***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[SharkmanDan]

Well, it's been a LONG TIME, since I've been on here. Much has happened.
Without getting into the details (those who know me on Facebook, know some details) I had a disastrous year last year. I lost my entire flock to predators, save for one Speckled Sussex Rooster, and four mixed breed ducks. I simply hadn't had the heart to get back into birds, until recently. And, health issues have made that difficult.
Anyway, I have 20 Buff Orpington pullets and 2 cockerels, that are approaching 12 weeks old. I'm thinking of getting another breed, that could be crossed with the Buffs, to create something unique or different, to me. I'm intrigued with the Rhode Island Whites. A friend had some a while back, and I thought they were some of the prettiest white birds, besides Delawares, I'd seen.
Has anyone ever tried crossing a RIW over a Buff Orpington hen, and if so, what were the results?
Conversely, what about crossing a Buff Orpington over a RIW? Similar, or different results?
I'm trying to figure out what my second breed would be, and if there might be some advantage, to crossing the two, like maybe getting some sort of dual purpose sex link, or interesting coloring. We'll be building separated pens, but are interested in what our results might be, if we cross bred the two breeds.

 

[jrjoplin]

@SharkmanDan good to see you back. This is my rebuilding year too after a complete wipeout a year and a half ago (coyotes left 1 capon). I almost threw in the towel this year after a bobcat wiped out half the new flock. But I’ve still got 31 hens and a Lakenvelder rooster. Best of luck with the new flock, I don’t have the head for genetics but hope your crosses work well.

I’m dealing with a pretty big headache here. OEC is laying fiber optic cable in the next few weeks. Their proposed path goes right through the chicken yard. My fault (actually the previous owners) for fencing in the easement and my additional poor planning of the current coop within 2 feet of the edge of the easement. I’m going to put up temporary fencing and either move the current coop or build a temporary structure to house everyone until the work is done. It doesn’t have to pretty it just has to keep them contained until the work is done and the fences are back up. It’s going to be a busy weekend.

 

[Eggspecto-patronum]

Any easter egg breeders in OKC? Need to grow my flock. We don't get enough eggs. Haha

 

[CLSranch]

Is any body Around Vinita, Nowata North of 60 interested in some Dark Cornish or Dark Cornish/Rhode Island Red cross chicks.
I have all I need want and they still set more chicks. I have a batch of 6 about 3-4 months old or 4 that are 2-3 months old. I was going to save them thinking the roo's would be the perfect age for Thanksgiving and Christmas and keep the hens.
But I know I'm going to be to lazy to butcher when it's time.

 

[Heineypixie]

Our chickens are missing. If anyone sees them, please let me know.

 

[Pennys Mama]

I'm needing to downsize my current flock & wonder if anyone near me (zip 74937) would be interested. They are juvenile bantams, barred rock crosses, pullets& cockerels. I've got 2 more hens that went right back broody & are again sitting on their comrades eggs.

 

[NanaKat]

I'll be downsizing too....lots of young cockerels to be processed for the canner. A neighbor will be taking some pullets to grow her layer flock.
Sorting the keepers needs to be completed in both the chicken and duck pens.

This early winter like weather is delaying my garden projects!
I found a great bargain on huge jonquil, tulip and mixed bulbs the other day for my flower beds.
Some of the raised boxes in the garden need to be cleared of dead pepper and tomato vines.
A few fruit trees need pruning.
Transplanting Iris and day lilies needs to be finished.

 

[Pennys Mama]

We need to get the okies responding to the thread, huh? I'd like to be able to do a swap, trade, or sell of my juveniles with someone relatively close, ya know? I just got 90 coturnix eggs today that needs to be set in the next couple of days. I'm gonna be super busy this winter!!!

 

[GaryDean26]

We need to get the okies responding to the thread, huh? I'd like to be able to do a swap, trade, or sell of my juveniles with someone relatively close, ya know? I just got 90 coturnix eggs today that needs to be set in the next couple of days. I'm gonna be super busy this winter!!!

I did well this year. My goal is to always have all the flock thinned by Thanksgiving. We only did about 50 birds this year but I got all the cockerels culled by the end of October and all of the 18-month hens that we rotated out of the breeding flock and all the pullets are now gone after driving partway to meet two different breeding partners this weekend. I didn't get to do any "relatively close" swaps unless less than 6 hours away is relatively close, but all the pullets found homes, two cockerels found homes and the rest are in the freezer, and we have 6 pullets and 1 cockerel that we saved for us. I am happy to not be busy this winter.

 

[Pennys Mama]

I did well this year. My goal is to always have all the flock thinned by Thanksgiving. We only did about 50 birds this year but I got all the cockerels culled by the end of October and all of the 18-month hens that we rotated out of the breeding flock and all the pullets are now gone after driving partway to meet two different breeding partners this weekend. I didn't get to do any "relatively close" swaps unless less than 6 hours away is relatively close, but all the pullets found homes, two cockerels found homes and the rest are in the freezer, and we have 6 pullets and 1 cockerel that we saved for us. I am happy to not be busy this winter.

I'd like to be able to get my numbers way down on my chickens. I bought the kinds that I wanted then all my Bantams went broody and all set with good hatch outs. There's 2 sitting right now, crazy little ladies, one due this weekend & the other next weekend. I may post to Craigslist to see if I can find someone nearby interested in my juveniles. The coturnix are gonna keep me busy with eggs, hatching & butchering. I'm not near as organized as you seem to be, maybe next year I'll have my act together. I just got back into raising the animals, kinda jumped in with both feet on the deep end!