East RIver - South Dakota

[gypsyschixs95]

okay as requested here's some pics of my blr wyandottes. This is the first time Ive posted any pics and thier from my phone so bear with me please.

 

[Fancy Feathers]

They're adorable

 

[Magpie31]

Hello everyone!

Sorry it's been so long since I checked in. Things are going well; my chickens seem to be deal with the heat just fine, which is good. They have a little swimming pool that I set up for them (ok, it's a baking dish, but don't tell them that!) and they wade in it now and then.

Two of my girls have been laying for about a month and half. They other two haven't gotten with the program yet. I'm not sure if I should talk to them really nice and try to raise their self esteem, or take a picnic out there and feast on fried chicken, so they know their possible fate...

 

[Fancy Feathers]

LOL they'll just beg for scraps..

 

[Magpie31]

LOL they'll just beg for scraps..

True. Little beasts

 

[gypsyschixs95]

Good morning everybody! Loving these temps today! I have the day off so Im going to enjoy my coffee here and then go work out in the yard. But I thought Id tell you how much Im enjoying my chickens lately, especially one of my blr's that has totally become the friendliest chicken Ive ever seen. She comes and begs to be picked up. If you ignore her, she will just fly up to your shoulder. Then she just chit chats away in this low voice. If your going in one of the outbuildings she just hops off and waits patiently outside for your return. Anybody else ever had a chicken act so sweet?

 

[Fancy Feathers]

That is pretty sweet!

I love it when I sit down and my chickens come running up to be near me

 

[BrahmaMama]

I'm just south of Sioux Falls, by Lennox/Tea. Welcome to BYC Gypsychix-I know you I have not been active on the forums lately-with the kids, the animals, my garden, trying to can, getting to fairs, etc...I'm not sure when I will have a "breather" lol! I haven't lost interest in my birds, but I haven't been able to do much else besides keep them cared for (no online reading/research, looking for new breeds, hatching, etc) My breed of "choice" is the Brahma...obviously, haha! I fell in love with them, quite by accident. When I got my first chickens a few years ago, we bought the last 8 that Campbell's Supply had...several turned out to be Buff Brahmas. I have since had several different batches, mainly from Welp's, or Ideal. I do love the idea of getting into nice examples of the breeds-read from a breeder, not hatchery...but it's just something finances have not allowed yet. And of course, I adore BLRW, though I have yet to acquire any! Anyway, this year's hatch isn't as "nice" as before-not sure if it's just a different turn over (I'm sure) of breeding stock from Welp's, or that I didn't spend the time handling them, that I should have, but they aren't as friendly, and, in my opinion, not as "pretty" looks wise, or size wise.

We've had some pretty nasty predator attacks this year also. Had different people tell me it's because of the draught-more critters are coming closer to yards, looking for water/food. I know we have a mink, as we saw him. We have lost a few chickens, one turkey hen, and just a couple weeks ago-all 8 of our ducks All of the ducks in one night too. My main goal for this year is to figure out how to get him (also ran into the traditional live trap not working, though we got a few coons, and a skunk.) and plan on what I would like to do with breeds next year. I hatched out a pretty cream colored Brahma two years ago, with a really neat barring pattern-not sure that could go anywhere, but would love to see more of him around on my yard. Well, as usual I managed to write a book I'll have to keep checking back, it's nice to see other South Dakotans on here!

 

[SouthDakotan]

Sorry, I haven't posted for a while. Hope everyone's made it through the summer so far with few predator problems. (me not so much

) But I did have success in another way. I read about using broody hens as foster moms for egg hatching, so I decided to try it.

I had a heavy breed hen who was quite broody back in late June. So I switched out the eggs under her, with a variety of eggs I got from a breeder who sells eggs commercially & a few duck eggs from my muscovy duck. I didn't really care if she hatched them out. I was just swapping out my layer eggs so she'd leave them alone. I didn't check the eggs to make sure they were even fertile before I placed them under her!

Well she successfully hatched out three of the 15 eggs. About 10 of them were bantam eggs. Two of the duck & one bantam hatched. However the bantam had trouble with its shell & died from stress caused by the hatching. The 2nd duckling wondered away from the nest the first night and we couldn't find him (though we could hear him). Next morning we didn't hear him either. So that leaves the one duckling, we named Ramadan.

Here is momma hen with Ramadan.

 

[spartman]

Hello all. Been awhile since Ive posted but thought Id stop in and say hey.

Had lots of highs and lows this summer.

The ducks had a bunch of ducklings, but the poor things either got out of the run or something came in and got them.

I also had a cochin cross hen who went broody in July and set on some eggs in another run I have.

She managed to hatch out 2 chicks, she had them out of the coop in the run of that one and was doing a very good job of raising them.


Sadly she and her two chicks are now MIA.


GRRRRRR. So tired of feeding the wildlife in the neighborhood.


Anyways I hopefully have 7 Icelandic chicks that I incubated from a fellow over by Redfield.

Now, was wondering, does anyone have a cochin or some sort of hen they wish to sell that goes broody?

I would really really really like to get another broody hen even if she doesnt hatch anything else out this year.

I want to try out Kramers over by SF but with a weekend job that doesnt look like an option sadly....


Hope all is well otherwise.

Still trying to get a stream going to show off my birds outside.


Steve

Wallace SD