Minnesota!

[Rhetts]

A chilly and rainy evening calls for popcorn and hot chocolate. So is winter coming early or what?! We go from 90's to dreary 40's and 50's.

 

[Rhetts]

Ralphie-I haven't seen any male hummingbirds since Sunday. I did see some females today still. Maybe they are the juveniles trying to fatten up before they head south.

 

[Rhetts]

BlanchRanch-your EE is so unique!! Very pretty! I really enjoy the EE breed as a whole. They are so beautiful to me. Keep those pictures coming!

 

[scandiafowl]

Ralphie-I haven't seen any male hummingbirds since Sunday.  I did see some females today still.  Maybe they are the juveniles trying to fatten up before they head south.

We're upping the feeders to give them as much sustenance before they leave.

 

[aussiegal318]

When they molt is sort of dependent on how good of a layer, or somehow the two are linked. In fact, that is one way to assess who is a good layer and who is not, early molters are generally poorer layers. Also, those that take a very long time to get through their molt.

Pretty much now is when most will begin. I have quite a few who are dropping feathers in just the last week. It normally starts with them losing the big tail feathers, the you see them falling from the neck too.

My birds have started to molt last week or so. Feathers every where! My black EE that I got from Minnie is a great layer & she looks like she has mange right now. I have a worm compost bin & I just get a scoop of compost & toss it into the yard. They go crazy for the worms. They are second in line for kitchen scraps after the dogs.

 

[lalaland]

I'm sure this might have been a mistake BUT i bought crumbles food,feather fixer food,bag of cracked corn,bag of boss and mixed it all together and i have 2 feeders for them 1 inside the coop and 1 in the run. i also have 1 feeder with oyster shells and 1 feeder with grit those are in their own separate feeders for when they want some. is it OK to mix all the food,corn and boss together??? thanks...

the thing is that you want to keep them at a certain protein level, and when you mix stuff up like that, you mess with the protein levels, and possibly could also shortchange them on some vitamins and nutrients. For example, your crumble might be at 16% protein- the feather fixer at 20-22%, but BOSS is at about 10%.....I don't know how much you mixed together, but if you can, you might consider giving them regular food one day, and the mixed up stuff the next.

On the other hand, chickens are hardy critters and I've seen some living on just cracked corn and bugs and greens and they looked fine. So don't sweat it too much, just maybe next time keep the treats (corn and boss) separate from the feed so you can be sure they are getting what they need.

Beautiful chicken.

I hope that twist doesn't go away. It is my favorite part.

Hey, I have that same twist in 3 EE's that I got last winter when a family didn't want to overwinter them. They have just started molting so I don't know if it will come back after molt but am guessing it will. Never seen such a twist!

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Thanks so much for the comments for Gladys.

77 posts!

Today has been a crazy day. I worked and then had the center island counter replaced and my friend and I tried to grind down my pitted driveway. He goes back to Australia tomorrow so we picked up his daughter and had a late dinner.
Just enough time to scan posts, watch a quick show with the DW and then off to bed. See you all tomorrow!

 

[aussiegal318]

I found all the rednecks this last weekend at the Nowthen Threshing Show. Ralphie I think they were your people dressed in Sunday go to meetin' over-alls. In the 10 years we've been here, this is the first time going. It was great to see all the old machines & what not.

 

[Cluckies]

I found all the rednecks this last weekend at the Nowthen Threshing Show. Ralphie I think they were your people dressed in Sunday go to meetin' over-alls. In the 10 years we've been here, this is the first time going. It was great to see all the old machines & what not.

I've lived here 13 years and never been... Hmmm, maybe I shoud put it on the list. But since I was booted out of the Redneck club for drinking dark beer

, I'll have to think about it, lol

 

[Minniechickmama]

Speaking of roosters.

I have decided I really like my little BA rooster. He has a beautiful sheen to him and I need a replacement for Ernie ( this is one of Ernie's kids).

I picked up a BBB to check its chest and crop and again it cried like a baby. The BB is close to 20 pound now, he is getting huge. The little, and I mean little, maybe 3-4 pounds tops, BA rooster came running over making that noise/sound a rooster does when he is ready to fight to protect his flock. He has guts, and is brave, so I think he is off the market. I have been watching him for a couple weeks because of his actions. I think he has won the spot.


Minnie how many "back up" roosters of each breed do you keep over winter, just in case one dies or something happens?

I will be keeping ED, head rooster, partridge Chanticler, just for his protection, manners and large size to the barnyard mixes.

I will keep Ray my cream bar rooster.

What do I need for back ups, one or two of each?

Also if anyone has partridge chanticleer hens for sale, I am interested.

At least two of each breed, sometime a couple more if I have room. With the Cochins, it is more than two because of the three colors involved with those, but seeing I am probably getting rid of those, we will see what happens.


As for the size of your place.... We all know size does NOT matter! It is how well the coop functions