Illinois...

[cutechick2010]

BTW, does anyone in or near central IL have any Khaki Campbell ducks they would like to sell or trade for? I am looking for some. Thanks!

 

[loudraven]

Flock reduction? Do you have the freedom rangers with the layers? I put them together and they seem to be doing just fine. I'm in Elburn by the Fisherman's Inn. On the ducks 4 black swiss and 4 blue swiss, they grow fast!

 

[OSUman]

I dont think Im going to be able to make it to the auction tonight, maybe the next one, I need to get rid of some birds before I get more.

 

[NotAFarm]

Flock reduction? Do you have the freedom rangers with the layers? I put them together and they seem to be doing just fine. I'm in Elburn by the Fisherman's Inn. On the ducks 4 black swiss and 4 blue swiss, they grow fast!

Right now the Freedom Rangers are in a 5 x 6 corner of the barn/coop. They have a pop door that is hardware cloth "screened" so they can see out into the chicken yard and get air but they aren't free ranging yet. I need to gather up the juvie cockerels who are causing trouble for the youngest pullets before I dare to let the FRs out.

Elburn.....pass by on the way to the sister-in-laws house in St Chuck.......got caught in the resurfacing on RT 38 and RT 47 the last weekend in July.....

Freedom Rangers are a broiler chicken that has colored feathers instead of all white feathers like the cornish x (cornish x = cornish cross = chicks hatched from proprietary genetics by the "big boys" like Tyson and Perdue" for the commercial broiler market = not really cornish crossed with some other breed, just a name they go by). The FR take a few more weeks (10-12 total) to mature to the size a cornish x will get in 7 or 8 weeks but they are more like a real chicken = they forage and walk around and can roost and their legs and hearts don't give-out on them like the cornish x do......at least that is my experience with them.
I have raised cornish xs for the past 4 years,. I did a batch of them this spring, lost one at 2 days old and didn't lose anymore. Thirty-one of thirty-two went through the hottest parts of June and July in my chicken tractor and were fine. Fresh cold well water three times a day and keeping the tractor in the shade and facing into the breeze (if there was one) seemed to keep them from dropping like some did at a friend's place. They were processed at 8 weeks and the largest was 6.17 lb and smallest 4.59 lb dressed. I like the shorter "commitment" of the cornish x but I like the ease of the Freedom Rangers. I think the FRs are less work for me....the cornish x are "forced to move" three times a day when I move the tractor 8 feet to clean grass....then I spray down the "used" grass with the hose to "melt" the fertilizer into the grass...this reduces the smell and eliminates the place for flies to lay their eggs. I think the over all feed total is a bit more for the FRS but I don't think it is proportional to the length of time since they are getting some natural forage along with the feed. I haven't kept hard numbers so that's just a guess. Google Freedom Ranger Hatchery for more info on them...they were/are a sponsor here on BYC....

How was the sale?!

 

[Gargoyle]

Elburn.....pass by on the way to the sister-in-laws house in St Chuck.......got caught in the resurfacing on RT 38 and RT 47 the last weekend in July.....

Two seasons here, winter and road construction.

I was driving around StC late last week, and between construction on 64, Kirk/Dunham, and 25, what should have taken 8 minutes took about 30. There was work going on 59 a week or two ago, but I think that might be finished. However, if you add 38 and 47 to that, and there is some work N. of 64 and W. of Randall, so they've pretty much got the area blocked in. Good thing I don't have to go out much!

 

[Cedarknob]

Hi, people and hellow chickens. Its been a fun four weeks now and i understand what the fuss is about. I love chickens. I've been talking about doing this for a long time and I finally got around to it. 8 turkey's, 20 freedom rangers, and 16 layers plus 8 ducks. I don't try things I dive in. always been my problem. Turned my 10x16 shed into a coop with two 16x 20 foot open range space for my birs at either end of the coop. Built a wall in the middle to keep chickens and turkeys apart. Building a pool for duckies and plan on expanding the garden into the coop. I'm in northern huskey land by dekalb, hoping to find some close by folks who know their stuff so I could pick their brains for Ideas. Thanks Mike

Welcome Mike! I'm not real close, and it will be slim pickin's, but you're welcome to what you can find in my brain. lol

These are some Silver Ameraucanas I have in the BST section.







These are some Easter Egg chickens I hatched and plan to keep as part of a 'just for fun' project to breed a meaty dual purpose blue egg layer for myself. They were hatched in mid to late April and the grass they're in is 12".

 

[tbitt]

Hi Tammy! Aren't back at school yet?! Lucky you going to the sale!!
I have two Bourbon Red turkeys that may have to go....caught one yesterday with one of my 10 day old Icelandic chicks in it's beak..

..it was the first day I let the momma and chicks out to range.....good thing I was outside working on something and heard the commotion! Please let me know if you see any turkeys sell and what they bring......in the meantime, the two are in "lockdown" until I decide what to do with them.

I was telling a friend about your turkey dilemma, she might be interested in them....do you what sex they are? How much are you looking to sell them for?

btw - there were no turkeys there.

Oh and....how proud of me are you all...... I came home with nothing!!!!!!

 

[NotAFarm]

I know one is a tom for sure. It is bigger than the other (they were hatched the first week of May) and it displays and drums. I'd like to think the other is a hen but they are the first turkeys I've raised so I can't be sure. Price.........$40.00 for the two of them?

 

[OSUman]

Thats a typical price although you wont get that much at auctions as most of the people are buying to sell.

I know one is a tom for sure. It is bigger than the other (they were hatched the first week of May) and it displays and drums. I'd like to think the other is a hen but they are the first turkeys I've raised so I can't be sure. Price.........$40.00 for the two of them?

 

[User105877]

anybody located in Southern IL. Harrisburg area maybe?