Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Seslar]

Seslar, did you perhaps mean 5 weeks rather than 5 months?

They were hatched 6/29/2012. I took pics with this iPad, but...now what?

 

[Gargoyle]

They were hatched 6/29/2012. I took pics with this iPad, but...now what?

I recall some people posting about having problems uploading pix from an iPad, but give it a try. Use the little square picture icon in the menu above the reply window (circled in red, with an arrow, in my pix), then use the upload files button to find it on your iPad. Note that your original photo will be quite large, if you have any photo editing software size it down to no wider than 800 pixels; otherwise the filesize will be huge, and people on slow connections could have trouble viewing it.

 

[Fred's Hens]

These thoughts have been on my mind today. I spent a few hours with the birds today, walking with them, examining them, just fussing with them. It was our first sunny day in a week, and boy, did I enjoy my time outside with them. It's been over 50 years and I still enjoy them.

The novice typically make an initial purchase of birds from a feed store or place an order with a hatchery and so begins their experience with chickens. Those who spend more than a year or two and don't drop the "hobby" in disillusionment, may eventually find themselves outgrowing the scattergun and roulette wheel of just hoping to get good birds, or jumping from breed to breed to breed haphazardly trying to stumble upon good birds.

Take this for what it is worth, but having good birds just makes so much difference in enjoying chicken keeping. Once you have a few good birds, you have little patience with nasty, junk or useless birds. What's the point in having such birds? Life is too short and feed costs too much.

If this chicken fad is going to last, a lot of the more serious folks are going to desire better birds, going forward. As they should.

Sort of a diary entry, I know, but those are my thoughts today.

 

[Seslar]

Seslar, did you perhaps mean 5 weeks rather than 5 months?

They were hatched 6/29/2012. I took pics with this iPad, but...now what?

OK, does this work? This should be a picture of the "button."

[=https://www.dropbox.com/s/vvde5j0os4s21hq/2012-10-20 15.24.11.jpg][/]

EDIT: No. it doesn't.

 

[Seslar]

They were hatched 6/29/2012. I took pics with this iPad, but...now what?

I recall some people posting about having problems uploading pix from an iPad, but give it a try. Use the little square picture icon in the menu above the reply window (circled in red, with an arrow, in my pix), then use the upload files button to find it on your iPad. Note that your original photo will be quite large, if you have any photo editing software size it down to no wider than 800 pixels; otherwise the filesize will be huge, and people on slow connections could have trouble viewing it.

Sorry, that doesn't work from an iPad. I have to take my son to a birthday party and then I'll come back and try from a desktop. Somehow. Thanks all.

 

[Gargoyle]

I was able to pull the url from your link, get to your photo and grab it. Here's it is.
I'd like to see the full body of the chicken to really know what we're seeing...

 

[smyers32]

These thoughts have been on my mind today. I spent a few hours with the birds today, walking with them, examining them, just fussing with them. It was our first sunny day in a week, and boy, did I enjoy my time outside with them. It's been over 50 years and I still enjoy them.

The novice typically make an initial purchase of birds from a feed store or place an order with a hatchery and so begins their experience with chickens. Those who spend more than a year or two and don't drop the "hobby" in disillusionment, may eventually find themselves outgrowing the scattergun and roulette wheel of just hoping to get good birds, or jumping from breed to breed to breed haphazardly trying to stumble upon good birds.

Take this for what it is worth, but having good birds just makes so much difference in enjoying chicken keeping. Once you have a few good birds, you have little patience with nasty, junk or useless birds. What's the point in having such birds? Life is too short and feed costs too much.

If this chicken fad is going to last, a lot of the more serious folks are going to desire better birds, going forward. As they should.

Sort of a diary entry, I know, but those are my thoughts today.

excellent thoughts, I think. And I think everyone who endeavors to have chickens (as something beyond just a couple cute pets in a dollhouse in their suburban backyard) should strive to acquire good birds. I have obviously failed to do so, and am kicking myself daily. The problem I've run into is finding really good stock. Seems like good breeders are few and far between or are maybe just too hard to find.

 

[Fred's Hens]

excellent thoughts, I think. And I think everyone who endeavors to have chickens (as something beyond just a couple cute pets in a dollhouse in their suburban backyard) should strive to acquire good birds. I have obviously failed to do so, and am kicking myself daily. The problem I've run into is finding really good stock. Seems like good breeders are few and far between or are maybe just too hard to find.

There are excellent breeders, many excellent breeders of quality birds. Just ask. Virtually every breed has a club, and those clubs have websites with breeder lists. First, you have to figure out what you want in a bird. Which breed or which qualities are important to you. Just let us know how we can help.

Best regards.

 

[smyers32]

Ohhhh yeahhh....breed clubs....

sorry, coming from a large livestock back ground, the idea of 'chicken shows' still makes me giggle. No offense, I understand the importance for the preservation and improvement of breeds. It just doesn't enter my mind unless forced there by someone with a slightly less blonde brain. Thanks!!

ETA: just saw that the united orpington club had a show in the spring right here at the county fairgrounds that I could practically spit on from my house AND my job.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do little round bumps on the back of my five-month-old chicks' legs really, really HAVE to mean that they are ALL cockerels? Really? Dang.

I have a game hen who has spurs any roo would covet