Cluck N Crow Farm

[PioneerChicks]

Today I finished reading My Side Of The Mountain to the chicks, because it got a couple degrees above freezing (for the first time all week). It was late, so all the birds gathered round and a couple sat beside me while I finished. It was a great way to finish the year!

Tomorrow we'll be starting The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale, it's long but I hope they'll be interested because it's about poultry, and Enna (and her evil and now dead mate Finn) was named after a character out of it


Happy New Years everyone! (Fun fact, it's currently 1:00 AM here! Don't worry, I'm closing off right now. Night!)

 

[2ndTink]

Happy new year! I bet they love the stories

 

[paintedChix]

Wow, PioneerChicks! We are aiming to help out the same breed!

I'd been checking out different breeds on the ALC for a while now. Really hadn't committed, then the Breed Focus - Hollands popped up and I went back out to ALC to dig around. Found a local breeder and sent off a quick email. She responded back and has chickens available, so ... right as the New Year clicked in - I committed to purchasing 8 pullets and 2 cockerels (could possibly do more but would rather get birds from at least one other breeder instead)... Due to freezing rain right now, we are holding off a bit to bring them home - they will be split between 2 lawn tractors. I listed "other" as I am committing to help with bringing this breed back from extinction (I hope - I will need help/guidance and mentors along the way).

Now to get my two incubators up and running and figure out how to hatch live chicks. I didn't try at all in 2020 after not 1 but 3 hatches in 2019 not working at all (out of 111 eggs, hatched whopping total of 5 - 1st batch of 36 only)... Eggs were fertile, original candling looked great, didn't handle/candle again. I could get/install fans. Or maybe, I should look at a new, smaller but higher quality incubator? Don't know... Maybe recommendations? Seems like folks here in NC like Brinsea, which I looked at as unaffordable in the past.

So I did list breeding - as that is my goal this year. Both some auto-sexing breeds I already have and the new Hollands I will be getting this month.

Self-Sufficient. Right now, we also are not getting enough eggs for our family. I have processed chickens, but never more than 3 at a time by myself (with skinning, not plucking). Want to become proficient enough to be able to do up to 25-50 at a time. Would like to try actual meat birds this year, though they aren't considered sustainable (goal in future, will have birds that don't go on for following yrs breeders, cull for freezer 1st, then offer pullets/hens as started birds). We currently have 6 people (4 adults/2.."tweeners") in our house and would also like to be able to feed 6 dogs and 4 in/out cats and 4 outside only cats w/ real meat. With that goal in mind, keeping an eye on a plucker - that may be purchased this year in 2021. I'm not much of a builder, nor is anyone else in our family so the directions for DIY plucker, not really working...

Self-Sufficient - in other ways. Bring in outside inputs for chickens to eat/turn into compost; introduce quail and rabbits (2nd go round) as small livestock (2021); bring in larger livestock - goats or sheep, smaller homestead type pigs (2022-2025). Food forest/edible lawn already started - add more fruit shrubs, grape vines and trees as well. Gardening - keep building raised beds (preferably - for my older back & knees, LOL. & to use up all the brushy tree limbs/trunks that aren't suitable for firewood or posts. Dropped 3 trees, topped 15+ last month - left a mess that I asked to stay...). Put in other garden beds for small/sustainable grain crops... Install permanent, in-ground bed for garlic, asparagus & strawberries (?). Hope to plant some other plants this year and actually garden, but shall see...

PioneerChicks - have you checked out Edible Acres on YouTube? You might like some of Sean's chickening ideas... Outside inputs for chickens...

 

[PioneerChicks]

Happy new year! I bet they love the stories

Happy New Year to you too!

 

[PioneerChicks]

Wow, PioneerChicks! We are aiming to help out the same breed!

I'd been checking out different breeds on the ALC for a while now. Really hadn't committed, then the Breed Focus - Hollands popped up and I went back out to ALC to dig around. Found a local breeder and sent off a quick email. She responded back and has chickens available, so ... right as the New Year clicked in - I committed to purchasing 8 pullets and 2 cockerels (could possibly do more but would rather get birds from at least one other breeder instead)... Due to freezing rain right now, we are holding off a bit to bring them home - they will be split between 2 lawn tractors. I listed "other" as I am committing to help with bringing this breed back from extinction (I hope - I will need help/guidance and mentors along the way).

Now to get my two incubators up and running and figure out how to hatch live chicks. I didn't try at all in 2020 after not 1 but 3 hatches in 2019 not working at all (out of 111 eggs, hatched whopping total of 5 - 1st batch of 36 only)... Eggs were fertile, original candling looked great, didn't handle/candle again. I could get/install fans. Or maybe, I should look at a new, smaller but higher quality incubator? Don't know... Maybe recommendations? Seems like folks here in NC like Brinsea, which I looked at as unaffordable in the past.

