I have a black sex link from a RIR x PBR that looks very much like that one. She was such an ugly duckling, but is turning into a nice, pretty, well mannered bird.
Maine
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Ash, very cute pics. Babies make us so giddy sometimes, almost like dressing up your human baby for a photo, but we must...they are so little for such a short time, but way adorable! Who can resist?
Glad to see everyone getting out to their swaps and so forth, wish we could be there, but hub's health deters us from many things these days.
As far as the garden, these past few mornings with heavy frost here made me take a deep breath and thank karma was not tempted with that early blast of warmth. Knew it was too good to be true. That should be it, but remember all the old time farmers always told me to wait until after the last full moon of May to plant tenders. Nothing will germinate anyway until the soil is around 65-70, and if we get a lot of rain, the seeds will rot in the ground.. Will follow that rule as always, it works.
Have a question for all of you home hatchers. Started with 7 fertile Pekin eggs, lost 3 in development about 2 weeks in, dropped one while candling stupid, stupid, replaced 2 about 10 days in just because I just had to, they were about 2-3 days fertile, just the feathery streaks. We are now hatching, every single one is peeping and little holes are appearing. How can the 2 eggs that were put in 10 days later possibly have caught up?!? Actually, the last one I put in looks like it will be the first one out! Just have a little 7 egg Brinsea, which is an absolutely marvelous little bator for those of you who want your kids to experience the whole thing. Trying to keep it small here, and still have to get some chicks. Just because...we are moving our barn closer up to the house and there will be room for all. Has anyone ever had eggs catch up to the others like this? Found it odd...
Good to hear everyone is out and about and isn't spring wonderful! If not for the flies, which are so thick here you can't even poke your head out the door. Have to work on the copper penny trick today and see if it works at all.
Still have the Buff ducklings, they are starting to feather out, at that awkward stage of still being cute and yellow but not soft cotton balls anymore, those little quills are poking out. Convinced they are not really ducklings, but pigs in disguise. My goodness, they do go thru some food, and let me know it big time when it is time to eat. Must feed the little buggers every 2 hours or so, know they are getting enough as they all glutton out and then pass out. Had to add another "room" for their condo in the sunroom, just cut holes in the sides of cardboard boxes and duck ha-ha taped them together, so they have a dining room and a bedroom, but will need another room tomorrow. Would love to put them out permanently, but until we can get than barn moved up, they will stay another week or so. Know they are at a delicate stage as their pin feathers come in, and so far all are extremely healthy and friendly.
And for sale too! Buff ducklings about a month old, NPIP, very friendly and hand raised. Will hold them for anyone who wants to wait til they are feathered. They can go in bunches, pretty sure can tell the boys from the girls, huge size difference. Know everyone is selling off their excess now, but these little ones are super special, and don't see many Buffs offered. Just askin'...
Glad to see everyone getting out to their swaps and so forth, wish we could be there, but hub's health deters us from many things these days.
As far as the garden, these past few mornings with heavy frost here made me take a deep breath and thank karma was not tempted with that early blast of warmth. Knew it was too good to be true. That should be it, but remember all the old time farmers always told me to wait until after the last full moon of May to plant tenders. Nothing will germinate anyway until the soil is around 65-70, and if we get a lot of rain, the seeds will rot in the ground.. Will follow that rule as always, it works.
Have a question for all of you home hatchers. Started with 7 fertile Pekin eggs, lost 3 in development about 2 weeks in, dropped one while candling stupid, stupid, replaced 2 about 10 days in just because I just had to, they were about 2-3 days fertile, just the feathery streaks. We are now hatching, every single one is peeping and little holes are appearing. How can the 2 eggs that were put in 10 days later possibly have caught up?!? Actually, the last one I put in looks like it will be the first one out! Just have a little 7 egg Brinsea, which is an absolutely marvelous little bator for those of you who want your kids to experience the whole thing. Trying to keep it small here, and still have to get some chicks. Just because...we are moving our barn closer up to the house and there will be room for all. Has anyone ever had eggs catch up to the others like this? Found it odd...
