California - Northern

[chiqita]

Yeah!  I hope that she keeps sitting on her nest!  I was fortunate that it was my top hen that went broody.  I have six nest boxes and she chose #4 as hers.  I did have a few problems with the other hens laying eggs in there when she was off the nest but I had marked the fertile eggs and pulled the non-fertile ones.  She did not get off the nest the last day before the eggs hatched and the first one after they hatched.  On day 2 of their little lives, I moved mama and chicks to a secure dog kennel in an area blocked off from the rest of the flock.  I am going to wait 1-2 weeks before opening the fence and letting them free range with the flock.  I know that Precious will protect them and integrate them into the flock.  If any of the other girls (except for her best friend) get anywhere near the fence when the babies are close to it, she lets them know to back off.  The last time she had chicks, she took off flying at a scrub jay that dared to land on a table near her babies.  Hell hath no fury like a mama chicken protecting her babies!!! 

Amen sister!!

 

[waititout]

Wait, that sounds like Icelandic/marans. Lucy was a little strumpet, she courted All the roosters and squatted for treats. It should not fly as well as he normal insane icelandics.

She went to a home with an Icelandic rooster since she is such a fertile myrtle.

If she is you could see sparse feathering on the shanks.

Must be! I did see the sparse feathering.

 

[debs_flock]

Quote:
A clear egg is a non-developing egg. That could be caused by not being fertile or being mishandled. The mishandling could be being shaken too much (in shipment or otherwise), being x-rayed during shipment, being stored too long or incorrectly (too hot/cold, not being turned during storage). There are so many things that can work against an egg, it's amazing they are so resilient and so many do hatch. When I have clear eggs that have been shipped, I always assume the error is with the handling, not the breeder. When I have clear eggs that I have hand carried (from someone else or my backyard, I assume fertility problems. I don't think the majority of people will cheat you and send you infertile eggs. Most people test hatch their own first before offering them.

Quote:
In there are a pair of Brown African geese, four each of Silver Appleyard, Welsh Harlequin & Cayugas and six Silky ducks.

Quote:
I have four large house dogs that constantly keep the imbedded dirt in the carpet stirred up. I want to pull out all the old stuff, spend a day or two cleaning up the (I assume) 50 pounds of silted down dirt and then get the new stuff installed.

Quote: I feel like Shirley MacClain in Terms of Endearment, I'm constantly poking sleeping baby poultry to make sure it's alive, LOL

 

[MossyoakLane]

Loving all the baby pics.
After hearing duckling stories and seeing pics,they are so tempting.Plus I have the most awesome cheesecake recipe made with duck eggs! Thankfully, we are not allowed to keep ducks....so my husband won't shoot me for getting more birds....LOL

We are considering joining 4H for our 11 year old daughter. Is anyone in 4H (or has been) and can tell us if it was a good experience for them?

 

[ronott1]

Loving all the baby pics.
After hearing duckling stories and seeing pics,they are so tempting.Plus I have the most awesome cheesecake recipe made with duck eggs! Thankfully, we are not allowed to keep ducks....so my husband won't shoot me for getting more birds....LOL

We are considering joining 4H for our 11 year old daughter. Is anyone in 4H (or has been) and can tell us if it was a good experience for them?

I was I 4-H growing up.

It is a great experience!

 

[zooweemama]

A clear egg is a non-developing egg. That could be caused by not being fertile or being mishandled. The mishandling could be being shaken too much (in shipment or otherwise), being x-rayed during shipment, being stored too long or incorrectly (too hot/cold, not being turned during storage). There are so many things that can work against an egg, it's amazing they are so resilient and so many do hatch. When I have clear eggs that have been shipped, I always assume the error is with the handling, not the breeder. When I have clear eggs that I have hand carried (from someone else or my backyard, I assume fertility problems. I don't think the majority of people will cheat you and send you infertile eggs. Most people test hatch their own first before offering them.


In there are a pair of Brown African geese, four each of Silver Appleyard, Welsh Harlequin & Cayugas and six Silky ducks.

I have four large house dogs that constantly keep the imbedded dirt in the carpet stirred up. I want to pull out all the old stuff, spend a day or two cleaning up the (I assume) 50 pounds of silted down dirt and then get the new stuff installed.

I feel like Shirley MacClain in Terms of Endearment, I'm constantly poking sleeping baby poultry to make sure it's alive, LOL

Ahhh what a FUN combo of waterfowl! Where did you get them all? Holderreads? I'm drooling!

