Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[christine9]

Oh my gosh.... thats just terrible. I'm sure you're freaking out.  You are emailing the seller and nothing?? I forget ... was it someone from BYC?

It is someone from BYC. She's selling her flick because of personal issues. I wonder if that's what is going on. She's been a member since 2008 so I'm pretty sure everything is on the up and up. I'm more worried about what my stupid PO may have done with them. Hopefully my next logon is to post pictures.

 

[NanaLynn]

My friend in KS just lost 5 chickens to the heat. She was at work and her daughter gave them water in the morning but forgot to check on them in the afternoon and by the time she got home from work it was too late.

We had a couple hot days here recently and the girls did not look happy. I kept their water bowl full of cool water but it didn't seem to help them much. Luckily they have a partially enclosed area that is fully shaded during the day. They all hang out in there when it's hot.

I got our electric fence setup and working so now I can let them in the much bigger area outside their enclosed run for some free ranging. They loved it. They were chasing locust all over the place. I have seen a fox (today was the all black one that lives at the end of the street) run through our back pasture 3 times now in the few short weeks we've been here. I figured out tonight when the dogs behind us start howling it means the fox is coming through.

I also got the automatic door I made months ago installed finally. It works great when I manually test it, the real test will be tonight and in the morning to see if it works on the timer.

Our BCM rooster was walking tall today and challenging anyone he came across. Such a change from his usual personality of cowering. He's growing up! I think he'll be a good rooster.
I've heard multiple people say lately that the CCL roosters are mean and a pain in the butt. I hope ours isn't. We won't keep any mean birds around. That would suck to have tried so hard to get him and have him be a dud.

Last update, our oldest chicks are 19 weeks old! Can't wait for them to start laying soon. None of them look ready yet though so I think it will be awhile. :/

This heat has been bad. I dump ice in there extra water bowl I put out for them and give them frozen watermelon rinds and the electrolyte water.

I hope that your rooster is a good one, so hard having mean birds. We don't keep any mean ones here either.

Best of luck for eggs from those 19 week olds!

I never heard of vit. c for heat stress. My Brahma seems to be one of the few that it's not affecting. Izzy my EE is always the worst. She pants even when it's not that hot so when it's 94 she is really suffering. I try everything from spritzing them with water to trying to get cool water on their feet and putting a trash can lid in the run with cool water so they can stand in it but it all just freaks them out. I feel like I'm giving them even more stress. I froze a few ears of cooked leftover corn and gave that to them and they loved it and froze watermelon rind and they ate all that up. I change their water 3 times/day to keep it cold and add a mini frozen water bottle to the waterer so it keep it cool a bit longer. I still feel like such a bad chicken mom when I see them so hot. I just want to bring them all in my house in the AC but I don't think that will happen. Maybe I'll freeze a cucumber for them tomorrow. It's supposed to be hot but not as humid here the next few days.

Walmart or Tractor supply sell the big round black rubber bowls. I use one for their extra summer water and just fill it up fresh each day and add ice. It does not move around and scare them like some of the other things would. Not too expensive either. Since they stand in it and drink it, I try to change it often and I may buy another one so I can just swap them out when needed.
I only add the electrolytes to their regular waterer so they have a choice.

Hello all

Does any one on here have any Meyer Austra Whites near or at POL? How old where they when they did lay for you? My 3 Meyer chicks are at 11 weeks and growing so fast.

The Speckled Sussex that I think is a mis sexed roo is the sweetest, friendliest bird I've had so far. I really hope my feeling is wrong and that it is a pullet and she can stay. I am planning on keeping a second roo, but I am hoping one of the Swedish Flower Hens that I am growing out is a rooster, as that is what I want to keep for a second roo.. This darn bird is just wonderful.

The third breed I bought from Meyer is a beautiful White Maran. I crazy about this bird, so much so I bought more due to arrive by the end of the month.

Chicken math.. what's a girl to do??

MB

I do not have any but I hope someone answers you, I'd like to know too and see some.

They are kept in a big garage turned barn. They had windows open but I guess it wasn't enough. I like the idea of frozen food for them. We are supposed to have a cooler week this week but the next heat wave I'll have to try to find room in my freezer to freeze something for them.

