Consolidated Kansas

[Prairie Fleur]

Sorry for your loss Prarie fleur

Aw thanks!!! It's tough but you try to deal and learn from it, I guess.

 

[MrsProf]

Ran into a fellow 4H mom at the gas station before work and she told me she has heard rumors that we may not be able to show poultry this year.
I get the concern, really I do. But my boys will be very disappointed if that's the case. We have never had a problem at our small county fair with anyone bringing in sick animals but I guess all it take is one to wipe out someone's whole flock.
I guess we'll keep an eye on the situation and maybe set up a separate pen for anyone we take to the fair, to quarantine them when we get back home.

My youngest got into the brooder yesterday afternoon, after school and sat down with scratch on his knee to see if they would climb on him. What a goober! By the time he got out they were scampering all over him, I wish I'd taken a picture or video!

 

[chicken danz]

Southeast Kansas checking in, first post here, first year chicken keeper. The information found here is huge, it's been really helpful.

Welcome to our group. Glad to have you. Where are you located?

How long does a broody generally raise her chicks for? Friday and Saturday they will turn 3 weeks old already!

Prairie Fleur. sorry to hear about your goat It's never a easy thing!

I've seen every thing from 5 or 6 weeks to full grown. You just never know.
Quote:

I made it outside today in the cold and damp and worked in the garden. Had a nephew come over to help me, which was so very sweet of him. I made a very respectable dent in the weeds but it started to rain around 1 so had to quit. Felt good to get a bit done and the garden is right next to the chicken's yard so it was all good entertainment and nice to have a good chat with my nephew.

From my latest batch of chicks hatched, I ended up with 7 Buff Sussex/Aloha and/or Buff Sussex/Speckled Sussex crosses to use in the Aloha program. I'm really happy with that number. The only survivor from the last hatch is a Buff Sussex/Speckled Sussex cross. I'm working on getting a Mille Fleur Sussex to cross with the Aloha chicks I will be hatching in the next month or so. My best Aloha hen is only 4 lbs so I'm using the crosses from my Buff Sussex (10 lb) to bring up size. We're shooting for a hen in the 5 lb range. I have one chick that looks to be a possible Mille Fleur Sussex but it will be a couple months before I really know what I have with any of them.

Pretty excited about moving forward with the program after losing all those Speckled chicks last year to some unknown malady. I feel really good about the health of the chicks since all of the breeders are 2+ years old and proven to be hardy birds. Speckled Sussex are notoriously difficult to get started. I have some Speckled and Light Sussex coming from Walt'z Ark next week, so I'm pretty stoked about that. The Buff Sussex I got from them were super healthy so I'm hoping for the same luck with their Speckleds. I just love the round shape of the Sussex, they are so cute they make me laugh just looking at them. Especially when they come running for treats.

Glad you had a good hatch. It's hard for me to imagine a small bird any more since I've been breeding for size. Except the Araucanas and the Breda fowl which are tiny birds in comparison. I increased the size of the sussex and now have some awesome sized birds.
Deerfield, I think you should consider breeding in one of my jubilee orpingtons into the your group. The markings are perfect for your project and they would probably greatly increase the size. I saved one rooster because he was very heavily mottled... not because that was what most breed for but because the mottling can be sued for other projects. He has produced some offspring that would really benefit you. As always I have too many cockerels. Maybe you could pick up some turkey poults at the same time!

Quote: Well keep in mind it is just rumors. The AI surfaced during the spring migration and there hasn't been any more positives in Kansas since then. Fall migration has a possibility of bringing in some new cases but I would think all would be fine for the fair season. People often guess that things could happen and through the rumor mill it becomes a threat. I don't see it happening in reality unless some misinformed person makes that decision. Any bird with AI would be apparent and no sick bird should ever be allowed to be shown in the first place. AI will kill a chicken within a couple days.

Ran into a fellow 4H mom at the gas station before work and she told me she has heard rumors that we may not be able to show poultry this year.
I get the concern, really I do. But my boys will be very disappointed if that's the case. We have never had a problem at our small county fair with anyone bringing in sick animals but I guess all it take is one to wipe out someone's whole flock.
I guess we'll keep an eye on the situation and maybe set up a separate pen for anyone we take to the fair, to quarantine them when we get back home.

My youngest got into the brooder yesterday afternoon, after school and sat down with scratch on his knee to see if they would climb on him. What a goober! By the time he got out they were scampering all over him, I wish I'd taken a picture or video!

Quote:

Prairie you have the worst luck. I know you hate using antibiotics or other chemicals but sometimes they just become necessary.

I'm glad you like the sussex. I've had great luck with this years hatches. I've got tons of them now. I need to choose a few pullets for myself. My girls are starting to get some age on them. Poor Zig had terrible luck with his and then they turned out to be cockerels. Thanks to Trish maybe I can help him find some pullets to start over with.
It's been pouring again here this morning. I am so done with rain. The worst part about it is people who don't have livestock to care for are bored and can't so things so they call and want to talk for hours. My work still exists even if it is raining. I wish they could understand. I don't mind hearing from people but I don't have hours to talk like they do.

 

[Ron Rose]

Our first broody hen hatched her first 2 chicks today. How exciting she still has 2 eggs left to hatch.

 

[josey8]

How do I tell if my eggs are close to hatching besides seeing cracking in the egg today is day 21 that the hen has been on them and I see nothing but maybe a few stress cracks

 

[chicken danz]

Our first broody hen hatched her first 2 chicks today. How exciting she still has 2 eggs left to hatch.

Congrats on the babies.

How do I tell if my eggs are close to hatching besides seeing cracking in the egg today is day 21 that the hen has been on them and I see nothing but maybe a few stress cracks

If the cracks go around the egg they are probably a chick working it's way out. If they are up and down or angled it is probably a broken egg that is no good. Be patient. You will hear peeping when they are hatched.

 

[MrsProf]

How do I tell if my eggs are close to hatching besides seeing cracking in the egg today is day 21 that the hen has been on them and I see nothing but maybe a few stress cracks

Day 21 is just an average, sometimes they hatch sooner sometimes later. I would look through this article from the learning center: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks
it has lots of good info.

 

[ashncarson]

How do I tell if my eggs are close to hatching besides seeing cracking in the egg today is day 21 that the hen has been on them and I see nothing but maybe a few stress cracks

My broody eggs hatched 24 hours apart from each other. at 8pm there was nothing happening and at 7 am there was a chick.

 

[Ron Rose]

Does anyone have Blue Heelers? If so how do they do with free range chickens? I am looking for a dog to help protect the chickens during the day while we are gone. A friend of mine just had a litter of pups.

 

[chicken danz]

Does anyone have Blue Heelers? If so how do they do with free range chickens? I am looking for a dog to help protect the chickens during the day while we are gone. A friend of mine just had a litter of pups.

Don't do it. Healers are herding dogs- not protecting dogs. I'm not saying that once in a while a healer won't be fine with chickens but it's not their normal nature. Great Pyrenees is my favorite, but you can get Anatolian, Akbash, or a few others that will do very well. Read up or ask questions before you buy a pup.