NY chicken lover!!!!

[Lynzi777]

This is really the only level spot we have, and there is a rock under one leg, so we have some leveling to do. Going to put down weed guard and mulch so I don't have to mow around it. This is Amish built and much better quality than the Lowes or Sams one. And I don't mean "Amish built" store, this is an actual Amish man that dad knows. The quality is amazing, he sands all the edges smooth. Everything was assembled for the auction, then they took off the ladder, slide, cross beam and the a-frame. All fit in the back of dad's truck. Then it was just put those few pieces back together. May stain or polyurethane it, of course that will require dry weather and we are going to be rainy for at least a week.

Oh it definitely looks better quality wise than the ones in stores. Unfortunately I don't know any Amish up here. :-/

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

Chilly and wet here so far this morning. Husband is out putting new plugs in his garage for our second freezer and a refrigerator. Needed to hook up another freezer as the pigs went to slaughter last week and I have to pick up fresh meat on Tuesday smoked in 2 weeks. Yesterday I went shopping got some new clothes everything I own is falling off of me. Afterwards I went to Tabs got some roosters and eggs and it was nice to visit with her, the girls, and Travis. As I was leaving Tab's my husband called said meet me at lowes so we bought a new refrigerator. The one we have is only a few years old and it is a Frigidaire but bad design the door shelves are no good with kids who just slam the door as the continuously pop off and then break. We have ordered replacement shelves 6 times in the few years we have owned it at the cost of $64 each time and while I was at Tabs the boys broker another shelf so hubby decided it could go in the garage to hold eggs and he was buying a new one. Today I have tons of homework to look at and got some birds I want to seperate to hatch some of their eggs so will get moving. Everyone have a nice day

 

[Metella]

One of my new chicks is sitting up straight on her haunches and almost rolling backward ... she is also holding her little wings out. No pasty butt, no nasal discharge. Eyes look clear. I am sure she was eating yesterday - but not today .... Breed - EE

Any ideas on what may be ailing her ? The brooder was warm - but not as warm as it could have been. Other 9 peeps are doing fine .... I put another heat source on for now ....

 

[rancher hicks]

Got my new additions today!!! ke5hde picked them up for me from Natureberry yesterday. Beyond excited. DH hasn't said anything except that if they keep being so loud when he gets home on Wednesday that they may need to be moved into the garage. I think that it is good that they are so loud. The loud ones are usually girls!

4 Magpie Ducks!!

Oh man this brings me up to 9! I'm not sure that all will be staying. If there is any more then 1 drake the extras will need to go.

I'll try to get a better pic of them tomorrow after they have settled in to our house.

I thought curly tails meant drake but I'm not seeing nor hearing any changes in the Blue Swedish so I don't know. I doubt very highly that these are all girls. I also have been reading and the odds are that Blues crossed to Blues will yield 25% Blk, 50% blue and 25% splash or greys.

Those are very cute ducklings and magpies was one of my choices, but I went with the Swedish.

 

[rancher hicks]

chickens generally dont start laying till 5 months ..or later ..Though I had White Rocks that started at 4 1/2 months .
Feed Directions say chick feed till 10 weeks then flock grower ...then layer around 5- 6 months
Whats a Cavies?

Guinea Pigs. I once had over 120 of them. I used to show them. Like chickens there was no money in it. Well with chickens there is some money, just not enough to make me rich.

 

[Lynzi777]

I thought curly tails meant drake but I'm not seeing nor hearing any changes in the Blue Swedish so I don't know. I doubt very highly that these are all girls. I also have been reading and the odds are that Blues crossed to Blues will yield 25% Blk, 50% blue and 25% splash or greys.

Those are very cute ducklings and magpies was one of my choices, but I went with the Swedish.

Curly Tails ARE 1 indicator but it's much easier to go with who's quacking and who's "gasping" as I like to call it because that's what it sounds like. My blue runner drake makes a wheezing/whistling sound and my fawn and white hen makes a very loud quack. Your ducks should be doing the same by now. If not, pick one up and carry it away from the others. It should start to call for them. I wish I could upload a video here without having to go thru youtube. It'd be so much easier.

 

[Lynzi777]

Rancher, see if this works:


http://instagram.com/p/nTY2HGMpM4/

This is the female duck:

http://instagram.com/p/nTZqgxspOb/

 

[Pyxis]

Pyxis - what clues it was the ravens ?   Just wondering as I have a family of them I encourage - or at least don't discourage - to hang around my area ....    Could be a rat ?   In my old barn I was missing eggs and found a rat hole/tunnel .... set traps on each end and the rat MOVED the trap and still was nabbing eggs for a while ..... Ate them whole - they just disappeared.   

Thinking that may be your varmint since you have a similar thing in your workshop - mysterious and total disappearance.

My clue is that whatever it was also gutted out a dead hen right in the run - the hen was already dead, I just forgot to move her body from the run as it was hiding behind my old coop and I totally forgot about it. My ravens do that. I also know that they steal eggs because they kept stealing my duck eggs last year when they were laying outside. I really like the ravens and I do keep them around on purpose and I don't mind that they ate the dead hen, it's the eggs that bother me. I also don't think a rat would have been able to get into the top level nesting boxes and make off with four duck eggs and at least sixteen chicken eggs in one day, after having also gutting out a dead hen. I don't think it was any other predator because this had to have been in broad daylight and anything else that would have eaten a dead bird, like a raccoon or something, would have also gone after the live ones. Plus I don't think a raccoon would fit into my nesting boxes. Couldn't have been a snake because of the hen thing.

How is your chick now? Still acting weird?

 

[Metella]

Yep - on extra heat and acting the same - no obvious distress other the wings out and the weird balance thing ....

Definitely not a snake with the other clues added in ...

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I thought curly tails meant drake but I'm not seeing nor hearing any changes in the Blue Swedish so I don't know. I doubt very highly that these are all girls. I also have been reading and the odds are that Blues crossed to Blues will yield 25% Blk, 50% blue and 25% splash or greys.

Those are very cute ducklings and magpies was one of my choices, but I went with the Swedish.

If you get a chance take a picture of them and we can help you out. Like Lynzi said their quack sounds very different. The drakes have a quieter more raspy sound, the girls are much louder, more like a typical duck noise. Maybe you were luckily and got all girls, you never know. I have learned that too. I had been planning on breeding my Blue runners at least once to see what would come of it.

I love the Magpie drake that I have he is beautiful. I can't catch him that easily, but that is okay I love him just the same. I can't wait till next year when I can start breeding them. Until then I'll make due with what I have and keep looking for some older girls for my boy. If I would have know that you were interested in the Magpies I would have gotten the 10 and split it with you. When they are outside they aren't to bad. Hang in there.