Illinois...

[chickendreams24]

Thank you to everyone who has been an online cheering section for  our daughter's projects.  When she went in yesterday for the judging of her last few projects, she saw that BOTH of her poultry projects were up in the Best of Show area.  Talk about an excited little girl!  Now my sweet girl must decide which project to bring to state.  Our county has a rule that a child may only bring one project to state, so more children have the opportunity to go.  I know this because a few years back one of my students won 6 Best in Show trophies & had to figure out which 1 was going to Springfield.

I can't wait to see how the rest of her items did.  The fair officially opens today, but we cannot afford the daily admission, so we'll probably find out on Fri. (The 4H kids are free, but their adult drivers are not. LOL)  

Good for her!!!! Boy can I relate to the expense. We are on a pretty tight budget right now as we are trying to get out of debt and save for a wedding and a house. It's sometimes hard seeing our friends and other people all going out and this and that but I know theyre just going further into debt. Not that we judge those that have debt just that you have to live within your means. It makes it easier knowing that in the long run we will be able to be out of debt and do all the things we want to do without going into debt to do them.

Of course buying the home and the wedding are first on the list after paying off some debt but I am also super excited for the day we can leave on an extravagant vacation to universal studios Orlando and Harry Potter theme park. Of course we don't have to have the best or most expensive everything on the trip but it will still be nice.

 

[Faraday40]

I hear you, the Lake County fair opens today, I have not been there in years...

The $10 a day to get in (or $35 for all 5 days) is not stupid expensive but the fact that I know I will be dropping another $40, $60, $100 each day on the family once inside the gate, is quite the party pooper...

Maybe I'm just cheap in my old age...

That's the same here. They used to have specials. Last year on Wednesdays, admission was half off before 4pm (full $10 after that). Also on Wed, they had all rides = $1 from 6-10pm. We packed a car picnic & for $35, 5 people had a great day of rides, exhibits, face painting, petting animals, and just plain fun. (DD's friend is like an extra daughter, so she tags along on many outings.)

This year they sold passes online. I did not buy the $20 exhibitor's pass, because I planned to do the Wed special as usual. The full week admission price went up to $25, then $30, & now may no longer be available. The rides have the unlimited wristband deals, but 3 kids would be $60. When I told the kids that we could not do rides this year, they lost interest & no longer wanted to go. I know the fair has been having difficulty, but by making those changes, they're now getting $0 form us. Oh well.

We'll at least be able to get in on Sunday because we're working there. (We don't have to pay to work. LOL) That's also the day they have the award ceremony, so she'll be able to attend that as well.

 

[jerseyridgearts]

Well, it's confirmed ....at least ONE of the BRs is a rooster...it's not just the crowing attempts....Today I caught him on one of the Red Star Girls. I am concerned that ALL of the BRs are cockerals. If so I am crating them up and dumping them on the doorstep of the breeder I bought the 'pullets' from. I think I should be getting some eggs from the BRs but I've never seen one in a nest box and I've had the same daily egg rate....they are surely old enough to lay at this point.

Would there be any other reason (other than they're not hens) that they wouldn't be laying by now? I bought them at 12 weeks over Memorial Day weekend. Would have been 18 weeks July 8. They are energetic, good appetites and loud. Any ideas?

Our move has been delayed due to DH's health so I'll have another Spring on the Farm....counting my blessings. Have fun at the fair(s).

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Well, it's confirmed ....at least ONE of the BRs is a rooster...it's not just the crowing attempts....Today I caught him on one of the Red Star Girls. I am concerned that ALL of the BRs are cockerals. If so I am crating them up and dumping them on the doorstep of the breeder I bought the 'pullets' from. I think I should be getting some eggs from the BRs but I've never seen one in a nest box and I've had the same daily egg rate....they are surely old enough to lay at this point.

Would there be any other reason (other than they're not hens) that they wouldn't be laying by now? I bought them at 12 weeks over Memorial Day weekend. Would have been 18 weeks July 8. They are energetic, good appetites and loud. Any ideas?

Our move has been delayed due to DH's health so I'll have another Spring on the Farm....counting my blessings. Have fun at the fair(s).

Some breeds take longer to mature than others. If you had all roo's I think you would know by 18 weeks. I would give them a bit more time.

 

[jerseyridgearts]

Thanks for the input and encouragement..I'll learn to love the BRs, hens or not

 

[cavemanrich]

Thanks for the input and encouragement..I'll learn to love the BRs, hens or not

I agree with Chicago Clucker also. Some take longer to start laying. Also remember that even THE EXPERTS only get the sexing 94% correct at best. Some say its 90%. Regardless , it means 1 in 10 can be incorrect. Sexlinks are not in this category of counting, since they are 99.44% correct. I only use that number to be crafty

, since there is always a possibility of error.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I was at the hospital with my daughter for the last week and came home to find that the bantam cochin eggs have begun to hatch. All are first time moms. The 3 mottled bantam cochins that were all sitting in the same nest, hatched 2 chicks and left the other 2 eggs. They all are being great moms and those 2 chicks are well taken care of. I moved the 2 remaining eggs to the big coop under my marans that had 1 egg. Then the following day, a chick appears out on the patio unattended. Watched for a while and decided it must have fallen out of the big coop. Slipped it under the mottled bantam that is still sitting and she accepted it just fine. 1 other hatched today, but doesn't look like it is going to make it. Seems like it was kicked out of the nesting box, so slipped it under the mottle cochin because it was cold and almost lifeless. Guess we will see in the morning. I think that only leaves 4 more eggs to hatch. I also saw all the talk about the fair. I have never attended and would love too, but it is not going to happen this year. Hoping things will settle down a bit over here, but that's life, there is always something.

 

[cavemanrich]

because it was cold and almost lifeless. Guess we will see in the morning.

You know you are pulling at my heart strings..

I hope little one pulls thru.

I have somewhat similar occurrence with a pair of pigeons that hatched about 10 days ago. One is OVERGROWN, and the second one struggling like a runt. I was worried that he would not make it. But he is pulling thru , and started feathering out a bit already. He is being fed by parent, so that is all that matters. I took a pix and shared it with a caption. TWINS, ARNOLD and DANNY.. Guess I have names for them now. LOL

There is usually a slight difference in size, because they usually are born 1 or 2 days apart. By about day 7 they are usually about same size. Lil runt looks to be about a week behind his sibling.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Glad he is doing so well. And that is quite the size difference. They are adorable.

 

[Faraday40]

I'm in a similar situation. My spring hatch will turn 20 weeks on Monday. I've been getting reports from the several I sold, that they're now laying eggs. Why aren't the ones I kept laying for me??? I can understand the Orpingtons. I don't expect any from them until 7-9 months old. But, the Spitzhaubens & RIR should be laying - especially since their siblings started 2-3 weeks ago.

I hope to share a 1st egg pic very soon.