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

[Araucana Nest]

Finally sold all extra cockerels from last two hatches. I’m down to 42 total. Feels wierd to have empty pens but will enjoy the break.
All my breeders are in place for 2021. May the new year bring everyone good health, peaceful heart and fair prosperity.

 

[cmom]

I haven't sorted out my females yet to go with the males. I'm happy with the cockerels this year. I do have some older males I'm going to put with some pullets. I have some nice hens going in with the cockerels. I have to get my butt unto gear. New Years is over it's now 2021 and time to set up the breeding coops and pens. There is a show next weekend Saturday and Sunday. Not sure if I'm going. A friend was going and he was going to drive but got into a car accident and is in the hospital. If not I'll go to our local farm swap as moral support. It's nice to get out. We are old people with conditions so mostly stay home.

 

[Araucana Nest]

I haven't sorted out my females yet to go with the males. I'm happy with the cockerels this year. I do have some older males I'm going to put with some pullets. I have some nice hens going in with the cockerels. I have to get my butt unto gear. New Years is over it's now 2021 and time to set up the breeding coops and pens. There is a show next weekend Saturday and Sunday. Not sure if I'm going. A friend was going and he was going to drive but got into a car accident and is in the hospital. If not I'll go to our local farm swap as moral support. It's nice to get out. We are old people with conditions so mostly stay home.

So sorry to hear about your friend. I hope he recovers fully and quickly. As for spring. I'm ready. Have some pens to repair and lots of feeders/ waterers to sterilize. I like that snakes aren't a threat right now but I haven't been hatching as much as I thought I would be. I needed a break and hadn't realized it.

 

[cmom]

I only hatch in the late winter/early spring. After I get the birds into their correct coops and pens, I wait for at least a month before I collect the eggs for the incubator. I want to make sure the chicks are from the birds I put together for breeding. I have a lot of work to do on the coops and pens too. I don't do much in the summer here because it's just too hot so I wait until it cools off a bit. I recently did the big clean. I power washed inside all of the coops and put fresh shavings down and cleaned out the poop pits. I'm moving some birds around because my general population coops and pens have the most roost space and nest boxes. In those coops I mix the breeds but do not hatch eggs from these coops but do sell the eggs for eating. I also keep my spare males in these coops and pens. Before I know it it will be hatching time.

 

[Araucana Nest]

I only hatch in the late winter/early spring. After I get the birds into their correct coops and pens, I wait for at least a month before I collect the eggs for the incubator. I want to make sure the chicks are from the birds I put together for breeding. I have a lot of work to do on the coops and pens too. I don't do much in the summer here because it's just too hot so I wait until it cools off a bit. I recently did the big clean. I power washed inside all of the coops and put fresh shavings down and cleaned out the poop pits. I'm moving some birds around because my general population coops and pens have the most roost space and nest boxes. In those coops I mix the breeds but do not hatch eggs from these coops but do sell the eggs for eating. I also keep my spare males in these coops and pens. Before I know it it will be hatching time.

Thank you for sharing your strategy. Due to my snake predation problems, fall and winter are the better seasons here. By spring when the snakes are out and hungry my peeps will be too big to consider. They do kill chicks that are bigger than they can consume but after 14 weeks, it seems the chicks are safe. For that I have to start hatching in fall, which I did.... I just kind of tired out and will need to be hatching chicks in spring for sales but also for my projects. Hope next year i have more energy but I do have 4 snake-proof grow out pens now and maybe can build another 2 this year. The short winter days make it harder to get things done and the lack of sun is a hardship for me. It's my first year with so many pens. I've kept up to 20 layers for almost two decades selling eating eggs but got tired of the competition driving down prices and the no shows. A few years ago I started to get into more fancy breeds like the cream legbar and variety Orpingtons (I've been a huge fan of Buff Orps for many, many years). Takes a lot more organization and work detail to choose the correct roos, introduce groups and clean. A lot more investment in everything. You've seemed to make it work well.

 

[cmom]

I have had a lot of practice. I had my first flock around 50 years ago. I have seen snakes around here too. I have a brooder for my chicks that nothing gets into. I have a chick/grow-out coop that nothing gets into.

 

[cmom]

I had a couple of snakes try to go through my fencing. I have electric wires around the coops and pens. When they tried to go over the wires they were electrocuted. I was surprised. Many predators have made contact with the wires, they learn and don't attempt it again.

 

[cmom]

This coming Saturday (1/9/2021) is our Farm Swap. It's going to be chilly out. I'm still going but not sure how long I will stay. It depends on if others show up to brave the chilly. I'm not bringing any birds. There is also a poultry show but I decided not to go as it's going to be quite chilly that day. Hopefully we'll have a decent turnout.

 

[Flybybirds]

I’m near Basinger Fl would like to hear8 about swaps and looking for Black Orpingtons

 

[cmom]

Tomorrow is the Dunnellon TSC Farm Swap. I know it's going to be chilly out but I'm still going to give it a try. I don't know how long I stay. It depends on if anyone else shows up. I'll be dressed warm. At least there won't be any snow.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/florida-always-sunny-side-up.305793/post-23805455