"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[PrimroseMom1]

To Many I left jeff a message to name that breed. I think he had a race so hopefully tomorrow he'll show up. Lemon left NOLAchicks,Chicken belle. Pam

We were all so close, I thought it would never change. This is the first "blog" I had ever been on, so maybe it's normal. I liked everyone so much I was starting to meet some in person: Cracked Nut, Victoria, Angelici, Celie, 1mrsmagoo, Mzstre and LAchickenmess. I can see we are developing again, but I really really really miss the ones that are gone.

 

[mzstre]

How do you remain patient during moulting? 

We have 48 layers, and I'm getting 2-8 eggs a day. We had been doing really well selling eggs, now I feel like I'm letting everyone down. Since Sunday I've collected just over a dozen.

Isn't it frustrating? My pens look like pillows have exploded. Yesterday I collected 18 eggs and today only FOUR!!! When they aren't molting I usually collect about 3-4 dozen per day depending on how many mature birds I have.

I have only offered them here for free and only for 4H. Otherwise it will be a sale. I also feed organic. Are you buying from azure standard? The feed is reasonable compared to retail.
Lemon they have a 20 dollar brand. I know you wanted to go organic but 20 was your limit. It looks like conventional feed they make a pellet. My girls are used to grains so they turned their nose up at it.
I use the soy and corn free. Soy transfers phyto estrogen into the eggs. They have 3 or 4 brands to choose from.
I sell my extra eggs to recoop some of the cost. Organic free ranged eggs are 6.99 at whole foods and rouses. I sell mine for 4.00. Pam

Pam - I have been ordering from Azure Standard for over a year. Love them! My birds won't eat the pellets either. I usually order Big Sky or Cascade, but occasionally get Scratch and Peck. All are soy and corn free. I ferment the mash and mix in some of the Big Sky scratch (kamut, BOSS & flax) as well as a bit of alfalfa pellets. I occasionally buy other grains or split peas for variety. I never feed soy products and the only time I feed corn is when I am finishing cockerels for processing. I still feed the fermented mixture, but I cook a pot of polenta (coarse yellow corn grits) for them and add milk or kefir for about a week.

 

[LindaB220]

I have great news. My other Legbar hen laid her first egg this one is blue the color doesn't show true in the picture. It's darker than the picture. Linda I was asking about you Swedish flower chicks?

The blue green one is the other hen. Now just waiting on the Bielefelders.

I'm so sorry, I totally missed the other post. Nada....... Two developed out of 14 and died a few days before hatch. The rest were totally scrambled. I mentioned today that the Meaning of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Einstein la. After talking with this guy in Pa about better shipping methods and sending $15 shipping he still did exactly the same method and just put "Fragile" on the outside. Pa is just too far from La. But I did the very same thing with a guy in Tn or somewhere and said the same thing to him. He didn't charge me shipping just sent new eggs and along with them a stinky egg that 3 days into incubating was rank. I cracked it and the yolk was black. I guess he showed me.

Two hatched but instead of White Rocks I got Barred. I'll only go through reliable trusted people from now on.
My very favorite little 2 mo pullet Basque died a couple of months ago due to a predator. I wanted some more but I wanted really good quality and I found it. CackleJoy in Ca has them, bought from Ron Ott. They are a special breed that his strain from Meg has a cockerel that was personally hand carried in the plane from Spain. The best. So happy. I've been trying to get them for months. They are heat loving, very intelligent and incredibly friendly. Forage great and while not docile they pretty much get along with everybody. I can't wait to get a camera to take photos.

Okay, I've told you about the good, the bad and now comes the ugly. My DD Aimee the dog groomer had a seizure a couple of months ago. The EMT's took her to the hospital and they pretty much said nothing was wrong with her. But her Dr met her the next day and said it was dehydration, too much over work, a big sugar rush with a snowcone combined with her taking a new med that mixed with another med she takes. Yada, yada. Never happen again. Uh huh. Today, today, her day off, totally relaxed, not dehydrated, no more new pills. Nothing. But she still seized. The youngest daughter Brandi took Welbutrin for about a month 10 yrs ago and still has to take medications for seizures. She has attempted to get off of them 3 separate times and after being off the meds for 6 mo they start over. She just started driving again after seizing 6 mo ago. So maybe we have a gene in our family that shows a propensity for it. We'll find out. AJ is 20 (Aimee's son) has said that with his mental problems he's never gonna have kids. So I guess it's Nanny's fault. Me. Coming down through my side of the family. Mama always was screwed up. Joking sort of.

