***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[kennym99]

I have 3 BCM's from Bev Davis' line of birds and she's suppose to be letting me know when she has more ready to buy I think I'll just stick to buying her birds.

 

[jcatblum]

yall ever went a long time without seeing your flock?

Today was the first time I walked down to the barn since my surgery. It has been 5 wks since I had seen most of our birds.The Mandarin boy is ready for mating season & his colors are brighter than ever! Also the blue game chicks Taron bought at Blanchard has given us 1 roo that has the most amazing color. For several months Taron had been telling me we had the pretties black roo, but I wasn't seeing anything special. Today I finally saw it, he is fully developed & handsome! He came from Bfrancis or Jack, I don't know but boy he is pretty! Also counted at least 6 roos that should have been on the chopping block during the last rooster reduction. Somehow Taron hides them good on butcher day!
I was hurting pretty bad after walking back up the hill from the barn, so prob going to give it a wk or so before I try to go back down there again.
Those interested in trading for keets or eggs in the spring, Taron rarely finds a bird she doesn't love. She was telling me today how to get good egg production. Not sure I can remember it all, but something like
You must name your birds
You must spend time with your birds
You must love your birds
You must talk to you birds
You must give them lots of treats
There were a few other rules, but can't think of them right now. She also said just giving them feed & water doesn't cut it. Then she went on to daydreaming her hatching plans.
Hope everyone enjoyed their New Year's Day!

 

[mjgigax]

Those interested in trading for keets or eggs in the spring, Taron rarely finds a bird she doesn't love. She was telling me today how to get good egg production. Not sure I can remember it all, but something like
You must name your birds
You must spend time with your birds
You must love your birds
You must talk to you birds
You must give them lots of treats
There were a few other rules, but can't think of them right now. She also said just giving them feed & water doesn't cut it. Then she went on to daydreaming her hatching plans.
Hope everyone enjoyed their New Year's Day!

Good advice for sure.

Sounds like you are on the mend and we are all glad to hear this.
You can't hurry after serious surgery. I know from personal experience. I bet you will be anticipating Spring's arrival!

 

[Poco Pollo]

Joe - Thanks for the information about tabletop shows. I need to find my calmest birds and work with them. Can an exhibitor have treats in his/her hand to keep the bird's attention while it is on the table?

Jcatblum - Prayers for your full recovery

. Taron sounds like a top-notch chicken enthusiast. Wonderful advice for egg production.

 

[Oakieridge]

Morning all, it is a bit chilly out there so bundle up if you have to be out. I am trying to read and catch up, Christina it was good to see you are getting out and about. Take it slow you will get there. Like MJ said you can't rush it. Taron seems like she has the chicken thing all figured out! LOL She and Nathanael need to compare notes haha. He was out there almost 2 hours just talking to his birds and taking care of them. Sadly mine don't get that when it is cold out. I am just not cut out for the cold anymore. Of course his are all in a hoop house with heat.

Egg production is finally up but we are having a terrible time with fodder all of a sudden. We had been growing it great until this last batch of wheat dh bought at the feed store. I think it is the seed, dh says it isn't so I am growing it in my bedroom now, lol. Kass I will have to look at your sprouting video and see if that is an option for us. My girls are not happy to be back on layer pellets 100% they act like I am misstreating them by not bringing them their green goodies!

What auction is this coming weekend, anyone know? It has been a while since we have attended one and I told dh I want to go. I need to hit the Perkins auction and get some hay as well. The pens will be big old muddy messes after all the rain/snow. We loaded them down with leaves before the storms but it is only a mater of time before the birds have them down to mud.

And since it has been at least a week since you all have seen my kids pics from the "snow storm" lol.
Jackmac

Jennifer


Nathanael




Jake the wonder pup he has never seen snow before so was thrilled with all the cold white stuff.



And a few of my feather babies.
My Buff girls out pilfering through the cold stuff, they didn't think twice about charging out of the coop into the snow.


And one of the guinea dudes, he did not like the cold white stuff!

 

[NanaKat]

yall ever went a long time without seeing your flock?

