Montana

[EternalHeritage]

I'm close to the Missoula area. Anyone else in the area? We're getting back into chickens again after losing almost our entire flock to a bear last year. Right now we have 9 chicks (3 cuckoo marans, 2 light brahamas, 1 cornish x, 1 RIR, 1 gold laced wyandotte, and 1 silver laced wyandotte). We've been thinking about adding chanteclers, FCMs, and possibly Buckeyes to our flock. Finding chanteclers has proven to be a difficult task so it may be a while before we add any.

 

[RoyalT]

I'm close to the Missoula area. Anyone else in the area? We're getting back into chickens again after losing almost our entire flock to a bear last year. Right now we have 9 chicks (3 cuckoo marans, 2 light brahamas, 1 cornish x, 1 RIR, 1 gold laced wyandotte, and 1 silver laced wyandotte). We've been thinking about adding chanteclers, FCMs, and possibly Buckeyes to our flock. Finding chanteclers has proven to be a difficult task so it may be a while before we add any.

I'm just West of Missoula Sounds like you went to Axmen? We did, too Do you live in town or are you able to have roosters?

Just kidding! I spaced it on your name haha Welcome

 

[karlamaria]

Welcome eternalheratage nice to see a new face . I'm in Butte.
We are heading out your way tomorrow, to victor Montana, we have a coop to pick up for my mom, and man is it a beauty! Long way to go but well worth it.
Getting some more eggs, my girl got off the nest to eat and another jumped on, so she grabed a spot in another coop the eggs were cold when we got home, do any of you think they will still hatch? We only had one more week. Ugh.

 

[RoyalT]

They might be fine Kayla- Have you isolated the broody? Like in a big dog crate with the nest and her own food and water...

 

[Azriel]

Karla, I finally got some photos of some of your chicks, they wouldn't go outside, but you can still get an idea of what they look like. The first 2 photos are 2 different birds.

 

[DuginMT]

Our chicks are about 3-4 weeks old now and getting big! About as big as small pigeons already! I have been told they are in their ugly stage but we still think they are beautiful. It's funny how their wing feathers are well-developed and their tail feathers are popping out, but they are almost bald underneath their wings! And what good flyers - several of them can easily fly up 2' and perch on the 3/8" thick top sides of the brooder. Then, they walk on the edge of the brooder like tight-rope artists. Introduced them to a baby cake last weekend. For almost a day they were afraid of it but now attack it like crazy when I hang it in there for a few hours per day. Don't know how many roosters we have yet, but all 13 are still doing great and we fortunately have not lost any yet, and no pasty butt.

Hoping to paint the coop tomorrow if it doesn't rain too much. Bought a gallon of Kilz primer and a gallon of red paint at Wal-Mart, looking forward to finishing the coop. My asphalt shingles have not bonded to the roof yet, it hasn't been warm enough, so I have the shingles held down by OSB board and cinder blocks right now. I tried heating the coop up with a propane heater to dangerously high temperatures to seal the roof but finally shut down the heater for fear I would burn my coop and house down. Some bonding of the shingles did occur though! Hopefully by the end of June I can remove the OSB.

Have a great weekend!

Doug

 

[karlamaria]

They might be fine Kayla- Have you isolated the broody? Like in a big dog crate with the nest and her own food and water...

no, but. I better do that, problem is I now have 3 possibly 4 broodys, I'm up to my eye balls in screaming hormonal birds. 2 are majorly broody, and 2 also want to sit on the eggs. Guess tomorrow I go buy new crates ugh I hate to do that.

 

[karlamaria]

Karla, I finally got some photos of some of your chicks, they wouldn't go outside, but you can still get an idea of what they look like. The first 2 photos are 2 different birds.

nice ! I see one is a maran and ameracauna lol, hope she lays well. My maran still holds out most of the time. We got 2 eggs today, 3 yesterday, everyone wants to be a mama and no one wants to lay. Lol When I come get them, am I going to need a giant crate? Them girls are gettig big.

 

[karlamaria]

Our chicks are about 3-4 weeks old now and getting big!  About as big as small pigeons already!  I have been told they are in their ugly stage but we still think they are beautiful.  It's funny how their wing feathers are well-developed and their tail feathers are popping out, but they are almost bald underneath their wings!  And what good flyers - several of them can easily fly up 2' and perch on the 3/8" thick top sides of the brooder.  Then, they walk on the edge of the brooder like tight-rope artists.  Introduced them to a baby cake last weekend.  For almost a day they were afraid of it but now attack it like crazy when I hang it in there for a few hours per day.  Don't know how many roosters we have yet, but all 13 are still doing great and we fortunately have not lost any yet, and no pasty butt.

Hoping to paint the coop tomorrow if it doesn't rain too much.  Bought a gallon of Kilz primer and a gallon of red paint at Wal-Mart, looking forward to finishing the coop.  My asphalt shingles have not bonded to the roof yet, it hasn't been warm enough, so I have the shingles held down by OSB board and cinder blocks right now.  I tried heating the coop up with a propane heater to dangerously high temperatures to seal the roof but finally shut down the heater for fear I would burn my coop and house down.  Some bonding of the shingles did occur though! Hopefully by the end of June I can remove the OSB.

Have a great weekend!

Doug

I can not wait to see it when it's done, I love red coops. Wonder what mom will have us paint hers. We go get it tomorrow. I will post a link ..... We special ordered it, and then he put the picture up on Craig's list to make more. http://missoula.craigslist.org/grd/3725892330.html.
I have heard of that baby cakes, maybe I better et some, my chickens enjoy a flock block always, we give it for goodies and entertainment while I'm at work.

What do you think about the coop Ariel ? I'm sure your babies will be right at home in it. I plan to get all the stuff mom needs for it, and have some scratch and peck feed for them as they sent me grower instead of layer. What are you feeding them?

 

[RoyalT]

Karla- pick the MOST broody broody and lock her up with the eggs. Try candling the eggs and see if the veins are still red. Usually the eggs take on a green tint when they're gone as opposed to the red/pink...