 

[LindaB220]

Isn't it frustrating? My pens look like pillows have exploded. Yesterday I collected 18 eggs and today only FOUR!!! When they aren't molting I usually collect about 3-4 dozen per day depending on how many mature birds I have.
Pam - I have been ordering from Azure Standard for over a year. Love them! My birds won't eat the pellets either. I usually order Big Sky or Cascade, but occasionally get Scratch and Peck. All are soy and corn free. I ferment the mash and mix in some of the Big Sky scratch (kamut, BOSS & flax) as well as a bit of alfalfa pellets. I occasionally buy other grains or split peas for variety. I never feed soy products and the only time I feed corn is when I am finishing cockerels for processing. I still feed the fermented mixture, but I cook a pot of polenta (coarse yellow corn grits) for them and add milk or kefir for about a week.

I love this idea!!!! Mush.

I gave away my roosters so I can't try it. Next year.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Isn't it frustrating? My pens look like pillows have exploded. Yesterday I collected 18 eggs and today only FOUR!!! When they aren't molting I usually collect about 3-4 dozen per day depending on how many mature birds I have.
Pam - I have been ordering from Azure Standard for over a year. Love them! My birds won't eat the pellets either. I usually order Big Sky or Cascade, but occasionally get Scratch and Peck. All are soy and corn free. I ferment the mash and mix in some of the Big Sky scratch (kamut, BOSS & flax) as well as a bit of alfalfa pellets. I occasionally buy other grains or split peas for variety. I never feed soy products and the only time I feed corn is when I am finishing cockerels for processing. I still feed the fermented mixture, but I cook a pot of polenta (coarse yellow corn grits) for them and add milk or kefir for about a week.

My coop and yard are more covered than ever in feathers. This is the first molt for the Amercaunas. You don't live that far from me, how/where do you get your Azure?

 

[Ron Skekel]

My coop and yard are more covered than ever in feathers. This is the first molt for the Amercaunas. You don't live that far from me, how/where do you get your Azure?

Go on Their web suite. Call them. They give you the closest drop in your area. They will give you the number to the cordinator who will add you to the group you will get acess to their facebook page. Once you have the drop numder you can set up an account and order. The coordenator will tell you where to pick up,and when. They also let you know the cut off date for ordering each month. I like scratch and peck layer and I use big sky too. Plus I order food items for us too.

 

[Ron Skekel]

I'm so sorry, I totally missed the other post.    Nada....... Two developed out of 14 and died a few days before hatch.  The rest were totally scrambled.   I mentioned today that the Meaning of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  Einstein  la.    After talking with this guy in Pa about better shipping methods and sending $15 shipping he still did exactly the same method and just put "Fragile" on the outside.   Pa is just too far from La.  But I did the very same thing with a guy in Tn or somewhere and said the same thing to him.   He didn't charge me shipping just sent new eggs and along with them a stinky egg that 3 days into incubating was rank.  I cracked it and the yolk was black.  I guess he showed me.   Two hatched but instead of White Rocks I got Barred.  I'll only go through reliable trusted people from now on.    
My very favorite little 2 mo pullet Basque died a couple of months ago due to a predator.  I wanted some more but I wanted really good quality and I found it.  CackleJoy in Ca has them, bought from Ron Ott.  They are a special breed that his strain from Meg  has a cockerel that was personally hand carried in the plane from Spain.   The best.     So happy.  I've been trying to get them for months.   They are heat loving, very intelligent and incredibly friendly.  Forage great and while not docile they pretty much get along with everybody.    I can't wait to get a camera to take photos.   

Okay, I've told you about the good, the bad and now comes the ugly.   My DD Aimee the dog groomer had a seizure a couple of months ago.  The EMT's took her to the hospital and they pretty much said nothing was wrong with her.  But her Dr met  her the next day and said it was dehydration,  too much over work,   a big  sugar rush with a snowcone combined with her taking a new med that mixed with another med she takes.   Yada, yada.   Never happen again.  Uh huh.   Today,  today,  her day off, totally relaxed, not dehydrated, no more new pills.  Nothing.   But she still seized.   The youngest daughter Brandi took Welbutrin for about a month 10 yrs ago and still has to take medications for seizures.   She has attempted to get off of them 3 separate times and after being off the meds for 6 mo they start over.   She just started driving again after seizing 6 mo ago.    So maybe we have a gene in our family that shows a propensity for it.  We'll find out.   AJ is 20 (Aimee's son) has said that with his mental problems he's never gonna have kids.  So I guess it's Nanny's fault.  Me.  Coming down through my side of the family.  Mama always was screwed up.   Joking   sort of.      

