Michigan

[SillyChicken]

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Well hidden too, thats a darn pretty Jenny!

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Well I've finaly found something I'm looking for! Rabbits! Yeah sure, seems like it'd be easy.... rabbits are a dime a dozen! But meat rabbits or large cages don't seem to be! I found someone wanting to get rid of all their rabbits and cages and stuff at a reasonable cost. So we're going to check them out this weekend. Hopefully I'll come home all set up to start raising in the spring (the rabbits are young and hopefully in good health)! I also want to tan the hides to make things like blankets, pillows etc!

I know she just got chickens too, I'll definatly invite her to join us

 

[RIRJen]

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I raise Speckled Sussex. They are wonderful...but they need to start laying before I eat them LOL. (J/K, but I like to threaten!)

SillyChicken, what breeds of rabbits are you getting? There are several nice meat breeds out there. Watch out for sore hocks and running nose/eyes in rabbits. Respiratory infections (like pasturella, which is not treatable) are darn near impossible to get rid of and not even worth it! Check out my website listed in my name...there's also a huge show coming up in michigan at the MSU campus on Novemeber 27th and 28th! Great place to pick up some nice rabbits!

 

[RIRJen]

Quote:
I raise Speckled Sussex. They are wonderful...but they need to start laying before I eat them LOL. (J/K, but I like to threaten!)

SillyChicken, what breeds of rabbits are you getting? There are several nice meat breeds out there. Watch out for sore hocks and running nose/eyes in rabbits. Respiratory infections (like pasturella, which is not treatable) are darn near impossible to get rid of and not even worth it! Check out my website listed in my name...there's also a huge show coming up in michigan at the MSU campus on Novemeber 27th and 28th! Great place to pick up some nice rabbits!

OOPS!!! Forgot to answer all your questions. I've got them on a good laying feed and they get scratch as a treat and they get veggie remains (yum pumpkins from Halloween!) and any old bread that we have in the house. I am not supplementing light, haven't ever had to but I have to get the extension cords out before it snows to hook up thier bowl so maybe I'll throw a bulb out there. I really want to get some eggs going so I can do some hatching in Feb/March for spring chicks.
Vicki, I'm going to pull out the big brooder!!!

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
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Well hidden too, thats a darn pretty Jenny!

*****************************************

Well I've finaly found something I'm looking for! Rabbits! Yeah sure, seems like it'd be easy.... rabbits are a dime a dozen! But meat rabbits or large cages don't seem to be! I found someone wanting to get rid of all their rabbits and cages and stuff at a reasonable cost. So we're going to check them out this weekend. Hopefully I'll come home all set up to start raising in the spring (the rabbits are young and hopefully in good health)! I also want to tan the hides to make things like blankets, pillows etc!

I know she just got chickens too, I'll definatly invite her to join us

She is quite the Little Miss Camouflage under there. Normally the area she picked is pretty high-traffic with raccoons, so I'm hoping her natural camo does its job.

And thank you, I have to admit to being, *eh hem*, rather partial to my Narragansetts.

I think they're such beautiful birds and can't understand when others don't see that. LOL! My MIL even called them ugly the other day!

How dare she?!

I can't promise this is the same hen, but here is a less camouflaged picture.

and since I seem to be in a sharing mood, the expectant papa in all his manly glory.

What kind of rabbits are you getting? We've got a free-range californian named Snowflake (my daughter's pet). It is absolutely amazing how tightly muscled and solid those rabbits are.

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
I raise Speckled Sussex. They are wonderful...but they need to start laying before I eat them LOL. (J/K, but I like to threaten!)

SillyChicken, what breeds of rabbits are you getting? There are several nice meat breeds out there. Watch out for sore hocks and running nose/eyes in rabbits. Respiratory infections (like pasturella, which is not treatable) are darn near impossible to get rid of and not even worth it! Check out my website listed in my name...there's also a huge show coming up in michigan at the MSU campus on Novemeber 27th and 28th! Great place to pick up some nice rabbits!

OOPS!!! Forgot to answer all your questions. I've got them on a good laying feed and they get scratch as a treat and they get veggie remains (yum pumpkins from Halloween!) and any old bread that we have in the house. I am not supplementing light, haven't ever had to but I have to get the extension cords out before it snows to hook up thier bowl so maybe I'll throw a bulb out there. I really want to get some eggs going so I can do some hatching in Feb/March for spring chicks.
Vicki, I'm going to pull out the big brooder!!!

I don't supplement light either, but if you're really eager for eggs you could give it a try.

I think Vicki is probably hitting at least part of the nail on the head in that you have a heritage type that isn't going to start as early or be as prolific as production hens. But they should be starting soon, even for heritage birds they're pushing towards the higher end of the "when to start laying scale" and Sussex are known to be rather hardy layers to begin with; laying through the winter, etc.

