Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

I saw a composting coop litter homesteading video on YouTube one time. Looked like they had snow and cold where they were at and they actually added heating plates of some sort to the coop litter layers.

Nah.

I think you're right LaLa. If you use pine shavings those take forever to break down under under ideal conditions in the summer. Winter here just does not allow for it that I can figure unless you put those heat elements or kennel Warmers whatever they are.

X3!!

I have pine shavings on the floor of my coop. There is not a hint of composting. However, my coop has no floor. I live on real sandy soil. It soaks up water /moisture as fast as it touches it.

The heaters I bought from FleetFarm have a warning on them, "FOR INDOORS USE ONLY". I was surprised to see that.

Lalaland How are your chickens doing? Anymore sign of Merck's?

 

[lalaland]

X3!!

I have pine shavings on the floor of my coop. There is not a hint of composting. However, my coop has no floor. I live on real sandy soil. It soaks up water /moisture as fast as it touches it.

The heaters I bought from FleetFarm have a warning on them, "FOR INDOORS USE ONLY". I was surprised to see that.

Lalaland How are your chickens doing? Anymore sign of Merck's?

Hi!
They all seem to be doing ok - its been a long molt so no one is laying . I'm hoping I have a less virulent form of mareks - we'll see. I guess some people have had a few get sick and die, and then no further problems. Others, have a hen dying every other month or so for a very long period of time. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I do feel better about it since you shared your turkey droppings and feathers with me!

Are you butchering any of your turkeys for thanksgiving?

 

[duluthralphie]

Hi!
They all seem to be doing ok - its been a long molt so no one is laying . I'm hoping I have a less virulent form of mareks - we'll see. I guess some people have had a few get sick and die, and then no further problems. Others, have a hen dying every other month or so for a very long period of time. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I do feel better about it since you shared your turkey droppings and feathers with me!

Are you butchering any of your turkeys for thanksgiving?

I do not know if you recall, but I have slate blue turkeys. I have 2 young toms that are splashes. They have a very short life expectancy here. Unless I have my facts wrong, the splashes can only have splashes and blacks for babies.

I have 2 self blue toms. I think they can have self blue, splashes and blacks. If I am wrong or you know otherwise, PLEASE tell me.


Anyways, if these facts are correct the largest Splash will be going to freezer camp on Sunday. I tried to sell the other on Craigslist but no luck. I am thinking I will keep the other one for Xmas or New Years, unless someone decides they want him.

I have been talking with my wife about not having turkey on Thanksgiving Day and having chicken instead. I have a 10 pound 15 ounce Cornish cross in the freezer. He is just as big or bigger than my turkeys will be. I did buy a bottle of Cinnamon flavored Peppermint Schnapps to help me get through the processing day.

I am glad you have not lost anymore chickens.

I have no more turkey poop, my dogs love poopsicles and eat them as fast as they are made. GROSS ANIMALS!

May your molt end rapidly and your eggs start rolling in. I sold my first eggs today. I have given some away but not sold any before. I am getting 6-9 eggs a day for 35 hens. I am guessing some have not started laying yet, or the time of year makes them lay sporadically.


I have never had laying hens before so this is all new to me.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I do not know if you recall, but I have slate blue turkeys. I have 2 young toms that are splashes. They have a very short life expectancy here. Unless I have my facts wrong, the splashes can only have splashes and blacks for babies.

I have 2 self blue toms. I think they can have self blue, splashes and blacks. If I am wrong or you know otherwise, PLEASE tell me.


Anyways, if these facts are correct the largest Splash will be going to freezer camp on Sunday. I tried to sell the other on Craigslist but no luck. I am thinking I will keep the other one for Xmas or New Years, unless someone decides they want him.

I have been talking with my wife about not having turkey on Thanksgiving Day and having chicken instead. I have a 10 pound 15 ounce Cornish cross in the freezer. He is just as big or bigger than my turkeys will be. I did buy a bottle of Cinnamon flavored Peppermint Schnapps to help me get through the processing day.

I am glad you have not lost anymore chickens.

I have no more turkey poop, my dogs love poopsicles and eat them as fast as they are made. GROSS ANIMALS!

May your molt end rapidly and your eggs start rolling in. I sold my first eggs today. I have given some away but not sold any before. I am getting 6-9 eggs a day for 35 hens. I am guessing some have not started laying yet, or the time of year makes them lay sporadically.


I have never had laying hens before so this is all new to me.

Ralph,
Self Blue should breed to Self Blue and only make Self Blue.
The Splash, if bred with Black should produce Blue (Andalusian type Blue).
Breed Splash to Blue and you get Blue and Splash.
Breed Splash to Splash and you get Splash.
Black To Blue give Black and Blue.
Blue to Blue should produce all 3 varieties.
Blue is not easy for a lot of people to figure out, and it is a royal pain in the butt to get it right with chickens.

 

[jailerjoe]

I have no more turkey poop, my dogs love poopsicles and eat them as fast as they are made. GROSS ANIMALS!

May your molt end rapidly and your eggs start rolling in.  I sold my first eggs today. I have given some away but not sold any before. I am getting 6-9 eggs a day for 35 hens.  I am guessing some have not started laying yet, or the time of year makes them lay sporadically.


I have never had laying hens before so this is all new to me.

Dogs eating Poopsicles! That made me laugh.

I've been giving my hens an extra two hours of light each day and yesterday I got 9 eggs out of 10 hens. I'm not sure I'll keep doing it as I know the girls need to have some time off but I've been eating a ton of eggs lately and selling many more. I've been supplimenting their layer mash with leftover wild rice, pumpkins, oat fodder and just about anything else I can find. Don't know if that's helping or not but they like it! Today I got 7 eggs and a couple nice beak nips from my roo as I was reaching into the nesting boxes to get the eggs. What nerve! Glad I was wearing gloves.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralph,
Self Blue should breed to Self Blue and only make Self Blue.
The Splash, if bred with Black should produce Blue (Andalusian type Blue).
Breed Splash to Blue and you get Blue and Splash.
Breed Splash to Splash and you get Splash.
Black To Blue give Black and Blue.
Blue to Blue should produce all 3 varieties.
Blue is not easy for a lot of people to figure out, and it is a royal pain in the butt to get it right with chickens.

OH BOY, I am confused now. What is the difference between a self blue and a blue?

I have turkeys with dark "splashes" on them, those I assume are splashes.

I have very light birds with no dark blue markings at all, those I assume are self blue.

 

[jailerjoe]

Hi!
They all seem to be doing ok - its been a long molt so no one is laying .  I'm hoping I have a less virulent form of mareks - we'll see.  I guess some people have had a few get sick and die, and then no further problems.  Others, have a hen dying every other month or so for a very long period of time.  Keeping my fingers crossed!

I do feel better about it since you shared your turkey droppings and feathers with me!  

Are you butchering any of your turkeys for thanksgiving?

Mereks scare me. My hens I bought last spring weren't vaccinated but the ones I ordered from Meyers for March will be. Is there any downside to having them vaccinated? I've read just about every Mereks related thread here and I'm still not sure.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I think this is where Mareck's is an issue. Bringing in young vaccinated birds into a flock of unvaccinated. There's a big study done on Amish egg farms where they had issues when they were replenishing their laying stock. It might be worth a read.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Ok never mind. There is some Q and A about this on the " My Pet Chicken" website. The vaccine is attenuated. http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyar...-my-chickens-will-be-vaccinated-for-H132.aspx

Working much like what LaLa's doing with her Turkey droppings.

 

[lalaland]

mareks is crazy.
best read is: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

The hens I added to the flock are about 6 months old and were vacinated at the hatchery. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I don't lose any.