calling any one from missouri

[JansChickens]

Not from Missouri but real close. I live in northeast Oklahoma close to Grand Lake. Have 18 chickens (mostly Barred Rock) and 1 old rooster> I'm pretty new to raising chickens for eggs and entertainment.

 

[emarble]

Yep not ready for winter yet but guess ill have to be least it was dry here and no sleet or snow just cold and tonight is supposed to be even colder! Down in the teens Brrrrrrrr

Ernie

 

[Missy3b]

Definitely cold here too. Had to plug in the water heater and added a bale of straw to the house.

Meat birds will have to be without water tonight because I have no heater for them. I gave them a fresh bowl of water about 6 so they will be OK for the night. Weighed a few birds and they are around 7 pounds. Only one more day to feed em.

Gotta figure out what I will use for bags to freeze them in. Thought of it too late and saw that McMurray hatchery sells bags. They won't fit in gallon ziploc. Any suggestions?

 

[emarble]

Quote:
Sounds Like he has a plan in life and the plan is to be a House chicken at least till warmer weather LOL! Ohhhhh Mommy its way to cold out here for me!! Can I come in for just a minute! Yep sounds like he has a system in the works And might I say he has really done his research on this one too!! Mommy look over here I am Sooooo very cold!

Thats OK though I would be the verrry same way though!

Ernie

 

[Missy3b]

My silkie eggs arrived from Florida today.

Put them in the bator. Now we sit back and be patient for 21 days. The patient part is a challenge, I admit. Hoping for at least a 50% hatch rate. Now I am hoping the other order comes tomorrow.

Looked all over town for bags bigger than 1 gallon to put my meat birds in. No luck. I can always use freezer paper but I know that's not ideal.

Loading up all 30 birds and driving to Clark tomorrow. Hoping a nice Amish family will butcher my birds. If I decide to do this again, I am most definitely butchering them myself.

 

[misschickenlittle]

Quote:
Then you aren't too far...

An update on the RIR hen that wouldn't come back - Wed. I left work early so I let them all out when I got home. Would you believe that they all went back with little effort, except the Roo, including her? She was thrilled to be able to go back in the coop! She went in when all the others came out! Guess I should have tried that before. I'm just a newbie still.

I'm a little worried about the Polish. Their crest feathers are frozen from the rain we had this week. Should I be worried?

I've been searching for new breeds too. I think I want a hen and roo to breed. Christmas present, anyone?? I just need to decide on which one. I think I want to go with a rare one to help with the repopulation efforts! HA! Any suggestions on what to avoid?

Hope everyone had a terrific Thanksgiving!!

 

[Missy3b]

My polish always look comical after a rain. I haven't had them freeze though. I think they should be fine.

I am also always in search of the next breed of chicken. That's kind of the idea behind my ordering eggs, new breeds from new places. Are you looking for bantams or full size? We are into bantams right now. The roos seem to get along better and they crow quieter.

Learned my lesson on purchasing eggs. Both people I ordered from sent the eggs Priority Mail. This means no one has to sign for them. That means it was OK for my mail carrier to rubber band the box of eggs to my mailbox in 40 degree weather. I did not get my box from Joplin, which is odd because I got the one from Florida and only ordered it the day before the Joplin ones. Called the post office AGAIN and asked them to hold the box when it arrives instead of risking the eggs sitting on my mailbox when I am at work. Post Office said next time to send it Express because it must be signed for. I will pay the extra fee just for peace of mind.

I have 31 fresh chickens in the fridge. Nice Amish family butchered them for me. I have decided that IF I do these again, I am going to butcher them myself. If I am going to play farmer, I need to butcher myself. Now I hope the co-worker I am sharing the birds with comes to get them tonight so I have some room in the fridge. Tomorrow night its chicken and dumplins.

Break down of cost of birds-
Feed cost-$145.00
Chicks- $54.47
Butcher fee, ice and bags- $53.00
Per bird price- $8.42

I think I will stick to buying the ones from the store. If I need to butcher one of my hens, I can do that, but I won't do the Cornish X again. Too much work. But now I can say I did it.

 

[davony's chicks]

I have been considering doing the cornish-x for the past year. I am glad you shared your story. The amish are great if you don't want to mess with it.
Raising the cornish-x I am sure is a mess and a lot of work.

 

[can you hear me now?]

Been thinking of getting the cornish crosses too. Anyone know how much feed they take to get em to nine weeks?

 

[mefordz]

A LOT!

been there done that, no fun at all.

once i found a guy that lost a bunch of tyson birds, fox got in the house, got feed from him free. either that or they were going to dump it.

messy, eat a lot, drink a lot, not pretty, way to much trouble. i think that covers it.