Colorado

[Percheron chick]

May 10th is the RM pheasant and waterfowl (chickens too) swap at the co-op.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Found the ad if anyone is interested.

http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/grd/4975130709.html

I will do my best to be at this one and will be bringing some of the following
Dark Brahma will be 10 weeks at time of swap
Partridge rock will be about 9 weeks
Iowa Blue will be about 8 weeks

I have not entirely decided on the others I will be bringing but may include the Buff Laced Polish.

 

[coop410silkies]

For whatever reason, it doesn't seem like there has been many chicks for sale on CL.  Even if they're S/R, you should be able to sell them.  If you can wait and grow them out to almost POL, you can easily sell them for $20 each.  

  So what's your current set up and what are your goals?  We're usually more than happy to spend your money, err help you.  How many coops, # of birds, # of breeds...

Thanks for the tip, Percheron. I have listed on Craig's List, once, for Heritage SS, $3 each, SR; one person answered, with no follow up. Will try again, I guess, and go to one of the swaps - I think there is one in Brighton, maybe Loveland, too. I have a layer flock - RIRs, BRs, BAs, hatchery SS, and mutts - numbering about 20, in a 8x10 old plywood coop; I have another 3 temporary pens, with simple open hoop structures and huge deck boxes; one pen uses a Suncast horizontal shed (for trash barrels) to serve as a coop, and one larger hoop coop (7x7x12) made of billboard tarp, ply wood, 1/2 electrical PVC, and treated 2x4s. This last is for the roosters I'm saving for breeding; the hoop coop pens house Light Sussex (11), Speckled Sussex ((4), and SS offspring from last year (4). there is another breeding pen of 2 SS, and at least 7 SS are roosters hanging out wherever they can find a niche (one stayed in my basement for a couple of weeks). So that makes a total of 48 chickens. Do Silkies count? I have 4 Roos and 6 hens of those, plus 4 of their chicks.(they just multiply). The hens collect huge numbers of their eggs and brood them together in a small dogloo, even as I pen. Do chicks count? I have 7 SS chicks and 19 LS chicks. My ultimate goal is to establish a good line of Heritage SS in Northern Colorado. Was going to do LS, too, but the SS are handful enough. I have decent breeding stock and hope to set up at least three breeding pens and some grow out pens this spring - to see who is producing "what." I need to make my current shelters larger (my LS choose to all sleep together in one large deck box - 3 big cockerels and 8 largish hens. Maybe OK for cold winter, but they are about to be separated.). 2 of my LS hens are brooding in a large deck box they all use for nesting, and I need to provide another deck box for nesting. And I need to set up a good brooder (to get the kids OUTSIDE). I use those horizontal drinkers for waterers. I can mount them in recyclable (Farmers) milk jugs - gallon or half-gallon - and the chicks LOVE to use them - no mess, no fuss. They work well in buckets - or any other sturdy container. The nipples don't freeze when the water is kept heated in the winter. I would like to learn how to use poultry netting and will be reading up on this. I need help with setting up free standing roosts. Ideas anyone? I read almost continuously. Am currently working on incubator issues discovered in HAL. (11 out 70 hatched). By the time I've written this much, I realize I should have taken pictures. Will do that next time. Have lots of pictorial issues. Thanks so much.

 

[Percheron chick]

It sounds like you are hoping to start all over and put some flow and purpose into the build, I have a stack of prebuilt trusses (maybe 7' with a 2' pitch) that I paid about $2 each for at Centennial's equipment auction (FC). One day I'll build them a proper coop and move them out of the barn. I think they have one coming up mid May. Cheaper than buying a single 2x4. They are usually odd sizes, strange roof pitches or warped but with some basic building skills you can get a good sized coop up quickly They often have garage size trusses too.
These were some I sold on CL but you get the idea. You also sound like you need to simplify chores. Are you on the Weld or Larimer side? Please say Weld.

It's nice you are doing SS. Not a breed you see much of around here. If you are going big, there was a guy in Parker that had older battery brooders on CL. I resisted the urge to call so I don't know what he wanted. New they run over 1K. There is also a guy in Longmont that regularly has free shipping crates that would make great brooders.

 

[coop410silkies]

It sounds like you are hoping to start all over and put some flow and purpose into the build, I have a stack of prebuilt trusses (maybe 7' with a 2' pitch) that I paid about $2 each for at Centennial's equipment auction (FC). One day I'll build them a proper coop and move them out of the barn. I think they have one coming up mid May. Cheaper than buying a single 2x4. They are usually odd sizes, strange roof pitches or warped but with some basic building skills you can get a good sized coop up quickly They often have garage size trusses too. These were some I sold on CL but you get the idea. You also sound like you need to simplify chores. Are you on the Weld or Larimer side? Please say Weld. It's nice you are doing SS. Not a breed you see much of around here. If you are going big, there was a guy in Parker that had older battery brooders on CL. I resisted the urge to call so I don't know what he wanted. New they run over 1K. There is also a guy in Longmont that regularly has free shipping crates that would make great brooders.

