Coffee's ready...

[vfem]

Though I have another listing going... come vote here for my chocolate biscotti as your favorite choice on this blog (goes great with coffee).

http://linorstorecom.blogspot.com/2010/12/121610-lindas-top-etsy-finds-vote-in.html

The winner of the voted people get an interview spot on their site, and with the # of followers they have... could do really well for my business.

Now... off to get another cup of coffee, as I have MANY boxes to pack still.

 

[karl E lutz]

oesdog
How many hens have you? my theory is 1`roo for every12 or 15 hens. They dont really need to be bred by the roos to lay so the roos are just a waist of feed.I have80 or so hens and onlt 3 roos it would have been 4 but the owl got one that refused to go in to the coop one night after dark. Roos will even take advantage of each other if they want to so tooo many will just bolix up the roost. Time to cull they are tasty if butchered befor 4 or 5 mos.

 

[math ace]

OSEDOG,

Typically, there will be a dominant roo and if the other roos want to live - - - - they will stay away from the hens will he is around.

Having too many roos for the girls is BAD . .. one will start the mount and another will jump in to finsh the mount. The girls end up being treated badly.

I have 1 roo and about 15 laying hens. I just hatched a bunch of chicks. Some are roos. When they reach about 3 - 4 months of age I will start separating them - - - - keepers and soup pots.

 

[oesdog]

I only have well - Gerty, Bertha, Isobella, Drumstick, Caroline, Mable, Betty and Omlet. - so only 8 girls. And Omlet belongs firmly to Blue so I guess only 7 for the other two boys. There is a deffinate split in that Blue and Omlet will always go everywhere together and the only time Blue fights is to protect Omlet. He stands over her. He is a lovely fellow but not a great roo really a bit skinny and awkward on his feet. They are usually in a pen on their own except when they free range and they always sleep together in the shed, never with the others in the coop.

Nugget and Duck sleep in the boy pen at the back of the shed and they only go in the coop run for breakfast and then they free range with the girls. Mostly Omlet and Blue go off together away from the others. So there isn;t an issue with that - its the two big roos that are bad boys. I don;t mind splitting the girls between if it makes it better.
I really want three seperate pens. Cause I think I want to keep Blue and Omlet together maybe give him little betty too cause she is tiny. I am not too worried about Gerty cause she will beat up a roo if she has had enough of him. But little caroline is getting a bad time from Red as he is fixated on her right now. I wanted more baby chicks you see and while I know there are too many roos - I actually want to keep the Red speckled sussex blood line going and the Cockoo Maran bloodline - then of course our Blue and Omlet should have my Olive Eggers? So I will have three running blood lines so I can keep a closed flock if that makes sence to you guys. I will need to seperate all the roos and girls in the spring to the parings I want or I will just end up with a lot of mutts. I kind of know what I want to do its just getting there and the chance to do that.
I can give the girls a rest from the roos cause they have their own pen. But Duck and Nugget fight when they are alone without the girls. I NEVER leave blue with them as they would hurt him. He has his own place. I guess hes my baby!!!!!

Better go thanks for the advice I knwo there being bad boys right now - I will need to think about a solution. Really I would like them to have chicks and then either give them to another flock or the freezer?

Oesdog.

- DH wants at least 15 laying hens so I have a way to go yet.

 

[quercus21]

Morning People,
Using a French Press for coffee this morning, anyone else uses a French Press?
Weather: woke up to 9 deg. with a high of 33 today

Osedog: You'll have 1 dominate rooster, and the others will try to breed and fights happen. I had 2 roosters in 1 area with 8 hens, the hens were being abused. I have Mr. Roo and his grumps(7) in one area and coop for breeding stock and then we have "Miss Bean" and her "friends" Little Rhurbarb etc. in another area with a coop. I know Mr. Roo has his favorites and seems to breed with a select few more often. I keep the roosters around to torment the neighbors ( just joking), but for breeding and somewhat of protection. Mr Roo, when standing up, he comes up to my knees with out stretching. I have caught a few Red Tail Hawks in the branches around their area, but I think they are to afraid of Mr. Roo. Granted he'll herd the grumps together etc. I found the remains of a squirrel in their run last summer.

Christmas Tree is up and decorated. Making bread today.

Enjoy your day
Kaj

 

[karl E lutz]

Good morning chicken wranglers
coffee helps as I have been awake for hours. My flock of water fowl is gone, down to one lost and forlorn duck this morning. He erven came up to me sobbing.
he is black and green and I swear I heard him say suffering suckotash the dirty coyote's got all my pals last night. the goose was the only really lovey one of the bunch and I shall miss her, alas all things must pass.
Well God Bless!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
So Sorry

We have a fox here - - - but he hasn't messed with the coops

We keep watching for signs that he has been trying to get in - - - but so far NOTHING

Once again - - - So sorry about your loss.

 

[chics in the sun]

Good Morning chicken folk!

Oesdog, I think you've got two options: 1) get rid of at least one roo, since Blue and Omlet stay to themselves, unless he decides he wants a bigger harem and fighting starts with whichever roo you keep with the other girls. Or -2) GET MORE CHICKENS!!!

Queercus - I use a stainless steel french press I got at Ikea when I go camping. It makes camping coffee EVEN BETTER. 'cause camping coffee always tastes better than coffee at home.

Karl - So sorry!! The thought of one lonely, sobbing duck is about to make me sob, too!!

Get her a friend. Please. Just to make me feel better. I'm so sorry you lost them. I can't imagine.

Math Ace - I saw you were considering going to the swap in White Springs. I love that area. One of these days I'm going to plan a trip to go to that swap and go camping around there. Maybe in the spring.

 

[oesdog]

Quote:
My chicken Math tells me I need MORE CHICKENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Just talking to Dh about it as I check the posts on here