Today was the first time I walked down to the barn since my surgery. It has been 5 wks since I had seen most of our birds.The Mandarin boy is ready for mating season & his colors are brighter than ever! Also the blue game chicks Taron bought at Blanchard has given us 1 roo that has the most amazing color. For several months Taron had been telling me we had the pretties black roo, but I wasn't seeing anything special. Today I finally saw it, he is fully developed & handsome! He came from Bfrancis or Jack, I don't know but boy he is pretty! Also counted at least 6 roos that should have been on the chopping block during the last rooster reduction. Somehow Taron hides them good on butcher day!
I was hurting pretty bad after walking back up the hill from the barn, so prob going to give it a wk or so before I try to go back down there again.
Those interested in trading for keets or eggs in the spring, Taron rarely finds a bird she doesn't love. She was telling me today how to get good egg production. Not sure I can remember it all, but something like
You must name your birds
You must spend time with your birds
You must love your birds
You must talk to you birds
You must give them lots of treats
There were a few other rules, but can't think of them right now. She also said just giving them feed & water doesn't cut it. Then she went on to daydreaming her hatching plans.
Hope everyone enjoyed their New Year's Day!

So glad to hear you are taking time to recover. When I go away for a trip and come back to the farm, it always amazes me how much the chicks/ birds have changed. I can't imagine the amount of change going 5 weeks. Taron is right on target with her rules.

 

[jcatblum]

Cathie the low temps are for sure having an effect on your growing set up, I have a few things bookmarked about temp influencing germination & growth-- but don't know what computer they are on - sorry!
My recovery is coming along nice & slow. I notice new things I am able to do all the time. Nice to be able to put your own socks on & pour your own glass of tea! The girls have been great, they always come ask if I need anything anytime they think about getting theirselves food & drink. Alexis cooked almost all meals, aside from the ones people brought us. DH just went back to work today, the weather & holidays contributed to him having such a long time off work. Thankful his work was understanding & he was able to be home for so long while I got moving again. We keep dancing around talk of prepping the garden for spring. I am leaning towards no garden, or at least a very tiny garden. Sad, but recovering needs my energy.

Kass one day I will come to you for photography lessons! DH bought me a nice camera for Mother's Day & I can't do anything but point & click. The macro lens & I are far from friends!!! Congrats on the win. You deserve it with all those awesome pics!

 

[Carebearsmiles]

Woo Hoo I just won one of the NYD hatch contests, the one about the most colorful male fowl pic, it was a pic of a pheasant I took this year.

This one.

Pretty! Congrats on the win.

 

[Kassaundra]

Cathie the low temps are for sure having an effect on your growing set up, I have a few things bookmarked about temp influencing germination & growth-- but don't know what computer they are on - sorry!
My recovery is coming along nice & slow. I notice new things I am able to do all the time. Nice to be able to put your own socks on & pour your own glass of tea! The girls have been great, they always come ask if I need anything anytime they think about getting theirselves food & drink. Alexis cooked almost all meals, aside from the ones people brought us. DH just went back to work today, the weather & holidays contributed to him having such a long time off work. Thankful his work was understanding & he was able to be home for so long while I got moving again. We keep dancing around talk of prepping the garden for spring. I am leaning towards no garden, or at least a very tiny garden. Sad, but recovering needs my energy.
Kass one day I will come to you for photography lessons! DH bought me a nice camera for Mother's Day & I can't do anything but point & click. The macro lens & I are far from friends!!! Congrats on the win. You deserve it with all those awesome pics!

Photograph what you love, find your niche. I love nature photography and can do well w/ it, but people give me fits, I can do adequate architecture shots if I'm in the mood. Know enough of the techno crap so you can operate your camera but don't let it bog you down. EXPERIMENT, EXPERIMENT, EXPERIMENT, get a good (either free or paid for) photo editing software, know it backwards and forwards, Take LOTS of pics, like the days I go to the zoo or a garden I will take 500-800 pics literally w/ the digital age taking the pics is completely free then you can pick and choose which ones work best and print or post the best. Compose you shot when you are taking the pic, try different angles and perspectives, a lot of times there is a dramatic difference in just a couple of feet over or slight angle change. When I go to spend the day taking pics I always wear long pants b/c I spend as much time on my knees or belly as I do my feet.

I do not have a real macro lens (would LOVE ONE) but I love macro photography and make do w/ zoom lens, cropping, and macro filters. The key to good macro is set the focus and move the camera, and stabilization. If your camera has built in stabilization that is great it will help tremendously, but tri pods and bean bags or found things at the place you are photographing (like tree limbs in the right place, or rock, or whatever you can rest your hand or camera on while taking the pic)

 

[mjgigax]

Pretty! Congrats on the win.

Yes, this bird has so many different colors!