Consolidated Kansas

[sharol]

I'm not Danz, but these are chicks hatched from her eggs last summer.









I have 4 pullets that are about 40 weeks old give or take, and I'm getting at least 3 eggs a day from them. I also have 4 pullets that are about 8 weeks younger that are giving me 2 or so a day. The older birds' eggs are all in the extra large weights, and the younger ones are large by weight.

I LOVE my English orps. They are the absolute best yard art there is. They have those wonderful fluffy buts and are charming to watch. They were broody raised, so they aren't particularly tame, but they come when called and follow me to the run (for treats of course).

The pictures are of a Black, a Jubilee and a black, the other Jubilee, and a Mottle and a White. The blues were beautiful, but I had a blue roo and sold the trio, the same with the chocolates -- I sold a pair of them earlier -- wish I had kept the hens, but that would have meant butchering the cockerels, probably.

You can't go wrong with Danz's English Orps.

 

[Prairie Fleur]

I'm not Danz, but these are chicks hatched from her eggs last summer. I have 4 pullets that are about 40 weeks old give or take, and I'm getting at least 3 eggs a day from them. I also have 4 pullets that are about 8 weeks younger that are giving me 2 or so a day. The older birds' eggs are all in the extra large weights, and the younger ones are large by weight. I LOVE my English orps. They are the absolute best yard art there is. They have those wonderful fluffy buts and are charming to watch. They were broody raised, so they aren't particularly tame, but they come when called and follow me to the run (for treats of course). The pictures are of a Black, a Jubilee and a black, the other Jubilee, and a Mottle and a White. The blues were beautiful, but I had a blue roo and sold the trio, the same with the chocolates -- I sold a pair of them earlier -- wish I had kept the hens, but that would have meant butchering the cockerels, probably. You can't go wrong with Danz's English Orps.

Thanks, Sharol!! I'm thinking they may be a good fit for my nephews along with some of Danz' Speckled Sussex. My SS roo is big enough to take on my biggest peacock but he's never ever been aggressive to us. With a first or second grader gathering eggs every morning I don't want any chance of an aggressive roo to hurt him or scare him. Decent feed to egg ratio is fairly important too.

 

[lizzyGSR]

@lizzyGSR I'm excited for you, can't wait to see pics of the chicks you get! I hatch a lot of chicks but I just never get tired of looking at them.

I went out & did just a few things yesterday & came in exhausted. It's going to take awhile to get all of my strength & endurance back after this surgery. It just seems to sap your energy. Until then I have to just do a little at a time & take it easy.

I'm pretty excited too! 10 (or maybe 11 days) 'till they get here! I talked to the postmaster today, so she knows we're expecting chicks. The coop is almost ready! I picked up chick feed and wood shavings at Orscheln's today.

I understand about the lack of strength and endurance! I am still feeling the effects of my car accident (1/13/2016). I don't know about you, but I'm tired of taking it easy, but I don't really have a choice! Your injury from the surgery is probably worse than mine, so I can only imagine how frustrated you must be! I hope you heal quickly!

 

[chicken danz]

Big birds are big eaters but I haven't noticed the orps eating more than the smaller breeds. My brahmas seem to eat a little more or make a bigger mess with it, if anyone can tell the difference. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to just settle for some birds to lay some eggs but I like hatching too much.
I tried to trade some birds for some hay today to feed my geese, but he didn't have the hay I needed. I wanted some clover or alfalfa or some seedy brome. I thought if I got them some thing greenish to eat it might give the grass a chance to come up. I guess I'll just buy some if I can find any.
Prairie I don't think I have any birds that wouldn't do well with kids. I picked my birds with a calm attitude in mind. The araucanas are higher strung but they are just funny to watch but not at all aggressive. All the others can be lap birds easily. And I've literally gotten two eggs in one day out of some young pullets from time to time. I believe the English orpingtons lay far better than the American ones. I've had both and there really is a world of difference in them.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Trish and Lizzy hope you both feel better soon. So this weekend project is completed Chicken tunnels from the garage coop to their chicken yard. At this point its a straight from point A to point B but after they and we get use to these then we will get all fancy with a running track of tunnels and straw bales.

 

[lizzyGSR]

Trish and Lizzy hope you both feel better soon. So this weekend project is completed Chicken tunnels from the garage coop to their chicken yard. At this point its a straight from point A to point B but after they and we get yard to these then we will get all fancy with a running track of tunnels and straw bales.

Very nice! Thanks for the action shots! A friend and I were just talking about chicken tunnels earlier today. My friend's chickens have to stay locked up for their own protection (hawks), so she wants to make chunnels through her garden so her chickens can help with weed and bug control. Yours look great!