I guess the black fox is really a red fox with a genetic mutation. I had never heard of one before seeing this one a couple weeks ago chasing the red foxes. I thought it was a dog at first and had to pull over to see what I was seeing. Today was only the second time I'd seen it. The electric fence is just a wire around the bottom of our regular fence. It is supposed to get their nose as they go sniffing around and scare them away. If they wanted to jump the whole fence with no sniffing around they could easily do that. I've heard this is an effective way of keeping them away though. Let's hope they are right.

I made my door so no bill to worry about. I made it while we still lived at the other house but didn't install it because we decided to move right after I finished it. It's been sitting in the garage calling to me at this house.

No squatting yet. The oldest girls are the welsummer, bantam cochin, and bantam EE. Their combs are getting a little redder but nothing substantial yet. I can't wait to see the welsummer and bantam EE egg! Don't worry I'll definitely post when I get them. The welsummer and EE are both from Meyer.

Can't wait to see those pics!

Still haven't heard from the seller. I just contacted her again this morning. And my PO doesn't know anything (no surprise). I am kinda hoping they sent the birds out in the truck because at least the guy would be here soon and I'd know where they are. Trying not to freak out, but having a hard time.

Oh no, I hope that you hear something soon. I'm worried for you too!

 

[NanaLynn]

So 3 of my chickens had a close encounter with our dog, Maxie. Thank goodness she did not go too crazy. She chased them a little but not in a vicious way. I thought that I locked them all up but I missed one of my BR's, the GLW and the CW. They must have been deep down in a dusting hole that they made at the side of the house because I looked around and I thought everyone was inside the run.

We have outside security cameras and I checked them and she just herded them around a little and did not go into her kill mode like she does for opossums, rats and squirrels. I think she knows that they belong here since she sees them everyday in the run and coop plus we keep her on her leash if she is out with them.

I still do not trust her with them, but I am so glad she did not kill them today. I need to do a better head count after locking them up next time. They free range a little in the morning and late afternoon and Maxie is always locked up when they do. I really dodge a bullet there or well the chickens did. I need to be more careful!

 

[Melabella]

@Melabella please post some photos of your Austra Whites and the suspected SS roo!

Here is my Austra White taken today at 11 and a half weeks old.

Here is my SS

And Princess Aurora the Whit Maran

Had to upload these from my phone, if you click on each photo you can see them enlarged and much clearer.

Love these birds!

MB

 

[wermnmnmnm]

Does anyone know what type of sand to use for a run... masonry or concrete sand? I know better than to use play sand... not sure which of the other to use.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

How old is your Sussex? I see nothing overly masculine about her... I can pull up some pictures of mine at the same age for comparison, though.

ETA: Replying to Melabella, of course.

 

[Melabella]

How old is your Sussex? I see nothing overly masculine about her... I can pull up some pictures of mine at the same age for comparison, though.

ETA: Replying to Melabella, of course.

It is 11 and a half weeks. I am praying that your instincts are correct. Have fallen in love with this bird! I would love to see pictures of your birds, if it's not too much trouble!

Thank you!

MB

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yeah, I think you have a girl. Boys usually have their combs in long before that age.

Here's my Poggy at about the same age (first picture is 11 weeks and second and third pictures are closer to 13 weeks).

Biddy had some issues, so she doesn't look quite right for a Speckled Sussex, but here she is at around 12 or 13 weeks old:

ETA: Oh, and here they are now, about 2 years old. Poggy:

I don't have any more recent pictures of Biddy than this one.

 

[Melabella]

Yeah, I think you have a girl.

Boys usually have their combs in long before that age.

Here's my Poggy at about the same age (first picture is 11 weeks and second and third pictures are closer to 13 weeks).

oh thank you for these, they make me hopeful! I am going to try to be optimistic! Mine had the long tail, and I thought the more rectangular body shape, but sometimes the feathers on it's back and neck look a bit pointy.

Fingers crossed,

and thank you for the input. It is so appreciated!
MB

 

[rnchick74]

Silkies...I SWEAR!

Brownie - my biggest (non-Meyer) buff silkie approx 6.5 wks old that has always acted like a roo...well, she MAY be a girl!

Coco - my smallest (non-Meyer) biff silkie approx 6.5 wks (but may be a week behind, that's why he/she is smaller) MAY be a boy! I see the start of waddles on Coco. Nothing on Brownie. Both of their crests are about the same. Poofs are about the same, with no obvious streamers at this point.

I will try to take pics later, if I can.

Geeze louise!

But...4 days and counting until my trip to Meyers!!!!