Maine

[hoppy]

what I did last yr was 2 things as far as this show. i contacted the president of one of the breed clubs saying I was looking XXbird, they pointed me in the right direction and that bird hitched a ride to the show where it was picked up by a mainer and brought home for me. the 2nd bird i purchased, i sent a friend with a want list and he was able to find the bird, call me and then purchased it for me, bringing it back for me as well.
there is a northeastern poultry thread under chickenstocks (I'll find a link).
if you know you want something, this is how you can be sure it will be brought to the show where it can be brought home.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/731397/northeast-poultry-congress-2013
there are also a few chats on facebook too.

We had -16 this morning. We're in a cold pocket, which is why we ended up with hoop houses. There were 3 eggs this morning. Last week, there was a slight increase in production, but this week is looking to be down quite a bit.
Hoppy, is there a way to know what is available at the Northeast poultry show? Really, I need to wait until spring and do my hatching, but I was just curious.
And why are annabanana and SCG buying hatching eggs? Is it because you need to hatch now so the pullets will be close to point of lay for spring sales? I'm planning to hold out until March or April for hatching. Hopefully, by then I'll have plenty of eggs, although I'm planning to buy eggs just to get more breeds. I wasn't planning on selling anything unless my hatch is super successful.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

And why are annabanana and SCG buying hatching eggs? Is it because you need to hatch now so the pullets will be close to point of lay for spring sales? I'm planning to hold out until March or April for hatching. Hopefully, by then I'll have plenty of eggs, although I'm planning to buy eggs just to get more breeds. I wasn't planning on selling anything unless my hatch is super successful.

I usually start hatching the first of the year, but delayed it this year. That way I have almost POL pullets for sale when the spring swaps start (they go fast) and I have birds grown for summer/fall butchering.

 

[ashandvine]

The bid is at $700 -reserve has not been met yet. I am now very curious as to what the reserve actually is. That is pretty amazing. I would love to see them in person to se what the fuss is all about. I understand it takes years to get them like that but wow - that would be an investment needing insurance.

You know, I am with you on the prices BUT Brahmas have great reputations, they are very difficult to find in heirloom SOP worthy shape, the Partridge variety is all but non-existant (hence the rare birds part of the thread) and these ones, a trio no less, are GORGEOUS. Wow. What incredible birds. I am very impressed. Knowing that it can take 20 years to get Brahmas up and to this quality I can understand why someone would want to try to get something for all that work and dedication, much less not want it to go to just anyone. Clearly the person buying has to be serious.

if anyone is looking for something at the northeast poultry show, I have a person willing to transport birds back to maine. pm for his phone number.

Oh gods that is so tempting.... At this point I am going to try to make it to the Poultry Congress. I have more than enough birds.

SCG- I have eggs... or if this were closer to easter I would say that the Cadbury Bunnie laid eggsicles. Cookie tin warmers are built and awaiting installation. This was the worst morning so far for the waterers. Can't wait to finally be done with most of that.
As an aside, I have a duck hen who insists on getting into the pen with my Favs and one bantam Polish. I think she is hiding from the drake. He is randy!

 

[CoopChick719]

I need some advice. On cold days like today, I don't know if it's even worth opening the pop door. My 3 bantam cochin hens & 1 Sizzle huddle under the nesting boxes in the pile of hay--all fluffed up looking cold. I have 1 broody hen sitting on an empty nest. She was the one who used to go out in the pen all the time with the rooster. This is my first year keeping chickens so, yes, I'm a new mom worrying about her kids! It was 23 in the coop this morning.

 

[Paulajon]

I need some advice. On cold days like today, I don't know if it's even worth opening the pop door. My 3 bantam cochin hens & 1 Sizzle huddle under the nesting boxes in the pile of hay--all fluffed up looking cold. I have 1 broody hen sitting on an empty nest. She was the one who used to go out in the pen all the time with the rooster. This is my first year keeping chickens so, yes, I'm a new mom worrying about her kids! It was 23 in the coop this morning.

