California - Northern

[caychris]

Very Nice...(birds and brooder). Now...my questions is...so they keep the name tags on with a safety pin or is there velcro on the back?

(sorry...I couldn't resist)

LOL: That was more so I could be sure who's pic was whos its easier to tell with the bird but sometimes I have to really guess which one is who in the photo after I take them.
Odd that Im not seeing Lurk's picture. It has a box in the page so I can click on it but the pic isnt loading. Weird. Wasnt that way last night.

 

[lawatt]

Lol, I guess most poultry people kill them.

-Kathy

no need to kill opossums, if you've got a coop that adequately protects your flock against predators -- they are great to have around any garden, as they eat slugs and snails among other things, and are generally pretty slow-moving and mellow-tempered.

 

[caychris]

A friend of mine had a opossum that would come eat the cat food. He also had pet rats his cats would kill mice but were traumatized by the rather giant "Rat Thing".


It was wild and quite nasty.

 

[CackleJoy]

Bump
It seems every time I post picks a flurry of activity sweeps my stuff pages back.

This is a busy forum! Sometimes I have the same problem. Bumping is a great idea Clara does have smaller wattles than Pete, but a bigger comb. I hate this age. I'm always sure we have 100% cockerels! Lurk actually looks like a pullet to me. So do your goldens. I love the names. So much easier to associate than pic #1 and so on.

I'm coveting your brooder. I plan to learn how to run power equipment - so I can build myself one!

 

[ronott1]

Bump
It seems every time I post picks a flurry of activity sweeps my stuff pages back.

Since your chicks were sent as Pullets from a Hatchery and I do not see obvious Cockerel characteristics, I would go with pullets still. They will likely start laying eggs for you in 10 weeks or so too. Hatchery versions of breeds often lay much earlier than Breeder Stock.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: X2, they all look female to me, but I'm no expert!

-Kathy

 

[chickee]

I am the crusher oh hope so I wont say anything.
No. Most chicks are vaccinated with turkey maraks anyway not active maraks. But read the thread its info every chicken owner should know.
Normally I would scoff at such things as a fBcm snob. But your eggs are an acceptable color.

Acceptable?

You are a BCM snob

They sure are pretty! (don't suppose you have any 4wk pullets that need a home?

)

Thanx for the link; I'll do some more reading.

Thank you!

The whole bio-security thing kinda freaks me out; I know that I'm going to have to deal with sick birds at some point but I guess I'm going to be overly paranoid until it happens. And there's so much (mis)information out there...

Sorry, I don't have any pullet chicks right now.

 

[caychris]

Since your chicks were sent as Pullets from a Hatchery and I do not see obvious Cockerel characteristics, I would go with pullets still. They will likely start laying eggs for you in 10 weeks or so too. Hatchery versions of breeds often lay much earlier than Breeder Stock.

Even Pete?
Yeah I hope so that would put them right around August which would be great.

This is a busy forum! Sometimes I have the same problem. Bumping is a great idea Clara does have smaller wattles than Pete, but a bigger comb. I hate this age. I'm always sure we have 100% cockerels! Lurk actually looks like a pullet to me. So do your goldens. I love the names. So much easier to associate than pic #1 and so on.

I'm coveting your brooder. I plan to learn how to run power equipment - so I can build myself one!

I think the pic angle makes her comb look larger Pete is by far the most fully developed comb wattles and ears of any of them.


I have questions about fermented feed. I'm not sure I really understand this.
How does this work, what are the benefits, and is it ok to do with any brand of mass produced feed?

 

[chiqita]

Bump
It seems every time I post picks a flurry of activity sweeps my stuff pages back.

I think all girls but im not an experts on those breeds. But all combs and wattles seem small.

no need to kill opossums, if you've got a coop that adequately protects your flock against predators -- they are great to have around any garden, as they eat slugs and snails among other things, and are generally pretty slow-moving and mellow-tempered.  

That is interesting to know. We rehomed a few possums and have snails this year. They can open my feed buckets.

Acceptable?     You are a BCM snob         

Sorry, I don't have any pullet chicks right now. 

Yes! The black part makes the eggs darker similar genes affect a marans spray paint gun and feather coloring. So a blue and splash for example that make the black lighter will also make the egg lighter. I don't think other colors will get into the 8s at all. But 7s are a great color and make for good hatching and fade slower. So if you are getting 7s people should be happy. I do get light 8s at start of cycle but they are not fun to hatch. I would rather have 7 and 6 but now my eggs are going lighter as the girls have been laying for 1/2 a cycle. As broodieness strikes ill get darker eggs again.

 

[CackleJoy]

I have questions about fermented feed. I'm not sure I really understand this.
How does this work, what are the benefits, and is it ok to do with any brand of mass produced feed?

Fermenting the feed is adding beneficial bacteria to their diet. This increases nutrition uptake. Yes, people use whatever feed they like in the fermenting process. I prefer to use organic. My biggest, most obvious benefit was lack of waste. The girls were killing 50# in less than a week. I'm now on day 10 from one #50lb bag. It's almost gone. Still, a 40% decrease of waste is significant.

I start mine with apple cider vinegar, about 1/4 cup in a 40 gal container. I only put one bag at a time in the container. Really should have two as the idea is to allow it to ferment 3 days before using. Ideally I would start a new one every 8 days. The trick is to keep enough water over the top of the feed to avoid mold growing. (Need a couple inches). I do stir mine now and then (with a big stick) to make sure no pockets of air exist.

The chickens LOVE the feed. They gobble it down. If some drops off the scoop on my way to the feeder, they eat that too.

Because it is a wet medium, I find it easier to add things that may be powdered, such as capsium, or probiotics.

The drawback is that it stinks. Some people keep it in the house. I cannot imagine doing so.