Consolidated Kansas

[sharol]

Sharol, I wouldn't cull those guys just yet if you can find a place to keep them. People are going to be looking for a good cockerel in just a few weeks for breeding. Trying to find a nice sussex cockerel is nearly impossible.

Define "a few weeks" The only place I have for them is the hoop. It is 4x9 total. The run is about 4x5.5 and the coop on the end is the rest. It is secure, and the little coop part should be ok for them. With just the 2 of them, there is plenty of room.

I was thinking about leaving them in jail for a couple of days and then giving them another chance when the rest of the flock is out in the yard. They keep pestering my smallest hen -- she is the one Red mauled a couple of months ago and I have a hensaver saddle on her to let the wound in her back fully heal. She is small and still not quite 100%. I threw a snow ball at one of the ss guys yesterday when he kept chasing her. Jake tries to protect his hens, but he has his "hands" full with these guys. Hormones on feet.

You are the expert. Do these guys qualify as "nice Sussex" breeding stock? I think they are gorgeous, but I don't know much about standards.

 

[chicken danz]

Sharol those guys are beyond nice. But no, I'm far from expert!! Their spotting is over the top for a sussex rooster. The only fault I see is the white tail feathers. They might in fact grow out of those but for show prospects that would be a down grade. I must say I am really pleased how they turned out. It reaffirms my breeding was on track. You very rarely find good spotting on a sussex rooster like that.
The one in the top picture has the best markings in my opinion.
Weeks is defined by what ever our weather does and when people get the I want chicks fever. I'm sending you a pm which might help you.

 

[Trish44]

danz when the roosters molt they may lose those white feathers. It seems like most of them have some at least to start with. They do have really nice markings though. I only have the one pair for breeders right now, I need some more pullets.

 

[milomac]

merry xmas all

 

[chicken danz]

Glad you posted Milomac. Haven't heard from you in awhile. There are so many people who have been absent recently. I'm hoping shortly that posts pick up. After the first of the year I think people will start looking for chicks....dependant on weather. Which also reminds me it's time for the mailbox to be filled with spring catalogs too. Since we haven't seen the sun here in what seems like forever I would welcome something that reminds me of sunny skies.

 

[milomac]

sunny skies are nice but this old boy would prefer drizzle to ice or snow. I read every day but my life is more boring. I have taken 6 showgirls and 6 laying hens into winter and all are doing well

 

[chicken danz]

Milomac you don't have to talk about chickens. Heavens we talk about just about everything here.
I have a terrible case of SADD. Always have had. I need sunshine. I hate cold and snow and ice but I hate dreary weather in general. It makes me stress eat and get depressed. Not to mention it makes this old body of mine ache. If we got just one day I could get out and not freeze and feel the sunshine would do wonders for me.
This house is so dark compared to other homes I've had. I think that makes it that much worse. I added two french doors to bring in more light but it's still too dark in here for my tastes. Some day when I figure out how to pay for it I am adding a sunroom. I guarantee I will be in there 90% I am inside.

 

[Trish44]

Well I'm not winning this battle with my knee. Every time I think it's getting better I get set back. I overdid it the other day & have been suffering with it swelling & hurting the last 3 days. I was hoping it would just heal on it's own but I may end up having to go get it checked out after the first of the year. I so hope I don't have to have another knee surgery, that will really start my year off wrong. Next year needs to be better.

 

[StinkyChicken]

It’s the crazy season again. There is too much to do and no daylight to do it in. My hens are happy that the snow is gone. Two days in the coop because of two inches of snow. LOL…. It may be a long winter for them.

I have a question. Why is it that my favorite chicken is the one that doesn’t do what she is supposed to do? But she does it in a nice way. LOL… My daughter and I were out in the barn cleaning stalls and my white Easter Egger slips thru the fence walks in the barn and “helps” us clean, inspecting every scoop. She is so helpful.

Happy Holidays everyone.

 

[Ralph Moyer]

Stinky Chicken, you are uncovering tasty morsels she can not otherwise get. I sometime spade up some ground in their lot and they all try to get at what I have uncovered.