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

[mississippifarmboy]

Nice ducks Walt! Thanks!

Marty... oh yeah, they fly! Our first two pair we kept penned up for two months. I let them out one evening and they all took flight as soon as the door opened. Three just flew around the barn and went in the pond, the other hen was last seen headed to Canada...... Haven't seen her since.
Oh well, I learned to keep them in a covered run or clip the wings. Although our growing birds I let free range until they start flying short distances, then I catch them up and pen them.

 

[therapydoglady]

They can fly very well. Most of the time they would stay in this area if they got out, but last year I had a best waterfowl Indie fly out of the carrying box after I brought her home from a show and I have never seen her since. My cages are large enough to allow them to fly, but they hardly ever fly unless I try ot catch them. You could clip a wing, but I don't. I even keep the mallards with full wings and the mallards I have can explode from the ground and go straight up. they are very powerful flyers.

Walt

So I'm guessing that, birds can't be altered as in clipping wing feathers to keep them from flying in order to show? OH MY! How heartbreaking it would be to show one, win, and then have it fly off! I'm going to have to get myself to a poultry show and window shop! I never knew there was so much variety out there, and some of them are so beautiful! I love those irridescent feathers on that black duck's head. Gorgeous!

 

[fowlman01]

So I'm guessing that, birds can't be altered as in clipping wing feathers to keep them from flying in order to show? OH MY! How heartbreaking it would be to show one, win, and then have it fly off! I'm going to have to get myself to a poultry show and window shop! I never knew there was so much variety out there, and some of them are so beautiful! I love those irridescent feathers on that black duck's head. Gorgeous!

You are allowed to clip the wings and show them. I don't because I think they look better with both wings. It is very hard to get good pictures of them as the feathers reflect light. That whole bird is the color of it's head.

Walt

 

[loanwizard]

Brie,

I was off yesterday so didn't see this thread, so.... Sorry to hear about her passing, but what a dignified way to do it. In reference to your post that this is a chicken thread.... sounds like she surrounded herself with like personalities. I wondered how long it would be before things returned to "normal".

As a reference to teens in the country, I can but only speak of my own experience. I am divorced with 2 children. My girlfriend has 4. Ages range from 12-18. They were all raised in a small town. 2 years ago I moved to the country. They have been out there 1. The transformation has been amazing. I am of the opinion, all teens have issues. I had a couple that were running around with the wrong crowd. I fear I was too late with the 18 year old, but the 13 year old has changed immensely. He protects the flocks from me and lets me know that there are certain animals that are his and that I WILL NOT kill them. His best friend instead of some hooligan is now our pond and or a 4 wheeler.... it's close. The move has been a blessing for him that he is as of yet unaware, but I can see it.

Anyhow,

Welcome Brie!

 

[therapydoglady]

You are allowed to clip the wings and show them. I don't because I think they look better with both wings. It is very hard to get good pictures of them as the feathers reflect light. That whole bird is the color of it's head.

Walt

Now I really MUST find a poultry show to go to. I'll bet they are absolutely dazzling in the light. Most gorgeous coloring I've ever seen! One om my mother-in-law's ducks looked to be part mallard. Had beautiful blue patches on his wings and a green head. He was so pretty. I think I must be a duck person. I always look more closely at those than the chickens! Brie

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
Check out http://www.bluebonnetclassic.com/#!events for their next show.


September 1,2012 – Fayette County Fair
Fayette County Fairgrounds, Lagrange, TX
Judge: Monty Fitzgerald
Entry Deadline: Aug 20th
Info: Danny Hughes, P.O. Box 251, Garwood, TX 77442
Phone: 979-758-3471

September 8, 2012 – West Texas State Fair
Taylor County Expo Center, Abilene, Texas
Poultry Judge: Jim Crain
Entry Deadline: August 24th, 2012
Info: David Bell, 8737 PR Road 2584, Clyde, Texas 79510-5703
Phone: 915/823-5925

September 15, 2012 – Amarillo Tri-State Fair and Rodeo
Tri-State Exposition, Amarillo, Texas
Poultry Judge:
Entry Deadline: September 1, 2012
Info: Tracy Hill, Amarillo, Texas
Phone: 806/622-2488

September 22, 2012– Red River Bantam Club
Wise County Sheriff’s Posse Grounds – Decatur, Texas
Poultry Judge: Monty Fitzgerald- Steve Jones
Info: Monty Fitzgerald, 1713 CR 4280, Decatur, TX 76234
Entry Deadline: September ??, 2010


October 21, 2012 – Texas All Game Bantam Club
Newcastle, Oklahoma
Judge: Tracy Hill
Entry Deadline: October 13th 2012
Info: Troy Vannoy

October 13&14, 2012 – State Fair of Texas
Fair Park, Dallas, TX
Judge: TBD
Info: Sam Brush, 1009 Hillview Drive, Keller, TX 76248-4012
Entry Deadline: October 1, 2012
Email: [email protected] Phone: 817-379-6475

November 3,2012 – Abilene Poultry Association
Taylor County Expo Center, Abilene, Texas
Poultry Judges: Troy Jones, Pat Malone
Entry Deadline: October 26, 2012
Info: Bonnie Campbell, 110 Ridgecrest Dr., Abilene TX[Soft Break]Phone: 325-529-6064

January 5, 2013 – Texas Bluebonnet Classic
Louis Pearce Pavilion, College Station, Texas
Judges: Ronnie Ledford, Craig Rounsville, Sam Brush, Pat Malone
Entry Deadline: December 26, 2012
Info: [email protected]
Phone: 512-273-2010

January 18-20, 2013 - Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo – Will Rogers Complex – Fort Worth, Texas
Judges: Jamie Matts- Dwight Maddsen -Steve Jones
Info: www.fwssr.com
Entry Deadline: December 26th 2013

March 2 2013 – South Texas Classic
Fayette County Fairgrounds, Lagrange, TX
Judge: Aaron Hamilton
Entry Deadline: April xx 20111
Info: Danny Hughes, P.O. Box 251, Garwood, TX 77442
Phone: 979-758-3471



– Abilene Poultry Association Spring Show
Canceled


March 23, 2013 – South Texas State Fair
South Texas State Fair Grounds, Beaumont, Texas
Judges: Jim Crain Dwayne Ballard
Info: South Texas State Fair, 7250 Wespark, Beaumont, TX 77705
Website: www.ymbl.org Phone: 409-429-5735

April 13, 2013 – Fancy Feathers
Hays County Civic Center
New Braunfels. Texas
Judges: TBD
Info: Jaci Kroupa [email protected]
http://www.fancyfeatherstx.org/

 

[therapydoglady]

HallFamilyFarm - Thank you for the link! I will most certainly try to make one of those!

 

[Greybear23]

Guess I'd like to join in here on all the fun, heard my ol' friend Al was on here, Name is Bubba or Lynn, i been raisin chickens of one kind or another and other birds about 40+ years and I still don't know it all, but I am willing to help when I can, thanks, Lynn

 

[Beekissed]

Welcome, Bubba! Pull up a chair and get comfy....

 

[Greybear23]

Welcome, Bubba! Pull up a chair and get comfy....

Thank you, I will and I will be back from time to time, I assume that the members here are from all over so, I am from north Central Oklahoma, it is currently hotter than Haiti's at 115* here today, we have been doing all we can by watering and wetting down pens and birds every two hours here, as of yesterday we have lost 5 hens and one baby, today we lost one hen and 3 babies, it is just too stinkin hot, have had wild fires and auto related fires with in 15 miles of me, it is so dry here the ground has 1- 2 inch cracks, Lynn