***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[lonnyandrinda]

I am not new at raising chickens but I am new at talking to anyone on the internet about them. I have some questions I need answers to. First, I ordered 5 Americana hens in the mail. Two turned out to be roosters. The hatchery said they would send me two new babies next hatch season to replace my roosters. (I don't have to send the roosters back.) My concern is this years chickens will not accept babies into their pen. I think I would like to find two grown Lt. Brahma hens to add to the flock. I feel they can protect themselves. They seem to be good at setting. I also would like mix the Brahamas and the Americanas. I need to know someone who raises Brahmas near Greenwood, Ar. or Ft. Smith, Ar.

I would welcome any help I can get..

Harriett in Arkansas

Do you have a facebook account? There are several good groups that encompass your area.

NE OK and NW Arkansas poultry group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/206437402793654/

Arkansas livestock group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/361622220548453/

I'm sure there are others. There is an Arkansas group here on BYC, too: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/37675/arkansas-folks-speak-up

And this one is for trades, swaps and sales: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/616818/arkansas-chicken-or-eggs-swap

Good luck!

No you will not be able to put little babies in unless you get lucky and get a broody about the time your chicks come in. She will protect them from the other hens. The other option is to brooder raise them until about 4 months old, then put them in the coop at night with the older ones. By the way, if you chicks came from a hatchery they will be Easter Eggers not Ameraucanas. It's just the way they label them- deceptive and unfortunate. Hopefully you will still get blue or green eggs from them.

 

[Ksane]

So sand as the coop floor and in the run space? I'm trying to find a good option for my silkies. Would sand on dirt work or would I need a wood floor base?

Ok duck experts, I can't figure my girls out. We bring them to the pond every day and they've never really gone for a swim in it. They just sit on the bank all day. Now they won't even stay in that area and insist on spending their day chatting around the house. It's not a problem really, except they are not chicken friendly. I just don't understand why they won't go in the pond. I think they've only ever had kiddie pools before so maybe it's just new and strange. I was hoping they'd get used to it instead of give up. So should I bring in a duck that swims to teach them? I'm hoping the goose will jump right in. I'm at a total loss of what I should do. Maybe they need a smart boy?

You can use sand for both and just keep adding more although sand on the coop floor will be COLD when it gets cold out and COLD if it gets wet. I like pine shavings for the coops and cypress mulch (cuz it's the cheapest mulch) for the runs/pens. Just rake it around and it looks new again, add more on top of it as needed. In the summer you can spray it down with water and it cools it off real nice in the pens.
I'd seriously get one of the kids to wade out with the ducks as far as they safely can and let them go. We gave our 3 ducks to a friend who has an acre pond. They didn't know what to do and just stood there on the bank until the guy's 2 yr old kid saw them and screamed in joy Scared the ducks 1/2 to death and they bolted in the opposite direction from the kid-which happened to be into the pond. Once they realized it was a whole YARD full of water they didn't come back out. He said they even sleep out there on the water.

@Ksane I'm switching them to sand TODAY.

I got the idea from @Kassaundra Clears up loose stools real well also.

 

[Kassaundra]

I love brooding on sand, would never switch back to anything else.

 

[Kassaundra]

Bottled the strawberry / orange / banana juice wine today, ended up w/ 5 quarts bottled and one settling out in the fridge. Racked the raspberry wine, it still has settling to do before it gets bottled. Got a quart of the raspberry "sludge" settling in the fridge too. Now I have 2 fermenters sitting all empty looking, so I'll probably get the ingredients for another batch of green tomato wine and chocolate wine and start those this week or so.

 

[ashtree]

You can use sand for both and just keep adding more although sand on the coop floor will be COLD when it gets cold out and COLD if it gets wet. I like pine shavings for the coops and cypress mulch (cuz it's the cheapest mulch) for the runs/pens. Just rake it around and it looks new again, add more on top of it as needed. In the summer you can spray it down with water and it cools it off real nice in the pens.
I'd seriously get one of the kids to wade out with the ducks as far as they safely can and let them go. We gave our 3 ducks to a friend who has an acre pond. They didn't know what to do and just stood there on the bank until the guy's 2 yr old kid saw them and screamed in joy Scared the ducks 1/2 to death and they bolted in the opposite direction from the kid-which happened to be into the pond. Once they realized it was a whole YARD full of water they didn't come back out. He said they even sleep out there on the water.
I got the idea from @Kassaundra Clears up loose stools real well also.