So I did list breeding - as that is my goal this year. Both some auto-sexing breeds I already have and the new Hollands I will be getting this month.

Self-Sufficient. Right now, we also are not getting enough eggs for our family. I have processed chickens, but never more than 3 at a time by myself (with skinning, not plucking). Want to become proficient enough to be able to do up to 25-50 at a time. Would like to try actual meat birds this year, though they aren't considered sustainable (goal in future, will have birds that don't go on for following yrs breeders, cull for freezer 1st, then offer pullets/hens as started birds). We currently have 6 people (4 adults/2.."tweeners") in our house and would also like to be able to feed 6 dogs and 4 in/out cats and 4 outside only cats w/ real meat. With that goal in mind, keeping an eye on a plucker - that may be purchased this year in 2021. I'm not much of a builder, nor is anyone else in our family so the directions for DIY plucker, not really working...

Self-Sufficient - in other ways. Bring in outside inputs for chickens to eat/turn into compost; introduce quail and rabbits (2nd go round) as small livestock (2021); bring in larger livestock - goats or sheep, smaller homestead type pigs (2022-2025). Food forest/edible lawn already started - add more fruit shrubs, grape vines and trees as well. Gardening - keep building raised beds (preferably - for my older back & knees, LOL. & to use up all the brushy tree limbs/trunks that aren't suitable for firewood or posts. Dropped 3 trees, topped 15+ last month - left a mess that I asked to stay...). Put in other garden beds for small/sustainable grain crops... Install permanent, in-ground bed for garlic, asparagus & strawberries (?). Hope to plant some other plants this year and actually garden, but shall see...

PioneerChicks - have you checked out Edible Acres on YouTube? You might like some of Sean's chickening ideas... Outside inputs for chickens...

That's so cool, we both want to preserve Hollands! I need to find a breeder now, there are two in Washington (according to the ALC) I could email this week. I know BH are sex-linked. Do you breed sex-linked birds? I am worried I will find it tricky because you know which are boys at hatch, and nobody would want those. I might be able to raise them for meat, I guess, or offer them to a rescue center. What do you do? Anyways, please keep me informed, I can't wait to learn more about this breed!

What other breeds do you keep and breed?

Good luck with hatching I use Hovabators, because I have heard Styrofoam works much better than plastic. It is a bit hard to see the chicks inside, but I have had great hatches!

I'm hoping butchering chickens will make us more self sufficient too. I want to breed rabbits but due to a extremely tender hearted rabbit lover in the house, that is a big no-no. She almost starts crying at the idea of even culling a weak rabbit kit, so...that's not going to work for a time. Your garden, yard, and future plans sound amazing! Becoming Self sufficient is such a fun adventure, hopefully we can all help each other along!

No, I have not seen that YouTube Channel. I'll check it out, thanks!

 

[paintedChix]

That's so cool, we both want to preserve Hollands! I need to find a breeder now, there are two in Washington (according to the ALC) I could email this week. I know BH are sex-linked. Do you breed sex-linked birds? I am worried I will find it tricky because you know which are boys at hatch, and nobody would want those. I might be able to raise them for meat, I guess, or offer them to a rescue center. What do you do? Anyways, please keep me informed, I can't wait to learn more about this breed!

What other breeds do you keep and breed?

Good luck with hatching I use Hovabators, because I have heard Styrofoam works much better than plastic. It is a bit hard to see the chicks inside, but I have had great hatches!

I'm hoping butchering chickens will make us more self sufficient too. I want to breed rabbits but due to a extremely tender hearted rabbit lover in the house, that is a big no-no. She almost starts crying at the idea of even culling a weak rabbit kit, so...that's not going to work for a time. Your garden, yard, and future plans sound amazing! Becoming Self sufficient is such a fun adventure, hopefully we can all help each other along!

No, I have not seen that YouTube Channel. I'll check it out, thanks!

Well, in 2018 I went a little crazy on chickens... Yes, I had 4 auto sexing breeds - 55 Flowery Hens, Bielefelders, Cream Legbars (belong to the club) & Rhodebars. The Rhodebar roos turned MEAN - both were butchered at a little over a year of age. The others - well - my experiences with my Hovabator styrofoam incubators has not been the same as yours. Total of 111 eggs over 3 different hatches - only hatched 5 chix. All roos, all different breeds. The 2 auto sexing ones - you could tell day hatched & the other 3 had to wait. All made it to butchering dates, LOL.

I don't have all those birds anymore - my whole flock of Bielefelders, partial flocks of 55's, CLBs, & Rhodebars all decimated by domestic dogs while free ranging in our yard front yard (folks at home during day but usually asleep since work nights, didn't know there was a problem) while I was at work. I have a few individual birds in separate tractors & coops, now, but not complete breeding groups/flocks of any except the CLBs (whom are older). Later this year, I will replace some of these flocks and then hopefully get to move forward. But will be concentrating on the Hollands for now. I have enough egg layers, that when they start up in the spring, we'll have white, blue, bl/grn, cream, tan and brown eggs.

