***OKIES in the BYC III ***

I just candled my silkie eggs due to hatch 21/22st. It was amazing with the light colored shell the details you can see. 23 of the original 30 will make it into the hatcher. One even snapped its little beak at me! ;)  Since my hatch rates have been dismal lately... I am so very thankful for Ksane's offer of her extras. With any luck, I will need to make a speed run to Walmart for more brooding tubs!


Yea, sometimes they seem to get annoyed when you shine the light in on them :-D I had one more late quitter last night so 20 will go into lockdown tonight. I'm so amazed that ALL 23 eggs from 2 different sellers started growing. They were 3 that quit growing but that's not uncommon. I had gotten 10 Silkies from the hatchery in Sept but have lost *3 Whites. It's the light colored ones I'm wanting. I set mine 24 hrs apart so the hatch probably won't be over til Sat AM.
One of the 3 Silkies I hatched a month or so ago isn't growing either. The 1st wth a vaulted skull died right away, this one just doesn't grow. He eats like crazy and runs all over the place. It's sad because he's probably going to be one of the ones I lose when they're 6 mo old.

I'm trying the BYC on my phone since I'm already in bed... At 1 in the morning. I'm going to need coffee in the morning!
Thank you for that link! I showed my daughter and she already is planning patterns for which chicken. I can't wait to make my hens all cozy with all the feather loss then cold weather!


If you end up sewing them, let me know. I'd be interested in buying some, they go for around $4 a piece if you'd be willing to take that.

I got my processing lesson from PocoPollo yesterday. Greatly appreciated. I didn't feel any guilt or grossed out by the process. Got 8 of the 10 cockerels done. I feel confident to do the other 2 by myself on another weekend. And had a great time talking with her.
And the bantam Favorelles I got from artsyrobin are too stinking cute. And got 5 new pullets from PocoPollo.


Sheesh, my 1st thought when I read your post was, "Oh those poor beautiful boys are dead!" How am I EVER going to get to the point of processing with that attitude?? lol I can handle the guts and gore and blood, that doesn't bother me. My husband will do the killing for me if need be, but i'd have to be the one to pick up the bird and look him in the eye and hand him over :-( If they'd turn mean it's be easier but I've only ever had a few mean roosters.
 
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Another quick shot of my Silver Blue cockerel that I have been showing this year. I really like him, he has been doing quite well will have to see how he likes Ga and Fl and Tx soon.

 
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@cjarvis he's beautiful! He looks like he was filmed in vintage black and white stock and photoshopped into the image.
 
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Here is my cockerel Lav AM. He wanted me to pass along to the fellow Okies he wants his mother to buy him some more AM ladies, so if anyone has any ;) haha haven't named him yet but just thought this pic was too funny not to share :D
 
Coop is almost done and my 5 pullets are 5 weeks old now, so they'll be going outside very soon. Anyone have a great suggestion where to get some CHEAP or free bulk bedding materials? Straw, shavings, sawdust? The coop floor is 4' x 8'.
I used to use straw but it can get caught in their crops so I just got prarie grass @ 8.00/bale. One bale goes a long way and is great for nests.
 
 
I used to use straw but it can get caught in their crops so I just got prarie grass @ 8.00/bale. One bale goes a long way and is great for nests.

Does anyone use leaves? I was thinking of using the dead leaves in my yard ?


I buy wood shavings by the compressed bale for $5 at the feed stores and Atwoods. A bale can cover my 11x 12 foot hen house floor with 2 - 3 inches of shavings.
I do use leaves. I store them in black bags in the dry and put them in the sun the day before I add them to the coop floor. The heat helps kill bugs. Within a few days, the hens have crumbled the leaves to a fine grind and by spring it makes great garden mulch.
 
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