Colorado

[ttclan]

Hi ttclan,
Wow! 54 chickens!! You surely have your hands full!! I started using the paper towels this morning. We are planning to get one more chick on the 19th--a black astralorp. You must have a very large coop and lots of room for them to run!! Did they all make it ok? Any trouble with predators?

I think you will find the paper towels are better all the way around...they even clean up easier and absorb more. I hope your sweet chicks are doing well.

I now have 22 hens (lost two in January) and 32 chicks...I bought 28 and then 3 chicks died in the first couple of days so I went and bought 7 more at the local feed store (I know...but I cried over each little one that died and it made me feel better to get more

). They have been doing great since we switched to paper towels and gave them more time on it. They are three and a half weeks old now and growing like weeds, seems like each day they look much bigger.

We are building a second coop which will house all of my chickens and my little coop which has had the 22 in it, will become a brooder/first aid coop. We have only had them in a large fully enclosed run so predators have not been an issue, well, they come around, but give up. When the new coop is done their new area will be about 3/4 of an acre which will be hard to fence in totally. The goats will get 1 acre.

I worry about predators, so far they have come and found they can't get my gals because we created a great area for them, but in the new set up I can't create a large enough run for all of them without spending a fortune on fence material, so we will have to resort to other options to keep the predators at bay...I have wanted them to be more free range anyway...and with that comes trouble.

Unless that is, some nice benefactor wants to donate fencing for 1/2 to 3/4 acre ~ top and sides!

And I AM hoping for one of those!

I don't want to lose any of my gals...probably have to say guys too - I'm guessing I got way more roos with the chicks than I had hoped for.

 

[Zach123]

Gardendufus,

Ive always kept my chicks on just plain pine shavings from day one, I don't stress about them pecking at them too much, it shouldn't hurt a thing. Wyandottes are pretty laid back in my expierience, and decent egg layers too. But all chickens are individuals so youll have some that are calmer then others in every breed, but in general, the wyandottes I've had have been pretty tame. As far as feather growth being a sign of sex, don't trust it!!!! Just like not every human child grows and develops at the same rate, neither do baby chicks! Some grow faster, others slower, some feather our quicker then others, so dont get worried about your slow feathering BR, it likely doesn't mean a thing!

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Oh congrats NCM!! They are some cuties for sure!

And yes Margie, you may just become a Gramma

if I can get this nest thing all situated. If Cal would start minding his p's and q's . He's such a meathead

I can't imagine a bunch of little Cals running around. Lord help us

We moved a carrier into the barn with her 4 eggs lastnight and she layed a 5th in there during the night. I actually bought an incubator to incubate her eggs but I don't want to take that away from her if she's wanting to do the work herself. How many eggs on average do they sit on. I did hit the goose thread up but sometimes our Colorado peeps holler back quicker

OH SEBBIES!!

I'm so jealous!! Not enough room here for me to keep them, so I will just have to live vicariously through you!

First order of business would be pics of the proud parents to be please!!!

 

[coloradochick]

Well the Pop is actually a Chinese that I got from Mtn. Margie. His name is Cal. And the Sebbie girl Mama I got from Aimee. So they would be mixed babies. Aimee has offered me her male that she has but I think that would cause problems with Cal unless I can get another female. Oh so confused!!

But I will get the camera out and take some pics and then figure out how to get them on here.

 

[NoisyNora]

FYI Anne Boleyn may be a rooster. Everyone I have known (myself included) who had an EE with that coloration ended up for a rooster. I know it isn't a guarantee, but keep an eye on her.

So here is our little flock. They are Catherine of Aragon, top left, dark brown Ameraucana, Anne Boleyn, yellow striped Ameraucana, Jane Seymour, Production Red, Anne of Cleves, Buff Orpington, and Catherine Howard, Barred Rock. Anne Boleyn turned out to be the agressive one. She was the first chick we got and was alone for part of a day before we got C of A. I stayed with them and introduced the little ones to food and water. Anne B. would come up and try to chase them from the water and the food, so I intervened and made sure that the new ones knew where the water was, and watched them drink, and knew where the food was. Anne started picking especially on CH, the Barred Rock, maybe because she the largest of the three new ones. I protected her at first and isolated Anne B three separate times in the little transport box for a few minutes each time. It seemed to help because the new ones could then go freely from place to place and establish themselves while she was gone, and when I introduced her back, they seemed more like a flock of chickens. We have one more to get which will come in on the 19th, a black astralorp and of course she will be Catherine Barr, the last of the six wives of Henry the 8th.

 

[Tikkijane]

FYI Anne Boleyn may be a rooster. Everyone I have known (myself included) who had an EE with that coloration ended up for a rooster. I know it isn't a guarantee, but keep an eye on her.

Well, fwiw, I had two pullets that were very light like Anne B. And they lay very nice eggies.

But, a friend got another light one like mine from the pullet bin that turned out to be a he. I would think that based on the behavior, yours might turn out to be a crower. Good luck!

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Well the Pop is actually a Chinese that I got from Mtn. Margie. His name is Cal. And the Sebbie girl Mama I got from Aimee. So they would be mixed babies. Aimee has offered me her male that she has but I think that would cause problems with Cal unless I can get another female. Oh so confused!!

But I will get the camera out and take some pics and then figure out how to get them on here.

Oh interesting. I read that that's how they got the new colors into them, by outcrossing and then breeding the offspring to more Sebs until they get back to standard. Look for some new colors in your goslings and you may have a wonderful project started. Still jealous!!
Ha! Maybe instead of a new color you could raise a goose with Sebbie feathers and a Chinese Honker nose - that would be really wild!

 

[Dolly1218]

I cannot believe I actually have to post this but, I am allergic to my ducks!

I would just take some benedryle and 'deal' with it, but Im pregnant and that is dangerous to do. So I have to find my baby girls a new home

They are 26 days old, both female, Rachel is a chocolate Indian Runner & Phoebe is a fawn/white Indian Runner, they have been handled and indoors since they first arrived here. I will include their feed, bowls, heat lamp, vitamins, & diapers (they have the baby set and fit into the largest size). It is killing me just writing this but I cannot have my allergies this bad while I am pregnant. I want them in a very good home. Anyone interested please message me. I live in Colorado Springs and can drive 30 minutes any direction or you can pick them up here.

 

[NoisyNora]

Lucky you

Sadly for me mine grew into a stunningly beautiful silver rooster.......and I cried.

Well, fwiw, I had two pullets that were very light like Anne B. And they lay very nice eggies.

But, a friend got another light one like mine from the pullet bin that turned out to be a he. I would think that based on the behavior, yours might turn out to be a crower. Good luck!

 

[Mtn Margie]

I cannot believe I actually have to post this but, I am allergic to my ducks!

I would just take some benedryle and 'deal' with it, but Im pregnant and that is dangerous to do. So I have to find my baby girls a new home

They are 26 days old, both female, Rachel is a chocolate Indian Runner & Phoebe is a fawn/white Indian Runner, they have been handled and indoors since they first arrived here. I will include their feed, bowls, heat lamp, vitamins, & diapers (they have the baby set and fit into the largest size). It is killing me just writing this but I cannot have my allergies this bad while I am pregnant. I want them in a very good home. Anyone interested please message me. I live in Colorado Springs and can drive 30 minutes any direction or you can pick them up here.

Would it be possible to move your cuties outside? At almost a month, I would think they would be OK living outdoors in a secure duck house and pen with the heat still available for them if they need it. Your little one will be fascinated by them in just a very short time.