Oops, Larimer. What's wrong with Larimer? I've been here for only 2 years, moved from Boulder. Thanks for the tips on brooders. I'm almost impoverished, and my chickens are doing their parts to help keep me that way. Yes, I guess I am hoping to put some flow and purpose into my structures, and yes, I am always trying to find ways to simplify chores. That's a good way to phrase it, because it helps me to organize my thinking. I will try to find the guy with shipping crates in Longmont - because I'm going to try to stay small. I would like to see some breeders' set ups and know if I can do this without a huge investment. I don't have many building skills, but I have a friend that does if he is given a printed plan or design. We are often challenged. Thanks again.

 

[lisan1984]

So I had posted this once before, but i hadn't hatched anything yet. I actually live in SLC and I'm trying to get some different breeds that are more on the rare side and BCM or colored egg layers, but I thought It would be cool to trade, so for instance... I ship you my chick's that we agreed upon and vice versa. No money exchange, the only thing out of pocket is shipping/box. I have a hatch tomorrow that has silkies, sizzles, B/B/S orpington, dutch bantam, and a few other bantams that I don't know what my partner may want to keep.
Next week I have dutch bantams, heritage turkeys, call ducks (bantam ducks) and Barnyard mixed ducks. Let me know if this interests you at all. Thanks Lisa

 

[uzisuzuki]

Thanks again for all the comments on my chicks! And hello to all the new people! Holy smokes - I take 1 day off the boards to catch up on artwork & finish marathon watching Daredevil & the thread gets almost 4 new pages! Maybe I'll get to see some of you at the TSC swap next month! My mom bought the 2 cutest bunnies at the one they had earlier this month & there were quite a few sellers there with a lot of different animals.

I found out today that I'm moving too slow on building my new coop & my dad needs a project, so he's apparently going to start building the coop. LOL I mean, I'm happy someone who knows what they're doing is going to do it since I've never built a housing structure & I'm still pretty physically handicapped when it comes to something like that, but I have a feeling I will not be getting the look I want. I was told I could still paint it the way I want. I told my mom, it just needs good ventilation & lots of roosting space since I won't be making 2 separate flocks anymore (unless 1 or more of these current chicks is a rooster, then I'll probably make a separate pen for them), so hopefully she'll be able to tell my dad that while he's working on it. As long as it's large enough for all the chickens, I can live with design compromises. Maybe.

Arya & Toki have been getting a little too cheeky with the mohawk twins since they're more accessible in the dog crate, so I think I'll look for another large plastic tote after work tomorrow. I'll have to skip lunches for the rest of the month, but I'd feel better not giving the dogs the ability to snap at a chick sticking its head through the bars of the crate. The dogs behave when I'm there to remind them to behave, but there's always the off chance they'll try something when I'm not paying attention.

I keep trying to get a picture that shows how much larger the Blue is compared to the Blue Red, but that little dude does not want to hold still!

 

[COChix]

Welcome to all the newbies! Hope you all enjoy your chickens and not sure who said it, but I agree, EVERYONE NEEDS CHICKENS! Coop410 you had me rolling when you where recounting how many chickens you have. Seems like you are starting huge comparatively to others. That is cool you are breeding the SS, don't know much about them. There are several of us interested in raising the Heritage breeds and to actually eventually breed them as well. I think Percheron chick was implying you would be better off being in Larimer County not Weld.

I might have a lead on some BCM hatching eggs, since getting some from my neighbor didn't work. Like my BF said, I have to get through my first hatch before I go planning to hatch more. I was like "What?"

 

[TDog77]

Looking for some 4h/show Dominiques and OEG's for next years fair!


Anyone out here in my home state that can be of assistance in finding some 4h/County fair show quality Old English Game and Dominique's for a late summer or fall acquisition. My kids are getting heavily involved in the local 4h club and activities and for next years show both my boys have decided to enter chickens and they have picked the aforementioned breeds. In about a month we will have some Dominique's and another month some OEG's but I don't expect either to be of "show" quality so I want to not wait until the last minute to get things lined up for this fall to acquire some new genetics. Even if I do end up with some fantastic breeder birds we will be looking to add to the flock by then anyways from culling, eating etc and wan't to get a spot in line now. I will also post in the main section but would love to stay local if possible. Thanks, Travis.

 

[COChix]

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Saw this today and boy does it have a lot of potential for a great coop. If anyone wants a good read and ideas for their coops check out Aart's coop here on BYC.

http://boulder.craigslist.org/grd/4950748726.html

This one won't last I am sure.
http://boulder.craigslist.org/grd/4950415907.html


I have a question for those that ferment their feed, at what age can I start the baby chicks on it? I have forgotten this detail, just trying to plan ahead a bit for a brooder and such. I definitely want to start the FF with chicks asap as it gets rid of pasty butt. Thanks