Illinois...

[Molpet]

Some pics from today:

Went to check on the bantam tractor & look what I found....
Yes, DD dyed Teddy, her serama boy, blue!

The rest of the bantam gang are another serama - named Noodle - who's female but also crows. An OEG named Digger, a buff silkie named Macy, and a LF English orp named Cupcake (also nicknamed BFO for Big Fat Orp)

Digger

Broody Jewel. She's sitting on turkey eggs, so perhaps that's why she's imitating a turkey. I only saw 3 turkey eggs. Not sure what happened & why 1 disappeared. Due to hatch June 20th.

Our young cockerel

Mr Wonderful:

Some turkeys raised by Smudge. (They'll be off to their new home tomorrow.)
@Molpet What do you think of them? I'm predicting a male & female. The one in front has always been bigger.

Love the pictures!!!

And yay for my turkeys!!!

I'm so happy to be getting them but totally clueless when I'll be able to sex them. I'll need help with that!

They say the bigger is usually male .. bigger bones and square head are other things to look for in boys... when they get 4-6 months old the boys lose the feathers up the back of the neck and the snood grows... by 6 months usually if the snood goes beyond the beak it's a boy. the boys can scrunch up their snood so it looks like a rhino horn and the girls can't


that all being said I thought I had 2 pair in 2016 until 6 months... when the 2 'girls' suddenly lost the neck feathers and I had 4 jakes

most hens don't strut, gobble or have a beard, but there are several people who have hens that do all these.... my hen will strut if she is PO'ed

 

[Molpet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-what-do-i-need-to-know.787208/#post-11309891

 

[Life is Good!]

Myrth -
While I strongly considered adding an automatic door, we had some concerns about the doors’ safety.

We have had an auto door for over 2 yrs, and I just ordered a second for our second coop. Yes, I always check to make sure the door is working...morning and night. But now I can stay late at evening meetings and not worry about my hens.
We have coons, owls, possums, skunks, coyotes and weasels. So, even though we are technically suburban, the threats are still out there.

 

[Faraday40]

Saturday we went to visit @chickendreams24 We had a nice picnic lunch, played at the park, wadded in a cool stream, and came home with a lot of strawberries and some fun memories.

Funny highlights:
DD was playing with their dog, but the rooster “Buddy” wanted to join in the fun. He beat the dog to the stick but was a little confused about how to bring it back. I guess it goes to show that DD can train just about any animal. LOL

DS enjoyed eating his way through the day. While we were picking strawberries, he was eating them, so the container filled up very slowly. He then was eating them in the car & I had to tell him to stop until we got home. Well that's exactly what he did. As soon as we pulled into the driveway, he started nibbling. I think he had 6-8 down before entering the house. LOL Because of the intense heat, we also went out for Culvers for a special treat.

A funny discussion while driving home:
We were talking about our plans for next week. I mentioned that when we sell some orp chicks on Tuesday, "Poof Poof" (our spitz) may be getting boyfriend. (My friend who's buying the orps is letting us borrow her Spitzhauben rooster.) DS said , "Well, she's MY chicken! I'm her dad, so if she's getting a boyfriend, I have to approve of him 1st."
I had to laugh, so my 8 yr old son continued on..... If he's going to pull her feathers or keep all the treats for himself, then he's not allowed to date my Poof Poof!

 

[Molpet]

Saturday we went to visit @chickendreams24 We had a nice picnic lunch, played at the park, wadded in a cool stream, and came home with a lot of strawberries and some fun memories.
View attachment 1434596 View attachment 1434597 View attachment 1434598
Funny highlights:
DD was playing with their dog, but the rooster “Buddy” wanted to join in the fun. He beat the dog to the stick but was a little confused about how to bring it back. I guess it goes to show that DD can train just about any animal. LOL

DS enjoyed eating his way through the day. While we were picking strawberries, he was eating them, so the container filled up very slowly. He then was eating them in the car & I had to tell him to stop until we got home. Well that's exactly what he did. As soon as we pulled into the driveway, he started nibbling. I think he had 6-8 down before entering the house. LOL Because of the intense heat, we also went out for Culvers for a special treat.

A funny discussion while driving home:
We were talking about our plans for next week. I mentioned that when we sell some orp chicks on Tuesday, "Poof Poof" (our spitz) may be getting boyfriend. (My friend who's buying the orps is letting us borrow her Spitzhauben rooster.) DS said , "Well, she's MY chicken! I'm her dad, so if she's getting a boyfriend, I have to approve of him 1st."
I had to laugh, so my 8 yr old son continued on..... If he's going to pull her feathers or keep all the treats for himself, then he's not allowed to date my Poof Poof!