Quick question... what are the straw bales for in connection with the chicken tunnels?

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Lizzy,
I want to try my hand at using the Straw Bales for my veggies and herb garden this year and I plan to turn my chicken tunnels into an English garden and use the straw bales around the tunnels this would serve many purposes 1.) The straw bales will act like wind breaks 2.) The chickens can self harvest from their side of the bales, 3.) Using the chicken droppings to help grow the veggies 4.) Make shade for the chickens as they play in the tunnel 5.) The chickens will be able to eat the bugs and weeds off the straw bales therefore keeping my veggies and herbs healthy 6.) It will hopefully look pretty

 

[Prairie Fleur]

Big birds are big eaters but I haven't noticed the orps eating more than the smaller breeds. My brahmas seem to eat a little more or make a bigger mess with it, if anyone can tell the difference. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to just settle for some birds to lay some eggs but I like hatching too much.
I tried to trade some birds for some hay today to feed my geese, but he didn't have the hay I needed. I wanted some clover or alfalfa or some seedy brome. I thought if I got them some thing greenish to eat it might give the grass a chance to come up.  I guess I'll just buy some if I can find any.
Prairie I don't think I have any birds that wouldn't do well with kids. I picked my birds with a calm attitude in mind. The araucanas are higher strung but they are just funny to watch but not at all aggressive. All the others can be lap birds easily. And I've literally gotten two eggs in one day out of some young pullets from time to time. I believe the English orpingtons lay far better than the American ones. I've had both and there really is a world of difference in them.

I think I definitely need to get some English orps and SS for my nephews and maybe a couple Araucanas for interest and blue eggs. The problem is, those boys get so dreadfully attached to their chickens and they already have a wonderful rooster to guard the flock; they'll have a dreadful time if they have more Roos because they won't want to get rid of the extras and they really don't need more than one. Here's why: My brother in law told me that they'd had a broody hen. She's smaller than the rest and one day when they broke water for the chickens and all the big ones were getting a drink, Miss Broody hopped off the nest to get one too. The bigger hens all tried to chase her off until the rooster stepped in, pushed them all away from the water dish and stood there protectively until Miss Broody was done drinking. they've got a gem of a rooster and I don't want anything to happen to him. Another bonus is that he's very gentle and take around people.

I've been wishing for some BBS Cochins for myself but haven't had much luck finding any so far. Oh well, don't know if I really Need to add another breed right now anyway. I'm expecting coronation Sussex eggs this spring and hoping to add to the breeds I already have.

 

[HEChicken]

Howdy everyone! I'm just stopping in real quick to say "hi" to those I haven't talked to in awhile. I haven't been doing much with poultry lately as I've been focusing my efforts on other endeavors. I still have all my birds - they just haven't been a big focus for me for awhile. However it is almost spring and I'm starting work on some project birds again. The incubator is running, the coop got a total clean out yesterday, and my first broody hen of the season started sitting. She doesn't have eggs to sit on but she'll sit on air

The past two years I was worn out by broodies taking up every available space in the coop. The bantams trigger the LF to start brooding and even hatchery birds of breeds that shouldn't brood, were flipping on me. So this year I decided to preempt that and move the bantams to my hoop coop where they can brood to their heart's content. I'm hoping this will reduce the number of LF birds who go broody in the main coop this year, but we'll see. The broody bird yesterday was one of the bantams and she was NOT happy about being moved but once she adjusts she'll go back to being broody and at that point I can give her some actual eggs to sit on - something I can't do easily in the main coop.

Anyway, I hope everyone is well and staying out of trouble!

 

[sharol]

Howdy everyone! I'm just stopping in real quick to say "hi" to those I haven't talked to in awhile. I haven't been doing much with poultry lately as I've been focusing my efforts on other endeavors. I still have all my birds - they just haven't been a big focus for me for awhile. However it is almost spring and I'm starting work on some project birds again. The incubator is running, the coop got a total clean out yesterday, and my first broody hen of the season started sitting. She doesn't have eggs to sit on but she'll sit on air

The past two years I was worn out by broodies taking up every available space in the coop. The bantams trigger the LF to start brooding and even hatchery birds of breeds that shouldn't brood, were flipping on me. So this year I decided to preempt that and move the bantams to my hoop coop where they can brood to their heart's content. I'm hoping this will reduce the number of LF birds who go broody in the main coop this year, but we'll see. The broody bird yesterday was one of the bantams and she was NOT happy about being moved but once she adjusts she'll go back to being broody and at that point I can give her some actual eggs to sit on - something I can't do easily in the main coop.

Anyway, I hope everyone is well and staying out of trouble!

Good to hear from you again. Just know that your input is missed in the group.