I hope that your Buckeyes turn out well. I really love mine. They aren't as showy as some other breeds but more than make up for it in personality, usefulness as egg and meat birds, and hardiness.Some photos of the Buckeye chicks today. The Buckeyes were 5 weeks old on June 10 (Friday). I wanted to try some "heritage Buckeyes" because I've heard so much good about the breed if they're from good lines. Cold hardy, good egg producers, true dual purpose with more meat on them, good foragers, and even good mousers! Supposed to be somewhat laid-back. (But varies on the line. I've heard some are "mean as snakes" to quote a Buckeye enthusiast who tried to help me steer clear of that particular line.) I don't particularly care for a whole herd of red based birds as far as pleasing the eye, but I was hoping they would be great foragers, friendly, dual purpose, and do well in cold winters. Because of the pea comb I really don't have experience telling male female. Little blue band has a tiny bit more colorful comb, and it's maybe a little broader than most of the others so I'm guessing it's a boy. A couple others are a toss-up. I've marked them with color bands so I can tell who's who and then have some kind of idea if my guesses were correct or not. Here they are today: The whole gang. 6 of them. I think little blue band is a boy. Blue band and green band.
I'm crossing everything that I can for you! It's so disheartening to see people who are perfectly able to work living off the rest of us while someone who really needs help has to fight for it.Just some random photos to post for no real reason! Some of my year-old Bieles. I would like to sell a trio (my roo plus two hens) if anyone is interested. PM me. They were among the birds tested for my NPIP recertification, so they are clear of pullorum and typhoid. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cogburn as a two-year-old, tail still getting more full every year, and still just a dream of a rooster. I wish all my roos were like him! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two of my three Silver Grey Dorkings from Sand Hill. Pullet in the foreground, cockerel behind her. Unlike Orps, these babies are awesome flyers! I have some hatching eggs in the bator from OK that are seemingly doing well (considering I swore off buying hatching eggs EVER again--Mandy talked me out of it). Hoping for 3-4 more pullets. This color of Dorking autosexes--BONUS!!!! The pullet pretty much looks like she will forever (a little change, but not much). The boys still have a metamorphosis to go through but are clearly different from the pullets. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bitties and more bitties! Lavs and chocs and cuckoos. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My three English blues that should all be pullets. They're 7 weeks and the combs are still yellow and the wattles just pale pink streaks. A black cockerel their age was very obviously male. I also have a fourth blue that is a gender bender. I don't know what it is, but I'm keeping it until I figure it out. I'd hate to cull a pullet, even if it's a rooish one. It's a couple of weeks younger and not shown, but every other day I go back and forth on what gender it is. All I know is it's BIG but it acts more like a pullet now. Hopefully I'll see some direction in a couple of weeks. That's it! Just hadn't been on much lately. Been busy and sick a lot. Waiting for the ****** government to decide whether they'll approve my disability. My appeal was 6 weeks ago and I should have heard by now. I think that means it was sent out for medical review, which could also be good or bad, but at least I did not get a quick 4 week smackdown. I used to be able to do all the chicken jobs, but now all I do is handle chicks in the house and garage until they go outside. Jay takes care of all the adults unless they need to be looked at from a veterinary standpoint. Please keep your fingers crossed and/or send up a prayer for me that I win my appeal. I don't know how much longer we can hold out on no income from my end, and I feel really bad about not holding up my end. For those of you who don't know, I've had 5 back surgeries.
I know that it has been posted before but I'm not finding it--how do you freeze eggs?Time to start freezing eggs! I have around 70 on the counter after all the orders were filled! I usually keep 3 dozen or so for us. I love over easy eggs, and eat at least 4 a day myself. Love pastured eggs too. I do not wash eggs until I have orders, and try to give folks the freshest ones we have. Otherwise for us I just wash the eggs before we cook. Had a wonderful visit with family that came up from southern IN/KY area and the grand nieces enjoyed visiting all the critters here. My sis in law (she's more like a sister they have been married so long) Fed our lil bull Mooose his bottle this morning. I helped her hold onto the bottle, calves butt hard if they think the milk isn't coming fast enough. Still waiting for Sugar to kid, and expecting twins. She is flat huge!
I' so sorry to hear that. I know how much you have loved her.Had the Vet out today, checked my neighbors herd and my Cow Fanny. Heartbroken! Fanny's ultrasound explains why she hasn't went into cycle. She has a "mummyfied" calf that died and never passed, rather stayed inside. The vet said the mummy is old, possibly a year or more.. He confirmed she will not be able to breed again, and to look at alternatives for her. Fanny will go up for sale, I cannot keep a 1,000lb pet . Our other alternative is the freezer, even DH is struggling with that option frankly. She really stole our hearts, been a good girl.
Others have posted good advice. Just keep offering food and enjoying the show.There is a wild turkey with babies in my yard. I believe her mate was killed a couple days ago as I heard an awful commotion of screaming and crashing around in the woods. If I were to get an adult male (not wild) would they likely take to one another and would he help her with her young. I don't know anything about turkeys but she seems quite thin and young looking to me. I would sure like to help her if I could
That truly sucks! Definitely look into grandfathering.Hi everyone I have missed being here. Life is really a big ------hole right now and will be for a long time to come. My grandfather passed away and 2 days latter we got NOTICE that our neighbors want to rezone to residential and there are more of them than me so I have lost and now I have 30 days to either move or get rid of ALL my critters. Well the moving thing aint working out. Cant find a place. I am so upset. I have had my horse for 16 years!!! and I have the goats and the chickens!!! I just dont know what to do so if anyone is looking for any goats or chickens e-mail me cause I wont be on here much right now, I'm just upset and am spending ALL the time I can with the critters and trying to see that they go to good people. I hope all is well with everyone. [email protected]