Colorado

[coloradogal]

There is 6 families in our small group out in Falcon. If anyone is interested for out here. Our little group helped me build my new chicken area. It helps when the people truly love the chickens as we all do.

I just set up another wonderful woman yesterday with her first coop and flock so I guess we are now a group of 7. I gave her my old insulated 4X4 coop, 2 laying hens from my original flock that should help the 3 newer cuckoo maran 10 week old chicks settle in. We are people helping people.

None of us has much experience with illnesses of chickens so can't help there. I'm the one who usually does the nursing of the sick chicks and euthanasia of the ones that can't survive. I can't cull adult chickens and have a hard time still eating the chickens that need eating.

So along the same lines as Mo... if you are out here and don't want to spend the money for gas to go to the Springs, just contact me. The next get together we are doing will to make nesting boxes. We are simple country folk out here so not very rich and not with the best things... but somehow we manage to make what we have work by working together.

 

[wsmith]

Here's a shot of some of the chicks of pen #1, with the EEs, the "breeder" Doms, and the poults in their new coop.

 

[coloradogal]

Do you like using mostly straw? I use mostly wood shavings but sometimes with it being as dry as it is, seems too dusty. What a handsome bunch of feathered babies.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I wonder how many there are in the Johnstown/Milliken area?

Maybe participating in a small group of poultry enthusiasts in my area would be fun.

 

[wsmith]

Do you like using mostly straw? I use mostly wood shavings but sometimes with it being as dry as it is, seems too dusty. What a handsome bunch of feathered babies.

I like straw better in a coop situation, but when I run the brooder in the garage, shavings work well. Just my preference.

Thanks! You can see one of the turkey poults in the lower left of the photo. Pen #2 has 25 hatchery Dominiques and one EE who got through a hole in the wire fence before we got it fixed. I guess she wants to be a Dom.....??

 

[Minchi]

My fathers favorite book growing up is green eggs and ham, and he loves personal gifts. This year for fathers day I want to give him a first edition of the book with 12 green eggs and ham. Is there anyone in or near to Highlands Ranch that could help me?

 

[coloradogal]

Our climate is so much different than other places and that makes doing a search that much more difficult.

I'll try more straw in my next go. I do a deep litter method now and am always amazed at how little my area smells.

I went earlier and couldn't find one of my little girls, 2 weeks old. Finally, I find her under one of my silkies, outside the brood area.

Rock: Find a group of others. I am always amazed at how we help each other. If someone needs fencing, we'll scrounge around from our own stuff to find what's needed. If someone runs out of feed because of life situations, we help each other. If help is needed fixing a coop, we'll put the call out and usually 2 or 3 people will show up. Mostly, it's just nice knowing that if I have to go out of town or on vacation, there is a group of people I can depend upon to chicken sit. I've had someone come over twice to help and have helped out once, we've never lost a chicken. I suspect it has to do with our love of chickens. Only a chicken person understands the importance of getting up at 4:30 during summer to open the doors and put out fresh food and water.

I put in an email to be NPIP certified and am encouraging everyone in our group to also do so. I suspect once I get it done, they will follow suit. Anyone else have any experience here?

 

[wsmith]

Our plan is to be NPIP certified, but after we cull this fall. No point inspecting birds that aren't going to be staying around...

And NOW my daughters (16 & 20) are saying that they REALLY like the turkey poults, and maybe we should't process them this fall. They say MAYBE we should keep and breed them and get more turkey poults from them next spring......... and eat those instead!

KIDS!

 

[wsmith]

Here in the Midway area west of I-25 we have a small group (3 or 4) of folks who we are friends with who also keep chickens that we also interact with. I wonder if they would like to be part of a larger group.....

One of them had a 6 ft bull snake eat 7 eggs Saturday morning. The snake was so full it couldn't move. BTW, her DH "took care of it". It won't be back to steal more eggs.

 

[wsmith]

Rock Home Isle,

I didn't know you were a turkey guru....