Hatching Eggs / Paypal CHAT Thread

[madamwlf]

I have to move some chicks around which means I have to vacate the seramas from the brooder they are occupying. Life will be so much easier in 2 weeks.

 

[flocksalot]

My SFH did just fine on layer feed during the spring when there was lots of green grass and bugs to be found. Through the winter, their laying slowed considerably and at times stopped. I recently switched all the birds to Flockraiser (20% protein) and their laying has really picked up. Of course, it could be time of year, more natural light, the worming they got, more bugs coming out of hibernation due to warmer temps, or any number of other factors. But I intend to keep them on the higher protein diet. I do notice that my SFH eat much less feed than my other birds, probably because they much prefer to find their food outside. Also, as chicks, I make sure to put vitamins in the water and I don't use medicated chick feed. SFH can have issues with curled toes and doing these things seem to help. My first two hatches of SFH chicks, I did use medicated feed and didn't give vitamins and had no issues other than losing one at about a month old. However, they were regularly fed kefir which has lots of vitamins and probiotics which I believe was very helpful to them. I haven't been able to keep up with making the kefir as much lately, which is why I make sure I have vitamins handy for the little ones.

Thanks! I always use a vitamin booster that I get from McMurrays. Everything gets started on it at a heavier dose and then lowered as they get older. I think that is why I never have heavies or BB turkeys with leg issues. It was recently suggested to try kefir in an aid in dealing with my fibromyalgia. So I'll have to figure out ow to make it. The new SFHs were coop bound over the winter, and are now confined for quarantine. So they can't even get the tiny blades of grass that are just starting to shoot up. Guess I better throw them some of the horse hay. All the free ranging chickens spend quite a bit of time combing through the hay making sure they get all the good stuff. It's a god thing our horses are still young, oldest is five next month, or we might have a hard time keeping weight on them. Hopefully I can get them a pen set up soon so they can get out and enjoy themselves. I've got another question. If we keep all the crested ones in one pen away from the non crested ones, will all their potential chicks have crests? Or is that kinda hit a miss. I'm not real knowledgable on chicken genetics yet. Guess ill be learning right along with my son. He wants lots of Phyllis Diller types.

 

[flocksalot]

sounds like a plan...I do have a stock tank, if this doesn't work the way I would like it to, I will try that, the pool and bedding is fairly dry still...my floor and furniture on the other hand, not so much, because they just have to sling the water everywhere.

My hubby would have a stroke if I told him I had either ducks or geese in the house. Turkeys or chicks are one thing, but yucky mucky duckies, or loosey goosies are another. You are very brave. No way could I handle the mess.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Thanks! I always use a vitamin booster that I get from McMurrays. Everything gets started on it at a heavier dose and then lowered as they get older. I think that is why I never have heavies or BB turkeys with leg issues.

It was recently suggested to try kefir in an aid in dealing with my fibromyalgia. So I'll have to figure out ow to make it.

The new SFHs were coop bound over the winter, and are now confined for quarantine. So they can't even get the tiny blades of grass that are just starting to shoot up. Guess I better throw them some of the horse hay. All the free ranging chickens spend quite a bit of time combing through the hay making sure they get all the good stuff. It's a god thing our horses are still young, oldest is five next month, or we might have a hard time keeping weight on them.

Hopefully I can get them a pen set up soon so they can get out and enjoy themselves.

I've got another question. If we keep all the crested ones in one pen away from the non crested ones, will all their potential chicks have crests? Or is that kinda hit a miss. I'm not real knowledgable on chicken genetics yet. Guess ill be learning right along with my son. He wants lots of Phyllis Diller types.

I give mine poultry drench. I give them layer pellets either purina or from our coop as their main food.

The crests can still pop up because most of them from GF could have been either or so their parents may not have had crests but, they may carry the gene for the crest. Like always with SFH's you never know what to expect.

 

[flocksalot]

I give mine poultry drench.  I give them layer pellets either purina or from our coop as their main food.  

The crests can still pop up because most of them from GF could have been either or so their parents may not have had crests but, they may carry the gene for the crest.  Like always with SFH's you never know what to expect.

Ok then I will just plan on one coop for all of them and integrate the hatchlings once they are grown. Then of course kiddo will have to decide who to keep and who to cull.

