Eastern Tennessee Thread

[bairo]

Ok, I am dealing with a first time broody Delaware hen. I have her seperated far away from all the other chickens under a carport. She was setting on eggs, and so far about 4 of 10 have hatched with 1 pipping. Somehow one of the other hens has found her, and kicked her off her nest. The imposter hen has taken over raising the babies. Everytime mother hen tries to get to her eggs and her babies the other hen runs her off. She (imposter hen) treats the babies like they are hers. Anyone ever had this happen? I put the imposter back over the fence, but she has flown out several times and keeps coming back and kicking out the mother hen. I should say that the one that is trying to take over had never been broody either. They are both about 6 months old.

never experienced it, but have heard of it before. Wish I could help but have no idea why this happens.

 

[bairo]

Does anyone on here sell fresh eggs?

If so what is the going price in your area?

I have several people wanting to purchase and I need to come up with a fair price.

Fair to them and to me.

We sell them for 2.00 per dozen and they get different sizes in each dozen because we fill them up as they are laid and keep them rotated well (first in, first out). We only charge that because that is the going rate around here. It takes almost 3.00 per dozen to pay for the feed, litter, and parasite control for us but the 2.00 at least helps offset the cost of keeping them. Look on craig's list or in the local classifieds to try and find out what they are going for in your area and match that price.

 

[StacyTN]

I'll look it up for you....I know I have that contact info someplace, LOL

thanks so much - i appreciate the help & info.

 

[StacyTN]

@stacy

The National Poultry Improvement Plan was established in the early 1930's to provide a cooperative industry, state, and federal program through which new diagnostic technology can be effectively applied to the improvement of poultry and poultry products throughout the country. The development of the NPIP was initiated to eliminate Pullorum Disease caused by Salmonella pullorum which was rampant in poultry and could cause upwards of 80% mortality in baby poultry. The program was later extended and refined to include testing and monitoring for Salmonella typhoid, Salmonella enteritidis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma meleagridis, and Avian Influenza. In addition, the NPIP currently includes commercial poultry, turkeys, waterfowl, exhibition poultry, backyard poultry, and game birds.

Call this # and tell them you want to schedule NPIP inspection and testing. (615) 837-5120 Hopefully that # is still good because the website I got the info from is no longer up.

Thanks

 

[chigger bait]

We sell them for 2.00 per dozen and they get different sizes in each dozen because we fill them up as they are laid and keep them rotated well (first in, first out). We only charge that because that is the going rate around here. It takes almost 3.00 per dozen to pay for the feed, litter, and parasite control for us but the 2.00 at least helps offset the cost of keeping them. Look on craig's list or in the local classifieds to try and find out what they are going for in your area and match that price.

I was thinking along the same lines on size.

1 dozen for $3.00

2 dozen for $5.00

Just didn't want to get out of line with what the going market price was.

 

[stanglover2001]

I was thinking along the same lines on size.

1 dozen for $3.00

2 dozen for $5.00

Just didn't want to get out of line with what the going market price was.

Maybe I'm a bad person, buy mine go for $3/dozen.

I sale them to family though, and when I tried to drop the price back down I was told not to because the stores like fresh market and Joes place sale them for almost $4.

 

[15littlem]

Anyone know about how the marans are at the TN valley fair poultry show are?

 

[ladyride]

I usually charge 3.00 / dz but most of my customers are west knox people who want free range organic eggs. They know how I raise my birds. they have recently have been asking for organic chicken for the table but I only raise enough meaties for my table. don't even want to think about all that too much trouble. It is enough to do for us. Just my 2cents.

 

[TNBarnQueen]

@tnbarnqueen: you think it is a weasel? Weasels just drain blood. Husband said you'd have to have live bait to catch them. He's known as Billy the Exterminator in our area. We constantly get calls to catch stuff. (it gets old to me) You use honey buns for racoons, peanut butter and crackers for ground hogs, but have to have live bait for weasels.

We keep a feeder bucket full of crushed m&m's from Madisonville for a racoons. He takes the males off to the lake, but lets the females go behind our house in the woods. We have a game camera on them and watch them. We have five babies that were born in summer on it now.

We have a pair of foxes, but they don't travel down our way. There are coyotes here. We have a huge trap for them. You also have to use live bait. Coyote trap has a trap inside for bait. Husband made a mistake of bringing home two bunnies to use in trap. We now have a rabbit hutch and a rabbit run. lol We are a "no kill" family. But if I HAD to, I would take out the coyotes. That is meat on a hook. But we've not had a problem with them yet.

I hate that you lost so much. These little peeps are too expensive to get killed.

yeah...it is a weasel for certain. I saw it.,.or part of it cause they are so fast....when it had a chickens head pulled through a cage. It was underneath pulling down. I was ramming a stick underneath and it ran off. It grabs their necks and drains them. At one time I had thought a wharf rat BUT....even their size could not have gotten a couple of the 17 chickens I have lost to it. I knew it was best to use live bait and am trying to figure out how to do that without it actually getting the chicken. One thing is odd. It has never gotten a chicken younger than a juvenile. If it was a wharf rat...it would not discriminate. It only gets silkies and polish....they have little to no eyesight because of the crest so everyone has new haircuts. I am sure that is why it selected them..easy targets. Would a live young rabbit do for bait? I trap raccoons with either peanut butter sandwiches or peanut butter dog treats. I use to have a pet raccoon and those where his favorite treats. Thanks so much for the info and help isthelaw.....this has become very expensive...the white pair of SG silkies it got last week where the new ones to show this year.

 

[TNBarnQueen]

Thank you for the heads up. I will probably not be going to the fair but if I do/did I always go to the animal exhibits.

Is there such a thing as "Chicken Mills" where people buy rare breeds & over breed, not care for them properly and sell large quantities to try and make lots of money? And do these people some times keep their "show exhibits" separate in better condition? I am curious since all I have ever had were hatchery or mutt chickens until now.

Yep...there are. and there are also people who go to auctions like the one in Morristown on Sat....buying chickens that are sold in large lots then show up at the flea market the next day. Most are either eat up with mites or sick. I went to a place one time to look at some chickens. It was so obvious most where very inbred. Weird combs...poor feathering...it does exist.