FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[Flybybirds]

I have pictures of my Rooster and Chicken Coop!

 

[JesNflock]

I have pictures of my Rooster and Chicken Coop!

Nice! Beautiful coop! A very handsome looking rooster! What is he? Do you already have pullets/hens?

 

[Cpolanco3]

I have RIR, GLW & BO pullets that are 4 months old. Today I picked up 3 4wk old Auracauna pullets, and 3 straight run silkies. I don't even like silkies I don't know how I got suckered into that one. I hope they all turn out to be roos..... except for the funny buff one, lol.

Yup i'm up in the panhandle second county east of Alabama.

Claudia

 

[cmom]

Just wanted to welcome the newer members to BYC.

 

[JesNflock]

I have RIR, GLW & BO pullets that are 4 months old. Today I picked up 3 4wk old Auracauna pullets, and 3 straight run silkies. I don't even like silkies I don't know how I got suckered into that one. I hope they all turn out to be roos..... except for the funny buff one, lol.

Yup i'm up in the panhandle second county east of Alabama.

Claudia

Nice, I like your eclectic mix. I have a mix of different breeds also, 6mo BSL pullet, 6mo RIR Roo, 9 week BR, SLW, EE, and BA. I also have just recently got some straight run Silkies(but I'm hoping for girls...If there's a boy I won't turn my nose up at him lol) I wanted Silkies for their "Broody factor". Not to mention their fluff is so darn cute!

 

[Runawaylobster]

Question for my fellow Florida chicken folks:
How long does the molt season last in your experience?
A few of mine went into molt about 2 months ago and even though they're not shedding feathers anymore and most have grown back in, those ladies are still NOT laying! How long should I wait before I throw them in the deep fryer?

My BCM's and also my Wheatens are going through the same thing, I have found to look for their combs to turn red again, I think it takes quite a while (several months) unfortunately. My BCM breeding roo twizzler started molting about 2 1/2 months ago and he has still not grown back the feathers, poor guy he looks like a shrimp version of his former self.

BTW: I am considering scrapping my Wheaten flock and starting over, they lay nice eggs and look great but they are making chicks with a BTB look to them and i feel like there was some mix up with the starter chicks i bought. I have switched to a different roo and will hatch one more batch just to make sure it wasn't the roo, and then if that doesn't work out i will start over... . I guess i could try separating them and marking individual matings but problem is if i move them the hens freak out and stop laying.. scrapping would be kind of a waste of my invested time but i need the space i have several up and coming birds that could really benefit from having their own breeding pen that the wheatens are now occupying...

 

[MyPaperMoon512]

I definately will take pics and post for sure.

 

[MyPaperMoon512]

Getting started is very exciting. I remember well the day we brought our chickens home and the anticipation of the first egg! Make sure to take pics and post your new coop and when you bring the girls home.

I will definately take pics for sure.

 

[cmom]

Question for my fellow Florida chicken folks:
How long does the molt season last in your experience?
A few of mine went into molt about 2 months ago and even though they're not shedding feathers anymore and most have grown back in, those ladies are still NOT laying! How long should I wait before I throw them in the deep fryer?

The molting season can last 3 to 4 months, All birds don't molt all at once and some go through heavier molts than others. Most of the birds will stop laying and others may slow down significantly while they molt as their bodies are going through changes in producing new feathers. I do, especially during the molting season, have my birds on a high protein feed as the feathers are mostly made up of protein. I have some birds that started to molt in late August and early September and some that are going through their molt now. I was showing some birds at a show in late October and some of the birds I was planning on showing I couldn't take because they were molting so since I had entered them I had to take some others. The birds I took still placed well but maybe not as well as the birds I was planning on taking but you never know as no two judges look at the birds in quite the same way. Good luck and have fun...

 

[Bangarang64]

The molting season can last 3 to 4 months, All birds don't molt all at once and some go through heavier molts than others. Most of the birds will stop laying and others may slow down significantly while they molt as their bodies are going through changes in producing new feathers. I do, especially during the molting season, have my birds on a high protein feed as the feathers are mostly made up of protein. I have some birds that started to molt in late August and early September and some that are going through their molt now. I was showing some birds at a show in late October and some of the birds I was planning on showing I couldn't take because they were molting so since I had entered them I had to take some others. The birds I took still placed well but maybe not as well as the birds I was planning on taking but you never know as no two judges look at the birds in quite the same way. Good luck and have fun...

Thanks Cmom, that makes me feel better. I'm glad I don't have to eat my hens just yet. it's been two months. I'll give them 2 more.