If they don't start laying soon I'd recommend taking a good look at their diet just in case. Most commercial laying feeds are formulated to be the chicken's only source of feed so when you start adding treats, scratch, bread, etc. it compromises that nutritional balance. Most chickens can get by relatively well with a diet approximately close to what they "require" but some can be more significantly affected than others if it's too far off. And egg production is one of the areas that can suffer in hens.

It doesn't often seem like a lot, when we drop treats to them but when you figure each hen eats only approx 1/4 - 1/2 cup of feed per day, a handful of scratch here, a piece or two of bread there, a bowl full of lettuce here, a half of a pumpkin there... it adds up quickly. You may have better results switching to a flock raiser and offering calcium free choice on the side. That or cut the treats... but what fun is that?

 

[justcelia]

They are Beautiful! I wish we could raise other stuff. I want LAND to play on!!
The Brahams are doing great. Odd tho, they sometimes go at each other as if they are gonna fight.
Chest bumpin'! LOL! The never do actually fight. Just establishing pecking order?

Missy gets worried when they start fluttering at each other. LOL!
I let them out each morning but it takes them a while to leave the "run"area.
Should I be doing something different? Will they actually fight?

Celia
Worried about doing something wrong.....

 

[Olive Hill]

They've been doing that since they were day olds and have yet to actually fight, you have nothing to worry about. They're just full of attitude.

As for sticking in the run for a while, that's not unordinary. Your run contains grass, bugs, etc. Everything they have outside just in a smaller package. They're in no hurry to leave because they're content where they're at. Mine stick near the coop for a while every morning before ranging further, it's normal.

 

[SillyChicken]

Quote:
I raise Speckled Sussex. They are wonderful...but they need to start laying before I eat them LOL. (J/K, but I like to threaten!)

SillyChicken, what breeds of rabbits are you getting? There are several nice meat breeds out there. Watch out for sore hocks and running nose/eyes in rabbits. Respiratory infections (like pasturella, which is not treatable) are darn near impossible to get rid of and not even worth it! Check out my website listed in my name...there's also a huge show coming up in michigan at the MSU campus on Novemeber 27th and 28th! Great place to pick up some nice rabbits!

Thanks! Yes I've been reading up on diseases etc. They're young rabbits. The owner just had a baby and doesn't want to spend the time with them, but any excuse may do. The rabbits are new zealand and Californian or a cross of the two. I understand cals tend to get sore hock - mostly due to wire bottoms(?)... would having a small pad for them to lay on help with that, leaving the edges clear for expelling in? The pasturella is called snuffles right? I'll be checking for anything like discharge, pasted down front feet etc... as well as the general conditions of the cages etc.. I'll definatly check out your page thank you!

 

[SillyChicken]

Quote:
*****************************************

Well hidden too, thats a darn pretty Jenny!

*****************************************

Well I've finaly found something I'm looking for! Rabbits! Yeah sure, seems like it'd be easy.... rabbits are a dime a dozen! But meat rabbits or large cages don't seem to be! I found someone wanting to get rid of all their rabbits and cages and stuff at a reasonable cost. So we're going to check them out this weekend. Hopefully I'll come home all set up to start raising in the spring (the rabbits are young and hopefully in good health)! I also want to tan the hides to make things like blankets, pillows etc!

I know she just got chickens too, I'll definatly invite her to join us

She is quite the Little Miss Camouflage under there. Normally the area she picked is pretty high-traffic with raccoons, so I'm hoping her natural camo does its job.

And thank you, I have to admit to being, *eh hem*, rather partial to my Narragansetts.

I think they're such beautiful birds and can't understand when others don't see that. LOL! My MIL even called them ugly the other day!

How dare she?!

I can't promise this is the same hen, but here is a less camouflaged picture.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5090012014_0d35bdf65f.jpg

and since I seem to be in a sharing mood, the expectant papa in all his manly glory.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5089794795_b8ab0bd94d.jpg


What kind of rabbits are you getting? We've got a free-range californian named Snowflake (my daughter's pet). It is absolutely amazing how tightly muscled and solid those rabbits are.

You should be proud of them they're beautiful!! I'd like to get a few someday.... after I get this rabbit thing down... and the chickan thing down..... and.... LOL!

The rabbits are new zealand, californian and a few are a cross of the two.

 

[Opa]

Quote:
Grasp hen with right hand around neck close to head. Place left hand below right, then right below left without releasing pressure. Continue alternating hands until you reach tail. Eggs should pop out.

Tomorrow is the 35 anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Take a few moments to be thankful for the 35 years that you have had and remember the crew