Illinois...

[Gargoyle]

Hey, I'm here in Sugar Grove

I'm perhaps 20 miles from you. Welcome to BYC!

Gargole:
I just downloaded directions. We're working for a charity Saturday until 11PM but I hope to make it.

Mrs. Gargoyle and I enjoyed meeting you and your DH... Thanks so much for coming by!
Our chooks did fine all alone for 48 hours, but there was sure a lot of poop to clean up last night!

 

[Cedarknob]

Hey, I'm here in Sugar Grove

Welcome.

 

[ToddExline]

Thanks everyone for the welcome's. I'm new at this but have always wanted to raise free range chickens for eggs and meat. Just finished my coop and found a farm that was selling 17 week old hens so I picked up 6 to start. Turns out that one she is a he. I've had the chickens now for about 6 weeks and still no eggs.

I have 1 New Hampshire Red who is the rooster, 1 Leghorn, 1 Brown Leghorn, 1 Easter Egger, and 2 Rhode Island Reds. At least that's what I think they are. I'll post some pics soon and get some of your thoughts.

 

[tbitt]

Thanks everyone for the welcome's. I'm new at this but have always wanted to raise free range chickens for eggs and meat. Just finished my coop and found a farm that was selling 17 week old hens so I picked up 6 to start. Turns out that one she is a he. I've had the chickens now for about 6 weeks and still no eggs.

I have 1 New Hampshire Red who is the rooster, 1 Leghorn, 1 Brown Leghorn, 1 Easter Egger, and 2 Rhode Island Reds. At least that's what I think they are. I'll post some pics soon and get some of your thoughts.

Definitely post pics. We can all help at guessing the breed....

Give the girls a bit longer to settle in. It has been extremely hot and they just went through a move. Mine have all stopped laying in the past few weeks from the heat.

All the gals I brought home stopped laying for a few weeks and started back up again after they settled in. This heat is working against you right now.

Oh and btw – welcome, glad you found us!!!

 

[Jmpeters]

Hello everyone. I'm from Oakley, cpl miles east of Decatur. Raising a pair of pekins, looking to add some more soon. Anyone else raising ducks around here? They hating this drought as much as mine are?

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

Hello everyone. I'm from Oakley, cpl miles east of Decatur. Raising a pair of pekins, looking to add some more soon. Anyone else raising ducks around here? They hating this drought as much as mine are?

I have a call duck, that used to free range, that I had kept penned for a few months (Khaki Campbells were harassing her) and I just turned her loose with her mate. They were absolutely ecstatic to be together again, standing beak to beak and chattering. Then she wanted to head down to the creek (or where it used to be!) and, I swear, you could see him explaining there wasn't a creek anymore!

They still have their little ponds, but they sure miss the creek!

 

[Jmpeters]

If I tried separating my 2, no one within a cpl miles would sleep. They'd scream nonstop. I know what u mean saying u could see him explaining the creek was gone. I can see mine plotting attacks on my gf's lil dog. One will keep the dogs attention while the other sneaks around behind him and gets him. It's so funny.

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

For all of you who enjoy the "AWW" factor, I humbly submit this video of Preemie's first steps. Preemie is the daughter of Sande, who died recently due to the heat wave. I'm glad we worked so hard for her. She is now an intensely colored Wheaten Ameraucana pullet. She had trouble getting out of her egg and so we assisted hatching. She was very small. Her feet were underdeveloped and she could not walk. They would turn under when she tried to stand. I splinted them every morning and every night. She would have a deduction for crooked toes but all in all she's beautiful!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=4013821877496

 

[StevenW.]

For all of you who enjoy the "AWW" factor, I humbly submit this video of Preemie's first steps. Preemie is the daughter of Sande, who died recently due to the heat wave. I'm glad we worked so hard for her. She is now an intensely colored Wheaten Ameraucana pullet. She had trouble getting out of her egg and so we assisted hatching. She was very small. Her feet were underdeveloped and she could not walk. They would turn under when she tried to stand. I splinted them every morning and every night. She would have a deduction for crooked toes but all in all she's beautiful!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=4013821877496

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww! Poor little chick! I applaud you and your husband for saving that little chick! Good Job! )


I did see that your Golden Retriever is very interested in that chick! LOL

 

[ParadiseFoundFarm]

That golden thinks they are HIS babies. He watches what I do with them as if he were the mother hen. Hilarious! He lays down and they climb all over him. When they get tired they snuggle up to him and get warm, cozy and then fall asleep. Too cute. If he wants to get up with them all over him, he looks to us and quietly asks us to remove them so he can move. He's so afraid of crushing them.

Gargoyle: Sorry we arrived to late too have lunch with you and the Mrs., it would have been a great conversation!

Denise