California - Northern

[chrissyr]

Questions on washing chickens:
I'm thinking of doing the 3 tub method (wash, rinse , rinse). Next warm day was thinking of doing it.
1. Do I HAVE to towel dry them off?
2. Do I HAVE to blow dry them?

I thought i could run them all through quick, but if they're water logged and wet i'm thinking not good. Just wanted to confirm.

 

[chrissyr]

I'm always amazed at how much they change in looks as they mature. I just finished taking pics of my chicks. My black Langshans will mature to be completely black but as chicks they have lots of yellow and some white. I won't get all of the pics edited until tomorrow but here is one of my Langshan chicks. The one with the green band was the last one out. I had bandaids on his feet for three days because of crooked toes. He/she also is slightly straddle legged but every day it improves. He/she is a fighter and so cute!

So Cute! your birds are amazing

 

[TheKeeper]

Owww!  Some of my hens could care less if I mess with them while they are laying or if I take their eggs from underneath them.  Then I have this tiny Lavender Ameraucana whose screech sounds like something out of a nightmare!  She fluffs up to twice her size and I have to make sure that I keep my hand away from her front end!  She would be a fierce mama if she ever did go broody!

I love that shriek & poof! But definitely can do without the peck & bite. My cuckoo marans has gone broody and will not quit. No shriek but a powerful, fast bite. Now my 2 silkies are starting to go broody. Guess I need more eggs. Ha! Oooo, maybe some Seramas for the Easter Hatchalong. Hmmm.
The BLRWyandotte is setting so tight on her 6 choc orp eggs - go henny go.

 

[PetRock]

Questions on washing chickens:
I'm thinking of doing the 3 tub method (wash, rinse , rinse). Next warm day was thinking of doing it.
1. Do I HAVE to towel dry them off?
2. Do I HAVE to blow dry them?

I thought i could run them all through quick, but if they're water logged and wet i'm thinking not good. Just wanted to confirm.

I've washed the hind ends of mine on a warm day and not used a blow dryer. Mine get sopping wet in the rain when it's cold outside and never have any problems. I usually do partially towel dry them with a rag. It helps to have a helper! Monet has the job of holding them and I wash and rinse the fluffy butts. That job is on my list to do now that the weather is warmer. It's not my favorite job!

 

[PetRock]

So Cute! your birds are amazing

Thank you! Off to check the incubator and call it a night! 6 AM rolls around too quickly these days!

 

[PetRock]

I love that shriek & poof! But definitely can do without the peck & bite. My cuckoo marans has gone broody and will not quit. No shriek but a powerful, fast bite. Now my 2 silkies are starting to go broody. Guess I need more eggs. Ha! Oooo, maybe some Seramas for the Easter Hatchalong. Hmmm.
The BLRWyandotte is setting so tight on her 6 choc orp eggs - go henny go.

If you ever want fertile eggs from different breeds than you already have, I know someone who has dozens sitting on her eating bar! We drive through Fairfield almost every Sat on our way to church in Vacaville!

 

[WendyJeepchick]

I

Ah, so I think I understand that there is:
- Easter Eggers (no standards, i.e. mutts, aka Americaunas) - can lay green or blue or pink eggs
- Ameraucana: specific breed standards - lay blue eggs

So then there's rumpless Araucana (I have one) & they can be tufted or not & lay blue eggs

How am I doing?

I learned a lesson that I will make sure I dont have to learn again. I purchaesd three sexed Ameraucana (not EE or Americauna) chicks from Belt Hatchery in Fresno. When they started laying, their eggs were tan colored. I spoke with the owner of Belt Hatchery and all she said was that there is always a possibility of brown eggs because they do have a brown eggs gene which expresses itself every now and then.

Now at this point, I know some of our BYC friends have started screaming at the computer screen...because that is not possible. No worries folks...I get it.

The moral of the story is this: If you must have a green or blue egg, only buy from a reputible breeder. It's a crap-shoot and you end up feeding, caring for and bonding with a chicken that may just lay Brown eggs.

 

[WendyJeepchick]

She jumped off 2 minutes after power pecking my hand though. I'd love a broody

"Power pecking"...LOL. I'm going to use that.

 

[alibra]

I stole "power peck" from Johnn on the pics of orps thread LOL

 

[TheKeeper]

If you ever want fertile eggs from different breeds than you already have, I know someone who has dozens sitting on her eating bar!  We drive through Fairfield almost every Sat on our way to church in Vacaville!  

Thank you PetRock! Great chicken enabling.
I'll need a week to make sure that my silkies are truly broody & then get them into individual cages.
Am I seriously considering this?!? Oh yes, chicken hatching addict.