Good to hear everyone is out and about and isn't spring wonderful! If not for the flies, which are so thick here you can't even poke your head out the door. Have to work on the copper penny trick today and see if it works at all.
Still have the Buff ducklings, they are starting to feather out, at that awkward stage of still being cute and yellow but not soft cotton balls anymore, those little quills are poking out. Convinced they are not really ducklings, but pigs in disguise. My goodness, they do go thru some food, and let me know it big time when it is time to eat. Must feed the little buggers every 2 hours or so, know they are getting enough as they all glutton out and then pass out. Had to add another "room" for their condo in the sunroom, just cut holes in the sides of cardboard boxes and duck ha-ha taped them together, so they have a dining room and a bedroom, but will need another room tomorrow. Would love to put them out permanently, but until we can get than barn moved up, they will stay another week or so. Know they are at a delicate stage as their pin feathers come in, and so far all are extremely healthy and friendly.
And for sale too! Buff ducklings about a month old, NPIP, very friendly and hand raised. Will hold them for anyone who wants to wait til they are feathered. They can go in bunches, pretty sure can tell the boys from the girls, huge size difference. Know everyone is selling off their excess now, but these little ones are super special, and don't see many Buffs offered. Just askin'...
Maybe I'll be able to tell better by her eggs when she starts laying. For now I'll just call her a BR cross.
This is part of the reason I was excited to have someone hatch some of our eggs...I was so curious to see what the babies would look like! Maybe next year I'll have to give it a try.
I'd bet they were further along than you think. That's the only reasonable explanation. All my pekins have taken 28 days.
Thanks for the response, and you are probably right altho did carefully candle them all, and they were pretty clear other than the feathery streaks of the first few days. They are still all working and pipping away in the shells, and 4 of the 5 have created air holes, but the one that hasn't is the noisiest, so hopefully she will get it done overnite. Fun to watch, but you just want so badly to help them along and certainly will not do that. Can hear them thru the bator and sometimes when I walk by can see the eggs wiggling a bit. Maybe tomorrow? How long are they in labor, poor things, reminds me of me 31 years ago...
Ducks are notoriously slow hatchers. They pip and wait and wait...
Hello Everyone,
I live just outside the Augusta area and would like to know from any other Mainers in this area who (if anyone) they use for a poultry vet. We have our first flock and BEFORE a problem that requires a vet comes up I would like to know what vets I can use. My regular vet doesn't deal with chickens, nor does he know of anyone in the area who does. Can anyone recommend a good local vet to call in an emergency??
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
I live just outside the Augusta area and would like to know from any other Mainers in this area who (if anyone) they use for a poultry vet. We have our first flock and BEFORE a problem that requires a vet comes up I would like to know what vets I can use. My regular vet doesn't deal with chickens, nor does he know of anyone in the area who does. Can anyone recommend a good local vet to call in an emergency??
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
I don't know a poultry vet around here (although there probably is one). When I was experiencing problems I contacted the UMaine Cooperative Extension Service:
http://extension.umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/
If you scroll down, Anne Lichtenwalner does phone consultations. I can't remember what she was charging per minute (partly because she never charged me), but I found her to be knowledgable and pleasant.
UMaine also does a necropsy for $25, but you have to drive the bird up to Orono.
It seems like many problems can be solved by doing a little research on here, although it is stressful to have a sick bird and frustrating not knowing what to do. Really serious problems, the bird often dies quickly with nothing you can do.
I now know how to successfully treat for worms, lice and mites, and sour crop. We're going to kill the rooster with gout. Who knows what will be next!
Hi and Welcome! I also live right outside of Augusta ( Farmingdale). You could possibly check Annabessacook vet in Monmouth, I know they deal with "farm animals" so there might be a chance they do chickens too. I've also contacted the cooperative extension and found them helpful, and also, this website has been majorly helpful! Being willing to do a little "vet" work yourself will be very helpful!
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