Minnesota!

[scandiafowl]

Oh yes, I've got chicks on the brain. Kind of like when my dog sees a squirrel. But I'd like some more EE.

Trying to figure out how to build a new brooder. The last one ended up in the dumpster.

 

[KlopKlop]

Ha ha they have been a reality for 8 weeks already!  My truck got stuck outside and I had to put the garage brooders back together again.  Luckily I had 4 people come for chicks and ducklings last week.  They got me down to manageable levels for being this cold....  Still have 42 chicks/juveniles here in house and garage that are up to 8 weeks each.  Probably about 6-7 dozen eggs in the incubator at this point....  Birds are slowing down on me and got my first frozen eggs yesterday.

Wish list:  To replenish the layers that the feral cats demolished last summer.  Probably getting just some cheapies from Runnings to start there.  My family just wants some eating eggs and I won't let them have mine from the purebred show stock during hatching season.  Maybe some easter eggers, australorps, and buff orps to run around the yard.  Another biggie on my wish list is to get a buff silkie cock from a friend in Louisiana up here for in my breeder pen.  She got a black boy from me and just waiting til after the holidays I hope...

How do you ship a full grown bird??

 

[destiny_56085]

How do you ship a full grown bird??

You have to get a special filtered box from places like Horizon. We used to be able to ship fairly reasonable through Speedee, but as of last summer they won't take lives anymore. Now our only option is Express mail through the USPS. The box itself usually costs about $10-15 and the express mail ranges from $40-65 for 1 single box holding something bantam sized. They have much larger Omni and Swan sized shipping boxes available, but charges on those buggers usually runs about $150. You also want to get them to the post office mon-wed so they aren't stuck enroute over the weekend. You can't have any sort of liquid spilling in there, so you have to put enough fruit or something similar to keep them alive for 2-3 days.

 

[destiny_56085]

Forgot to add that shipping across state lines takes special paperwork too. Most states require at least NPIP 9-3 form and proof that your flock is PT free. Birds over 5 months usually have to have another PT test result. ALOT of states are now requiring an import permit that you have to apply for in advance. After last year, even more states are requiring AI certification too. If you scroll down on here, you see what every state requires: List is constantly changing so it never hurts to call the board of animal health at every destination too. http://www.guineafowl.com/GeneralStore/regulations.htm

 

[KlopKlop]

You have to get a special filtered box from places like Horizon. We used to be able to ship fairly reasonable through Speedee, but as of last summer they won't take lives anymore. Now our only option is Express mail through the USPS. The box itself usually costs about $10-15 and the express mail ranges from $40-65 for 1 single box holding something bantam sized. They have much larger Omni and Swan sized shipping boxes available, but charges on those buggers usually runs about $150. You also want to get them to the post office mon-wed so they aren't stuck enroute over the weekend. You can't have any sort of liquid spilling in there, so you have to put enough fruit or something similar to keep them alive for 2-3 days.

That buff silkie must lay carry some hefty genetics for you to want to go through all that!

 

[destiny_56085]

When you breed for the show ring, that is only a drop in the bucket compared to the price of some of the birds involved. I'll easily drop $500 on a single bird if its what I need for my breeder pens. However, I haven't even found anything close within a 3 state area over the last 2 years. I'm pretty picky. Shrugsss

 

[destiny_56085]

Actually when I sell in the fall, very few of my birds stick around here locally... The locals want show caliber but don't want to pay more than $10 usually. Unfortunately that's what I get for day old chicks. Fully conditioned show birds that are 10+ months old run $100-400 each normally.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

They are good. Starting to get bored in the basement. They are starting to scratch things and knock anything off the flat surface it sits on.
They are going to move to my shop this weekend. I wanted to do it last week but it just didn't happen and I want to be around for the first few days that they are out there.

Here is a photo of them enjoying their hand me down dog beds after Christmas.

Well. That doesn't look like a garage.

I knew they would take you in.

 

[scandiafowl]

Actually when I sell in the fall, very few of my birds stick around here locally...  The locals want show caliber but don't want to pay more than $10 usually.  Unfortunately that's what I get for day old chicks.  Fully conditioned show birds that are 10+ months old run $100-400 each normally.

What breeds are you selling?

 

[scandiafowl]

My gals have a severe case of cabin fever. This weekend I'm going to shovel their pen put so they can stretch their wings.

Even the wayward hens took a short walk in the snow and returned to the coop.

We have a large fenced in area so it is difficult to enclose all, but some would work.

But they are still gracing us with 15-20 eggs daily. I'm freezing many eggs.


My partner suggested that I put my daughter in charge of the chicken so she can learn about business practices. Income versus expenses and such. Since we keep a log of production and expenses we are on track.