California - Northern

[ronott1]

I have 3 large fowls in my group of silkie mixes. Jeff and I hoped one was my hatchling. But either way you slice and dice it - looks like I have 3 cockerels. What do you think?

The one on the bottom right could still be a pullet. Watch for the wattles to grow and or turn pink. For now that one is questionable since there is not wattle.

 

[zooweemama]

The one on the bottom right could still be a pullet. Watch for the wattles to grow and or turn pink. For now that one is questionable since there is not wattle.

I was thinking if any of them were questionable it would be that one.

Have any guesses on breed? They were hatched in a batch of Marans and some other dark chicken (can't recall). I think Jeff said I few may have hopped trays after hatching and mixed with the EEs too. It's possible the Buff egg that hatches was even a Betty egg (she is half Orp so her eggs look like a Buff egg) and she had been running with my BCM fella. 2 of these chicks have feather feet, 1 clean.

It's interesting watching them get older. One of them is so friendly he hops out of the brooder and hangs out on the side and lets you pet him.

 

[ronott1]

Quote: The questionable one is not an EE. The toe and leg colors can work for a Marans without feathers so the could be a BO crossed with a Maran.

If they were tray hopping, you could have one of many breeds. Jeff has a lot of breeds!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I hope the new way of running the hatch-a-long works out ok.

Me too, since it's my butt on the line.

 

[zooweemama]

The questionable one is not an EE. The toe and leg colors can work for a Marans without feathers so the could be a BO crossed with a Maran.

If they were tray hopping, you could have one of many breeds. Jeff has a lot of breeds!

I know! hahaha! Craziness. It's like chicken wonderland over there.

So far I think it looks like I have 16 (or so) that have made it through candling. :| Haha!!

 

[chiqita]

Be careful with Spent grain. It should only be a certian % of the feed, its too high protien to do all of it. I was looking at that ad and came to the conclusion I could not use if fast enough to be worth the fear of it getting mould.

I got a 55g drum of organic flock raiser and it was 5 bags. I don't want to know how much that would weigh soaked in water.

 

[PetRock]

OK, thank you. Does it need to be used up or frozen pretty quickly then? Maybe I can find a supplier/brewer and get it free like that farmer.

Their was another listing for free spent grains up in Reno, but of course the gas money would probably equal the cost of the local supplier?

I use ours up quickly so it doesn't mold. DH only brews every couple of weeks or so. Right now, I have quite a few chickens so it gets eaten within 2 days and it is not hot outside so no problems. During warmer weather and with fewer chickens, I divide it up and freeze it. I am planning on dumping frozen grain lumps in the run on those extremely hot summer days.

 

[chiqita]

Freezing is not a bad idea. I was looking into drying and holy canoli that was craaazy . I love the idea of it, reuse, local, human grade, whats not to love, but it seemed like buying 55g would not work for me, at least. Do you know what % of their diet yours works out to be? Or is some brewing every 2 weeks not impactful. There was a discussion of it on the HE/PP thread and it got me thinking a few weeks ago.

We are supposed to have a garage sale next weekend and then we will have room to set up our second freezer again!

 

[ronott1]

Ron - those birds are gorgeous! And that they are also blue is a bonus!

Yes, I like blue chickens and then they lay blue eggs!

I am going to have great looking eggs this year!

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Amy! I may be part of a trade off next week. Do you have an incubator coming from the Bay Area?

If you are still getting TJ's eggs, Please post a picture. There is a Lecturer here that cannot have chickens but dreams of them.

Thank You!