So we shall see how it goes. I understand on the rabbits. We currently have 2 mixes that no-one wants to eat. So they are producing fertilizer and eat a lot of our weeds, LOL.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Well, in 2018 I went a little crazy on chickens... Yes, I had 4 auto sexing breeds - 55 Flowery Hens, Bielefelders, Cream Legbars (belong to the club) & Rhodebars. The Rhodebar roos turned MEAN - both were butchered at a little over a year of age. The others - well - my experiences with my Hovabator styrofoam incubators has not been the same as yours. Total of 111 eggs over 3 different hatches - only hatched 5 chix. All roos, all different breeds. The 2 auto sexing ones - you could tell day hatched & the other 3 had to wait. All made it to butchering dates, LOL.

I don't have all those birds anymore - my whole flock of Bielefelders, partial flocks of 55's, CLBs, & Rhodebars all decimated by domestic dogs while free ranging in our yard front yard (folks at home during day but usually asleep since work nights, didn't know there was a problem) while I was at work. I have a few individual birds in separate tractors & coops, now, but not complete breeding groups/flocks of any except the CLBs (whom are older). Later this year, I will replace some of these flocks and then hopefully get to move forward. But will be concentrating on the Hollands for now. I have enough egg layers, that when they start up in the spring, we'll have white, blue, bl/grn, cream, tan and brown eggs.

So we shall see how it goes. I understand on the rabbits. We currently have 2 mixes that no-one wants to eat. So they are producing fertilizer and eat a lot of our weeds, LOL.

5 hatched, all roosters, that stinks. And the dog attack.

Maybe you could get silkies for broodies? They're a bit harder to manage than an incubator, but they do work.

What a colorful egg basket! My two EEs haven't layed a single egg together in a couple months, and weren't doing good even before they molted. Even though they are very friendly and sweet, I am looking into rehoming them. They aren't part of my breeding program and if they aren't laying well, I don't want to support them over the winter.

Well, good luck with your breeding. When will you start?

 

[paintedChix]

Well, none of my chickens are laying right now. Possibly because the current youngest is 2 yrs old and the oldest are upwards of 5?

I will concentrate on the Hollands, when I pick them up. Our last conversation, she stated that they were about to come into lay... BUT she couldn't remember exactly when they had been hatched. I'll have more info soon. We are currently having nasty freezing drizzle/rain, so I will wait until sometime next week to pick them up. I'm also trying to reach a few other breeders thru the ALC and see about getting some chicks of other lines. They would be 5-6 months behind these, but that's OK...

Seriously thinking of looking around local to see if anyone has hatching eggs right now - to see if I can get my incubators up and running... ?? Got a little bit of time, LOL.

 

[PioneerChicks]

Well, none of my chickens are laying right now. Possibly because the current youngest is 2 yrs old and the oldest are upwards of 5?

I will concentrate on the Hollands, when I pick them up. Our last conversation, she stated that they were about to come into lay... BUT she couldn't remember exactly when they had been hatched. I'll have more info soon. We are currently having nasty freezing drizzle/rain, so I will wait until sometime next week to pick them up. I'm also trying to reach a few other breeders thru the ALC and see about getting some chicks of other lines. They would be 5-6 months behind these, but that's OK...

Seriously thinking of looking around local to see if anyone has hatching eggs right now - to see if I can get my incubators up and running... ?? Got a little bit of time, LOL.

I really might have to do a January hatch...the longing!

It's great they're already starting to lay! How much are you paying for them (if you feel comfortable answering)? Good luck finding other lines!

 

[PioneerChicks]

Yesterday was sunny and warm, we got a lot of reading done! They are enjoying The Goose Girl. I expect that if all goes well and we read about ten pages a day we should finish in about 35 days. Yeah, it's long

Today wasn't so nice. It rained a lot and when I came out to feed them it was windy with a few drops of rain here and there. I read to them anyways, then went inside. Two eggs today, that's really not good. I have noticed Stell (Stellaloona, she's a silkie) and Falcon (bantam Orp) have gone into molts. Alex is still finishing hers up.

Well, me and my friend went birdwatching today during winds and showers. Freezing cold weather, but we enjoyed it. The highlight of the day was definitely seeing a Northern Pintail duck for the first time! They are uncommon, beautiful birds.

Oh, we also caught "Buddy," the mouse who has been living in our house for a couple months. He used to run across the ceiling above my head every night...no longer! He has gotten much bolder recently and has taken to climbing through our stove to get crumbs off the burners. So we set out some glue traps with peanut butter on them and POOF! He's gone now. I'll miss him tonight, he was sort of my little Brownie or House Elf who I often heard but never saw.

Anyways, tomorrow I will start "the battle between me and my cats vs. the mice in and under the chicken shed." Anybody have any ideas of how to exterminate them without poison?