Illinois...

[Tortoise]

Looovvvveeee the golden.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

I too was scurrying around trying to get a few things fixed up for this next cold blast. My little bantam garage coop has mostly been set up. It still needs some repairs, but some can wait since its inside. I duct taped two industrial contractor bags together and set the coop on it and enveloped the sides a bit. Thinking about getting some chloroplast to put inside to help keep the shavings in if they get too wild. I blocked off access to the nest box until I get something down on the floor of it to keep the shavings in. It currently is a slat floor. Also need to make a ladder so Phoenix can get up to the top. Jasper and Jasmine can fly, but poor Phoe....

I cant tell whether Jasper is happy or not about this new living arrangement....

I also put 13 bags of mulch around the big coop outside. After all the rain and then snow, it was a quagmire pit. Need to get some railroad ties to help keep it in. The chickens are having fun seeing how far out they can scratch it.
Pics of that later.

I've been raking leaves like a maniac. Saturday I plan to bring out the mower 1 more time and get as many rounded up or blown intonthe woods as I can. Hoping for some slightly warmer temps than today.

I still have 6 roos that need to be dispatched. I dont know when that will happen. Was promised on Columbus day but that didnt happen. I just can't do the killing deed.

Other news:
My 14 1/2 year old van with 257,000 mileswas on deaths doors. It overheated if sitting in traffic due to a bad IPM and relay, brakes were grinding on metal, everything was broken...dvd player, doors, locks, lights, mirrors and even the wipers. Front wiper actually had a pool noodle since one flew off on the interstate taking the kids to school while in a downpour. Luckily, I knew the school had noodles and the secretary just handed me her keys and some scissors and let me macgyver it. The exhaust smell was awful. Every drive was becoming nerve wracking. So on Monday, my husband wanted to borrow it while I used his car. (He said he was going to menards and what he was getting wouldnt fit). Right as I was finishing raking and the sun was setting he came home...in a new (well, used, but new to me) van I had been looking at online. We had been trying to wait until Christmas when all the deals come out, but he said he didn't want me to wait anymore. I'm in love! Its quiet and runs so nice. I'm actually not afraid to leave anymore! Did I mention it was a pretty red? Matches the house.

Will try to get some pics. Babies are sll grown up and I think at least the ccl is going to start laying soon. I thought i lost her last week when she did not return to the coop the night it went to 20. I thought for sure she would be dead, but she was there first thing in the morning. So relieved! My lav bb's girls are gorgeous. They hate me, but are pretty to look at. The boy is okay, but still not quite there. Whe he's finally got tail feathers, they are painfully slow in growing. His comb is also a little wonky, but not as bad ss Faradays.

 

[Faraday40]

@homeschoolin momma
Congrats on the new used van!

Ideas on the bantam coop:
Do you have any bricks laying around? Railroad ties? extra landscaping timbers? (You know, any items left over from a project or a waiting future project.) On top of the plastic, you could place a base - maybe 2-3 bricks tall - and place the coop on top of it. That extra depth will help keep the bedding inside. Also, it sort of works like a deep litter method. I add shavings & can let it go for several weeks between deep cleanings. (I cleaned the slide out tray regularly, but the bottom run area only needed a few clean outs all winter.

If a ladder is too hard to make, you could just add something for Phoenix to jump onto- like a removable roost or upside down bucket or a wide log (like a mini tree stump). As long as it's safe & won't tip, almost anything could be used.

 

[Faraday40]

I really like the lav boy, "Mr Nice Guy." He's got the usual gentle giant personality and we can just bend down & scoop him up without a fuss. However, I have too many and must process the extras. He'll be leaving us soon. We have another sweet lav with a better body shape and extra fluffy bloomers that will soon glide across the ground (but a wonky comb). "Wonky's" going to stay for a little while longer, but doubtful that he'll make the cut to become our breeder. (Yet, I need to keep him for flock protection until his replacement gets bigger.) Then I have a 3rd lav boy who hatched in August. He's "Mr Potential." His shape is not as nice as Wonky, but his comb is much better. Lastly, I have a lav from the Sept 10 hatch. My gut says male due to slower feather growth & slightly larger wattles. However, at 9 wks there are no definite male signs, so he could be tricking me and end up being a female. (Had that happen last fall when my fav lav cockerel ended up being another female.) For now, I'll just let the pair keep growing until I can be sure of gender.

Wonky I love this guy but I'm too nervous about breeding him. How many years would it take to get that crooked comb out of my line?

Mr Potential

Mr Potential's sister whom I adore. Its hard to see in a photograph, but her shiny black feathers are amazing.

The September buddies. Do you agree that I have a pair? If the male is nicer than Mr Potential, then he could be our keeper.