So sorry to hear of your families health issues. Hope all concerned manage it well. Hate to here that about the swedish Flower hens. I wanted those to hatch so I could get some from you. I know someone that got eggs from montana and they hatched. Its all in the packing. Buggles mom said she got better hatches when the eggs were packed indavigually instead of in an egg carton. I can't wait till you post pic's.Your daughter doesn't have a smart phone you could use to post a few? Hope everyone feels better soon. Pam

 

[Ron Skekel]

Isn't it frustrating? My pens look like pillows have exploded. Yesterday I collected 18 eggs and today only FOUR!!! When they aren't molting I usually collect about 3-4 dozen per day depending on how many mature birds I have.
Pam - I have been ordering from Azure Standard for over a year. Love them! My birds won't eat the pellets either. I usually order Big Sky or Cascade, but occasionally get Scratch and Peck. All are soy and corn free. I ferment the mash and mix in some of the Big Sky scratch (kamut, BOSS & flax) as well as a bit of alfalfa pellets. I occasionally buy other grains or split peas for variety. I never feed soy products and the only time I feed corn is when I am finishing cockerels for processing. I still feed the fermented mixture, but I cook a pot of polenta (coarse yellow corn grits) for them and add milk or kefir for about a week.

Mine are spoiled rotten. I buy them raw sunflower seeds for scratch but I don't have as many as you to feed.

 

[mzstre]

I love this idea!!!!    Mush.           I gave away my roosters so I can't try it.   Next year.    

It may be in my head, but I really think it makes a difference lol! I process the extra boys of all breeds if they don't find a home, but I raise white Bresse specifically for meat (they are excellent layers as a bonus). The Bresse actually develop some marbling in the muscle if finished properly and the "corn porridge" helps. I buy bulk organic polenta from Azure Standard.

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. I hope the doc will be able to determine a cause.

My Basque are super friendly. I have a young pair that follows me around until I pick them up. I can't bear the though of processing the boy later so I'll probably try to rehome them soon as a pair. The boy is not properly colored for me to keep for a breeder (too dark) and the pullet looks like she's going to be on the small side. I normally would just keep her as a layer, but I'll sacrifice her to save him if I can. Love the lil squirt to pieces.

My coop and yard are more covered than ever in feathers. This is the first molt for the Amercaunas. You don't live that far from me, how/where do you get your Azure?

Our local Azure drop is in Baton Rouge at the China Inn on Airline. I think the order cutoff will be Oct 14th at 6 PM. Our normal delivery is Wednesday of the following week at 8:30 am which would put it on Oct 22nd, but there are occasional changes in a drop date or time. There is a Facebook group for the BR drop that usually stays updated, but they haven't added in the cutoff or drop dates yet for this month. Let me know if you decide to order and need any help!



Regarding Swedish Flower Hens - I love the breed! I had to downsize so I could focus more on my selected breeds and I recently sold my last 2 hens. I was very sad to see them go. I had a problem because the boys would weasel themselves into being pseudo-pets and I didn't want to process them so I sold the roos last year. The hens were very docile and friendly and were good layers. They had no problems with the heat. Did I mention they're beautiful? For any of you who really want them, I highly recommend kytinpusher here on BYC for eggs. I had a 100% hatch from shipped eggs from her. Sorry to hear yours didn't hatch, Linda.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Ya'll are starting to give me hatch fever again! I'm not on much because there isn't much to say! - I've downsized to a dozen layers and they are all old hens so don't lay much anymore. Right now half of them are in moult so maybe 1-2 eggs every 1-2 days. I got up early this morning hoping to see the lunar eclipse but it was too foggy - and muggy - all I got to do was fight off some mosquitoes & go back inside! This past weekend was so nice -- Sunday I was walking around the house & thinking how strangely quiet it seemed - then I realized it was the first time in months the AC and the dehumidifier weren't running!

Anybody going to the Rapides Parish fair this year? They moved the location to near LSUA, so it's not far from our house at all.