***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[BetsyOK]

Very good explanation about the lavenders and splashes, mjgigax. When splashes are bred back to each other for several generations, the splashing becomes lighter (dilute). When the splash chicks are hatched, they look a lovely, solid lavender color, which led some early breeders to believe they had lavender chicks. A very big problem arose when those breeders, and some who got birds from them, introduced many dilute splashes into the mainstream, believing they were lavenders. Of course, many people were very disappointed when they bought them and mated them with each other or with true lavenders (the original color was bred into them some years ago from a different type of chicken), as they definitely didn't produce lavenders, and produced some unexpected results. However, if those chicks were bred back to the true lavender, some would have been true lavender, and in two or three generations, the true lavenders would prevail. Another problem, though, was the breeders who introduced their dilute splashes truly believed THEIRS was the true lavender and that the fault lay in the actual true lavenders.

I was happy to read that the person on craigs list did have spalshes, as well as the lavenders, and probably knew the difference. Glad you've found a source of nice birds nearby.

 

[BScott03]

Very good explanation about the lavenders and splashes, mjgigax.  When splashes are bred back to each other for several generations, the splashing becomes lighter (dilute).  When the splash chicks are hatched, they look a lovely, solid lavender color, which led some early breeders to believe they had lavender chicks.   A very big problem arose when those breeders, and some who got birds from them, introduced many dilute splashes into the mainstream, believing they were lavenders.  Of course, many people were very disappointed when they bought them and mated them with each other or with true lavenders (the original color was bred into them some years ago from a different type of chicken), as they definitely didn't produce lavenders, and produced some unexpected results.  However, if those chicks were bred back to the true lavender, some would have been true lavender, and in two or three generations, the true lavenders would prevail.  Another problem, though, was the breeders who introduced their dilute splashes truly believed THEIRS was the true lavender and that the fault lay in the actual true lavenders.

I was happy to read that the person on craigs list did have spalshes, as well as the lavenders, and probably knew the difference.  Glad you've found a source of nice birds nearby.

Yes I've very excited! Going to pick my babies up on Friday! I'm hoping it will be a lot easier on them being older and not being shipped from somewhere

 

[NanaKat]

Just a little reminder for anyone wanting to make donations for the Benefit Auction on May 18.
at the regular Newcastle Auction. They will sell eggs and chicks first as usual, then have the benefit auction and then go back to the regular auction to finish the night. Modernman and Scoots are donating their commission on the items donated too.

At the next Newcastle Auction May 18,
here is some information on how we can help
benefit the Junior Oklahoma Poultry Show in December 8 - 9
at the Shawnee Expo Center.
To encourage those young people, Scoots and Modernman want to
help raise funds to give money prizes to those who place.
In the past these young folks have received a certificate and a ribbon.
Any eggs, birds, equipment we donate will be sold without a commission and
all the proceeds will be added to the fund.
Let's all think about donating and bring or send items to the auction in two weeks.
If we want to encourage young people to stay with chicken keeping/breeding,
we need to do as other shows do and offer nice prizes.
These young people are the future for poultry keeping.​

 

[Tony O]

On Saturday we used the tractor auger to dig holes to plant some bare root hybrid poplar trees around the barn. We ordered them from Jung's catalog and they arrived literally as sticks. They have leaves on them already and I hope they grow the 5-8 feet per year as advertised. . . . .

I think you'll be pleased with the growth. I just stuck mine in the ground before a rain and let nature take it's course. I did grow slow the 1st year but it probably would have done a lot better if I watered it through out the hot, dry part of that summer.
The next few years I took care of it, and it took off like a . . .

. . . ,

well anyway, it probably grew from 10 to 12 feet a year with lots of water and a little bit of chicken litter.

 

[NanaKat]

Just got home from Carl Jarvis,s home with the last batch of chicks he hatched for me.

We were discussing the Benefit Auction in Newcastle this weekend. Carl is going to donate some gorgeous Bantams from his breed lines:
a trio of BBR Rosecomb
a trio of Black Rosecomb
eggs from his Old English Game Bantams including Silver Blue and Birchen.
Maybe some surprises too.
These are really striking birds and you sure don't want to miss out on these!

 

[FunChick]

we do, my DH bilt these little sheds. the one for the piglets has a wood floor to keep them warm at night when they are small the others have no floor. we have cattle panels and an electric wire for fencing. this is one be bought from someone else. in the summer to make sure they stay cool we make them a mud wallow. last year we put one right inside the shed one of the sheds; in the corner of the last photo of our grow out pin is the mud wallow we put an old sheet over the top of it last year because this spot dose not have any shade that is what the t post are for.

Thank you so much for sharing your pictures with us! I am so pleased to see that what we have in mind should work. I just wanted to be sure we wouldnt have heat stress related deaths. As it was last summer, in spite of hosing down shady areas, using ice chunks in waterers and providing misters and fans it was so miserable we lost probably 15% of our chickens. We even placed tarps on tposts to provide even more shade. It was awful and there wasnt anything we could do about it. Thats a horrible feeling.

 

[FunChick]

I think you'll be pleased with the growth. I just stuck mine in the ground before a rain and let nature take it's course. I did grow slow the 1st year but it probably would have done a lot better if I watered it through out the hot, dry part of that summer.
The next few years I took care of it, and it took off like a . . . . . . ,  well anyway,  it probably grew from 10 to 12 feet a year with lots of water and a little bit of chicken litter.

Wow! I cant wait! Thank you for telling me! We also got one cottonless cottonwood which is supposed to get to 75-90 ft tall. I hope it does!

I really love trees. We lived on an open prairie in California and there were no trees for shade anywhere near us. One of my requirements when looking for a place to live here was that it have trees nearby. So now we have about half trees and half prairie. I am sooooo glad I stuck to my guns on the tree issues esp since we have been here long enough to endure some pretty bad heat.

 

[okracefan]

I just received a letter from the Blanchard Auction peeps stating that I bought some Apricot Jam on the 13th of April which I did not, 1. because I was not there and, 2. I do not like Apricots. So If anybody out there happened to buy a couple of jars and did not pay for them I appreciate it if they settle up with them. I am going to write them a letter stating that it was not me that bought them.

 

[miohippus]

Thank you so much for sharing your pictures with us! I am so pleased to see that what we have in mind should work. I just wanted to be sure we wouldnt have heat stress related deaths. As it was last summer, in spite of hosing down shady areas, using ice chunks in waterers and providing misters and fans it was so miserable we lost probably 15% of our chickens. We even placed tarps on tposts to provide even more shade. It was awful and there wasnt anything we could do about it. Thats a horrible feeling.

your welcome, i lost about 5 chickens last summer because of the heat; Yea, it is not fun. As long as you provide the pigs a mud hole and plenty of shade and clean water to drink they should be ok.

 

[erinszoo]

Picking peas by the bucketfull now. Planted out the winter squash on the west bed of the chicken pen and darned if the turkey poults didn't stick their heads through the pallet boards sideways and then peck at the leaves through the chicken wire and trellis support. That's gonna be some dang good turkey sausage real soon. I did plant some currant tomatoes in that bed too that I had extra figuring they could eat whatever they could reach since the plants are supposed to get huge and I already have three others planted elsewhere. Now to get the top netting finished over the pen ...