***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[ashtree]

Thank you, @cathiesue, for the extremely adorable SFH chicks!

And, a super big THANK YOU to @ashtree for being so kind and not only picking up the chicks and sharing them with me but also delivering them! It was very nice to meet you and your daughter! Next time you come I hope to have my setup CLEAN AND ORGANIZED!

Seriously that was one of the nicest set ups I've seen! Everything looked great and we had lots of fun. If you end up with 2 boys I'll give you a pullet. As long as I don't have all boys either! I think it's in your favor that Arlo picked his 2 first. He gravitates towards roosters!

 

[HeyBigRhondaq]

Seriously that was one of the nicest set ups I've seen! Everything looked great and we had lots of fun. If you end up with 2 boys I'll give you a pullet. As long as I don't have all boys either! I think it's in your favor that Arlo picked his 2 first. He gravitates towards roosters!

Too funny! I'll keep in touch, and if my eggs hatch, you've got dibs on a Spitzhauben!

 

[nnbreeder]

I'm trying to keep up with this thread!
I hope picture of my set-up photograph as well as others do on this thread! I feel like my property is in constant disarray. Yours (all of you) look fabulous! I'm still working on my circular run around my round coop...ugh.

I might would like to make a capon clinic.

You all make me feel normal as far as my chickens go. I don't know if that's good or bad, but I appreciate it. People love my chicken stories, FB posts, etc., but then throw the ever-dreaded squinchy eye, raised eyebrow, kinda like they're in pain look with "So, how many chickens do you have." question. NOT ENOUGH!

Don't worry about keeping up with this thread, it has always moved rather fast. If you need to ask questions or just feel the need to chat jump right in. Heck I'm not on much anymore either but I still come home from time to time.

 

[nnbreeder]

I couldn't say one way or the other about other crested birds, but this is something that is documented in ducks.

I've never seen what a silkie looks like underneath that crest and skin...perhaps that part is similar for both chickens and ducks, but it's not a lethal gene in chickens.

From what I have read there is a dome above the skull in crested breeds of chickens. Sometimes though the skull doesn't close up under the dome and that is why crested breeds can have neurological problems, the brain has too much room to move around and isn't protected as much.

 

[Pokerface]

I decided today was moving day for my EEs and their roo to their original coop I got from the lady I got them from. I had housed the two roos I got from Rhonda in there till now. Had them all caged up and loaded on my little mower trailer. Got about 50' and looked around to see a trail of chickens!! Thought oh no, now I've got to catch them again but open range now. Decided against it since they were all going crazy chasing grasshoppers. Everyone was happy so why tire myself out. After about 3 hours of free range, they herded right down to the coop like they were supposed to. Glad I had their original coop!

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Geo is so great. I love that everyone falls in love with her. My husband picked well (he did pick me afterall

) I don't see how she's crested tho but I haven't seen her in person in a long while. I won't have a drake anyway so no big deal. Does this same vaulted rule stuff apply to all poultry? @subhanalah

Re: cresting- breeds that have been bred with crests for a long time, like silkies, polish, brabanters, Cream Legbars, etc, breed together fine with minimal problems from the crest. Cresting is created by a skull deformity, and I have heard silkies are more prone to death or permanent injury from a head blow due to this, also to wryneck/vit B deficiency although I'm not 100% sure that's linked to the skull deformity. I have not heard either of those things being a problem in the other crested breeds. My Cream Legbars at least do not have these issues.

HOWEVER- one breed that is having trouble with the cresting is Swedish Flower Hens. When Greenfire Farms imported their first flock, they selected from a breeder who did not like the crests and bred for non-crested birds. Then they imported another line that WAS crested- and crossing these two lines DOES seem to be very much a problem if you breed crested to crested. The line that is not used to having crested genes does not handle a double dose of cresting well and you get lower hatch rates and higher chick mortality related to the cresting deformity. For now it is recommended in the US to breed only noncrested to crested, or noncrested to noncrested, but to avoid breeding two crested birds together.

Oh hell no. Not only do *they not count, but if a chicken has ever been quarantined in their entire life? They're exempt for life against being counted ever again.
Bet ya all didn't know that, did ya?

@kimberlischicks those are way cool looking hens. I always thought Cinnamon Queens were the same as Sex Links. But the white streaks in yours are way cooler looking than SexLinks.

