love this book! I have this book plus a few others by same author. Recommended books!! sent from your friendly neighborhood poultry raiser! cluck... cluck...My other reference book that I think is worth owning is Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow. http://storey.com/book_detail.php?isbn=9781603424691
I recommend it with "disclaimers". From what I've been told, a lot of what was written in the original editions of this book was patterned after large scale poultry operations which is NOT what most backyard chicken keepers want to emulate as we try to choose a more "natural", healthy way of life for our chickens. That being said, this 3rd edition has been updated to talk about more natural ways as well. The thing I like about it is that it gives you a very good, basic education on all aspects of raising chickens. As with other books, there is a lot of "baby" and a bit of "bathwater"...common sense will help you wade through all that. This book would give anyone a really good overview of almost every topic for raising chickens.
So my if I could only own 2 books on chickens they would be:
Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow 3rd Edition
The Small Scale Poultry Flock by Harvey Ussery
I also own several other books that are a bit more focused on specific topics that are useful for more in-depth on some specifics.
I HAVE 2 VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS!!!!!!
1. The chicken train is starting back up this Monday! I will be traveling from just south of Ft Wayne on 69 south, to 465 south, to 70 west to just south of Greencastle to make a stop at Little Ameraucana Moms. I am willing to transport chickens along the way for anyone interested. I plan on leaving my house around 9am, putting me at LAM's place around 11:30am.
I do have 3 older silkies (around 2 months I believe), a little crooked beaked silkie (4 weeks old or so), several Birchen Marans (most are cockerels but may have a pullet or two), couple blue bantam Cochin chicks (several weeks to close to 6 weeks or so), and I think that's it. I may also have 3-4 LF blue Cochin pullets around 8 weeks old also available! If anyone is interested, please let me know!
2. I have a new layer! My LF Cochin hen FINALLY laced an egg for me! Hope its fertile, but they are pretty fluffy and not trimmed!
I'm not familiar with the vitamix. I'll have to check it out -- thanks for the tip!My mom had a vitamix here at the house that I found out can grind grain. It's what I use to make my feed with. Hers is the "professional" one they made several years ago with the stainless steel top. Looks like this:
I didn't realize you could grind grains with them. It's basically a high powered blender. It works GREAT.... It was sitting here for a long time before I finally skimmed through the book and saw that one of it's functions was to grind grain into flower or more coarsely depending on what you want. I use it EVERY WEEK to coarse grind my feed fresh.
Maybe you could find one used?
Your Sebrights are just precious lil darlings! Your white/blonde bird on top is an OEGB, and looks to be possibly Red Pyle. They are sweet tiny dolls! The rooster combs are much larger at that size. You have a sweet little pullet! If I can remember I will take pics of my 4 adults and some of the babies. Diana, my red pyle hen is the only one laying right now.This is the second half, of my last brooder batch ever. They are all about 5 weeks.
At first poll, everyone thought this was an OEGB. Still in agreement? What about that comb? Boy?
I just couldn't get that Golden to look at me.
My lil Sebrights!!! I can't wait to see these guys(gals I hope) bouncing around my garden!
how old are the SLW and bantams? My GLW roo and all his sons didn't get their tail feathers as early as the girls. The pad where the comb comes in is also noticeably wider, and more pink. You will be able to see a difference at 4-5 weeks usually.These are supposed to be SLW...I'm extremely fond of all my chickens, but does anyone else think these are the "ugliest SLWs" they've ever seen???
I bought them at the RK in Muncie. The bin said SLW pullets. Does it look like they're both girls? One has much more lacing around her head and the other is smaller, but has a bit more pink to her comb. Other than a slight size difference and terrible coloring, they look like they are the same sex. I'm planning on moving them outside in the next couple of weeks, but I'd rather just rehome them.
Any takers? Make me an offer... I would be happy to keep them in the brooder until we are sure they're both girls.
I make sure to follow the see but can't touch rule for the chicks. Cage them within the big bird's coop for at least a week.
I picked up an assortment of chicks today as well as some eggs! Only thing is I don't know exactly what the chicks are! Lol. I believe there are legbars, Rhodebars, bielefelders, possibly marsh daisies and can't remember the other possibilities. I'm thinking the big white chick maybe an orpington? No idea on the black chick either. Also picked up an assortment of eggs of legbars, Russian orloff, hedemora, cuckoo silkie, jubilee orpington, partridge barthuhner, and sulmtaler. I also got coronation Sussex eggs for Janet and meet up with her. I took some turkey eggs from her and also picked up a shipment of showgirl eggs from the PO! My incubator is now packed full of eggs!
And here are some quick pictures of the chicks I picked up!
And snap a quick picture of these cuties, a frizzled tolbunt polish butt, bantam Cochin behind the tolbunt, 2 porcelain d'uccle that were smaller than the others, and a tiny modern doing a head stand while sleeping.
Congrats! We have just started working on the new breeding pens. You have sure been busy too!
