***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Poco Pollo]

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?

Give them a smaller body of water (kiddie pool). They will drink from it and eventually bathe in it. When they pass the stage where they run for the kiddie pool or shoulder each other aside to get in first, it will be time to show them the pond.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

Had a nice surprise this morning my first brooding hen hatched her first hatchling a EE so far she Has been very good she is a 10 month old red ranger .

 

[Poco Pollo]

Ooh I'm so excited... got plans in the works for another breed this spring that I thought was going to be years before I could get for a good price.... not ready to spill the beans yet but very excited!

black ayam cemani???????

Is anybody going to the Coweta auction?

I sent you a PM and saved a seat for you. Sorry you couldn't go.

Where is the coweta auction and what are the hours?

Third Friday of each month. Last night was a great night to be buying. One seller from Kansas, or maybe he said Arkansas, didn't make enough on his birds to pay for the gas to get there and back. He brought a lot of bantams, so he didn't have the right audience. Most of those in attendance last night were looking for laying hens.

For all those who have been having "those" kinds of days, I'm going to walk into my kitchen right this minute, grab my first cup of coffee for the day, take a deep breath, feel a smile blossom inside me, and breath a little prayer for sunshine and laughter for the days ahead. Those days were yesterday, and when it all fits into perspective it has its humor and good points. And at least the coffee is good if the sting of yesterday still hasn't worn off.

Coffee and a better day in 3... 2....Aaahhhh

I'm glad things are getting better. I set up a chair for you and had an extra pet tote ready with shavings, water, and feed. My week has been hectic and overly full, so attending the auction was like therapy for me. I missed your company, and Dusti's.

Sellers didn't do well, with the exception of the person who sold a buff showgirl. She sold for fifty dollars! Laying hens went fro three dollars to about fourteen. The average price for hens was about six dollars. There were a lot of Australorps needing protective saddles, and their sister EEs were bare backed as well. I looked but didn't bid. It would have taken two or three months of intensive care to get feathers started on those girls. There were over sixty of the barebacked hens for sale.

There were three peacocks auctioned. I went outside to cool off when they got to the sale table. I didn't want to be tempted.

I was surprised to see so much junk in boxes at the start of the sale. The auctioneer quit trying to sell the odd collections when whole boxes didn't bring more than a dollar. For a dollar, I got an odd collection of "stuff": a mesh bag, school chair for little kids, and an old lettering tool set. I'm going to repair the wooden box the tools came it. It will be a great conversation piece. For three dollars I got a propane heater. It's in really good shape, but there is a scabby mold on the top which makes me think it was stored in a drafty barn for a long time. It's going to make a great heater for the porch on cold weekends.

Hatching eggs were limited. Someone had a dozen tan eggs for sale labeled Ameraucanas.

They sold for three dollars. I came home with ten EE babies for a dollar each (I was the only bidder). I bought ten baby silkies for two dollars apiece (I was the only bidder). I also brought home two quads of Creole Penedesenka for five dollars apiece. I should have taken the other two quads, but I'd reached my allowance limit with the eight.

I left the sale at 11:30, and there were still birds in line for the auction table. I'll try and get some pictures of the birds I bought today. Grand babies arrived at five this morning, so I'm not expecting to have a lot of free time.

 

[ashtree]

Here are the 2 SFH cockerels Im looking to sell, PM me if anyones interested. Im also going to post them on CL.







This is the 2nd one, I couldn't catch him this morning and Arlo was in a hurry to go to town with dad. He's the biggest of the bunch and my personal favorite.




Anyway, I know cockerels aren't the easiest thing to get rid of, but I thought Id try before processing them. 10 each.

 

[Yara]

Wow. Sounds like you made out like a bandit! Have you ever went to Checotah Poultry Auction? If I sell any I'm gonna go there because I heard they sell very well there. Who knows though, I guess I'll go to one first and see what its like. It just varies sometimes from one time to the next.

 

[Kyzmette]

A quick story of love across bloodlines...

You remember Juliette, my otherwise abled Cream Legbar girl with the bad leg? This is how she spends much of her time in her pen. I think it's because when she was little the other chicks would walk on her, and when she got older the other juveniles would gang up and pick on her.

