California - Northern

[CackleJoy]

Does anyone Have information on the chicken-fest happening the 18th of May in Turlock? What time it starts, ends, how many total people will be there etc. I would like to get some connections to more chicken breeders in the area.

I will be there

Along with my crew of kids and parents. At least my mom. Some of our birds are hers but my dad just suffers through the chicken tours on the farm so he could very well decline in favor of a Sunday nap.

Here is a link https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-feather-poultry-party-turlock-ca-may-18-2014

 

[caychris]

Im still hoping to go and meet people. With a family plans always have a way of changing.

 

[Sueg4332]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ather-poultry-party-turlock-ca-may-18-2014/30

 

[SpringPeeper]

Well marans from a hatchery are not going to lay a great egg so I am no help from discouraging.

But 1/2 are eating=108÷2= 54
54÷ 2 ( max) = 22
22÷3= 7.3 that is assuming no losses and 50% hens neither a good assumption.

I didn't order any marans from the hatchery, anyway.

I was joking on the whole chicken math bit, though. 50 are a frypan special, then about another fifty are straight run and most of those roos will go into the freezer, Assuming a fifty fifty split, that'd be twenty five hens there, of which I might keep 5. I ordered a few Salmon Faverolle pullets for myself, so at most I think I'd be looking at ten birds from the order staying here.

 

[Audio51]

Quote: Wow...that does sound big. Where did you buy it?

Quote:

Hahahahhahahaha....what an unusual and novel problem! None of us here have ever wanted more chickens than we could have!!!!

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Oooooh, so tempting! Heritage RIR, NH, Cochin, Orps!!! Oooooooh! Twist my arm!! Thanks for offering to CL set eggs, but I think if I have to wait, I might as well get some fertile eggs nearby and let the broody do the incubating. I was particularly interested in CL because of the autosexing, and any cockerels I get from a hatch would have to go elsewhere.

Here's my dilemma. This is a first time broody (hatchery BA), been sitting steadily for almost 2 weeks now, very dedicated, calm, and sweet. I'm worried about her sitting for another 3 weeks. Do you broodies usually accept day old chicks? I had been tempted to give her Serama eggs, but now one of my Serama hens went broody, so the eggs will go to her. I would gladly make the trip up the hill to collect a few of your lovely chicks, but want your opinion. Do you think she's far enough along in her cycle to accept chicks? Do you have any that would be a day old in the next few days? Do you want a visitor that will drool over all your birds? Let me know! Thanks!

Lynda
I have never had any problem getting broodies to take day olds... probably even a couple of days. I think it depends on how long they have been sitting. At 2 weeks in I think she would be fine. I have had one that didn't like light colored chicks though and killed them. I would watch them closely until you are sure...

Quote: It is perfect for that.....and broody coops . I noticed TSC is now carrying them for the same price Costco had them for...$179

 

[Hangtown Farms]

No Oxine on hand anyone clean hatching eggs with a warm water vinegar solution ? Got a broken egg

 

[chrissyr]

Boy I've missed lots of pages! Been busy with chickens and kids. Trying to take my son dirt bike riding once a week, that's his sport. So not much internet time.
And my Bresse is broody. I will need to break her up cause I need her eggs. Just so thankful she didn't have an egg laying issue like her sister. Thank you @chiqita for talking me off that ledge, lol! But she's growling today and plucked all her chest feathers.
Wondering how good of mothers they would be. Anyone know?
And all of these chicks everyone's hatching just makes me want more !!
My plan of attack is get them, then surprise my husband with the fact that we need more pens really fast!
So far it's worked like a charm

 

[lizanne]

Okay, TA DA!!!

Two Ayam Cemani chicks this morning, pictures to follow.

There's still a bunch of other chicks in there mid-zip at the moment.

SO EXCITING!!!!

Sorry - this post will take on epic proportions that will put you in mind of a 13-yr old's diary.

Well my poor husband got a taste of the harsher side of farm life this last week. He is gone again - week 10 now. We hate this. Hoping this job is over soon! The people keep adding on more and more and more and more (you get the point) work.

It's all my fault because week before last I was feeling pretty good about things and actually said OUT LOUD, "Nothing has died recently, I think we must have finally gotten past that." Never say those words out loud.

So a week ago Sunday we were doing chores and found a dead Basque cockerel. DH has missed out on all the previous shocks. This time he fetched him out of the coop and got the full brunt of the shock. BTW, Davis said no explainable cause. Perhaps it was the infamous heart failure that effects some birds at 7 - 10 months.

Then this weekend was rough. Saturday morning he dispatched a failure to thrive (someone else hatched it) chick. He HATES that job.

Then while we were gone Saturday our LPD which has never hurt any of our chickens was found licking the broody hen. She was frazzled, missing feathers and shivering. There were feathers everywhere and no chicks. It must have been quite the fight. He ate all the chicks! Horrifying.

He didn't harm the broody mama at all. He was just licking and licking her. I saw the way she went after another chicken so I bet all the feathers were her trying to defend the chicks.

We gave her some new ones and she has settled right in.

Then Sunday morning the 2 four-week runts died. I had put the 4-wkrs outside and all are doing fine except the runts died. I was a little philosophical about it. Oh well, survival of the fittest and all. Unfortunately one wasn't quite dead and I when I hauled them out and let them flop on the ground it kind of screamed. My poor husband. He says, "I suppose I'll have to kill that one too". His parting comment. "I had no idea that chicken farming involved so much drama!"

So that was 9 dead chickens from Sunday to Sunday.

It's not normally that bad. What's really bad is that I'm almost laughing about it because my poor husband is in such a state of shock.

I cried the first time I had to dispatch a chick. He hugged me and told me to be a tough farm girl. While he's been gone, I've gotten tough and he's missed that process. I refrained from telling him to become a tough farm boy.

I hate when that happens. It seems like it's all or nothing sometimes.

Man now I have a problem. I want more chickens than I can have

. Should have space for 5 more as soon as Penny/Pete needs to go and the 4 Orps go off to their new home.(roughly 6 weeks) I really do want some blue eggs and CL's look nice. I

Can someone tell me at what age would process my Roo. I'm still trying to figure out what to do. I think I need to find someone with a farm close by where I can house a grow out pen and possibly some breeding roos.

I process mine when they start crowing consistently.

I usually process the dual purpose breeds around 12-16 weeks of age.

Don't tell the chicken what you're doing, but I usually pick them up and feel for a meaty leg. If the leg feels to be the correct size for eating, you'll find the whole thing is right. (It just seems wrong to check a live animal for eating, but that's why I'm a marshmallow...............but I still do it, LOL)

I tell my meaties all the time. "You are going to be so delicious, aren't you." or "eat..... Eat" Hansel and Gretle Style

No Oxine on hand anyone clean hatching eggs with a warm water vinegar solution ? Got a broken egg

"If it were me I would probably do a light bleach solution. Or water with anti-bacterial soap.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Bleach seems to strong vinegar is a milder solution bleach makes me nervous

 

[BCollie]

Hi guys!
So I have some color questions. These are my Blue Laced Red Wyandottes. These 3 were supposed to be blue but bird 3 is starting to look like a Splash, and maybe a cockerel since it's feathering out more slowly than the others. We'll see.
What do you guys think the colors of these 3 are? Blue, Black, Splash...?

Bird 1 on the left, bird 2 on the right


Bird 1




Bird 2





Bird 3