 

[chiqita]

Loving all the baby pics. 
After hearing duckling stories and seeing pics,they are so tempting.Plus I have the most awesome cheesecake recipe made with duck eggs! Thankfully, we are not allowed to keep ducks....so my husband won't shoot me for getting more birds....LOL

We are considering joining 4H for our 11 year old daughter. Is anyone in 4H (or has been) and can tell us if it was a good experience for them?

I was in 4 h when we lived in covolo, both as a Jr leader helping with younglings and in livestock with a friend. Loved it. Do not ask me about brownies.... not a fan.

 

[tommysgirl]

Wait, that sounds like Icelandic/marans. Lucy was a little strumpet, she courted All the roosters and squatted for treats. It should not fly as well as he normal insane icelandics.

She went to a home with an Icelandic rooster since she is such a fertile myrtle.

If she is you could see sparse feathering on the shanks.

I had to laugh at your description of Lucy!

On the Icelandic thread this morning I read a rather heated comment re. blending of Icelandic blood with anything else..Is it a big deal in the Icelandic breeders world if your Icelandic hens run with a roo that isn't even if you are not going to be selling chicks and are not a breeder?

Speaking of roos Ray is still alive but I have to put him to bed each night and get him up each morning. He has stopped crowing and is loosing weight but still eats the bedtime treats I bring out. He doesn't seem miserable, just tired. His entire comb has sagged over to one side and though the run door is wide open he won't range with the girls. I am going to get one of Kim's Delaware roosters to replace him.

My little patient has brought about a change in plans. Tom and I will have been married for 23 years on 5/5 but he is worried about Curly so we are postponing our out of town plans. I think she will be fully integrated by then. She can stand. She can walk, mostly backwards but is getting better at going forward and her spraddle is greatly improved. When I have had her in the GP of the brooder for short periods she does fine. There is one HUGE EE chick that keeps getting over or through the barrier to hang out with her on the isolated end. I can't figure out how she is doing it I will take a pic next time it happens. (I know I keep saying her and she...got to keep the feminine mojo running)

So when she goes to peck at the crumble she falls over on her face and she appears to be standing on tip toe on her curled (now booted) foot. Any thoughts?? She pecks at the crumble when she is laying down. Re water. I have yet to see her drink on her own but I don't think she is thirsty. Since she hatched on Sunday she is just three days old now and I have been using a syringe to get durvet into her for 3 days. When I dip her beak she drinks from the water dish but I haven't seen her approach it and drink for herself.

Here is a beauty shot...she is damp because I had just given her a drink


Here is the hobble and the shoe. Her balance continues to improve but doesn't it look like she is standing en'pointe?


36 hours ago she could not stand at all so I am tickled at her progress. I know you guys may think I am round the bend for putting this much time and effort into a little mutt but...at this point I couldn't not do it.

 

[tommysgirl]

We are considering joining 4H for our 11 year old daughter. Is anyone in 4H (or has been) and can tell us if it was a good experience for them?

I was a 4-Her for 10 years and I loved it. I raised Dorset Sheep, market lambs and goats, and participated in horse shows in addition to the leadership activities it offered. It was great for me esp in middle school because it seemed that regardless of how petty or yucky things were going socially at middle school I had a secure place in 4-H.

I would say give it a try and see how she likes it the first year maybe just doing something small like say....oh I don't know, CHICKENS??? and take it from there. A lot of the kids around here don't show LF, they have the prettiest little bantams. Be advised though 4-H is a family affair, at least around here, so expect that you will be asked to give a lot of time. But I think the best thing my mom did for me as a kid was to encourage me to join 4-H

 

[MossyoakLane]

I was I 4-H growing up.

It is a great experience!

Thanks!

I was in 4 h when we lived in covolo, both as a Jr leader helping with younglings and in livestock with a friend. Loved it. Do not ask me about brownies.... not a fan.

We are not Brownie/Girl scout fans here.
We are from Mendo County and lived in Ukiah for years!

I was a 4-Her for 10 years and I loved it. I raised Dorset Sheep, market lambs and goats, and participated in horse shows in addition to the leadership activities it offered. It was great for me esp in middle school because it seemed that regardless of how petty or yucky things were going socially at middle school I had a secure place in 4-H.

I would say give it a try and see how she likes it the first year maybe just doing something small like say....oh I don't know, CHICKENS??? and take it from there. A lot of the kids around here don't show LF, they have the prettiest little bantams. Be advised though 4-H is a family affair, at least around here, so expect that you will be asked to give a lot of time. But I think the best thing my mom did for me as a kid was to encourage me to join 4-H

We don't have the space right now for anything larger than chickens...LOL
I expect to give lots of time. My daughter is in Rainbow Girls (affiliated with the Mason's...her Grandpa was a Mason) , I am more worried about my daughters time....I am hoping I am not bogging her down.