Montana

[grateful]

from Bozeman New to this world and trying to finish the coop to get an order in. any local people on the board...

 

[blueroot]

Hey there,
What's this DE you are talking about ?

I'm happy to have found some nice flooring yesterday at our recycled building materials store. Some kind of tough
composite tiles for a pittance. $16 for enough to do 9'x9'. I didn't think linoleum would stand up to shovels for long.
After reading around here I've decided to delay my order to latter April. A bunch of dead chicks arriving in a box will not be fun.
Janine

 

[grateful]

Where do you all order you chicks form? It seems a lot of places are running out and if ordered and the casualty rate is high. Any thoughts?

 

[Chicken Woman]

Grateful I ordered mine from mintana mills here in Billings. That way I don't have to place a large order. They may still be taking orders but I would call them right away. Otherwise you may want to call your local feed store and see if you can order from them.

Alot of those people ordered to early and the chicks can't handle the cold. Especially here in Montana. Mintana mills will get theres around the end of March so it will be warm enough.

I will be hatching 2 dozen eggs that I have ordered that should hatch out around the 30th of April. They are a mixture of show girls and silkies. I will not keep that many so will have some to sell. I also have 4 bantams that i will want to sell soon as i have ordered standard size to replace them. They are all laying and will be a year old in March.

 

[grateful]

What are the " show girls"? and does it matter to introduce chicks at different ages to the flock? I will be calling Murdocks in the am. Looking to get 16 health layers total so should I order more just in case of a casualty or two?
I really thank you for all the info. and I think it might be cool to have a couple silkies to have around in the flock for my daughter.

 

[grateful]

Found the " show girls. Wow. do they or the silkies lay eggs at all?

 

[PQ]

I wish we where still there we miss it so badly. My husband opened up the Billings and Great Falls Home Depots we had the most wonderful times in Montana. I envy you all.

Got or first chickens when we lived in Ballentine. Peace be with you all tonight.

 

[Chicken Woman]

Both lay but not like chickens that are breed as prolific layers. Silkies are the best broodies hands down. A silkiie will set on any other chickens eggs,hatch them out and mother them.

IM getting the silkies mainly as pets and will use them to hatch some eggs now and then.
As for introducing chickens of different ages. You need your chicks to get close to the same size and then add them to the flock gradually. I have my hens in their house and have moved the 4 chicks (7 weeks old out to the house in a seperated temporary area where they can all see one another but the young ones won't get picked on. After another month I will have them all together in the run during the day but sleep seperate until they are close to the same size. I will then put them together and there will be a bit of sqaubling but they will develop a natural pecking order on there own.
I will add another group to the flock later this summer as they will hatch around April 21st or so and I will be getting the chicks I ordered from Mintana Mills about the same time so all the chicks will be together and I will grafually intergrate them with the flock in June or so.

My friend here in Billings want a few silkies and showgirls as well so it all depends on how many hatch. If your interested let me know and i will PM you after the hatch.

Hope you can get yours locally as that makes it much easier. I would order 3 extras as sometimes you will lose a couple chicks. If your just wanting hens you will need to tell the store that, as alot of times they will only order a straight run.

 

[grateful]

Yes very interested the show girls for now. I will keep in tough as our flock comes together.
Again, thank you for the info and will keep in tough. Let the adventure begin.......

 

[gjfarm]

Murdocks usually has a good selection. Hopefully they will order you exactly what you want since they seem to sell quite a few.