Gower's Feed Eastern Panhandle ChIcKeNsToCk Sat. July 9th Ranson, WV

[Crunchie]

Ok, if I can get my AI done within that darn 10-day window (couldn't they, I dunno, give us 2 weeks? What's 4 more days?), I'm gonna try to make this one, too! I don't have tons of birds left, so I don't think we'll be bringing up a trailer full, but I do have lots of chicks. I'll have to see if my partner-in-chicken-crime is up to another crazy swap day.

Unfortunately most of my birds old enough to sex are cockerels. For the most part I sold every available pullet at the swap at Erin's on the 18th. And I only sold birds as pairs, and I still have a zillion cockerels!

SO--if anyone needs a nice LF white crested black Polish cockerel or any bantam wc black Polish cockerels, let me know. Otherwise, I'm sending them off to auction before this next swap. I need the room. I seriously have 8 cockerels in one pen. I had 10 birds--two cockerels, ONE pullet!!! out of this particular hatch. The ratio has not been good this year!

Figures. Sometimes you get lucky, other times, not so much.

So what I'll probably be bringing is a mess of Polish (bantams only) and Dutch Bantam chicks that will be about 5 weeks or so. I may have some adult birds out of my breeding pens to sell, but I'm not sure yet.

 

[Msbear]

Wasn't last year the year of the cockerel ?? weren't we talking about that around this time last year?

I was transferring some juvie rosecombs to a grow out pen and I was shocked at how many bright red combs I saw

I was thinking... hmm.. what are the odds of that? Well, darling, it's the same odds as a raccoon finding its way into your coop and out of 8 nasty roosters and 20 gangly old hens, he'll find his way right to your daughter's favorite silky

pretty good odds.

I hatched some olive egger eggs off of here and wound up with quite a few roos. I gave all of them away but 1 at the last chickenstock and wound up with a trio... well, one crowed before the big swap on the 18th so it went which left me with a pair.. and, I'll be darned if that little devil is looking more and more like a rooster everyday. I'll post a pic of "it" here and see what you guys think. That would be 8 cockerels out of 8 eggs

 

[Crunchie]

For some reason my Polish only give me cockerel eggs, it seems.

I need to talk to those girls about that! I usually get closer to 50-50 with the Dutch. Last year one of my Dutch hens went broody on 7 eggs, hatched all 7, and 5 turned out to be pullets!! That was awesome. But I rarely get that lucky!

Now 8 cockerels out of 8 eggs...I'd just quit.

Do your olive eggers have pea combs? I find breeds like my Ameraucanas harder to tell at a young age. It's so easy with the little Dutch and their big single combs--those little boys' bright red combs pop up so quick! Just like your rosecombs. And they have those long hackle and tail feathers, so that's usually a clue fairly early on, too.

 

[Msbear]

ok everyone

.. Linda just called and apparently I got the dates confused

I am so sorry to spring this on you and, if you can't make it.. ya just can't make it but, the new date is the 9th... which is less than 2 weeks away

this is to accommodate Linda as she won't be able to do the following Sat.

 

[DYNO360]

It's only one week earlier. At least you found out in time for most people to make adjustments.

 

[earnhardtlvr]

I am looking for Cayuga ducks. Does anyone know someone with them or where I could get some? I live in Clear Spring, MD. We will prob b at chicken stock in Ranson. Thanks!

 

[Msbear]

ok. I will have delaware chicks, golden comets laying now, 3 adult bantam cochin hens (MFC project) , mfc cochin project cockerels and pullets (all "off" colored culls) , delaware pair and jumbo coturnix quail peeps

 

[nursecat9]

I will have rhode island reds, golden comets, barred rocks, and a couple new hampshire red chicks. All will be 3 to 4 weeks old at the time we get to Gowers! They are pullets! Looking forward to seeing everyone again! Oh and hopefully some guineas if hatches go well! Several different colors!

 

[earnhardtlvr]

Cayuga ducks!! Ducks...I need ducks!!

 

[Msbear]

Linda said she was ordering ducklings.. .not sure what kind. Tammy, didn't you have some sort of ducks at the last swap?

I will also have nice buff columbian bantam cochin hen that I used to improve type in my milles this year.... Reyvaugn , this girl would be good for you.