NY chicken lover!!!!

[Cass]

sun

"...shine on my sholders makes me happy..." Or conversely :..shine on the water makes it lukewarm..."

 

[Lynzi777]

Well I was a bad Momma and forgot to lock up the coops last night.

Luckily everyone was accounted for this morning and already out free ranging with Duncan crowing away! I brought my son to school this morning and on my way home as I turned onto the state route we live on, I saw this big beautiful 4'x6' chicken coop that looks like it was built by one of those shed places sitting at the top of someone's driveway. I'd love to have one of those but I'm sure it cost an arm and a leg.

 

[vmdanielsen]

One of my pullets from last year looks awful - were I going to process her, part of the plucking would be done. That's why some of these dudes need to GO.

Here's the List O' Roosters. This is more my thinking to myself than anything - I want to list them so I can consider who stays and who goes.

- Captain Morgan - Speckled Sussex - Papa roo, and the former head of the flock (now working his way back up). He stays. I love him.

- Easter Egger cockerel from Rancher's chicks. He's a beauty, and a sweet little gentleman. I like his beard. He gets to stay as well.

- SS/Jersey Giant cross. Gorgeous, big boy, but getting to be noisy as anything. He'd make a good roaster, really. His big con is that he's related to my pullets. Edited to add that he's bitey - he chomped Alan when being moved for some reason. He's a roaster!

- SS/Brahma cross. Kind of a jackwagon. He's on the To Go list.

- SS/Dominique cross. He's definitely going to Camp Kenmore. Given I had the knife out to do him myself yesterday, he's outta here.

- Delaware (Rancher's stock). Gorgeous bird, but a bit of an adolescent jerk. Pros - size, good breeding, and unrelated to the other birds (except the other Dels, presumably). Cons - he's bitey.

- Black Orp (?) - Also from Rancher's eggs (hey, what's up with all these dudes???). He's a big one as well, but nippy. Pros for him - his size, and the fact that he's completely unrelated to any other bird, so genetic diversity. Cons - he's also nippy, and sort of ill-tempered. Come to think of it, he was a nippy chick. He's done.


What to do... hmm!

The Final Decision: Papa, the EE, and the Del stay - the rest of them go bye-bye next week. Winners winners - NOT chicken dinners!

I try to get a day that is slow for them. I let them know that I come from an hour away and they try to process while I sit in my truck and read. They can not always accommadate, but they have tried.

What to do?? Eat them! Eat them, I say!!!!

Have you started the new job yet? how is it going?

 

[vmdanielsen]

Yes, girl chicks do this chest bump thing also. Heck, even my hens do it now and then. (that said, free chicks are often roos lol)

I have seen mine do this as well. free roosters taste good too!!!

 

[rancher hicks]

DH built "the condo" for cockerels, also works great as a brooder.

Can you give me the measurements. I'd need about five of those at this rate.

Not to mention I have chickens.

 

[rancher hicks]

Okay Im back. Everyone had a marvelous time out freeranging and the woods and lawn look like it. My divas ditched the yard and went over to the neighbors woods. Must be some good eats over there because they spent 2 hours over there in the same spot tearing it up. When they came back over, they could hardly walk their crops were so big. The terrorists stuck to the property and the boys spent their time alternately watching for predators and mating. Gotta love spring. They look so raggedy right now as they are half naked from molting. The girls are molting as well but not as bad as these guys. I keep checking them for parasites but find nothing so thats good. Hope they look better once they are dressed!

Adorav---same thing here. My two broody girls had one egg each to start with when they went broody. Suddenly they ended up with 8 between them. When did that happen??? I decided to let them have at it. Those girls are sitting so tight that I hope the eggs get a chance to hatch!!! I dont think a bomb could even dislodge them.

My other incubator goes on lockdown tomorrow. I will probably take ranchers advice and remove the hatched chicks from their incubator tomorrow and leave the unhatched eggs in for a few more days. Those babys are playing some egg football like crazy when I go in to see them. My cat is sleeping on the bed next to the incubator. She wants to mommy them. She does this with every batch of chicks. I have even found her in the brooder box with the chicks sometimes, not hurting them but trying to mommy them. I told her they dont like being groomed.

Chicken therapy went well despite the cold wind that was blowing. When it wasnt blowing, it was nice in the sun. I mostly froze sitting there watching them but they like when I sit in the yard with them. The terrorists kept coming by, just to hang out and graze by my chair. Best way to unwind ever!

I got two broodies that are stuck like glue. Unlike others who get pushed out.

Today is day 15 so lockdown a couple of days away. 32 eggs. Wish there were more Dels but such is life. Can't count on buyers. 8 Dels, 11 EE's, 8 BM, 4 CR, and 1 orp. I'm only hatching the Dels and BM's for myself to add a few more hens to the flock. Perhaps the CR's too. I'd like a coop of each with 6-7 hens each.

Except for the Dels of course. They are great layers and don't mind the confinement to the coop and run. I do let them out but the two older EE's like to go back in with them. I think the girls like Nick and George to much. I can stick any other breed in with them and they seem to do fine. Last time was the sole EE. She isn't bothered and now is sitting on 6 BM eggs. If I have no place for someone they can go in with the Dels and be ok. At least that has been my experience. I think as long as there is no crowding.

I'd also like to increase the size of the EE's eggs. I have one who lays a very nice egg.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Mark

 

[JLaw]

Mark

set

 

[vmdanielsen]

OK. I have a question. It might be a stupid one, but here it goes. until recently I had two cockerels in together, but as hormones kicked in, they spent more time fighting with each other, than copulating!!(silly, silly boys!!). I want to use both for breeding and they are both respectful to everyone else, so no freezer camps etc. I have separated them and they each have some buckeye girls. BUT, as my chicks will be hatching, I don't want 4 pens of chickens. So, can i put a young (or old rooster{i could move grandpa }) in with chicks? Has anyone done this?
Thank You for your thoughts and/or ideas.

 

[Xovan]

set

The Table!