Michigan

[keyt1969]

I got your msg. Betty White has been renamed Penny. Penguin is staying Penguin because it's just so cute! Quackers is staying Quackers because that's all she does. But thankfully all 3 are nice and quiet!

 

[Mom 2em All]

Has Quackers stayed by Penguin? Has Jax reunited with Quackers? Is it a love triangle once again?
This is better than a soap opera...

 

[Mom 2em All]

Quote:
She was known only as "Naked Chicken"..because she was completely naked when I rescued her. She was hatched out last Spring. So she is a year old.
She laid white eggs. Then she quit laying and started crowing. Now that she is with a rooster, does she crow?

Im glad that things are going well for her and you.

I was wondering about her.

 

[keyt1969]

Quote:
Well, Quackers does seem to prefer Jax and Sandi (his twin), but those two are so tight that it's like he walks away and she follows him. So I think she and Penny (aka Betty White) are trying to make new friends. It's like they are in heaven with so many other ducks to hang out with! I'm still having trouble with getting them to go in at night. Everyone else will go in, but the 3 of them will just lay outside of the coop like they are ready to sleep there!

Sunny (the one with the twisted beak) is a food hound. She will quack so loud I can hear her in the bathroom which has no windows or anything. I will go out there to get them treats or food (the only thing I'm allowed to do right now) and Sunny will follow me. Now Penny is like that. She's fortunately not loud, but she will follow me to the door of the barn! She's no dummy lol

So, I don't think Jax really cares. He's very attached to Sandi. It'll be easier when I can let them all out into the yard, but right now there's too much snow and mud. The neighbor said I can let them into the acerage he owns behind us which will be really cool!

Oh and the girls have been faithful layers which I really like! I just wish they would teach the others to lay!


I also can't wait until it's warmer because they all need wing trimming, especially Penguin! He's looking like a hot mess!! lol

 

[Mom 2em All]

They are giving you a hard time about being put away at night because they are used to being out. My backyard is secure enough that I didnt worry about locking them up.Neighborhood dogs on all sides of my yard keep the four-legged critters away. Hawks are my predators.
The scovies at night hang out right outside the coop, under their open shelter, or in the garage doorway. Usually they are up on the deck. In the summer, they like to sleep in the pond. They are night owls, lol.
So, they are going to give you a hard time, but they will catch on.

 

[lindah2226]

Quote:
What kind do you want? I am still waiting for a broody hen. I saw in the Highlites this week that someone was selling incubators for $50, used once. I was tempted to call and ask about them but DH reminded me that that was why I got the buff orps last year.

They all seem to work to some level, but they seem to indicate that the best one and the best price is the Hova Bator from Gof Mfg. at www.GOF mfg.com.

I'm going to try the dry incubation by Bill Worrell this time, you can find the article by looking it up on a search for:'Incubation of chicken eggs by Bill Worrell' . We'll see what happens/.

Blessings

Harold

Good morning all. There is so much great info here I have started spending all my free time here. I was thinking about trying a dry hatch also. I've plugged in my incubators and have been trying to temp it right. Also I am going to try to make it to Chickenstock. Sounds like my kind of heaven. DH's eyes glass over when I tell chicken stories.

 

[Riverdale]

Quote:
Unless my mind is forgetting someone that puts you one Diana ahead of me. LOL!

Should have seen when there were 4 Rogers talking together.

And I was one of them

 

[Riverdale]

Quote:
Olivehill sent me the St Louis small animal swap schedule.
I post it here. Also, There is a swap at Randall's Old Mill in Edmore.
I'll talk to oneof the organizers and see if I can get a schedule.

 

[Riverdale]

And I see Townline has New Hampshire Reds this year!

At least at Alma's Farm and Home.

We'll prolly pick up a few (like we need more chickens

)

Now a couple questions-

We are looking at letting our 3 broody hens each hatch out
a clutch.

Our flock consists of-
2 barred rocks
2 buff orps
4 RIR
2 ISA browns
2 Austrolopes

and Rusty, the psycho Easter-egger 'roo.

We will be sperating the broodies (both buff Orps and one barred rock)
My questions are these

Should we sperate the broodies before before we start then setting
(like a day or two)?

How many eggs can these hens incubate?

When is it warm enough (I am just west of Alma in Gratiot
County) for us not to worry about weather (or will the hens
do it?)

They are all (almost) 1 year old last springs chick.

We get between 8-14 eggs per day, so we are
talking about letting these hens clutch out as many
eggs as would be responsible.

We are planning on staggering the hatching dates, and if this
works well, perhaps a couple more time over the summer.

Good for teaching the kiddos

editted to add, we don't care if we have a "mutt" flock

 

[Opa]

As I looked out at the sunshine I wondered what the weather was going to be like. Checked on line and I was amazed how wrong it appeared the forecasters were. They are calling for cloudy, am rain showers, pm snow showers. Then I looked outside again and the sun has disappeared. What's up with that?