 

[Faraday40]

While Jewel was taking a dust bath this morning, I noticed some pips in the turkey eggs. I quickly put her back on the nest & now we have 1 white & 2 brown poults. (The white one seems weak, but alive. Hope it hangs in there! )

They are quite early - due to hatch Wed. The chicken eggs are due Wed-Fri. I hope the hen can handle it.


Since I knew they'd be hatching soon, I finally mentioned to DH that some turkey eggs had found their way into our coop & under Jewel.
We joked about the strange miracle of random turkey eggs mysteriously appearing under a broody hen. (Also how one just happened to disappear after 3 weeks - which is an actual mystery.) Anyway, DS completely believed us. I guess he thought that some strange turkey fairy came and deposited the eggs. It wasn't until he overheard me talking with @chickendreams24 that he realized I was the turkey fairy.
Kids are so much fun!

 

[SpinningJenny]

Hello Illinoisans! I have a sweet 7 week old Turken "Naked Neck" rooster boy for sale here in Chicago! He's posted in the Buy/sell forums, but I'm cross posting here because I'd hate to try and ship this guy (stresses me out!). https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/turken-naked-neck-rooster-for-sale.1253697/

 

[chickendreams24]

Saturday we went to visit @chickendreams24 We had a nice picnic lunch, played at the park, wadded in a cool stream, and came home with a lot of strawberries and some fun memories.
View attachment 1434596 View attachment 1434597 View attachment 1434598
Funny highlights:
DD was playing with their dog, but the rooster “Buddy” wanted to join in the fun. He beat the dog to the stick but was a little confused about how to bring it back. I guess it goes to show that DD can train just about any animal. LOL

DS enjoyed eating his way through the day. While we were picking strawberries, he was eating them, so the container filled up very slowly. He then was eating them in the car & I had to tell him to stop until we got home. Well that's exactly what he did. As soon as we pulled into the driveway, he started nibbling. I think he had 6-8 down before entering the house. LOL Because of the intense heat, we also went out for Culvers for a special treat.

A funny discussion while driving home:
We were talking about our plans for next week. I mentioned that when we sell some orp chicks on Tuesday, "Poof Poof" (our spitz) may be getting boyfriend. (My friend who's buying the orps is letting us borrow her Spitzhauben rooster.) DS said , "Well, she's MY chicken! I'm her dad, so if she's getting a boyfriend, I have to approve of him 1st."
I had to laugh, so my 8 yr old son continued on..... If he's going to pull her feathers or keep all the treats for himself, then he's not allowed to date my Poof Poof!

While Jewel was taking a dust bath this morning, I noticed some pips in the turkey eggs. I quickly put her back on the nest & now we have 1 white & 2 brown poults. (The white one seems weak, but alive. Hope it hangs in there! )

They are quite early - due to hatch Wed. The chicken eggs are due Wed-Fri. I hope the hen can handle it.


Since I knew they'd be hatching soon, I finally mentioned to DH that some turkey eggs had found their way into our coop & under Jewel.
We joked about the strange miracle of random turkey eggs mysteriously appearing under a broody hen. (Also how one just happened to disappear after 3 weeks - which is an actual mystery.) Anyway, DS completely believed us. I guess he thought that some strange turkey fairy came and deposited the eggs. It wasn't until he overheard me talking with @chickendreams24 that he realized I was the turkey fairy.
Kids are so much fun!

LoL I'm so glad you guys made it up for a visit! Its always tons of fun when you guys come. You're always welcome any time.

Tons of rain here last night although it was spotty. We got 2.5 inches here. One road over at DH2B'S family farm we got 3 inches.

The last field DH2B has to work ground in, which is a couple miles East the area got 6 inches of rain last night. Of course that will not be happening for a while now.

The company has started picking our first field of peas around the corner as they don't stop unless they get stuck. That field is going to be a terrible horrible mess. We did a five gallon pail of pea pods over the last two days and are hoping to do at least one more pail full. We canned some last night to see if we'll like home canned peas but most are going to be blanched and head for the freezer.

Yay for the baby turkeys!!! I really hope the little white one makes it as I'm totally in love with my two little white ones. I really hope it's a pair. Two little brown ones too aww.

Hehehe turkey fairy.

Okay time for me to get going.

 

[Molpet]

New Turkeys here too.. two yellow and two brown..

 

[Molpet]

Older poults
The biggest in the middle is may eighth hatch
The lower right is may 26 hatch
The upper left is June fourth