North Carolina

[Country Chickens]

What a sweet doggie! He sounds like he's doing great.

Our guard dog was a rescue and is a mutt, but he's got some rottie in there as well as German Shepherd. He's been fantastic and has saved our hens over and over. The coons don't come 'round here no more!

We feel especially lucky since we got him as a one-year-old and have only done a bit of training. Guard dogs are a chicken's best friend!

Hi Poupoulles. YES, he is a pure Rottie and is so wonderful with them. It's great to hear someone else talk about them as a great guard dog for the chickens as I do not want a rooster right now and I think he would make a great replacement Roo, what do you think? lol. He wants to protect them even now. One got a bit far from all the others and he went over and gently nudged it and guided it towards the others. Course it was headed that way pretty well just after he walked over to it but I could tell what he was thinking. He's my big sweetie! He just turned 4 a few months ago.

Kim

 

[Miss Lydia]

Congrats Kristan, they are sooo cute, where did you get them?

Lookie what I got today....they are Araucanas/EE...so sweet!

 

[KristanB]

In Canton...do you want any? Not sure I really need 15!!!! They are sooo sweet. Im hooked!

 

[BHep]

Thanks for the info Bhep! I had no idea ducklings could drown. One more question, at what age should I keep a pool in with them?

Not until they are almost fully feathered.. also make sure they have a ramp or brinks or something to get back out. They seem to have no trouble getting in, just out. I use a cinder block.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Does anyone in this group have silver-laced Wyandottes? If I can find them within driving distance I'd rather do that than order from a hatchery.

After a lot of discussion on housing, hubby and I decided we'd rather not go for bantams, no matter how cute they are. We're choosing instead to get another LF breed. We like the heavy, more placid birds, plus they're easier to day range. And I decided that I wanted something with some patterning. So I narrowed it down to Wyandottes, Speckled Sussex, or Welsummers, and let hubby choose from there. He likes the SLWs. So now I have to convert the northside sheep shed for chickens. Then find what I want!

Yay! More chickens!

Of course, I have an order of meat birds coming in in ten days, and I'm saving eggs for an incubator load. I think this warm weather has given me spring fever!

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Of course, I have an order of meat birds coming in in ten days, and I'm saving eggs for an incubator load. I think this warm weather has given me spring fever!

I agree!! I think I have had spring fever since I was able to open my house up in the 60-80 degree weather days we've been having. Makes me want to get all the spring cleaning done and the gardens planted and finally...start working on locating someone with sheep closer to us to buy from!! LOL. Guess it's a good thing we're not "officially" in spring yet. I think that groundhog wasn't fully awake when he made his prediction this year!! LOL

On a fun note: my first batch of chicken stock is still cooking away!! How I LOVE stumbling upon old Amish recipes!! Found one for Fausnaught (which is a German style donut...and my heritage happens to be German & Native American...LOL how messed up is that??) so I am going to make some donuts (baked, not fried) for breakfast today. I am attempting to make them dairy free so the wee one and I can enjoy them...we'll see how that goes!! Usually when I do that, I get an epic failure!! LOL

I hope everyone survived the wind storm last night. We didn't get any rain, but we sure did get a LOT of wind!! Poor DH thought he fixed the coop door last weekend and it again blew off, so I think we're going to have to rebuild it from scratch...good thing we have an inner door with hardware cloth covering it, so my boys & girls are still safe from the wicked OPOSSUM and other nasty predators out there (nasty only because they harm chickens...even if they are doing what comes natural to them!!). We are planning on putting up our garden fencing today, complete with an electrical fence - we have so many deer, this is the only way we know of that will largely discourage them for the time being...Any hunters want to come and rid us of at least 10 deer?? LOL I know more will just replace them!! The electrical fence is also for the wild boar in the back woods as I am sure they would have NO problem finding a way into the garden and destroying it!! AHHH. Well "time to make the donuts"!! LOL

 

[abChicken]

MORN EVERYONE- HOPE ALL SURVIVED THE WX YESTERDAY--I GOT CAUGHT OUTSIDE GOT SOAKED-
HEY GAVIN READ UR POST ON ANOTHER THREAD LAST NITE --NO NO PINK DOESENT GO WELL WITH MY HAIR

 

[jdeoliveira74]

Wilmington nc here
no chickens coop is almost complete! I think I am overdoing it but i want them to have lets say a nice home...

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

I agree!! I think I have had spring fever since I was able to open my house up in the 60-80 degree weather days we've been having. Makes me want to get all the spring cleaning done and the gardens planted and finally...start working on locating someone with sheep closer to us to buy from!! LOL. Guess it's a good thing we're not "officially" in spring yet. I think that groundhog wasn't fully awake when he made his prediction this year!! LOL

What part of the state are you in...and do you have a particular breed in mind? Meat or wool or combo? I no longer raise sheep, but I do still know a lot of sheep folk across the state. Perhaps I can help you in some way.

 

[BHep]

Wilmington nc here
no chickens coop is almost complete! I think I am overdoing it but i want them to have lets say a nice home...