Illinois...

[Faraday40]

I kinda wonder why they are laying all these right now. Of course I'm trying to collect some to send to a friend.

Mine tend to lay a lot of eggs right before going broody. Why you're getting the weird small ones, I have no idea.

 

[BReeder!]

Hey!!!

It's been a long time. Crazy busy just.
Chickens are good. Ducks are laying like crazy. Turkey poults are growing well.

@Faraday40 how old are those poults now? I forgot exactly when I picked them up from you. Congrats to your son on his quail hatch. I did check out the live feed you sent me - very cool!

I adopted a new method for managing the run - till it! I take my gas tiller to the run and use it to mix everything real good while also loosening the soil. It has helped with drainage, smell and is so much easier than mucking it all out. I will eventually have to dig out the run still, but that I'll have some great compost/soil mixture to top off our garden beds then.

Lastly, we cleaned out the shed today. I filled a garbage can. I also went out and picked up 4 bales of straw that I managed to fit in the shed now that is cleaned out.

 

[Faraday40]

Hey!!!

It's been a long time. Crazy busy just.
Chickens are good. Ducks are laying like crazy. Turkey poults are growing well.

@Faraday40 how old are those poults now? I forgot exactly when I picked them up from you. Congrats to your son on his quail hatch. I did check out the live feed you sent me - very cool!

I adopted a new method for managing the run - till it! I take my gas tiller to the run and use it to mix everything real good while also loosening the soil. It has helped with drainage, smell and is so much easier than mucking it all out. I will eventually have to dig out the run still, but that I'll have some great compost/soil mixture to top off our garden beds then.

Lastly, we cleaned out the shed today. I filled a garbage can. I also went out and picked up 4 bales of straw that I managed to fit in the shed now that is cleaned out.

I think the poults will be 6 weeks on Wed. Mine are growing but don't have much personality yet. Perhaps when they leave mamas they will be more interested in people.

My little serama has taken over the orp coop. (He's the one who likes the big girls and spent all winter keeping warm under his hens.) He was BFFs with my lav roo. However, I gave my lav away because I have a beautiful blue orp to breed this summer. Big Blue is being bullied by Pipsqueak. Although humorous to watch a massive Orp run away from a small 19oz cockerel, I worry Big Blue won't be mating his hens or getting enough food. How can an adorable little chicken be so sweet and wonderful to people and such a bully to other chickens?

 

[Justso]

Hey!!!

It's been a long time. Crazy busy just.
Chickens are good. Ducks are laying like crazy. Turkey poults are growing well.

@Faraday40 how old are those poults now? I forgot exactly when I picked them up from you. Congrats to your son on his quail hatch. I did check out the live feed you sent me - very cool!

I adopted a new method for managing the run - till it! I take my gas tiller to the run and use it to mix everything real good while also loosening the soil. It has helped with drainage, smell and is so much easier than mucking it all out. I will eventually have to dig out the run still, but that I'll have some great compost/soil mixture to top off our garden beds then.

Lastly, we cleaned out the shed today. I filled a garbage can. I also went out and picked up 4 bales of straw that I managed to fit in the shed now that is cleaned out.

Good idea on tilling!

 

[LapisLazuli]

Does anyone know of any small animal swaps in northwestern illinois?

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Hi all! Just joined but I’m about 40 min south of Galesburg IL. Just moved out of Macomb IL into the country.

 

[SnootyHen]

Hi all! Just joined but I’m about 40 min south of Galesburg IL. Just moved out of Macomb IL into the country.

Welcome! What kinds of birds do you have? You're living my dream leaving the suburbs for the county. As soon as my boys finish HS...

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Welcome! What kinds of birds do you have? You're living my dream leaving the suburbs for the county. As soon as my boys finish HS...

Well I’m not sure yet lol. We have chickens but beyond that…the only one I have been able to identify is a French Black Maran. The rest is a guess and best is some are Easter Eggers. I got a rainbow variety from Cackle hatchery

 

[Faraday40]

Well I’m not sure yet lol. We have chickens but beyond that…the only one I have been able to identify is a French Black Maran. The rest is a guess and best is some are Easter Eggers. I got a rainbow variety from Cackle hatchery

Cool! If you can share some pics we can play guess the breed and gender.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Cool! If you can share some pics we can play guess the breed and gender.

They will be only 3 weeks on Wednesday but I’m game! Always fun to do anyway!

This is just a few. Only a couple that I can get individually, they are so fast…. And some are from last week. I had them out today but didn’t take pics because I was trying to watch them and cleaning up the brooder. It was getting pretty smelly