IA here

[mrandmrschicken]

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Once we know for sure how many kids will be involved in the poultry program, we will set up another event, when it warms up, and have a washing demo, probably here at our house. we have a huge deck and live across the street froma park so it's a great set up for kids!
Right now the tough part is working with the fair board. The majority of the older members could give a flying fig about a poultry program. thats unfortunate to me. Little kids need smaller animals to start. We also need models of a lease program for poultry too. i don't want any kid to walk because they don't have a place to keep a chicken. they need to be flexible and I need examples of that here in Iowa. we also have a young youth coordinator who is dominated by the older board members and is a fraid to step on toes. Hell, I'm not! Be it on their shoulders. They ask me to get involved they better make room for both of my feet or I'll say sorry your mess your problem!

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Ya know Steph, my wife calls me "Pretty, pretty OLD"! LOL

 

[Lilandra]

its awesome you are getting a poultry program up and running. Along with birds, look into an egg judging component too. There is information online for the egg contest and it would be an easy thing to get everyone involved and hooked on the benefit of a few birds in the yard. As far as having room for a chicken - those rabbit hutches they sell at farm fleet work great for a pair of banties - I use one for a quarantine area when hens get too picked on or a roo gets into a fight. They fit nicely in a garage, plus - a dog kennel works great too - Menards had them on sale this week for less than $100. I am so behind you at promoting this hobby to kids and the county fair crowd... chickens are the best thing that can happen to a kid, and it is a wonderful way of teaching agriculture to the masses.

 

[Lilandra]

oopsy duplicate post when trying to correct spelling errors

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

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The tips can get frostbite but it doesn't happen often. My building is insulated but not heated. I have little problem as long as I keep a deep bed of chips and heated waterers. On the coldest (below 10 degrees)of nights I may plug in a 250 watt heat lamp. More tips get damaged by fighting than cold weather. I personally think the old males comb is beautiful but I am trying to breed for smaller comb than his. Like the young one or one of the Blacks. Cochins do make good broodies but I prefer my genesis hovabator with auto turner.. Mine is holding perfect temps and I have only had 1 quitter so far. I candle eggs at 4 days and throw out any not fertile at that time. Set my lockdown eggs in my old Little Giant to hatch, Works great for me.

My hovabator is packed full right now

The temp holds really well for a Styrofoam box. I just also let those two raise a couple of clutches each year just because I enjoy watching a good mama hen with her babies.

My husband is getting ideas to build a cabinet incubator right now.

I might want to get some eggs from you someday down the road once I get an acreage.

We don't heat our coop either - never have. I did have one bird frostbite her toes this winter. She is a blue ameraucana. Her new name is "Pretty, pretty gimpy" I call all the un-named hens Pretty, Pretty.

My incubator is full too and doesn't have enough room for all the eggs I want to set today. I also have considered building a cabinet incubator. Will be very interested in his comments on building one. Don't need one that often but in times like now it would be nice. I don't want to build a full size fridge but use a dorm size fridge or a wine cooler with glass doors.

Not to put anyone off but I do not ever sell eggs or chicks... That is so I can control quality. I do not want a bird that I would cull to be sold as a bird that came from my flock. I will only sell birds that I would call breeder quality or better. The rest are culled, though I have sold some culled hens/pullets as pet quality birds never to be bred. Those birds hens that went to city dwellers that are not allowed to have roosters.

 

[pbjmaker]

I'm not put off - I understand - although I am a city dweller

I have a rooster or two...

 

[Tiramisu]

Well today was an interesting day at work. Misty and Drake, 2 new dogs that we got in. They both have been neutered and spayed. Im not really sure what went on, earlier this week we took both dogs over and crated so they could have surgery, but it seems they didn't do Misty that day and did her another day with some other dogs. Anyway, I think they had just got her back to the kennel this morning...Drake was a bit too happy to see her again and try to do some business with her and they got stuck together. I don't know how, I thought their stitches got caught at first but I don't think that was it lol. So we just had to wait and start on the chores til they came apart. I had been walking back down to get some stuff and they were apart, so I went in a moved Drake over into another kennel. Misty just layed on her bed the whole time I was there :\\ hopefully she feels better tomorrow.



Also.......someone brought in two little hound puppies!!!!!! They are so adorable

I don't know if they are mixed or not, but they are blue or part blue. One just has blue spotting, but has the normal hound markings and the other one has more of just blue color with the few brown/black patches. I spent the last few mins I had before leaving to play with them

 

[ChickBond 007]

Guineas. They refuse to sleep inside, and at night the raccoons have been coming by and visiting. One poor guinea lost his head. Sure wish someone would start coon hunting again or trapping around here.

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

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I had a coon and skunk problem 2 years ago. I just set a live trap and baited it with dry cat food. Relocated 5 in 1 week. It helped for a while. They were easy to catch and we did release the neighbors cat 3 times.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

What a fun job you have!

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