If they are cold I myself wouldn't let any more cold air in then necessary, unless the sun can shine in on them to help warm them up. I have laying hens, and keep like 20 together in the coops to help them stay warm, and i have a dome light with a 100 watt bulb hung safely secured high up for light to keep the hens laying. my roof is metal and has a small space air gap at the top on all sides to let air in and gases escape. We will be putting vents in later.My silkies, sizzles various ages are in another coop and range of 4 to 14 in seperate pens young ones have heat lamps and some have 100 watt bulbs so a total of two 250 watt heat lamp and two 100 watt dome lights. It stays pretty warm in there, lights are hung and secured high enough for safety from shavings etc. but so the silkies, sizzles can get under to get warm if needed. I have a space on each side at the top of the roof also metal about a foot long 2inch gap for air circulation. still have to insulate roofs as the metal condensates with the temps outside and the heat inside. I don't let my silkies or sizzles out. but I do let my layers out , if the wind chill isn't to bad and the area is plowed or shoveled they will fly over the deep snow, there is a tent garage they like to play in and of course the barn. If they are huddling alot and really cold a dome light with a 100 watt or 75 watt bulb may help them warm up , I have to run an extention cord out to my coops, deep bedding would help too. sorry so long winded hope this helps you. take care

 

[Paulajon]

decided to let the layers out to free range and the guinea hens with them, the next thing i see is all kind of blood around the coop and on the metal can that I keep grain in, oh my all I could think of is some predator got one of them , so I start looking at all of them all the layers looked fine, and of course the guinea like to fly and set up on the roofs, they were on the roofs took a head count all six of them. at that point I am thinking maybe one bled to death there was so much blood. So to get everybody back near the coop I got some cracked corn. finally the guineas fly back down to the ground and I noticed one of them with bloody feet. feet looked fine but I could see that it seemed to be a gash on the underneath of the breast, the bleeding had stopped but of course I couldnt catch the bugger to to put something on it. seems to be fine so far, need to catch em for a closer look but thought the bleeding may start again if I stirred them all up, My hubby had just come in and said one of the guinea had flew into a tree. So all I can think of is he had a crash landing and cut himself. I don't know how he/she is still alive with all the blood it lost. have to get my daughter to help me catch em and check it out further.
So I have been also trying to regulate my frig outside with a dome light to keep my eggs from freezing, ok so thats not going to work, temps flexuating to much, went out today and got a small electric heater, frig is unplugged,top glass shelf still in it pulled all other shelfs out, put small elctric hearter in bottom of frig plugged in, have been checking temp every hour trying to keep my eggs between 40-45 degrees . heater has safety features, so l hope this works . we will see.....

 

[buckabucka]

Good luck with the guinea hen! I have found mysterious blood on the roosts on occasion, but never figured out who it belonged to. It was tiny amounts though, and I never saw any other signs of injury in anyone.

 

[hoppy]

they make thermo cubes, which turn on whatever is plugged into them at a certain temp.
there are several different temps there operate at depending on which one you buy.
this would work even for a heat lamp to keep the birds warm.

http://www.smarthome.com/7143/Thermo-Cube-TC-3-On-at-35-Degrees-Off-at-45-Degrees/p.aspx

So I have been also trying to regulate my frig outside with a dome light to keep my eggs from freezing, ok so thats not going to work, temps flexuating to much, went out today and got a small electric heater, frig is unplugged,top glass shelf still in it pulled all other shelfs out, put small elctric hearter in bottom of frig plugged in, have been checking temp every hour trying to keep my eggs between 40-45 degrees . heater has safety features, so l hope this works . we will see.....

 

[hoppy]

my silkies have all finished hatching. I ended up with 3 paint/3 black from my new paint roo, Dirty Deeds over black hens. and 3 paint, 5 black/dark blue, and 1 light blue in my paint, Tucker over blue and splash hens. I got zero from my black over paint pen, so in another week , we are expecting more and I'm hoping some from that pen.

 

[ashandvine]

Congrats Hoppy! Is paint another term for splash?

I don't let the birds out in this. No sense. There's nothing to range on anyway but plenty of pit falls and predators. I do think they get bored though and try to find ways to change things up. Usually its just new table scraps. A couple apples in there or tomatoes works well. I been thinking about sprouting grains to suppliment their food. I tried commercial sprouts first and all but one bird turned up their beaks. So, I might try matts of grass seed next.