Colorado

[Latestarter]

MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE NEXT SYSTEM PUSHING INTO THE FOUR
CORNERS REGION EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND INTO SOUTHEASTERN
COLORADO OR NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH
SNOW WILL BE LIKELY...FROM THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE FRONT RANGE
MOUNTAINS ONTO THE PLAINS... THERE IS NO STRONG CONSENSUS YET
REGARDING THE TRACK AND POTENTIAL SNOW AMOUNTS. IF THE STORM
SYSTEM MOVES INTO SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH
MONDAY EVENING IT COULD BRING SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AND STRONG
EASTERLY WINDS TO THE FRONT RANGE MOUNTAINS...FOOTHILLS AND
NORTHEAST PLAINS. IF IT TRACKS FURTHER TO THE SOUTH...THEN THE
FOCUS FOR THE HEAVIER SNOW WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTH AS WELL. LATELY
THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT OF MODELS TOWARD THE FURTHER NORTH
SOLUTION...SO SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL WILL REMAIN A POSSIBILITY.
AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW AND GUSTY NORTH WINDS MAY CONTINUE INTO
TUESDAY MORNING.


YIPEE!

 

[ygritte]

@COChix - thank you! Deleware's are on my list. Do you use your birds for meat? I've looked into cornish as a possibility, but their egg laying leaves a lot to be desired. Are cornish mutts a happy medium between egg laying and a decent carcuss?

@coop410silkies - your SS's are beautiful! I think I'm definitely going to need to get a couple for my little flock. and hopefully next year get my hands a couple mottled java... it'll be polka dots all around

New shortish list for the future birds this year most likely: Dark brahma, barred rock, speckled sussex
Next year: java, flaverolle, australorp.

Sigh, I may be a lost cause for ever finding a favorite, I just love dabbling.

 

[coop410silkies]

@COChix
 - thank you!  Deleware's are on my list.  Do you use your birds for meat?  I've looked into cornish as a possibility, but their egg laying leaves a lot to be desired.  Are cornish mutts a happy medium between egg laying and a decent carcuss?

@coop410silkies
 - your SS's are beautiful!  I think I'm definitely going to need to get a couple for my little flock.  and hopefully next year get my hands a couple mottled java... it'll be polka dots all around

New shortish list for the future birds this year most likely: Dark brahma, barred rock, speckled sussex
Next year: java, flaverolle, australorp.  

Sigh, I may be a lost cause for ever finding a favorite, I just love dabbling.

Yeah, the SS are nice birds to have. Mine have been good egg layers, but the cockerels are slow to get big for eating. I don't eat them, so that is OK with me. the light Sussex are nice, too, if you like big birds. They ARE good layers, and the cockerels grow big fast. I am going to try to hatch as many SS as I can this year, but it will be awhile since my dog set all of them free and they've been breeding with whomever. Darn dog thinks she knows EVERYTHING. Love your selection of breeds.

 

[coop410silkies]

MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE NEXT SYSTEM PUSHING INTO THE FOUR
CORNERS REGION EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND INTO SOUTHEASTERN
COLORADO OR NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH
SNOW WILL BE LIKELY...FROM THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE FRONT RANGE
MOUNTAINS ONTO THE PLAINS... THERE IS NO STRONG CONSENSUS YET
REGARDING THE TRACK AND POTENTIAL SNOW AMOUNTS. IF THE STORM
SYSTEM MOVES INTO SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH
MONDAY EVENING IT COULD BRING SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AND STRONG
EASTERLY WINDS TO THE FRONT RANGE MOUNTAINS...FOOTHILLS AND
NORTHEAST PLAINS. IF IT TRACKS FURTHER TO THE SOUTH...THEN THE
FOCUS FOR THE HEAVIER SNOW WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTH AS WELL. LATELY
THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT OF MODELS TOWARD THE FURTHER NORTH
SOLUTION...SO SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL WILL REMAIN A POSSIBILITY.
AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW AND GUSTY NORTH WINDS MAY CONTINUE INTO
TUESDAY MORNING.

YIPEE!

Oh, I am not ready for this. Hope I can get the tarp back on before it happens.