My understanding is that Cinnamon Queens are a type of sexlink. Sexlinks are created two ways- either silver based hen X gold based roo to make red sexlinks like Cinnamon Queens (males are white/silver), or barred hen X nonbarred rooster to make black sexlinks (males are barred). Cinnamon Queens in particular are a "trade secret" in the specific breeds/lines used by the hatchery to create them- they are designed to be laying machines and they are very good at that for 2-3 years.

I decided today was moving day for my EEs and their roo to their original coop I got from the lady I got them from. I had housed the two roos I got from Rhonda in there till now. Had them all caged up and loaded on my little mower trailer. Got about 50' and looked around to see a trail of chickens!! Thought oh no, now I've got to catch them again but open range now. Decided against it since they were all going crazy chasing grasshoppers. Everyone was happy so why tire myself out. After about 3 hours of free range, they herded right down to the coop like they were supposed to. Glad I had their original coop!

Phew!!! Crisis averted!

 

[NanaKat]

I'm still waiting for the last stragglers to go to coops so I can lock down the doors...there are about 10 of the 8 week olds still in the lot and front yard! Mandy has been a great teacher.

Earlier this evening I moved a floor nest box and a huge nest of baby mice started scurrying out from under it. The young chicks were going crazy running around with inch ling babies in their beaks. The hens let them keep the tiny babies but scarfed down the big ones. Soooo funny.

 

[ashtree]

Re: cresting- breeds that have been bred with crests for a long time, like silkies, polish, brabanters, Cream Legbars, etc, breed together fine with minimal problems from the crest.  Cresting is created by a skull deformity, and I have heard silkies are more prone to death or permanent injury from a head blow due to this, also to wryneck/vit B deficiency although I'm not 100% sure that's linked to the skull deformity.  I have not heard either of those things being a problem in the other crested breeds.  My Cream Legbars at least do not have these issues.

HOWEVER- one breed that is having trouble with the cresting is Swedish Flower Hens.  When Greenfire Farms imported their first flock, they selected from a breeder who did not like the crests and bred for non-crested birds.  Then they imported another line that WAS crested- and crossing these two lines DOES seem to be very much a problem if you breed crested to crested.  The line that is not used to having crested genes does not handle a double dose of cresting well and you get lower hatch rates and higher chick mortality related to the cresting deformity.  For now it is recommended in the US to breed only noncrested to crested, or noncrested to noncrested, but to avoid breeding two crested birds together.




My understanding is that Cinnamon Queens are a type of sexlink.  Sexlinks are created two ways- either silver based hen X gold based roo to make red sexlinks like Cinnamon Queens (males are white/silver), or barred hen X nonbarred rooster to make black sexlinks (males are barred).  Cinnamon Queens in particular are a "trade secret" in the specific breeds/lines used by the hatchery to create them- they are designed to be laying machines and they are very good at that for 2-3 years.

Phew!!!  Crisis averted!

Ok. I'm glad you shared that with me. I had no idea and am planning on keeping a SFH rooster and may let the broody girls (cochins) hatch out eggs when the time comes. I personally like the uncrested more anymore but won't be upset if I have a crested pullet

 

[artsyrobin]

I decided today was moving day for my EEs and their roo to their original coop I got from the lady I got them from. I had housed the two roos I got from Rhonda in there till now. Had them all caged up and loaded on my little mower trailer. Got about 50' and looked around to see a trail of chickens!! Thought oh no, now I've got to catch them again but open range now. Decided against it since they were all going crazy chasing grasshoppers. Everyone was happy so why tire myself out. After about 3 hours of free range, they herded right down to the coop like they were supposed to. Glad I had their original coop!

Ohh they had a wonderful day! ANd you are their hero!!!

HE'S HOME!! THANKYOU for all your prayers! i talked to him, he and his mom have alot to discuss, both were teary... i am just - wow...




who was it that was interested in Jersey Giants??

 

[HeyBigRhondaq]

I decided today was moving day for my EEs and their roo to their original coop I got from the lady I got them from.  I had housed the two roos I got from Rhonda in there till now.  Had them all caged up and loaded on my little mower trailer.  Got about 50' and looked around to see a trail of chickens!! Thought oh no, now I've got to catch them again but open range now.  Decided against it since they were all going crazy chasing grasshoppers.  Everyone was happy so why tire myself out.  After about 3 hours of free range, they herded right down to the coop like they were supposed to.  Glad I had their original coop!

Glad to hear the boys are adjusting well!