 

[Molpet]

I really like the lav boy, "Mr Nice Guy." He's got the usual gentle giant personality and we can just bend down & scoop him up without a fuss. However, I have too many and must process the extras. He'll be leaving us soon. We have another sweet lav with a better body shape and extra fluffy bloomers that will soon glide across the ground (but a wonky comb). "Wonky's" going to stay for a little while longer, but doubtful that he'll make the cut to become our breeder. (Yet, I need to keep him for flock protection until his replacement gets bigger.) Then I have a 3rd lav boy who hatched in August. He's "Mr Potential." His shape is not as nice as Wonky, but his comb is much better. Lastly, I have a lav from the Sept 10 hatch. My gut says male due to slower feather growth & slightly larger wattles. However, at 9 wks there are no definite male signs, so he could be tricking me and end up being a female. (Had that happen last fall when my fav lav cockerel ended up being another female.) For now, I'll just let the pair keep growing until I can be sure of gender.

Wonky I love this guy but I'm too nervous about breeding him. How many years would it take to get that crooked comb out of my line?

Mr Potential

Mr Potential's sister whom I adore. Its hard to see in a photograph, but her shiny black feathers are amazing.

The September buddies. Do you agree that I have a pair? If the male is nicer than Mr Potential, then he could be our keeper.

They are beautiful
Shame we don't have room for all of them.
How often do you change breeder roos?

 

[Faraday40]

How often do you change breeder roos?

Mr Dummy was my main guy for many years but I also had a back up lav. I basically keep what I have until something better comes along.

Mr Dummy passed away last year & the lav I grew out to be my breeder this summer was "skinny" & too tall. His docile demeanor was fine & the hens liked him...... but he just didn't have the big, round orp shape. The lanky guy stayed until Mr Nice Guy was big enough to act like a rooster. Now I have 4 possible lavs and am trying to pick ONE.

Likewise, I have Mr Wonderful for my laced orps. I was growing out a fantastic new cockerel but a hawk killed him at age 3 months. He was the only one I had considered. None of the other cockerels this summer even compared to Mr Wonderful. I have one tiny laced orp boy from Sept that I'll grow out a little more. Unless the laced boy is outstanding, Mr Wonderful will remain our main roo.

I found that I can keep a max of 2 or 3 roosters if they have good temperaments toward other roos. When they all work together it's wonderful. When spring comes, I break them up into breeding groups. One rooster & his 3-4 hens go into the tractor & the rest free range. The misc non-orps are just left with whichever group is free ranging that day. The roosters still sleep together in the garage every night. Right now, they're all mixed together because I have no plans to hatch. Mr Wonderful is #1 and he's tolerant of other roosters, so there's peace until the other young cockerels reach maturity.

 

[cavemanrich]

Temps going down low low low,,,,, so It was time to transfer flock into winter quarters inside Garage Loft. I was thinking of possibly let them out in the coming days when temps get back to somewhat normal for the season,,,,,,, but they do have it good.. 12 hours of timed light. Plenty of food... luke warm water to drink ... and not cramped for 7 hens. 4 of them minis anyways . Loft is pretty big, and since I don't have any pigeon currently, girls get the WHOLE CONDO
Also good for me since no need to make sure their pop door is open in morning. (automatic, but when cloudy it delays opening) Locking them up in eve. Putting their feed away so not to feed wildlife.
Now all I need to do once daily, is make sure they have water and feed.
Their supply usually lasts a few days anyways. Like to give them dinner kitchen scraps as treat each day. I also make sure their water is clean.
Occasionally I will find an egg,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, but have not seen an egg from any since they molted. Cant wait till spring for the egg production to resume

 

[Molpet]

Temps going down low low low,,,,, so It was time to transfer flock into winter quarters inside Garage Loft. I was thinking of possibly let them out in the coming days when temps get back to somewhat normal for the season,,,,,,, but they do have it good.. 12 hours of timed light. Plenty of food... luke warm water to drink ... and not cramped for 7 hens. 4 of them minis anyways . Loft is pretty big, and since I don't have any pigeon currently, girls get the WHOLE CONDO
Also good for me since no need to make sure their pop door is open in morning. (automatic, but when cloudy it delays opening) Locking them up in eve. Putting their feed away so not to feed wildlife.
Now all I need to do once daily, is make sure they have water and feed.
Their supply usually lasts a few days anyways. Like to give them dinner kitchen scraps as treat each day. I also make sure their water is clean.
Occasionally I will find an egg,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, but have not seen an egg from any since they molted. Cant wait till spring for the egg production to resume

your girls have it made

and most of my turkeys are still in the trees
except for the tom a hen and 2 jennies that stay in the main coop, 2 youngest jakes that i brooded and I can handle.. Last night a jake decided to move in a small coop and hasn't left. Chickens are not amused.

I am currently getting 0 to 3 eggs a day out of 40+ chicken hens. Pullets haven't started yet, probably won't with this weather

 

[Faraday40]

I'm only getting about 4 eggs per day. (Two are from the 2 Leghorns. I'm counting on them to feed us this winter.) I have Trouble (a Sebright), Jewel (an orp), and 2 seramas that are laying. Rest of the flock are free-loaders!

 

[BReeder!]

I'm only getting about 4 eggs per day. (Two are from the 2 Leghorns. I'm counting on them to feed us this winter.) I have Trouble (a Sebright), Jewel (an orp), and 2 seramas that are laying. Rest of the flock are free-loaders!

You should come take 100 quail eggs from me a week. That will help feed you. I seriously am getting more eggs than we can handle from the quail. I am rashly considering picking them, but not sure if we like them that way.