NY chicken lover!!!!

[AQHAchick22]

Some times "mutts" pick up the best traits of their combo heritage! My pit-crosses are great dogs all around, and my horse is a QH-cross and he's just great. So why not "mutt" chickens!?


They sound adorable and lovable! I love to hear that chickens interact with their owners.

TOB

The mutts really are the best! I have had 5 dogs, all mutts and all lived to be about 18 years old. I just hatched some mutt chickens so I'm excited to see how they turn out!!

These are two of my overly friendly red pullets harassing my mom

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Shades of Grey looks good. I just read whatever I like. Reading should be fun not a competition IMHO. Some books require a little more focus for me.

Just got home from school (volunteer job). There are two Del and two EE chicks hatched out. Nothing in the coops though. Some of the Marans have pipped but it is only day 20 so they have some time.

This weather is good so it's gardening time.

I will have to check out the Ruby Lavender book you suggested; it sounds like a nice story.

Regarding your eggs...those Dels always seem to be first or among the first to hatch!

Hope you have good luck with the Marans.

TOB

 

[Tough Old Bird]

The mutts really are the best! I have had 5 dogs, all mutts and all lived to be about 18 years old. I just hatched some mutt chickens so I'm excited to see how they turn out!!

These are two of my overly friendly red pullets harassing my mom

You got it, sister!

This is a super cute picture! Those girls are definitely engaged and interacting! (Whatcha got in your pockets, nice lady?)

TOB

 

[Child of Noah]

I agree Jlaw nice looking birds.

Child don't matter what a bird is along as you love it. Call them mutts or hybrids don't matter if they're well cared for. I keep a mutt or two just cuz I like them. EE's are just crosses or mutts but good layers.

enjoy the day folks, love ya,

Rancher

I hadn't thought about that, that EE's are mutts. Are they "bantam"? I would love to have a few, for colorful eggs... but I don't want tiny eggs. How small are the chickens (compared with a usual layer/dual purpose)? How small are the eggs? What are they a mix of? Haven't you (Rancher) been keeping them in a hoop coop?
There are some birds I think are really beautiful, but I just don't want to get them because I don't know that they would be "cold hardy" enough. My coop doesn't have power, and never will. It is nice to get the perspective from those of you who live with the same kind of winters and have had chickens for a while.

In duckling news... yesterday they were out in their new playpen my Beloved Husband constructed for them out of fencing and a collapsible carport/canopy with a baby wadey and an old rabbit hutch. They love it in there, and I love having less to clean up inside. We invented the game of "Bugs!" where I took a lid full of freeze dried mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers and tossed it in the pool while saying "bugs!" and they would be gone in a second. Then I would do "who wants One Bug?" and one duckling (usually Jace, the one we identified as a Swedish duck) would snatch one bug from my fingers. Today I was out playing "One Bug" with the ducklings, and Jace was HOPPING to get it!! Haha cutest thing a little baby duckling JUMPING so high off the ground to get a canned cricket from my hand.

 

[Cass]

3 chicks so far. Woohoo. No pips in the other 4, but that's way OK with me....no word on the Grade School's hatch rate yet, but they had 2 hatched yesterday, so I am sure there will be more.

Was in TSC today. Heard someone telling another chicken person that it is ok to give 4 week old chicks layer feed. Some of you know how shy I am, but I sucked it up, and quietly told the guy that the advice was might kill the chicks, to keep feeding them starter/grower until they start to lay. (Ok, I am cracking up about the shy comment. Actually I bit my tongue until the advice giver left the store then I jumped in) Turns out this guy doesn't own the chickens, he hatched them for his partner. Now THAT's love. And the chickens are some rare heritage breed. He said "how do you tell roos from hens". I told him to wait for the crows. LOL Then he asked "what do you do with the extra roosters?" I said "I eat them" and gave him my email if he wanted to give some away. THEN I learned they are some rare breed, so I can't eat them. LOL So if he contacts me I'll find out what breed they are and let you all know...just in case someone wants to add another breed to their flock. LOL

AND one of the employees has birds from the reluctant employee's duck flock and is willing to sell me a couple of eggs. I hope my hen is still broody when I get the eggs. Hate to pay for eggs and the just wind up eating them. I figure my big girl can cover 4 duck eggs easy, so that's what I asked her for, hoping to hatch at least one drake and a couple of hens.

