"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[Ron Skekel]

My advice would be to go to your local feedstore and find out what breeds they can get, if they can get what you want, then order them from there, and only order hens for eggs, it is a lot cheaper because you aren't paying shipping costs, plus you will only get maybe 1 or 2 duds out of a 100, where as straight run chicks can be as high as 100% roosters, for eggs and a bunch of them, i would go with the Red Sex Link, they hold the record on eggs per year and lay an extra large dark brown egg, th RSL eggs are in the front, the Barred rock, BSL, Dominique eggs are assorted in the back 3 rows, We sell the RSL eggs and the larger of the others in a mixed assortment dz, 6 xl and 6 reg size, my costomers want more eggs, so i talked to the hens to see if they could lay a little faster, so far, i am not convenced they heard my plea's, we are going to add more RSL in the near future This is a days gather for 11/7/14 This is a gather from a few days ago We get a steady 26 + 1 green egg about 5/6 a week, I did a lot of research before deciding on the RSL, they have a good feed to egg covertion ratio, one of the most efficient, they only lay prficiently for about 2/2.5 years, so they are still young enough to make quality food use when culled. I have 10 and i can not remember a day when i didn't get 10 eggs from them, they lay great in the winter without putting a light in the coop at night. I bought my cartons from Vicksburg and they are extra large size, i print my lables at home and lable them as i need to. For meat birds, order one of them broiler specials or cornsh cross's, or order throgh your feedstore and save the shipping. Be ready to process them at about 6/8 weeks after reciept of them.

Gotta say that one green egg sure is pretty aginst all those other colors. I thought Black astrolorps had the record at 366 a year.Pam

 

[LemonMeringue]

Projects around here (like this coop) just seem to take us FOREVER!!!!!
But things are moving forward. Even if its slow, at least progress is being made. I took this picture the other day. The archway in front of the Chicken Barn is a project in itself. It had to be completely primed with Rustoleum Primer, then painted with gloss Black Rustoleum paint. Now we need to connect the two halves back together at the top and make a base to set it on so that we don't encourage any more rust. It was a FREE find about 5 years ago and we like it. There are going to be muscadine going from the left and the right growing towards the center and up over the arch. That should help shade the chicken play yards on each side of the barn from some of the intense summer sun/heat. We have a good vine going on the left and we have some that I need to plant now for the right side.

Today hubby was able to spend some time working in the coop

He put the door handles on the front and back doors. Re did roosts in one stall to see if we can squeeze in more room for fat hens. And adjusted 2 feeders for the afore mentioned fat hens to HOPEFULLY stop wasting so much feed

I did some cleaning up of part of the GAZILLION feathers that FAT hens have dropped EVERYWHERE!!!!


More work is planned for tomorrow. I'm crossing my fingers that we don't get pulled away to do something else!



Cleaned of Feathers!



Maybe this project will be complete by next spring

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Gotta say that one green egg sure is pretty aginst all those other colors. I thought Black astrolorps had the record at 366 a year.Pam

Only one laying is Rue, the one Angel gave me. The others are molting so getting NOTHING from them. An egg a day. Good thing I don't need more, but no give-aways these days.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Projects around here (like this coop) just seem to take us [COLOR=FF0000]FOREVER!!!!! [/COLOR] But things are moving forward. Even if its slow, at least progress is being made. I took this picture the other day. The archway in front of the Chicken Barn is a project in itself. It had to be completely primed with Rustoleum Primer, then painted with gloss Black Rustoleum paint. Now we need to connect the two halves back together at the top and make a base to set it on so that we don't encourage any more rust. It was a FREE find about 5 years ago and we like it. There are going to be muscadine going from the left and the right growing towards the center and up over the arch. That should help shade the chicken play yards on each side of the barn from some of the intense summer sun/heat. We have a good vine going on the left and we have some that I need to plant now for the right side. Today hubby was able to spend some time working in the coop e e e He put the door handles on the front and back doors. Re did roosts in one stall to see if we can squeeze in more room for fat hens. And adjusted 2 feeders for the afore mentioned fat hens to HOPEFULLY stop wasting so much feed I did some cleaning up of part of the GAZILLION feathers that FAT hens have dropped EVERYWHERE!!!! More work is planned for tomorrow. I'm crossing my fingers that we don't get pulled away to do something else! Cleaned of Feathers! Maybe this project will be complete by next spring

I have a big metal archway, too and couldn't come up with something that is perrinial and not toxic to the chickens or bunnies. Does muscadine grow well? Ok for chickens and bunnies?

Don't know if you can see the arch to the right of the fence where the gate is to the entrance of the chicken and bunny yard.

 

[LemonMeringue]

Pam, my hen is 8 months old that has the feathers missing. I was under the impression they wouldn't molt until after 1 year so that's why I was asking/concerned. However, I don't have any roosters and all the feathers are coming from the upper back of the neck....do you think I should be concerned about feather picking?