I could always feed them the turkey/duck/goose feed over the winter. It's higher in protein. I will have to check out the other ingredients. It's not like I don't already have the feed on hand a d if we run low on layer I've been known to feed them the turkey feed.

 

[KYTinpusher]

It was recently suggested to try kefir in an aid in dealing with my fibromyalgia. So I'll have to figure out ow to make it.

I've got another question. If we keep all the crested ones in one pen away from the non crested ones, will all their potential chicks have crests? Or is that kinda hit a miss. I'm not real knowledgable on chicken genetics yet. Guess ill be learning right along with my son. He wants lots of Phyllis Diller types.

I believe, if you keep all the uncrested together, you will only hatch uncrested. If you keep all the crested together, you will probably get all crested, and maybe some uncrested, as the crest is dominant, I think. (Anyone more knowledgeable about the genetics of it, feel free to correct me if I am wrong). However, breeding crested to crested can create large crests which are not good for a free-ranging flock. Others have mentioned the possibility of vaulted skulls when breeding crested to crested, but I have not seen it yet. At the moment, I have only non-crested roos over both crested and non-crested hens.

 

[ChickNmamma]

I believe, if you keep all the uncrested together, you will only hatch uncrested. If you keep all the crested together, you will probably get all crested, and maybe some uncrested, as the crest is dominant, I think. (Anyone more knowledgeable about the genetics of it, feel free to correct me if I am wrong). However, breeding crested to crested can create large crests which are not good for a free-ranging flock. Others have mentioned the possibility of vaulted skulls when breeding crested to crested, but I have not seen it yet. At the moment, I have only non-crested roos over both crested and non-crested hens.

I believe you are right KYT, if you have non-crested they don't have the crested gene - it is dominant and will show in the bird with only one copy. I also believe that breeding crested to crested is NOT a good thing for the birds - the idea is to create a bird that can free range and survive. Vaulted skulls (which somebody did report having hatch from crested x crested) and large crests are both weaker during hatching (see silkies if you don't believe me) and dangerous for survival if you can't see above you. The original SFH that GF got from overseas were from a lady who was breeding only non-crested, and I have always wondered why she decided to do that... there may be a genetics problem with the crested ones? I wouldn't cross crested to crested.. I think your pens are well setup and that's what I would do. Currently I have only non-crested - but I would like a few crested hens because I like they way they look - just as long as the crests do not block their vision.

 

[flocksalot]

I believe you are right KYT, if you have non-crested they don't have the crested gene - it is dominant and will show in the bird with only one copy.  I also believe that breeding crested to crested is NOT a good thing for the birds - the idea is to create a bird that can free range and survive.  Vaulted skulls (which somebody did report having hatch from crested x crested) and large crests are both weaker during hatching  (see silkies if you don't believe me) and dangerous for survival if you can't see above you.  The original SFH that GF got from overseas were from a lady who was breeding only non-crested, and I have always wondered why she decided to do that... there may be a genetics problem with the crested ones?  I wouldn't cross crested to crested.. I think your pens are well setup and that's what I would do.  Currently I have only non-crested - but I would like a few crested hens because I like they way they look - just as long as the crests do not block their vision.

So then I will definitely keep them all together, but wait. We have one crested and one not crested roo in with 2 crested and three not crested girls, so should I take the crested roo and put him with the not crested girls or is it fine to leave him in with the two crested girls also in there?

 

[krazykat0373]

sounds like a plan...I do have a stock tank, if this doesn't work the way I would like it to, I will try that, the pool and bedding is fairly dry still...my floor and furniture on the other hand, not so much, because they just have to sling the water everywhere.

My hubby would have a stroke if I told him I had either ducks or geese in the house. Turkeys or chicks are one thing, but yucky mucky duckies, or loosey goosies are another. You are very brave. No way could I handle the mess.

Hubby is gone for two weeks at a time, and what he don't know won't hurt me...

 

[madamwlf]

Hubby is gone for two weeks at a time, and what he don't know won't hurt me...

My unsupervised period is coming to an end. No more chickie shipments for me after this week.

I'm not complaining though. I'll be thrilled to have him home.