Office Work, Part Deux: Professional Mayhen

[sparkles2307]

My sussex were also a PITA, so glad I sold them all off. They were nice to look at when they werent sick or disabled......

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Quote:
I know, it's "mean" to the mom/pop stores. I've been in some that were clean, well stocked, nice employees, knew what they were talking about. I've been in some that were nasty dumps where I wanted to shower right after leaving there. But even in the good stores, I'm not sure if it's vendor or turn-over, but sigh, use them, get mites. I want to support them, but I hate mites more than I hate box stores.

I think you can freeze the bedding, but yeah, I don't have enough room to do that!

Are these your Sussex roos who are just crashing? We tried Speckled Sussex and they were the weediest, sickliest, stupidest birds out there. So not worth my time, no matter how cute they are.

Yep their my sussex, I think Laree said pretty much the same thing. If I didnt like the hens so much I'd start all over and go back to something a little less expensive and hard to work with.

How are your Marans? Ours aren't typey apparently, but pretty nice birds, little less sturdy seeming than the monster JGs. But I think you could grill our JGs for an hour and they'd still be able to get up and run around.

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Quote:
Pretty much. And ugh, when we gave up and processed the left over stupid things, they had so little meat on them for year old birds. Pathetic. I think we started with 25 or 26, had 8 left at the end of a year.

 

[sparkles2307]

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Our Maran's are really big birds, I have the genetics posted on the wall in my office but off the top of my head I don't remember.... Jean something lines crossed with Deb something? I got them from Bantymama. 11 of 12 hatched and they tend to be my best brooders/mothers. Not a lot of leg feathering. The chicks come out with really fluffy legs but as they feather they lose most of them. But they have the nice copper neck feathers and the black bodies.

 

[sparkles2307]

Quote:
Pretty much. And ugh, when we gave up and processed the left over stupid things, they had so little meat on them for year old birds. Pathetic. I think we started with 25 or 26, had 8 left at the end of a year.

Yes, super skinny, the roos never liked them I guess because whenever I incubated their eggs they were duds so at least I don't have any crappy genetics running around in my yard. My flock is mostly BA, BCM, GLW, RIR, Welsummer and the youngsters from Mahonri and Laree. Everyone else has been weeded out by either selling off or natural selection.

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Quote:
Our Maran's are really big birds, I have the genetics posted on the wall in my office but off the top of my head I don't remember.... Jean something lines crossed with Deb something? I got them from Bantymama. 11 of 12 hatched and they tend to be my best brooders/mothers. Not a lot of leg feathering. The chicks come out with really fluffy legs but as they feather they lose most of them. But they have the nice copper neck feathers and the black bodies.

Ours are Cuckoos, not sure on the lines given as I didn't buy the eggs and DH doesn't think that kinda thing is important. Good lord the hens are insanely broody, almost as bad as the silly Cochins. They aren't as "full" looking as the Black Coppers, but they are fun to watch bop around the yard and I don't really care about type as I'm not showing them.

 

[jbowyer01]

Quote:
Pretty much. And ugh, when we gave up and processed the left over stupid things, they had so little meat on them for year old birds. Pathetic. I think we started with 25 or 26, had 8 left at the end of a year.

Yes, super skinny, the roos never liked them I guess because whenever I incubated their eggs they were duds so at least I don't have any crappy genetics running around in my yard. My flock is mostly BA, BCM, GLW, RIR, Welsummer and the youngsters from Mahonri and Laree. Everyone else has been weeded out by either selling off or natural selection.

DH has offered to do the deed if I want to get rid of them. Then I could start new after the move. But I guess I'd feel guilty, havent made up my mind yet.

My marans were given to me so I have no idea what their lineage is. I really think they are just hatchery stock but my hens are very tiny, but sweet. My sussex roos seem to all be a PIA with lotsa attitude all except for the one who just died

figures huh?!

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Quote:
Pretty much. And ugh, when we gave up and processed the left over stupid things, they had so little meat on them for year old birds. Pathetic. I think we started with 25 or 26, had 8 left at the end of a year.

Yes, super skinny, the roos never liked them I guess because whenever I incubated their eggs they were duds so at least I don't have any crappy genetics running around in my yard. My flock is mostly BA, BCM, GLW, RIR, Welsummer and the youngsters from Mahonri and Laree. Everyone else has been weeded out by either selling off or natural selection.

One of the roos could produce fertile eggs, but if we thought the adults were bad, the chicks were worse. 30% hatch rate, but getting them OUT of the brooder? I think ONE made it that far, and died not long after. The second roo was shooting blanks the entire time of his stupid life. Only know that because we swapped pens, so the "good" roo was with the "bad" hens, and they produced fertile eggs, but the "good" hens with the "bad" roo produced nothing. Plus, ugh, no matter WHAT we added to help out, they had weak, fragile eggs. Look at them cross eyed and they break. Let a banty Cochin sit on them, they break. Good lord, I let the 'dottes and JGs brood eggs and don't have broken eggs.

 

[Orchid]

Taking DS#1 to the doctor at noon for a rash he has developed all over his torso and upper arms. I think it's viral but better safe than sorry I guess. He says it really itches. The nurse called from school and said DS#2 has a stomachache but no fever. Mean mom that I am, I said send him back to class and if he's still not feeling well later I'll pick him up. I think he has a case of not wanting to be at school.

I hate the school year. Have I ever mentioned that?

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Quote:
Yes, super skinny, the roos never liked them I guess because whenever I incubated their eggs they were duds so at least I don't have any crappy genetics running around in my yard. My flock is mostly BA, BCM, GLW, RIR, Welsummer and the youngsters from Mahonri and Laree. Everyone else has been weeded out by either selling off or natural selection.

DH has offered to do the deed if I want to get rid of them. Then I could start new after the move. But I guess I'd feel guilty, havent made up my mind yet.

My marans were given to me so I have no idea what their lineage is. I really think they are just hatchery stock but my hens are very tiny, but sweet. My sussex roos seem to all be a PIA with lotsa attitude all except for the one who just died

figures huh?!

Our Marans roo is the smallish one, the hens are "normal" sized, just not as chunky in the body as they should be. We processed one hen who was laying funky eggs and just wasn't "right", didn't see any problems, but despite not being chunky, dressed out weighed in at a decent 5 lbs. The other hens are more solid than she was, so I figure they are good sized, might be the right weight, but just not put on them to standard.

However, they are just plain NICE chickens. The roo is a doll, but not a very good flock guard. He will get his girls to shelter, but he only notices danger if another roo does. Which I know isn't a good roo trait, but I'd rather have a slow roo who is nice than a good roo who is a jerk. Besides, they are in covered runs unless everyone is free ranging together, and if he's not the first to alert, we've got others who will and they send the alert, he gets his hens to a hiding spot.

Tho' he does need to learn that just because the idiot guineas alert does NOT mean there is danger. Considering they alert if the grass is 1/16" longer than yesterday.