I have 4 hens that were hatched this spring that are going through a partial molt. Its fine. They are 8 and 10 months now.

Now my older hens DROPPED a lot of feathers all at one time. Its a more drastic quick drop than the pullets.

I would only be concerned if the feathers start growing back and then disappear........like another hen pulled them out. I did have to keep one of my older hens that dropped all those feathers so fast, separated for a couple of days because I saw a few scabs on her shoulders. I think the other hens were just over doing it with "helping" her get her feathers fixed up. If you start seeing any scabs of blood, that is when I would be concerned and maybe keep her separate for a bit so they can grow in at least enough to cover her bare skin.

 

[LemonMeringue]

I have a big metal archway, too and couldn't come up with something that is perrinial and not toxic to the chickens or bunnies. Does muscadine grow well? Ok for chickens and bunnies?


Don't know if you can see the arch to the right of the fence where the gate is to the entrance of the chicken and bunny yard.

Oh yes, I can see it. I feed Muscadine leaves to both my chickens and the bunny. None have had any adverse reactions at all. We pick them a mix of herbs, greens and leaves etc and I usually throw in a few of the Muscadine if there is enough.

 

[topdog24]

Gotta say that one green egg sure is pretty aginst all those other colors. I thought Black astrolorps had the record at 366 a year.Pam

The Black Australorps do actually hold the world record, i should have stated in( one University study ), not sure but i will go ammend my post really didn't mean to put up miss leading statemnt, i think i have the link saved somewhere, probably in the chicken stuf folder,lol

 

[LemonMeringue]

The first clue is their is no breed americanas spelled with an i. Their is nothing wrong with easter eggers they lay more and bigger eggs than ameracunas. The later lays blue eggs the easter eggers lay green to blue and somtimes pink. At this young age the true ameracunas have slate colored legs front and back on easter eggers have yellow on the bottom of their feet. Pam

I have never had any large fowl Ameraucana. But I sure do love me some Easter Eggers

I just love those green eggs and your right. They are a very nice size. All of the EEs that we have had the bit of yellow at least on the bottoms of their feet. But this one is all slate gray legs and feet. But she is definitely an EE, not a true Ameraucana. And she has an egg shell gland defect, so I am trying to decide what to do with her. The shells on her eggs have always been wonky and she had that episode with being egg bound late summer. Now she is molting. So when she starts laying again I hope its better. If not.......she will probably go into the pot

.

 

[LemonMeringue]

Dang it! Lost one of my RIR girls to a hawk yesterday.

At the end-of-day feeding, I didn't get the usual rush of all 8 girls and Rudy, my rooster, to the gate as I approached their pen. I found that very curious since it's never happened before, but chalked it up to grandchildren visiting and feeding them some scratch. Thought they just might not be hungry.

By the time I reached the coop, only Rudy and four of the girls were with me to eat. Finally, all but one came out of the trees that are in their pen, but even then, just didn't eat with the normal enthusiasm. When one didn't show up by almost dark, I went looking and found her. I was startled that a hawk flew off as I approached her carcass. It was too dark to realize that it was still there, and to see what kind it might be, as if that makes a difference.

I had been confident that the trees and the brush underneath would be the safest area of their pen. I assume that if there was to be a hawk attack, it would happen in the open, grassy area. Maybe the hawk did get her there and carried her into the trees for its meal. That hawk must be pretty brave, since our grandkids and I had been in and out of their pen a number of times yesterday. And, I worked in the garden part of the day that is within earshot of their pen, and heard nothing.

I'm wondering if Rudy did anything to protect her. He just may be too young yet to be the tough guy I hope him to be.

These are my first chickens in a long time, and really hate losing her. They are our pets, which makes the loss that much more difficult. And, they've just started laying. I'm sure folks that raise large flocks of chickens wouldn't give this a passing thought, and probably just can't understand we backyard chicken keepers feelings about such.

Aw, that stinks! Predators are the pits!

I saw a hawk or owl last week. It scared me half to death. COMPLETELY SILENT but it looked like a hawks wing shape. I was in the back yard and it flew right over my head and landed in a tree. I have kept all my chickens in their covered play yards since then.

 

[LemonMeringue]

Don't buy any yet. I have got the best birds in the country. One rooster and 3 hens. I can be raising them in the next couple of months. Or get you eggs if you want. I want the quality of good White rocks to be down in the La area. People don't know the difference. Do a search at the top for Blosl White Rocks and you will find threads and pictures. Oh man, quality. Also search for Weaver Rocks. He inherited them when Bob died last year and he also has XW Ranch poultry. I have both. They look the same but the Blosl has the silver gene and will make sex links with New Hampshire pullets. With these you will have over 20 years of breeding done for you. Seriously. I'll help you.

Edited: Of course, these are whites. If you want Barred Ken Weaver sells those also. $40 + $15 shipping for eggs. Here's a picture.

http://www.xwpoultryranch.com/Home_Page.php

OH MAN those Barred Rocks of his are eye candy! So gorgeous!