Michigan

[keyt1969]

I'm SO bummed! A week ago we closed off the small coop and had everyone start using the big one (garage-type building) which they all do without a problem. But ever since NO EGGS!!?? Any ideas? Is it the change in weather? Ugh.

Just wanted to share some cute recent pics

Gidget (top left), Mimi (left bottom) who are 3.5 years old and Sequoia who is 7 years old

l-r Daisy, Olivia and Lucy

Lucy stretching out

Olivia letting the chickens know she's louder! lol

Opie laying under the tree watching the chickens

Opie and Sadie are a bit confused. They FINALLY decided to try venturing out away from the duck run but they seem to want back in

A pile of Silkies lol

 

[Ooopsy_daisy]

Olive you are so right. I only feed mash to all of my birds. My LF Cochins and Light Brahmas I use in the corner of their coop, the old fashion cook/stew pots and I fill them half way full which holds a lot of feed. I then lay a cinder block cross ways in the front for them to step up onto and put their heads into the pots to eat. Not one drop of waste and they cannot knock it over either because of the cinder block holding it into the corner.

For Isa's and ducks I use 25# hanging galvanized feeders with deep feed pans attached. My geese have all the pasture and hay they want available along with cracked corn and produce. But they are my only birds that I feed on the ground in a slop feed pan as they leave nothing to be found.

I found the pellets and the crumbles I didnt save any money on it all in waste, I used the same amount of feed per week but cost almost double to buy from TSC compaired to buying from my local, chemical free farmers mill.

I pay at our local farmer for the mash $15 per 100# for layer 16%, $18 per 100#'s for grower 22% or higher and $8 per 100# for cracked corn. AND no tax as its farm use and applies to right to farm act also. So there is another big savings.



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[michickenwrangler]

GotChicken? :

From tragedy...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/47116_dsc00836.jpg

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/47116_dsc00833.jpg

These two pipped yesterday and hatched early this morning. The chipmunk one is a Silkie x OEGB or Silver Ameracana, and the black is Barred Rock x blue EE. The second BR egg just hatched out half an hour ago, but that one needs time to dry off before I cuddle it. The fourth egg, a FBCM x blue EE (same roo as BR), hasn't pipped yet, but there was a "shadow" bopping around inside when I candled it, so it may just be fashionably late. It's hard to believe that these eggs, given to my broody just so I could see if my roos were fertile, are now the first step to building my flock back up.

At least there hasn't been any indication of another mink or similar predator around (knock on wood). Nothing has touched the trap, and I've seen no tracks in the new gravel around the coop. Still...

CricketYang: your picture is too dark for the necessary details needed. Just check the back of the head; if it has streamers (single feathers obviously longer than the base feathers) it's definitely a boy.

Life goes on ...

They're darling!​

 

[Kovalciks Chickens]

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well today is lockdown for my 52 eggs in the bator. I got home from school went to my 4-H meeting. Laid in my bed and started home work and heard it....A real little PEEP PEEP was coming from my bator

So this little guy is ready to come out and I cannot wait. I had to share this with someone.

 

[wyliefarms]

Quote:

well today is lockdown for my 52 eggs in the bator. I got home from school went to my 4-H meeting. Laid in my bed and started home work and heard it....A real little PEEP PEEP was coming from my bator

So this little guy is ready to come out and I cannot wait. I had to share this with someone.

Have any hatched yet?

 

[wyliefarms]

welcome! I live in Livingston County too!

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[Kovalciks Chickens]

Quote:

well today is lockdown for my 52 eggs in the bator. I got home from school went to my 4-H meeting. Laid in my bed and started home work and heard it....A real little PEEP PEEP was coming from my bator

So this little guy is ready to come out and I cannot wait. I had to share this with someone.

Have any hatched yet?

YES!!!!! within the last hour I have had 2 with 5 pips so im really excited

 

[Olive Hill]

Morning, all!

On the news I keep hearing the weather man say that this isn't fall for good, summer is going to return. I have to wonder WHEN though because I'm not seeing any return of summer in the long range 10-day forecast and we're quickly approaching the time of year when fall really is supposed to set in.

Does he mean that summer is going to return in 2011? Because that I do see happening.

I'm about to call it good and break out the fall decor, start making plans for the orchard, buy a new pumpkin spice candle and hunker down for the impending winter.

My family and I got to meet Vicki2x2 and her kids last night, what a pleasure! Such a nice family and Vicki has some mad goose wrangling skills that we took note of.

I'm sure they're going to come in handy for us at some point.

And, Vicki, I'm happy to report your babies are settling in very nicely. We didn't put them out with the rest of the birds when we got home last night because there were only a few minutes until dark and we didn't want everyone to have to go into the coop with strangers overnight. So we picked the birds up one-by-one out of the back of the truck and put them in our horse trailer for the night. Well, we picked them up one-by-one with the exception of Giselle who leapt out of the truck the second we opened it up.

He's pretty darn graceful for a goose, and was no worse for wear.

This morning I checked on them first thing and everyone was happy and well rested. I let them out and it took a few minutes before either your flock or mine realized there was another flock of geese on the property since the trailer is parked on the opposite side of the property as the coop where the geese sleep. But as soon as they heard the honks/peeps of the other flock they started looking and walking towards each other. When my flock saw yours they went running, wings spread and completely intermingled with yours in a big mess of goose chatter. And, that was that. They looked each other all over, chattered up a storm and they've been one big flock since. By 7:30 this morning yours had already been given the full tour -- coop, big kiddie pool, little kiddie pool, place where they stick their heads through the hog panels to drink from the sow's dish (and by drink I mean make a mess! LOL!), feeding station, sandbox where they like to sleep...

I snapped a few pictures after I was done with morning chores. I'll get them uploaded here in a few and post for you.

 

[Chickenmaven]

CricketYang - that there's a roo! Sorry.

I have had to rename many a silkie: Angel became "Mr. Angel". Paula became "Poe". I think I will have to find a name for Luna, there's some wattles starting. Perhaps Luna could be renamed Lunar or Lunatic?????

 

[Olive Hill]

Here is everyone together shortly after they met.

After checking out the big kiddie pool.

And after checking out the feeding station.