Colorado

[21hens-incharge]

LS,

We got there just shortly after 8 am. DH is on call this weekend and the ladies were harder to load than I thought. We were on the West end with the blue two tone old truck and 2 wood and wire crates I built, and a carrier on the tailgate too.
I did not get to walk through the sale until after 9 am. There were some people just to the East of us with a pretty Muskovie (sp) duck. Across from them was the fellow with all the buff brahmas.
You must have left before we got there. I would have seen your dog for sure. (I am a sucker for the large breed dogs and would of had to pet the pooch)

 

[Ashdoes]

Hey @21hens-incharge
, I was at the TSC swap with my big Anatolian Shepard right at the beginning. I had hoped to pick you out, meet you and say hi... Couldn't determine if you were there or who you were. Oh well... Sorry you didn't have a successful sale. After that, I brought the dog home then went to the goat show up at the boulder county fairgrounds. I want some, but property isn't set up for them yet... Next spring for sure!

@Ashdoes
, that deck looks like it's gonna be awesome! Def gonna need that shade though! Curious... is it attached to the house or free standing? I need/want to move someplace where I don't have politician/busybodies telling what I can & can't do, where/what/how I can and can't build, and CHARGING me for the "privilege" of being able to do what I want on my property with my belongings... GGGgrrrrrrr....

Its a floating deck, unattached to the house. We didn't have to do footings, but we all felt more comfortable putting them in. The inspector was saying we could just build it right on the ground, given the height, but I didn't like that idea at all. We saved at least 350 not having to get permits, but then some of that is reduced if you have receipts? It's all very confusing and I agree that paying someone to "allow" me to build on my property, is ridiculous. We happen to also have a POA and had to show them what we planned to build, but they don't charge me, and generally don't care what we do.
We've saved thousands building it ourselves, and then our military discount at Lowes. I even found that one of the composite decking materials I prefer is now available at Lowes, and I'm pretty excited about that.

 

[Latestarter]

Yeah 21... I got there right at about 7 and was gone by 7:30... I wanted to run by the vets and get a weight on the pup, and they opened at 8. I had to wait ~ 15 minutes for them to open after I got there. When I was there, it was mostly folks setting up to sell more than buyers. There were a few lookers, but I didn't see anything getting sold while I was there.

My dog Mel got a lot of attention. He really likes the ladies

I'm sure had you been there he would have gone right up to you and leaned against you to "protect" you

Sorry I missed you. I really wanted to get to the goat show. That was a higher priority as I really want to buy a few.

 

[21hens-incharge]

LOL I have a way with animals. I know he and I would have been buddies. Our friends calf that does not like people came right up to me and hung out with me. He thought it was odd but, hey, I thought it was just as it should be. Nothing wrong with animals knowing when someone is a friend right off.
Been that way my whole life too. Critters that would normally tear into a stranger come right up and want petted and loved on. Weird to some but not to me.

I had to stay clear of the American Bulldogs puppies while I was there or we would have had to get one or two. LOL

Maybe in the future we can trade my broody hens for your non broody BA's.
(Provided I have some that will be broody in the young group. My others are getting on in age.)

 

[Latestarter]

LOL... I'm kinda like that w/animals too. For the most part, they seem to like me, which I'm pretty pleased with

Though I'm not fond of cats, the friendly ones get my attention too. Visited my neighbor and his anti social goat came right up to me and started sniffing my hand then let me give her a scratch behind the ears.

I only have one broody BA, and I keep pushing her out of the nest box because the last time she let me down. Seems she only stays broody for about 2 weeks at a time then gives up for a month, then the cycle starts again. This time she left after only about a week or so. She's off the nest right now. I'm a little surprised at the size of most of my hatchery breeds... when I bought DP LFs, I expected large birds... Over 1/2 of my birds to me, seem more like bantams... they do NOT have much meat on them, and they are NOT very big at all. Most of them I can pick up and hold by the chest/breast in the palm of my hand... A couple of my BA's seem not much bigger than a large crow! Most don't even weigh 5 pounds (never actually weighed... just by feel).

Oh well... I'm not to the point of eating them (yet) anyway. I guess I can separate them and fatten them up before slaughter. Well, another nice day has begun. Too wet to finish mowing yet. Guess I can/should find something productive to do before it gets too hot.

Hope everyone is enjoying this nice weather!

 

[21hens-incharge]

LS,
Yes some of the hatchery BA's I have had are on the small side of things. I have one that is 5 years old and still weighs only 4 pounds. Little gal and broody as all get out too. Lays a nice big egg when not broody so that is ok.
Yes it is a lovely day out so far. So much to do..... feeding and watering is already done (at 5 am). I need to work on more nest boxes due to 6 boxes and 5 broodies, poison some impossible weeds in my flower bed very carefully, make a bucket feeder, look at the feed store for water nipples and if they have some make a bucket waterer, and of course all the inside chores yet await my attention. I have been reading and reading about the bucket feeders and nipple waterers. I either have to make something or dump some cash and buy waterers. I am getting tired of carrying 5 gallons of water every morning and again in the heat of the day.
Nest year if I can thin the flock down enough I would like to try and have a broody hatch some eggs for me. I cannot seem to find BA's when I have room for them.
If my Brahma's prove to be the broody type and the bantam cochins are doing their thing I should be able to get someone to hatch some out.