I hated the idea of her being alone, so I tried an experiment; I placed a chick in with her. The chick was old enough to spend summer nights outside, but small enough that it couldn't pose a threat to her. I was also hoping it might bring out her motherly instincts. Just in case, I used a chick I knew was a boy, so on the slim chance I lost him, I wouldn't be out a layer. That little boy was Phtheven.

Meet Phtheven. I don't know why I named him that; it's just the first name that came to me when I decided he was old enough that I needed to name him. He's a beautiful boy, one of my SFH/EE crosses. I recently decided Phtheven was old enough to put into the big coop, and put a new chick in with Juliette.

It's been over a week since I relocated Phtheven, but every time he gets a chance, this is where I find him. If Juliette's cage door isn't open, he's curled up next to the bars, head to head. Phtheven won't ever be rehomed, roo or not.

 

[bardies]

A quick story of love across bloodlines...

You remember Juliette, my otherwise abled Cream Legbar girl with the bad leg? This is how she spends much of her time in her pen. I think it's because when she was little the other chicks would walk on her, and when she got older the other juveniles would gang up and pick on her.




I hated the idea of her being alone, so I tried an experiment; I placed a chick in with her. The chick was old enough to spend summer nights outside, but small enough that it couldn't pose a threat to her. I was also hoping it might bring out her motherly instincts. Just in case, I used a chick I knew was a boy, so on the slim chance I lost him, I wouldn't be out a layer. That little boy was Phtheven.

Meet Phtheven. I don't know why I named him that; it's just the first name that came to me when I decided he was old enough that I needed to name him. He's a beautiful boy, one of my SFH/EE crosses. I recently decided Phtheven was old enough to put into the big coop, and put a new chick in with Juliette.



It's been over a week since I relocated Phtheven, but every time he gets a chance, this is where I find him. If Juliette's cage door isn't open, he's curled up next to the bars, head to head. Phtheven won't ever be rehomed, roo or not.

Awwwwwww!

 

[erinszoo]

So glad you like it! From the picture, it still looks female to me. They are soooo hard to tell sometimes! I love your duck stories

I know it, I'm stumped! Problem is there are few pictures of pullet silkie combs. The Catdance girl is my oldest silkie and she has a pretty large comb, not sure if that's normal or not but I've watched her lay an egg! So this partridge doesn't have a flat comb (it has little bumps on it) but it's not as big as the catdance comb either. Who knows???? These silkies are a mystery. He's 5 months old now so should start making gender pretty clear. Coloring says pullet tho.

And these ducks are kinda my new favorites around here. I might have to get a drake

Pullet silkie combs are almost non-existent. And they have a full fluffy head do like yours. The boys head do is usually farther back on the head and the comb is very defined.

 

[NanaKat]

Red was sprayed by a skunk last night while I was locking up the birds. Have no idea where it happened as I was intent on making sure all birds were where they were supposed to be. After it happened, I could smell the skunk odor near the front of the barn but couldn't see anything. Roger had washed out the trailer north of the barn after we took the cow to have her calf pulled the other day. He said the skunk may have been after the residue.
I didn't realize Red had been sprayed and let him in the house

to let Gracie have her potty run. Roger immediately put him back out and brought me the hydrogen peroxide to wash Red down. I keep several quarts of that handy for that very purpose. It kills the skunk odor on contact. Then Red got a bath with dog shampoo in the bathtub. Sure glad he knows how to "load" because he jumps right into the tub for me just like he jumps into the truck or the ranger.

We had a calf born yesterday and were moving the herds around today to get the fall calvers up closer to the house. I took a few photos. We also applied fly spray because some of the cows were really loaded with them.

Sunrise this morning and feeding the bulls


Former son-in-law has an old truck parked that he wants to renovate... the herd grazing early this morning


Two old Ford tractors (1941 and 1952) Cows standing still for fly spray



The herd in the new pasture...these are part of the spring calvers and their calves that will be weaned soon.

 

[greenbeetle]

Where can you buy nesting boxes without costing and arm and leg..lol.