"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[kuntrygirl]

any recommendations for chicks to purchase locally? since i can only have 3 - i'm looking for good layers, and different colour eggs from each. i look through breeds and i can come up with stuff like Australorp, Speckled Sussex, Golden Spangled Hamburg... but, idk how well those three would do in Baton Rouge, compared to other breeds. plus, i'd rather buy local.

Well, if you are going to buy from most feed stores, you will have to wait till March or April for chicks. Plus, a lot of them handle only a few varieties. Out of about 5 feed stores within 20 miles of my house, only one orders a large variety of breeds (from Ideal Poultry). Your best bet would be build the coop, and then post your want list here on this thread. I am SURE their are a couple folks in your area with juveniles in the breeds you want. Some of the breeds I have that do great at my place are RIR, Delaware, New Hampshire, Ameraucana, Marans, Barred Rocks, Dark Cornish, Dorkings, Naked Necks, and Orpingtons. The breeds with the largest combs and least feathers seem to do best in the worst of summer's heat. As to your coop....a lady that posts on here in the goose section has a great little, easily built coop. You could shrink your version down to suit the smaller number of hens. It could also be made into a tractor pretty easily with a wire floor and tires.Here is a picture of it. The front and back are cut from sheets of plywood. and the bottom framed out of 2x6. The main "body" is concrete wire covered in hardware cloth and then the back is covered with a tarp: The hoops could be made from PVC pipe instead. If done correctly, this would be very secure and more than big enough for your girls. Good luck!

I love that. Is that yours?

 

[luvmychicken]

ok is it normal for a hen to get broody even when there is NO rooster. she isn't even setting on any eggs. At first i thought she might be sick. won't get out of the nest box. not even to eat or drink. so i got her some food and water, she is eating and drinking, but just won't leave the nest. I check to see if she was egg bound and nope she not. she is one of my very tame birds and doesn't mind to be handled. Just sits all puffed up. This morning i found her with another hen in the same box, she has staked her claim to this nest and isn't budging. What to do (if anything).

 

[mbmess2003]

either try and break her or give her some fertile eggs to hatch

 

[chickenbelle]

any recommendations for chicks to purchase locally? since i can only have 3 - i'm looking for good layers, and different colour eggs from each.

i look through breeds and i can come up with stuff like Australorp, Speckled Sussex, Golden Spangled Hamburg... but, idk how well those three would do in Baton Rouge, compared to other breeds.

plus, i'd rather buy local.

Buying locally is a great plan. It would be to your advantage to buy from an NPIP certified flock, as these birds are tested yearly for pollorum. Sometimes things do slip through the cracks and birds get ill--trust me...I have BEEN THERE recently! If you find someone who isn't NPIP certified, be sure to ask about their biosecurity measures--they should NOT allow you to walk into their coops/runs or handle their birds that you don't intend to purchase. Check each bird for bugs--lice and mites, and check for good coloring on their combs and wattles. Pale looking combs and wattles are not a sign of good health and may mean bugs, worms, or something far worse.

Australorps do well in our heat, as do the sussex and RIR. Leghorns are great egg layers and do well in our heat. My marans, orpingtons, wyandottes, and cochins also do well in the heat most times. I have never had hamburgs. Try for birds of similar sizes since they will be cooped together. Pecking order squabbles can get violent. LOL

If you wait and purchase chicks from a feed store, they will most likely come from Ideal Poultry and are healthy. You will then have a 4 to 6 month wait on eggs depending on what breeds you purchase. If you get a bird you aren't happy with, don't worry about selling it and trying something else. It's trial and error on this journey. Enjoy it!

 

[chickenbelle]

Anyone here have any silkie eggs right now? I'm setting in two incubators this week and would like to find some silkie eggs I could pick up Friday evening or Saturday morning. After my cocci battle, I'm down to one silkie--a poor little cockerel who is in need of some lady friends.

I'd prefer within an hour drive from me in Vernon Parish...??? Anyone?

 

[PrimroseMom1]

ok is it normal for a hen to get broody even when there is NO rooster. she isn't even setting on any eggs. At first i thought she might be sick. won't get out of the nest box. not even to eat or drink. so i got her some food and water, she is eating and drinking, but just won't leave the nest. I check to see if she was egg bound and nope she not. she is one of my very tame birds and doesn't mind to be handled. Just sits all puffed up. This morning i found her with another hen in the same box, she has staked her claim to this nest and isn't budging. What to do (if anything).

Remember that I know practically NOTHING, but sounds like what mbmess said was interesting. Why couldn't you get a few fertile eggs to let her sit on? Seems you have a living breathing incubator on your hands. LOL

 

[kuntrygirl]

ok   is it normal for a hen to get broody even when there is NO rooster.  she isn't even setting on any eggs.  At first i thought she might be sick.  won't get out of the nest box.  not even to eat or drink. so i got her some food and water, she is eating and drinking, but just won't leave the nest. I check to see if she was egg bound and nope she not. she is one of my very tame birds and doesn't mind to be handled.  Just sits all puffed up.  This morning i found her with another hen in the same box,  she has staked her claim to this nest and isn't budging.  What to do (if anything).

Remember that I know practically NOTHING, but sounds like what mbmess said was interesting.  Why couldn't you get a few fertile eggs to let her sit on?  Seems you have a living breathing incubator on your hands.  LOL

x2. Throw some eggs under that girl.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I'm so glad that he can help you out. I immediately thought about you when he told me ALL of the babies that he had. I thought they would be perfect for you all. I can't wait to see what he has this weekend. I'm so excited.

Please post a pic of whatever you buy from him. I can't wait to see what you all pick out.

I definately will post fotos of the new bunnies. I am SO excited about going, too.

I wish I didn't work and didn't have to wait for Saturday.

I thought I'd show you one of my re-used items that someone threw out. It's a National Geographic bird feeder (beautifully weathered just for me LOL) with wrought iron base. A huge amount of things at my house have been re-purposed/re-used. Yes, I confess, I check out stuff on the side of the road, pop my hatchback and toss in. My graddaughter is fine with it, but it embarresses other members of my family. LOL

Too bad, I'm hooked.

I just spent a LOT of time trying to get this foto to NOT be upsidedown. I failed. So here it is anyway! LOL

 

[DHinton]

the three breeds i mentioned were just random ones from the "good layers" search. as long as they are hardy, and make a lot of eggs, those are my major "wants". i figure there's bound to be enough different breeds that thrive in our area, that i could get three different coloured egg breeds (if i worded that where it made sense).

i'll also check out that coop style you posted, 1MrsMagoo. i guess NPIP certified is part of what i'm looking for, as well.

 

[luvmychicken]

ok   is it normal for a hen to get broody even when there is NO rooster.  she isn't even setting on any eggs.  At first i thought she might be sick.  won't get out of the nest box.  not even to eat or drink. so i got her some food and water, she is eating and drinking, but just won't leave the nest. I check to see if she was egg bound and nope she not. she is one of my very tame birds and doesn't mind to be handled.  Just sits all puffed up.  This morning i found her with another hen in the same box,  she has staked her claim to this nest and isn't budging.  What to do (if anything).

Remember that I know practically NOTHING, but sounds like what mbmess said was interesting.  Why couldn't you get a few fertile eggs to let her sit on?  Seems you have a living breathing incubator on your hands.  LOL

I went and spoke to the girl at the feed store. We are gonna trade eggs. She has some fertile eggs I guess we will see what happens