Colorado

[Pozees]

Hi ReptileMom! Welcome! Good thinking on like elevations, should work better. Will be interested to hear how you do!

Ashdoes may have some Cream Legbar eggs for you, megshenhut has Welsummers but not sure whether she sells hatching eggs, Doc Waltz (warbirds I believe is BYC name?) has Ameraucanas, and I have a pair I got from her earlier this year that are laying but so far I'm setting all their eggs to hatch for myself. In a month or so I might be talked out of some of their eggs though - the hen lays 6 of every 7 days, VERY impressed with her! I don't remember whether anyone has Orpingtons but seems like someone does, and excellent chance others have the other breeds as well, hopefully they will chime in to let you know.

What breeds do you have?

Also, we do have a CO Hatching Eggs thread, I am at work so can't get a link to work from this computer but perhaps another of our members will be able to do so for you.

 

[trsturself]

Hello all you Coloradoans!

I'm here in Colorado Springs, no chickens yet, but wanting some BAD! We are currently remodeling our house, working full time, and going to school, so haven't had time to build them a posh pad yet. Waiting to find the time to build them their mansion! I raised chickens, ducks, rabbits, cattle, hogs, and horses back home in farmland Iowa when I was young, and I miss it. I am soothing my inner farmer by growing a serious vegetable garden this year. You name it, I'm trying it. Except potatoes. That one slipped by me. Thinking about 4-5 hens, planning the coop and run, and finding a place for it. Maybe build this year in time for spring chicks next year! It's so good to hear from people that are making it work in their tiny yards! I've got a pretty good sized one, with mostly good neighbors, so that's a plus.

I agree, you can usually find some birds later in the year, and it's not too late for potatoes. We don't have ours in the ground yet. Our lives are up in the air at the moment and we don't know if we'll be in this house all summer so I'm hesitant to plant the rest of my garden. I think I might put them in when I get back in town later this week though just in case we are.

GQF sent me the replacement lid for the Genesis 1588, after the last defective one cooked my chicks. My hatch with the new unit was 36/45, 80%. Eggtopsy showed 5 fully developed chicks that never pipped, 1 that internally pipped but was very malpositioned, and 4 early quitters. It's so nice to have so much chirping on Easter Day.

I'm so glad you had a better hatch this time!

I have a couple silkie easter egger crosses you could have. I do not know what the sex of them is at this point though. They are only a couple of weeks old.

Samsr, if they are only a couple weeks old I'll take one off your hands. This is a mix my daughter has always wanted to do. Do you have any pics of adult birds of this mix?

Hi ReptileMom! Welcome! Good thinking on like elevations, should work better. Will be interested to hear how you do!

Ashdoes may have some Cream Legbar eggs for you, megshenhut has Welsummers but not sure whether she sells hatching eggs, Doc Waltz (warbirds I believe is BYC name?) has Ameraucanas, and I have a pair I got from her earlier this year that are laying but so far I'm setting all their eggs to hatch for myself. In a month or so I might be talked out of some of their eggs though - the hen lays 6 of every 7 days, VERY impressed with her! I don't remember whether anyone has Orpingtons but seems like someone does, and excellent chance others have the other breeds as well, hopefully they will chime in to let you know.

What breeds do you have?

Also, we do have a CO Hatching Eggs thread, I am at work so can't get a link to work from this computer but perhaps another of our members will be able to do so for you.

Here is the link for the CO hatching eggs. I don't have any roosters so I can't help you (yet), but good luck on your search. Make sure to let us know if you have better luck!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/newestpost/865567

 

[Ashdoes]

Hi I do have Cream Legbar eggs, I could attempt to ship, but I am not set up at all for paypal, or anything like that. Not sure how to proceed like that.
Pm of you'd like, and we can figure something out.
~Ashley

 

[samsr]

Here is a picture of the moma and daddy of the silkie easter egger combo. I will get a pic of a chick here in a bit.

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[samsr]

trsturself
Here is a pic of one of the little one. 2 weeks and two days old. They look like an easteregger but with 5 toes and a bit more fuz. They are quite cute. No idea of what sex they are however.

 

[ReptileMom]

-Thank you everyone. I will post on the CO Egg Thread. Ashley, I am sure we could work out something. I have had at least one incubator going since Aug 2012, though you would never believe it by the amount of bad incubator eggs I have thrown out. I am sure I could send you a money order or something and trust that you would send the eggs.
Cheri

 

[ceceuu]

Hello, I live in Elbert County. Just got my first chickens in early April from Kiowa feeds. Hubby built a great coop and run for them. I am really loving them! Just wanted to say hi to all my fellow Colorado chicken keepers out there. The girls were in the run for a few hours today when the day was warm. It was so fun watching them - I couldn't tear myself away - it was so nice to be in the beautiful spring weather.

 

[ceceuu]

I've been reading, with interest, all the talk on land/pasture/water, etc. We're looking for land, as well. We've been focused on the Elbert County area, for the most part. The whole well thing has been hard for me to follow. My realtor is trying to help me figure it out. I tell him what I want to do, and he tries to explain the restrictions.

Good to know, though, that 5 or even 10 acres are going to be difficult to support any large breed animals. I don't intend to have many, one or two small breed cows, chickens, maybe goats. Didn't realize 10 Colorado acres wouldn't (might not) support pasturing those.

Are there any areas that are better (more productive) than others? I'm a native East Coaster where 5 acres of pasture is more than enough for a few head of cattle. I still haven't figured Colorado out, yet.

It is not a (might not) - it will not.

 

[Ashdoes]

I think we may have our first broody! Our cochin has been in the nest box every time I check it starting yesterday afternoon. I took her out yesterday and this morning and she goes right back in there. She slept in there last night too. What's funny is this means we have a broody bunny too. That chicken is our rabbit's best friend. She follows her everywhere and cuddles up to sleep with her, even if it's on the roost! This morning I went to check for eggs and found the cochin in the nest box surrounded by rabbit hair! I don't know if she was plucking it from the rabbit for her nest or if the rabbit was plucking it herself. It was obvious the two of them slept together in there.
Too bad we'll be gone this week and already have a million chicks or I'd go get her some cream legbar eggs to sit on!

Let me know if you'd like some when you get back.

 

[ceceuu]

Sadly, most meadows in Colorado are dry pasture land, unless you have water rights and can irrigate. Five acres could be doable with two horses, you would have to limit their time out on pasture, and suppliment feed them every day, and you have decent soil. Grass does not grow well in sandy soil, so check out the soil too. The 40 acres would be ideal for two horses and a small cow, and if you wanted to get goats down the road. Also, different areas in Colorado have different grass growth. Is the land on the side of a hill? Probably most the rain and snow will run off it. Is it bottom land, then most the moisture will stay there. Lots to consider!! You will know when you see it if you really like it or not.

And the pasture grows even less well in clay, which is what we have. We have miniature horses and they are super hard on pasture grass. We have always fed our horses as if they had no pasture. The big horses were on the acre and a half full time for years and they didn't destroy the land. The minis were on it just during theW day for a year and it was nothing but dust!! We replanted and kept them off of it for two years. There is some pasture grass now but they will get to be on it only for a few days a week during growing season only. They're brutal on it!