My neighbor that hunts all the time said he would help me with the older chickens and processing them since the next butcher date available is in July and I cannot wait til then. Gotta love good neighbors. I give him eggs, cakes and green chili when I make it. He brings me game meat and believe it or not he makes jam. I am going to be giving him a bunch of raspberries this year, he will make jam and bring some to me. Super great neighbor.

I think today would be a good day to give the ladies a watermelon. Gonna be a warm day.

 

[uzisuzuki]

Today, I did a little experiment with the Sebright/Polish mixes & their parents by letting them all out to free range together. Probably not surprising to everyone here, but there was zero fighting between the parents & children! Everyone managed to remain civil & wander the area around the pen (& eat my sunflower sprouts). I'm still a few weeks off from trying to get them together in the pen, but today felt like a success.

I was at the TSC later in the day & totally missed you, @21hens-incharge! My dad & I showed up after the swap was over. I'm sorry it wasn't a trip worth the effort to get there. :/

 

[COChix]

@21hens-incharge I did sell 16 egg layers through CL. We charged $20 a bird if people took multiple birds or $25 if they took a single bird. I had 12 responses to my add by the end of the first day it was posted. I met one guy at Safeway, the other two people came to our property. One was from this thread and the Free Range eggs business who picked up 9 birds. I had zero issues, but it is also smart to be cautious when posting on Craigslist. All of our birds sold were 1 year old egg layers. I did not allow anyone into the chicken area or pens and I collected all the birds and brought them to their vehicles. I did have the free range eggs business try to negotiate me down but I stood firm, they are 1 year old layers and in their prime! Anyway that was my experience.

We got back from Mexico yesterday, we went to Cabo for a destination wedding. Man it was so pretty were we stayed and it had a private beach. It was a VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) for a wedding party of 22 people. It was fun and of course I love the beach and ocean! Our 8 weeks old seem huge and Mamacita and her babies changed so much in 5 days. We have been having our 15 - 8 week olds and Mamacita and her three in the small coop and run while everyone grows out. When we were gone we split our run in half so the adult flock could have part of the run and the littles and Mamcita have been co existing. She has sort of adopted the Fiesty Fifteen, she allows them to eat from her beak and they come over to her when she is calling the babies for food. It is all pretty flipping g cute! They all sleep in the small coops nest box. Next step is the Fiesty Fifteens integration with the adult flock. I am attempting that tomorrow when everyone is free ranging. Mamacita and the chicks will remain in the run and using the small coop, while her chicks grow and feather out. I don't really know what to expect from the adult flock as while we were gone some of the Littles crawled under the fencing that divides the run and ended up in the adult flock side and nothing happened. One of the young males of the Fiesty Fifteen is starting his crow, seems early to me at 8 weeks. Not sure how papa is going to react to that. I am prepared for the worst mental but am optimistic that it will work out until the young males start to come of age. At that point they will be processed. That is our current plan and approach.

Edited due to my spelling errors!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I was out paying the usual bills and a stop at the feed store today and may have some interest in the chicks. One fellow that works at the feed store bought chicks from there and ended up with mostly roosters. (He bought sexed chicks and had 4 males out of 6 chicks) He lives quite close to us and may want some of the little gals I have. The other bill paying place the gal that works there knows someone looking for started pullets so I guess there is hope.

I found Jenny all plucked again this afternoon.

Poor girl was just getting her headdress back too.
I think if I end up keeping the polish they will have their own space inside the main coop. The bantams will just have to get along with the huge Brahmas.

Uzi,
I am sorry we missed each other on swap day. It mainly was not worth the trip because of putting the girls through the truck ride. I am fond of all my chickens and hated the thought of them being wind blown in the back. They were covered quite well so no one was damaged by the ordeal.
I am glad your littles are getting along ok with the parent birds.

Cochix,
I am still trying to sell some without the craigs thing but I think if push comes to shove I will have to use it. So far there is some interest at least. Oh and at Bomgaars they said that people ask if anyone knows of someone selling started pullets every day so I will put a flier up there.

I think if anyone wants to come here to see the birds I will have my dogs in the dog side of the yard while they are here as well as having another human with me. I know my dogs would jump the divider fence if there was a problem. (short fence and big dogs lol)

Well I best go get supper started.

 

[COChix]

@uzisuzuki glad "Meet The Parent's Day" went well for you, how fun and they look so big now!

@Percheron chick how did your broody do with the rest of her hatch?