you just lost one. Gaaa!

If you want to be picky about homes raise them till they are outside ready pullets . You get enough inquiries then to be picky.

I also don't sell chicks around major holidays without the talk. And I don't advertise around easter at all.

This method works very well with my Marans.  I put colored bands on my hach that included the Mottled AM Project birds.  There were 7 (I think) Maransd chicks and I was right on all but 1 just by watching the growth of the tail feathers.  Don't know about ither breeds though.
How exciting for you!    e     I don't blame you though....Baltimore?....Hawaii?....I think I would choose Hawaii too...



I have had some act like that too, but never commit.  I think it's like it is with (and I apologize to anyone who thinks this is sexist) many women.  We all "oooh" and "ahhh" and want to hold other people's babies, but that doesn't necessarily me we want to take them home and raise them.  

I hope she does go broody for you though....  Nothing like a good broody hen!  :cd

If only my chickens would go fake broody!

 

[Audio51]

I got a pretty good surprise this morning! I went in to mist my duck eggs that are set to go into lockdown on Friday. They were put in on 3/31. I peeked in thru the windows on top and saw 2 eggs that had the tops off. Since I still had the turner going I immediately unplugged it and lifted the lid. There were 2 Marans cross chicks all dried and fluffed out in there! I scooped them up and brought them out to a brooder and went back in to mist. I could hear peeping in the incubator still so I checked the rest of the eggs. There is one more that has pipped, but not zipped yet. These are from my friends eggs that she brought up all at once. The eggs are always dirty when she brings them up and there are some chicken eggs that are very close to the same color as the more green duck eggs. It makes it hard to tell which is which. I know the duck eggs are more waxy feeling, and I''m usually pretty good at figuring them out, but these were just too close.

 

[chiqita]

I got a pretty good surprise this morning!  I went in to mist my duck eggs that are set to go into lockdown on Friday.   They were put in on 3/31.  I peeked in thru the windows on top and saw 2 eggs that had the tops off.  Since I still had the turner going I immediately unplugged it and lifted the lid.  There were 2 Marans cross chicks all dried and fluffed out in there!    I scooped them up and brought them out to a brooder and went back in to mist.  I could hear peeping in the incubator still so I checked the rest of the eggs.  There is one more that has pipped, but not zipped yet.  These are from my friends eggs that she brought up all at once.  The eggs are always dirty when she brings them up and  there are some chicken eggs that are very close to the same color as the more green duck eggs.  It makes it hard to tell which is which.  I know the duck eggs are more waxy feeling, and I''m usually pretty good at figuring them out, but these were just too close. 

Surprise chicks! So exciting! !

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
I do love that kind of surprise!! I knew it was too soon for ducklings...

 

[Nikon]

ive always come here for info, but hadn't signed up. glad I finally did! trying to figure out how this whole forum thing works and replying .... is there a spot for trying to figure out the sex of a 3 month old hen ?... well maybe not a hen

Glad you signed up! Welcome!! There are lots of folks in the Grass Valley area.

 

[ronott1]

thanks its not the greatest pic , but she was suppose to be a hen but looks nothing like her sisters. and theres deff a comb and wattles. all my chickens are hens, so roosters are very foreign to me, but if shes a he. hes the sweetest boy.

Thanks for posting the picture!

The wattles are a bit big and pink for three months. It might be hard to tell with this one.

It the chick is from a feed store sold as a pullet, it could be a pullet still. They do sometimes reach Point Of Lay much earlier.

I hope we get more guesses!

 

[CackleJoy]

Also I used to help out with a local pet rescue and have rescued multiple dogs ...and now 2 chickens.....I guess it is holdover from that but I am seriously wanting to do background checks on the people who will be taking my chicks. Do any of you ask if they will have room to range and about the size and security of the coops? Even for the boys I want to know that they are going to have nice lives until that last day. Am I being absurd? I know people can lie and I know it will probably make it harder to get rid of the extras but I know they have the life here and I will hate watching them leave without knowing that they will be going on to somewhere as good/better.

I am thinking a casual conversation about their set up isn't too over the top. What do some of you who raise ornamentals do? I imagine since they are more likely to become pets you might ask some of these questions?

I guess I can prepare a chick care handout to email to prospective clients. I can nag them in that

Ack!

You are not being absurd. We put a significant amount of energy and care into each chick that hatches. It's a shame that people are not always dependable. (DH says people can be depended on to pull idiotic stunts

) Remember Red Foreman from the 70's show? Well my husband is much better looking

but his view of humanity is similarly dim. Some days I agree with him.

This particular problem is something we and I have talked about a lot. Handouts can get expensive - ink and all that. My husband suggested that I blog and then print labels with the link. Since we advertise via CL and FB right now, I think I could send the link with all of my communication signatures. Linking via signature would be more effective than the label on the receipt but repeating it can't hurt. Another thing that helps weed out the impulse purchases is that I don't allow people on the farm unless they are already committed to making a purchase. This is for two reasons, one of which is security and the other is planning. Still, if people are educated enough to know what they want, then there is less chance of our chicks going home to a cold dog crate.
Reinforcing my husbands' view of humanity... Recently had someone call and they had purchased grit for their chicks. They called me because it didn't really look like food.

At least this was the day before they bought the (day old) chicks so I was able to help them get ready. Yes, that phone call TOOK FOREVER. Good incentive to finish the blog.

The truth is that I don't have time to babysit all the chick customers. I have 4 children and a mid-sized farm to manage. Recently its been by myself too. We only sell the chicks to offset the feed bill and because it really is a fun way to make some extra money. We are going to have the chickens anyway. They might as well pay a little bit for themselves. I think the blog is a good idea. So is not advertising around Easter. I'm too busy for chick sales this time of year anyway. As it is, I had calls all weekend from month-old CL ads.

 

[caychris]

I do love that kind of surprise!! I knew it was too soon for ducklings...

Much better than finding out too late.