IA here

[apbgv]

Yes an Iowa Chickenstock would be fun.

Can't wait for spring, I get to take my chicken problem to work as I have "recruited" my boss into the chicken problems and we are getting a few of the breeds on the critical list this spring. Evil aren't I?

 

[tamieshobbyfarm]

Hello everyone. I just moved here from Tennessee in May. My husband is originally from here. It is quite a change for me, especially the cold and all the snow!! but I am making it. I have pearl guineas and Black Jersey Giants. I have a variety of ducks, cayugas, mallards, rouens, black runners and chocolate muscovies and some buff ducks. Anything you guys plan that is animal related I am in as long as it is on a weekend.

 

[momof3]

Jenn aaahhhhh on the ducklings. You will have to post pictures. I bought a pair of english calls at the Burlington Swap meet. I love them. They are so cute. I can't wait until they start a family.

I worked on my hubby for awhile to get the peafowl. lol I only paid $40 for the pair(they were 2yrs old). I haven't been that lucky to find them at that price again.

I hear you about the snow. We are in a snow advisory. The roads are terrible. My kids bus was 25 minutes late this morning. Apparently it wouldn't stay running. They have to have school tomorrow, they just have too. Not because I don't want them here I just don't want to go any later then June 3rd.

Tamie I bet the cold and snow are a change. My bil/sil moved to Nashville TN because of the weather here.

I like the idea of a Iowa Chickenstock.
Chanin

 

[IowaChicken]

Yep, the roads are still bad up our way. We haven't been able to get out since the wind picked up on Saturday afternoon, and the plow still can't get to us. There are about 8 houses around us still snowed in as the drifts are 8ft. plus and the snow is packed hard. I walked about 200 yards down the road yesterday and found the maintainer working his way towards our house, but he said it would be today (Tuesday) at the soonest to be able to get through the snow. He has the v-blade on the front, then just gets a running start and slams into the drift, but only gets a foot or two each time, so we are planning on today being our 3rd day snowed in. Good news is some neighbors with snowmobiles are going to bring us a few supplies, and the kids think it's an adventure. Glad I don't have the chickens yet as I can barely get out to take care of the dogs. Spring is coming soon, right????

Kent

 

[greenmulberry]

8 foot drifts!! What part of Iowa are you in IowaChicken?

 

[IowaChicken]

Quote:
Hi Laura. I live outside Lost Nation. Yes, really. I had never even heard of it when I was living in the Quad Cities, and it's only about 45 min. northwest of there. We had 14.5" of snow 2 days earlier, then had 40mph winds for over 24 hours and out here in the cornfields there is nothing to slow it down. Some of the gravel roads out this way still aren't cleared. If you are unlucky enough to have hills on each side of a gravel road, and the wind is blowing across the road, the snow fills the road in, which is what happened to us.

I see that you are in / from Iowa City? I grew up there, and am a proud graduate of City High (class of '78) and of course the U of I...GO HAWKS!

Kent

 

[Henrietta23]

Quote:
Oh man! My SIL and family live in Iowa City and she just had majory surgery. My in-laws are out there helping out. I hope they aren't trying to drive in that.

 

[Olive]

I live right outside Cedar Rapids and we got 13.5 inches of snow. Also there is more to come, ugh. I'm so tried of snow and the cold. I haven't let my turkeys or chicken free range since the begininng of December. I know they are getting awfully tried of snow. I'm trying to think Spring !!!!

 

[IowaChicken]

I hear you on the snow. NWS is saying possible "significant" accumulations NW of a line from Fairfield to Moline to Freeport with some ice thrown in. That puts us in the bullseye, and we know what happened last time they said "significant".

A question for everyone. I have a nice coop that came with the land but need to add a run. I've read that it's best to have a larger one divided into 2 or even 3 sections so you can rotate through them. I've got the room to do so, but don't know how necessary it is. Any thoughts? I'm planning on having 12 layers or so, and 15 fryers. I'm going to get them all at the same time, and am going to try the Cornish Rock X for the fryers / roasters, so I'll have almost 30 birds for a while, but my understanding is that the Cornish will be ready to butcher in 7 or 8 weeks so then I'll be down to just the layers. Also, will I need to keep the layers and fryers separate, and if so at what age do I need to split them up? Thanks in advance for any input.

Kent

 

[jkcove08]

Kent,
If you have the room to go BIG, then do it the first time!! There are several reasons.
1 Chickens love to eat grass and bugs, but they dont know when to stop so they will eat the grass down and kill it. If you have several areas that can rotate then you can let one area rest while they are on another.
2 You might start out with that many layer but when you go to a swap and see a beautiful bird and buy it and then several other before you know it you will have a flock of 30 not including the broilers.... Even worse are the adoriable chicks at the swaps..lol before you know it you are haggling a price and bought them.
Dont deny it will happen, it has happened to all of us. You have a set number of birds you think would work and then something happens and you have TONS... Maybe that is the reason right now I have
bator 1: 14 silkie/possible showgirl eggs and 7 showgirl eggs and 2 test eggs of mine
bator 2: 8 turkey eggs
bator 3 17 duck eggs and I have a shippment of mixed banty eggs coming today that is a dozen plus lots of extras as she put it..lol
I sttarted out 5 years ago with a shipment of25 from theisens. Then I bought the chicks they had for show on chick days, that took me to 50. I lost a bunch in a cold snap but slowly worked it back up. Now I have about 60 to 70 chickens not including the eggs, 8 ducks, 6 geese, 8 turkeys, and about 20 guineas. I plan on getting guinea eggs from a guinea farm in New Viena this May. They have a HUGE variety and I want a bunch of the rarer colors. $24.00 for a dozen eggs and I will pick them up so there is no shipping... I cant wait!!!! I have talked about getting a bigger bator but just can not spend the money for a sportsman. I am tempted to build a large one. I found a site that you can buy the replacement parts for a sportsman for about 100. Then I will build the cabnet. I dont know yet, I should have several broodies too.. Jenn