Well the boys thought this was the greatest idea ever. I should have tried to video it. Boys go in with ducks, calm down ducks, ducks start swimming, boys leave water, ducks follow boys....boys go in with ducks, ducks start swimming, boys leave water, ducks follow boys...over and over. I had a great laugh. But yea those stubborn, loveable girls just followed us right back out of the pond and back up to the house. Oh well. Husband says we got the super rare breed of land ducks. They are so people friendly its actually good company having them around. DH offered to fence off the pond area for them during the day and it made me sad. Ha! And the SFHs have learned to give the girls their space. So, might not be what we had in mind but it works for now. Getting the goose next week; maybe she'll change things up a bit!

 

[HeyBigRhondaq]

I love brooding on sand, would never switch back to anything else.

I am definitely liking it. Simple and brilliant.

 

[erinszoo]

Bottled the green tomato wine, I had a little over a gallon left after the explosion during an earlier racking. It is a pretty yellow. Tastes good even before the aging. I decided to bottle in quart canning jars, easy to find the lids and easy to clean and sterilize.

Now on to the chocolate wine. I am researching recipes, I will likely hybridize a couple gather a few supplies and start a batch in the next week or so.

Wow, what interesting flavors. I'm going to have to google chocolate wine now. Lol. Have you tried doing any fizzy ones in the mason jars? I hadn't thought of using mason jars before as we drink Pellgrino sparkling water and save those bottles, but sometimes the lids on them don't screw back on right ... and having everything bottled the same make it difficult to know which wine is which unless they are all different colors. I want to make sparkling cider but don't want to waste a whole batch having the bottles blow up from the fizzies.

 

[chrisnjenny]

Had quite a bit of catching up to do!!! I am very sorry to those of you that lost birds I actually understand it would be hard if we lost any of ours... I actually have my roo inside right now keeping an eye on him as he picked up some kinda mites or lice im guessing off the wild tree birds that come to eat their food... I freaked out when I saw the bugs and bathed everyone in the coop but he seemed kinda lethargic even after his bath so I just kept him in for the night to be sure hes okay... this is my first "illness" or issue of any sort with my new birds I just got this summer... it really jolted me I didnt think I cared as much as I do I guess... my chickens are pretty spoiled they all have names they, free range daily now and I do love taking them treats... when this cold snap hit last week I found myself taking hot noodles mixed with pizza sauce from the frige out to the coop worried they wouldnt adjust to the cold
well... anyways im just sayin im sorry for yalls loss and congrats to all the new baby moms n dads too I look forward to hatching my own babies in spring and love reading about your experiences and learning from you guys... and that is one big chicken I saw up there! Geeze congrats on that lol! Totally jelous over here! AND I truely hope you guys all catch your nasty predators and have no more losses... I havent experienced anything actually trying to get in my coop or run yet only my neighbors lazy cat who likes to sleep on my porch but doesnt seem to take any interest in my chickens at this point.
sorry I been gone so long I've missed you guys I just get sooo busy! Oh and also welcome to our new comer Harriett! I am located in arkoma right next to ft. Smith. Always nice to have a new chicken neighbor!

 

[NanaKat]

So nice to meet @NanaKat
 today. I absolutely love this funny pair! Were keeping them in a small A-frame until they get used to us. Hoping the pullet warms up to us soon. Is she laying yet? I meant to ask but forgot. ...I love those set ups, especially the coops in the cochin/wynadotte runs. And my oh my, Big Blue was BEAUTIFUL!!!! Thats the biggest boy Ive ever seen. I love that you have a  Big Blue and Arlo has a Little Blue. Thanks again for the pair and for showing us around your lovely place, I wish I could have stayed longer to check out the gardens but I just knew I was gonna come home to a list of things to do and I know you were busy as well. And I came home to a pretty large list, but also a husband that put the finishing touches on two of our city coops that we were making more secure.   So maybe Ill leave more often.

It was nice to visit with you and Arlo. He is a wonderful little boy! We would love another visit.
I finished filling feeders soon after you left and we set the live trap again.
Looking forward to pictures soon of all your coops.

No, she is not laying yet. Should lay a light to white colored egg.

 

[Kassaundra]

Wow, what interesting flavors. I'm going to have to google chocolate wine now. Lol. Have you tried doing any fizzy ones in the mason jars? I hadn't thought of using mason jars before as we drink Pellgrino sparkling water and save those bottles, but sometimes the lids on them don't screw back on right ... and having everything bottled the same make it difficult to know which wine is which unless they are all different colors. I want to make sparkling cider but don't want to waste a whole batch having the bottles blow up from the fizzies.

I have not tried sparkling wine yet, and just started bottling in mason jars. They seemed so much easier to get and get lids that fit and all. I already have many so nothing new to buy. I got several boxes of wine bottles at a flea market but getting the right sized "cork" isn't straight forward, many w/ lids didn't screw back on right, then there is cleaning them, not easy.

Here is a link to one of the sites I found w/ some cool recipes

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request.asp