 

[coop410silkies]

Yes the SS hens here are on a diet lol. They are very pretty and get more spots every time they molt. Poptart is by far more spotted then Madam Zee.
They are one of the few breeds that tend to wind up overweight. Poor gals are weighing in at almost 8 and a half pounds right now. I wanted to know just how heavy they were so we stepped on the scale together. I am afraid they are not the only ones needing a diet.
I like the breed since they are calm and friendly. The coloring is really pretty especially in the bright sun.

Peacocks are loud for certain. Their call can sound like a woman screaming for help. One of my old neighbors had peacocks and while inside my house with the windows shut I could hear what sounded like a woman screaming for help. LOL it was just the peacocks.

Guinea are loud too with a much different sound. Also a super neat bird.

You all have such nice looking birds! Lots to be proud of in those pretty flocks.

81/2 pounds?! Wow. I would give my eye teeth to have an SS hen who could carry that much weight. Do they still lay pretty good? Yeah, older and prettier. Isn't THAT a switch? Not too good for show, but definitely not too hard on the eyes. Since I am deaf, I don't mind loud things. The louder the better, in fact. Have considered getting Guineas just for being loud enough to alert me to trespassers and disturbances. I wonder how my pooch would with them?

 

[21hens-incharge]

My SS are getting on in age so at 5 years old are not the best layers but yes they do lay still. I am getting 2 eggs a week from each of them. Not a huge number for sure but mine never laid all that well to begin with. If I got 4 eggs a week from each of them when they were young I was a happy camper.
Mine are getting around really well. Just a bit more waddle in their bounce lol. They still get on the roost every night so can jump. I am so not happy that they are as heavy as they are. They are not happy with reduced scratch. It will be better when I can let them out some.

I don't think it helped them at all when I could not get out to clear the pen after the last storm. This time I will make sure I shovel it out well so they are not stuck inside.

If I can get them down to 7 pounds I will be more comfortable as will they I am sure.

Guinea are super good watch birds but tend to wonder off. They like to roost in trees and on top of buildings. I like them a lot but then I like weird things. A friend of ours had a male for a long time and he was one odd bird. He would follow you around the property but his feet rarely hit the ground while he watched you.

 

[uzisuzuki]

Yes the SS hens here are on a diet lol. They are very pretty and get more spots every time they molt. Poptart is by far more spotted then Madam Zee.
They are one of the few breeds that tend to wind up overweight. Poor gals are weighing in at almost 8 and a half pounds right now. I wanted to know just how heavy they were so we stepped on the scale together. I am afraid they are not the only ones needing a diet.
I like the breed since they are calm and friendly. The coloring is really pretty especially in the bright sun.

Peacocks are loud for certain. Their call can sound like a woman screaming for help. One of my old neighbors had peacocks and while inside my house with the windows shut I could hear what sounded like a woman screaming for help. LOL it was just the peacocks.

Guinea are loud too with a much different sound. Also a super neat bird.

You all have such nice looking birds! Lots to be proud of in those pretty flocks.

I'm kind of dreading when the peacock reaches maturity & starts the mating call. I was just getting used to my harmonising roosters!

 

[21hens-incharge]

LOL it takes some getting used to. Once you know the sound it is not so bad.

I totally think the noise is worth it to have such pretty birds around.

 

[coop410silkies]

A few of my SS are approaching 5 years; they are looking bigger, but I think it's mostly winter down. Their coop was severely compromised in the last windstorm, and ventilation has become a non-issue. They've been sleeping in a large Dogloo, and, to tell the truth, they seem much better off for all the inconvenience of having to free range; they DO have pellets 24/7, though. They are much better layers than their hatchery cousins, who are just turning three. Guineas would have to be penned, do you think, to keep them from disappearing? My dog would probably make them want to disappear fast. Nice to hear about your SS. Did you get a bit of a windstorm?

 

[21hens-incharge]

From what I know of Guinea hens they do not like to be confined. I think if the pen is large enough and has some tall things for them to get on they would be ok.

We got some wind yesterday and last night. Everything is holding together here now. The wind this fall took the metal roofing shelter in the run and moved it to the ground. It is much more secure now.

We are supposed to get a lot more wind in the next few days. Not a huge fan of the snow that is coming our way. Clearing the run is a real chore. With tarps up to block wind I have to take the snow out the run door.

Inconvenience of ranging lol I bet they are loving it. Mine are itching to get digging in my flower beds.