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

I hadn't thought about that, that EE's are mutts. Are they "bantam"? I would love to have a few, for colorful eggs... but I don't want tiny eggs. How small are the chickens (compared with a usual layer/dual purpose)? How small are the eggs? What are they a mix of? Haven't you (Rancher) been keeping them in a hoop coop?
There are some birds I think are really beautiful, but I just don't want to get them because I don't know that they would be "cold hardy" enough. My coop doesn't have power, and never will. It is nice to get the perspective from those of you who live with the same kind of winters and have had chickens for a while.

In duckling news... yesterday they were out in their new playpen my Beloved Husband constructed for them out of fencing and a collapsible carport/canopy with a baby wadey and an old rabbit hutch. They love it in there, and I love having less to clean up inside. We invented the game of "Bugs!" where I took a lid full of freeze dried mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers and tossed it in the pool while saying "bugs!" and they would be gone in a second. Then I would do "who wants One Bug?" and one duckling (usually Jace, the one we identified as a Swedish duck) would snatch one bug from my fingers. Today I was out playing "One Bug" with the ducklings, and Jace was HOPPING to get it!! Haha cutest thing a little baby duckling JUMPING so high off the ground to get a canned cricket from my hand.

If I understand correctly EE's are a cross between an Ameracauna & any other breed.............. to produce a green or olive egg. My EE's are from Tab. I think 2 of them are a Silver Ameracauna over a leghorn and the other I'm not sure, but she's a beautiful blue color

All 3 of them give me a green egg a day that is large to x-large. The EE's themselves are about the size of a golden comet. My girls have a new coop off the side of my barn, it's 12' x24'. It has 4 - 3'x3' windows, that stayed open all winter, unless a strong wind was blowing directly on the girls, then that window was closed for the night only.
This is only my 2nd year having chickens and I'm pleasently surprised at how tough they are !!

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Was in TSC today. Heard someone telling another chicken person that it is ok to give 4 week old chicks layer feed. Some of you know how shy I am, but I sucked it up, and quietly told the guy that the advice was might kill the chicks, to keep feeding them starter/grower until they start to lay. (Ok, I am cracking up about the shy comment. Actually I bit my tongue until the advice giver left the store then I jumped in) Turns out this guy doesn't own the chickens, he hatched them for his partner. Now THAT's love. And the chickens are some rare heritage breed. He said "how do you tell roos from hens". I told him to wait for the crows. LOL Then he asked "what do you do with the extra roosters?" I said "I eat them" and gave him my email if he wanted to give some away. THEN I learned they are some rare breed, so I can't eat them. LOL So if he contacts me I'll find out what breed they are and let you all know...just in case someone wants to add another breed to their flock. LOL

You are the quintessential, delicate and shy wall flower, Cass.

Seriously, even I know that person got bad advice before you set him on the right path. That is what you do -- help out , shy jokes aside -- so he was lucky you overheard the conversation!

Glad you're getting some chicks! Curious about how the school will make out...

TOB

 

[stonykill]

my best broody and the 1st to sit this year started her hatch today. Pretty soon I'll have a bunch of chicks. 7 broody Sumatra's as of now a broody Runner and it looks like my BO might finally sit and not just run around being grumpy all of the time

 

[featherz]

HI everyone! Just found out that I is now a college stoodent. Gotta finish that four year degree before they boot my ASN butt out of the job market. =)

Still holding steady here with 5 broodies sitting on nothing. LOL.

 

[Lynzi777]

Hope everyone was able to enjoy some of the nice weather today. Figures it's beautiful out now that I'm back inside working. Got a hint from my boss this morning that it would be in my best interest to update my resume and get it posted on our office's site. I told her I would do it to make her happy but I'm not looking for a job so I better not get any phone calls. I have to say I updated my resume this evening (hasn't been done since 2006, still had my maiden name on it!) and I must say, after being with this company for 12 years it looks good! Too bad I'm not looking for a job, LOL. Owell, I got that out of that way, that was the highlight of my night, seeing all I've accomplished while being with this company for 12 years. Sorry but I'd rather shovel you know what than to work this job another year - literally! Get me in a barn! Thats where I belong these days!