INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Holy cow! I think those rir/ slw are sexlinked!

I thought that about your SLW / RIR cross when you first posted about her, Kab, but I did some research and I don't think so now. If it had been the other way (red male, silver female), then you would have had red sexlinks like you said. Based on what I'm reading, I don't think SLW boys can be used for sexlink crosses, though. If I'm understanding everything, if you cross a silver male with red females, all offspring will be silver (visually mostly white as adults).

Good info on the topic:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/261208/sex-linked-information

This is all genetics related to Wyandottes:

http://minifluffsrabbitry.weebly.com/wyandotte-chicken-color-genetics.html

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

The pattern could go either way. It is sort of patchy, but it could also just be a gangly stage and be a pattern. At this point I am leaning towards cockerel, but I would say their is still a chance that it could surprise you and be a pullet. 

Unless those shoulders get redder, I would say pullet. Although the comb is red, it is small. I think it's body type looks pretty girly also. If you part the feathers on its back right before the tail, at this age you should be seeing pointy shiny feathers starting to come in if its a boy. CCCChickens knows more than I do, but that was just my experience with my boys. By 8 weeks or so they had definite hackles and saddles coming in.

My gut instinct here is to agree with CCCCCHICKENS in that I would lean toward boy on that bird (mainly based on coloration), but Kab is right--by 8-12 weeks, you should be able to part the feathers at the base of the bird's tail and look for shiny, pointed saddle feathers. Check it out and let us know what you find!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

So guess what. We boiled 2 dozen eggs yesterday for deviled eggs, and then dyed them with the kids. Well, today we went to peel them and--oops--they weren't boiled long enough! Those eggs weren't even soft boiled! So the girls got a festive Easter treat.

I had two brown, a green, and a pale blue egg boiled to try dying them, though, and they turned out gorgeous! Here they are:

The back left was a nice green. Back right was brown. Front left was a paler brown. The pink one was the pale blue, and it turned out about the same as the white eggs that we dyed the same color. I had hoped it would be more purplish if I dyed it red. Oh, well. Those brown ones were gorgeous, though! Can't believe we never tried dying them before!

Speaking of white eggs, I'm super happy to say all the white eggs were provided by my own girls! e Not a single store bought egg this year! Hopefully I can keep that going through the winter with frozen eggs!

Hope everyone's having a happy Easter! Now I've got to go because we're about to sit down to eat!

 

[kabhyper1]

I was basing the sexlink with the chicks mostly by appearance. In Raisinemrights picture, all of the blond chicks are the same mix. Slw rir. If I'm right, the ones with lighter or no chipmunk markings are male. I guess we will have to wait and see lol.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

A few pages back someone asked about freezing eggs, so I thought I'd share my experience.

I tried the ice cube tray method, and there were three problems.

First, the eggs I used were grocery store white graded large, and each egg does is significantly larger than an ice cube. so, depending on the size of your eggs, you could end up freezing mostly yolks and have a lot of whites left over.

second, the texture of the eggs was radically different after freezing. The whites were stringier, I don't know how else to describe it. the yolks took on a grainy, granular chunkiness that no amount of beating Could cure. I found them difficult to use even for baking, and the only thing they were good for was scrambling. I too have a lot of experience with wedding and special occasion cakes, and the frozen eggs didn't blend well in o the fine-grained batter of a light cake.

third, a freezer bag full of egg cubes contains a lot of air, which equals a lot of freezer burn. eggs that stayed frozen for more than three or four weeks I had to throw out.

I never tried other methods, so I don't know if there another, more successful way. but those are my results. Your milage may vary.

on a more positive note, ask me some time about making your own vanilla extract. higher quality and 500 (not a typo) times cheaperthan store bought.

 

[alliejean]

I am moving my chicks into the coop tonight. They are 6-7 weeks old. I am wondering though if I should still give them supplimental heat on Tuesday evening when the temps are supposed to dip back down to freezing at night, or if they are old enough to adjust on their own?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Ultimately, it is a judgment call you will have to make for yourself. From my own experience, though, we moved ours out about a week and a half ago at about 5 weeks of age. We had a nice stretch of 70/50 days and nights and then the big chill (you know, the one that brought us our April snow showers and below freezing temps?). Our chicks were fine. I did bed deep (they still choose to sleep in a chick pile vs. on the roost) in the best interior corner we have (they share a wall with the horse stall next door, so we had that option vs. four exterior corners), and made sure to check them, but they were just fine. Since our barn isn't wired, heat wasn't really an option, but the point is no one even the slightest sign of distress - they were their active, goofy little selves

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I am moving my chicks into the coop tonight. They are 6-7 weeks old. I am wondering though if I should still give them supplimental heat on Tuesday evening when the temps are supposed to dip back down to freezing at night, or if they are old enough to adjust on their own?

My four week old chicks didn't use their heat plate when they were outside until it got down in the low 20s one night. I still have it plugged in, but they won't use it.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Pic of my bantam blue ameraucana hen as requested. She is molting right now so she doesn't look the greatest. I will have to take another picture when she has all of her feathers grown back in



Here is a pic of her when I first got her


This girl is impossible to get a good picture of

. She was holding her wing in tight and wouldn't hold her tail up as she normally does


She was just looking extra fluffy today




Because she thinks she can't be left out of anything


And, just because, and extremely big punnet's square (256 boxes). Old school genetics lol

 

[chick rookie]

He's really super pretty anyway. Any chance you might want some buff silkies lol? I just ended up with way too many.

I might be interested in some too if you have any pullets, I have way too many Roosters, and I think you wanted a Roo from me I also have a SLW Roo and a Lt. Brahma Roo that needs to go. Plus the possible BR Roo that I'm still not sure of and A ISA Brown Roo, A Welsummer Roo and a possible BJG Roo. Way too many... Pullet bin my butt... lol I got at least 1 Roo in every breed and some I got 2 Roo's Not a good things, my neighbors will have a fit... lol

Hello! I'm from Tennessee, and have a question...

We are considering moving to your state soon and are clueless as to what to bring for our chickens...Can anyone suggest anything? I have a Columbian Rock, Golden Comet, RIR, and four mixed chicks.

We don't have much snow here, but I know you guys certainly do!

Any advice would help!

PMs are even better <3

Welcome in advance... lol

I've been looking for a old wooden door for my pallet palace coop. We've been to antique stores and a few yard sales, we've seen a couple but I just never bought one for one reason or another. So the other day we were at my moms visiting. I asked her if they had a door sitting around (they don't throw anything away). My stepdad (dad) said he thought there was one in the old shed! Sure enough there was and it was a perfect fit (almost had to trim a little length and width) and the color is great. I got it installed this morning and I think it turned out great!!! I'm not even going to clean off the dust and cobwebs it's a nice touch of character!

Here is a look from the inside

New hinges but the doorknob is original and works!

Parents are great... it really makes the coop look great, the finishing touch. GREAT JOB