Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[autumnhearth]

Wow, Clara has so much going on with her coloring. So beautiful and distinctive! Morgaine is pretty. She reminds me of one of my black Australorps, with the green sheen in her feathers and the purplish comb. She might be bossy but she sure looks sweet!

Thanks. Yeah I'm glad she's clean faced, who knows what color her muff would be! Yep without the copper Morgaine does look like a petite Australorp with feathered feet I wasn't going to share this one but it does illustrate a point, whenever I pick her up she complains, loudly, the whole time... Looks like she's smiling a bit in this pic, but no she's squawking like a bird of death. Luckily I actually love crows and ravens.

 

[COChix]

Thank to everyone for their info on fermenting and mixing your own feed. Definitely something I'm interested in, I have several bookmarks for recipes, but this page lists a bunch: http://www.whistlepighollow.com/201...ecipes-soy-free-corn-free-fermented-sprouted/ Also got a few good shots of Clara today and because a few of you favor her, Morgaine. I love the copper coloring around Clara's comb, I think it makes her look more distinguished than just the solid black head she had for awhile.

thanks for the link to whistlepighollow, I have that one bookmarked as well, didn't want to overwhelm with a bunch if links. Wow Clara is so unique and she is beautiful. Morgaine is pretty I can see the iridescent coloring on her. Our Barnevelder's coloring is light gives a purplish and sometimes greenish hue.

 

[christine9]

All these links and recipes to go through...should keep me busy until my babies arrive. Two weeks to go!

 

[trsturself]

good reads and I see indeed to drill my holes differently, I drilled the bottom, so the mush sits I the bottom making it harder to strain. My girls seems to be pretty voracious eaters, I have to keep remembering we have 28 growing girls and boys. So do you agree with most estimates of feeding 1/4 lb to 1/2 lb of food per day per chick. Also how long does your food last for 18 chickens? You did say you had 18 right?

I don't go by anyone's estimates. There are too many factors that can change it (breed, size, free range opportunity, table scraps, etc). I just feed enough that there is some out there most of the day. This changes with age, activity, temp, etc. I feed a lot of scraps too. If I go out in the afternoon and there isn't any crumbs left I will throw some dry food out as scratch to give them something to hunt for.

Thank to everyone for their info on fermenting and mixing your own feed. Definitely something I'm interested in, I have several bookmarks for recipes, but this page lists a bunch:

http://www.whistlepighollow.com/201...ecipes-soy-free-corn-free-fermented-sprouted/

Also got a few good shots of Clara today and because a few of you favor her, Morgaine. I love the copper coloring around Clara's comb, I think it makes her look more distinguished than just the solid black head she had for awhile.

Clara is beautiful. Makes me want more EEs!
We have a BCM that looks a lot like Morgaine. She's younger though.

Thanks. Yeah I'm glad she's clean faced, who knows what color her muff would be! Yep without the copper Morgaine does look like a petite Australorp with feathered feet I wasn't going to share this one but it does illustrate a point, whenever I pick her up she complains, loudly, the whole time... Looks like she's smiling a bit in this pic, but no she's squawking like a bird of death. Luckily I actually love crows and ravens.

That's funny. Our BCM does the same thing. She hates to be picked up.

 

[MamaShell]

All these links and recipes to go through...should keep me busy until my babies arrive. Two weeks to go!

 

[chickadee5002]

Here's the girls doing there dig a hole to China thing that they do.


Where they are digging is right by the sidewalk on both sides. This used to look like plush grass up against the sidewalk. Not anymore, we tried to block them off and it did work but we keep having to block off areas.


This is in front of the run by the human door. All that wood mulch should be all the way to the right under the rose bushes and the walkway in front of the door was clear at one time. There used to be grass in the front there too now it is kind of covered in mulch.


We've been putting barriers to stop the digging by laying fencing down.


Here is my husbands garden with his flower bushes. They've spread the mulch into the driveway. It should be behind that red concrete barrier.


We also had some nice landscaping with mulch between the fence and side walk areas.

This is the entrance door for company and they've spread the mulch all over the sidewalks.


I've had to block off my herb garden with netting to keep them out.


I've also added fencing and bird netting to keep them out of the veggie garden.


They have a huge grassy area to roam but they want to be in our area. So some changes are needed. This is one side where they can free range and they do at times.


Here is the back where they can free range.

They do have quite a big area but we have to figure out a way to keep them in it.


Sorry for all the complaining and so many pictures!

Wow Lynn such a nice place! I know my suggestion is pricey but could you picket fence where you don't want them? They will not fly up on a picket fence because of the pointy end. I have thought about doing that with my patio (I'm getting tired of stepping in poop)

It definitely is pricier but it looks adorable! I still love your place even with all the mulch everywhere!

 

[chickadee5002]

Thanks. Yeah I'm glad she's clean faced, who knows what color her muff would be! Yep without the copper Morgaine does look like a petite Australorp with feathered feet I wasn't going to share this one but it does illustrate a point, whenever I pick her up she complains, loudly, the whole time... Looks like she's smiling a bit in this pic, but no she's squawking like a bird of death. Luckily I actually love crows and ravens.

I love the crows too! They keep hawks away! Gotta love the dive bombing they do on them!

 

[COChix]

I don't go by anyone's estimates. There are too many factors that can change it (breed, size, free range opportunity, table scraps, etc). I just feed enough that there is some out there most of the day. This changes with age, activity, temp, etc. I feed a lot of scraps too. If I go out in the afternoon and there isn't any crumbs left I will throw some dry food out as scratch to give them something to hunt for.

Thanks, that is why I didn't say how much to put in a bucket for fermenting, that varies too much. I out out 4 quarts (or 16 cups) of fermented food Around 8 am and by 10am the food is gone! They free range the rest of the day and then dinner is scraps. They always seem hungry but notice after the 4 quarts they are pretty content until dinner. Oh and for our flock bread it like crack!

All these links and recipes to go through...should keep me busy until my babies arrive. Two weeks to go!

yeah, you can do it, just some initial time for setting it up and figuring out your schedule and how much to feed. Besides all that it's a breeze

 

[christine9]

Ok, so I put a little feed in a jar and covered it in water. About an hour later, I added a bunch more water. Is fermenting this cheap feed adding much benefit? I'd totally do this until I'm ready to try out recipes. Gotta start sprouting BOSS again. I stopped when one batch grew mold. Time to get back into it.

 

[autumnhearth]

Question for those who ferment, do you just put the feed in a pan/bowl/dish? I can't picture it being in a feeder, I imagine it would stick too much. On a related note what kind of feeders do you all prefer for dry feed? We are still using the mason jar style with metal bottom and oval openings. I think my ideal would be a wooden treadle but if we end up doing mostly fermented that seems silly. I did pick up two little burgundy plastic gravity feeders for rabbits at TSC today for their grit and oyster shells, they balance fine on the 4x4 but I know there is a way to secure them to the wire.