***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Bartsrock]

That would b great! Where r you located? I am in no hurry.

 

[Sagetown]

Friend of mine on another forum lost a hen and all her chicks to a predator last month. That was just the beginning. He couldn't figure out what kind, or even how the critter was getting into his hen house. As a last resort the other day he set up a 'Baby Monitor' in the hen house, and this morning about 2:00 AM the monitor woke him up with the most hair-raising racket from the hen house. A fox was killing his rooster. He jumps out of bed grabs his shotgun, runs out the back door just in time to see ole Mr. Fox trotting out of the chicken yard with the rooster. When he stopped to get a better hold on the dead bird, he was shot dead right there.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Yikes glad he located the problem.

 

[NanaKat]

I had a terrible quail hatch this week. Out of 22 set 14 hatched. 7 of the hatched had curled toes and all 14 died. Four died today. Five yesterday and so on. I had 7 chicken eggs and 5 hatched just fine What happened? My quail are 2 years old. I was planning on replacing them with these eggs

The fertility drops when the temps rise...just like with our roosters.
I only hold the eggs up to 5 - 6 days instead of ten like chicken eggs.
I dry hatch quail eggs along with my chicken eggs. Since they hatch on day 16 (for Coturnix quail), I set them later than the chicken eggs, just so they come out on day 13 when I move the chicken eggs to the hatcher on day 18. The quail usually start popping out on the chicken's day 20.
66% is not a bad percentage since quail eggs are harder to candle. I use a pen light and if they show a blue glow on day 13, they don't go to the hatcher. A reddish brown color lets me know the quail is developing.
The hatch this week was 3 out of 7 hatching. Im down to 3 hens and two cocks now and am working on hatching replacements.
The last big hatch was 17 five weeks ago. They should begin laying at 7 - 8 weeks of age. Because of the heat, I have them in the 36 x 40 brooder box under a ceiling fan and am hoping the eggs from the biggest hens and cocks will be fertile enough to begin hatching.

 

[NanaKat]

Took 16 big roosters to MichaelD at Mary's Swap Meet early this morning. I had run out of freezer space! That emptied two pens!

Now I can separate and move the Blue Columbian to one pen. That will leave me two pens for the Columbian and White Wyandotte.

And I can move all the older juvenile cockerels to the other bigger pen to fatten and determine which cockerels will get to be a breeder. There are two really nice Black Cochin and two nice Columbian and a really nice Blue Columbian that I have already been watching.

The pullets were needing some relief from the young cockerels and the older hens were sure tired of the attention from the older cocks.
The pullets and cockerels always grow better when they are separated since they can utilize their food for growth instead of running around the yard. Those older hens settle down and lay even in the heat when not stressed by male attention. They will begin molting soon too.

This afternoon, while I'm sorting, I'm going to put leg bands on the better young pullets and cockerels for the breed pen. Those I'll monitor for conformation and color over the next several months.

Sure hope everyone is keeping cool and enjoying their weekend.

 

[NanaKat]

Today started with Roger and his brother picking up and delivering hay they bought from a neighbor and me taking the birds to Michael.
When I got home, I started prepping the big dog crate for some young CW second pullets for a young man from Arkansas. He has bought from me before,. A dog got his hens but the rooster was okay. So he wants to come get a new set of girls.
After lunch, the boys went back to hauling hay. I started mending my catch net. Sitting outside in the shade with a thermos of iced tea, my mending supplies, I thought I was ready for the task.
Then a pesky fly kept flying around and crawling on my knee and leg. I couldn't wave it off.
I muttered "Oh Lord, I forgot the fly swatter."
Then I noticed a big hairy green fanged spider making its way to the edge of the table...and watched as it jumped off the table onto my leg and caught the fly!!
Now how's that for a quick answer from Heaven!

After driving to Prague to check our herd there, we had a nice dinner at Juana's Mexican restaurant. Then I moved around a few birds, setting up the Blue Columbian pen and put the white Wyandotte cock with the Columbian hens. Next I put a reserved year old Columbian cock with the White hen and two nice Columbian hens. The catch net is really handy. But the easiest moves are made after birds go to roost. It is much calmer for all.

Then I checked the hatcher and the last 4 quail were dry and a Duckwing Rosecomb bantam had fluffed. They are now in the brooder with the ones that hatched this morning.
The hatcher is scrubbed and ready for the next hatch to lockdown on Monday...will be moving 50 eggs to the hatcher.

Gracie and I are snuggled up in the recliner.

 

[Ironsights]

Guess he won't be back to KFC!

 

[NanaKat]

Hey, ya'll old timers...
CJarvis had a major shoulder reconstruction about 2 months ago and has been in PT 3 days a week. He has been able to return to work part-time...but...slipped on the top of a truck bed and reached out to catch himself with his surgery arm. OUCH! may have pulled some anchors loose. He will be getting a new MRI this week to assess the shoulder. Lets keep him in our prayers.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day...keep cool and change out the chicken water and/or spray mist your pens to give some relief from the 99 degree temps. My juveniles were already standing in the shallow kiddie pool at 10:30 this morning.

 

[Matt in Okla]

Wife just accidentally ran over one while pulling tractor. Leg broke and pulled it out of socket. I splintered the leg but there is no muscle connectivity.
Am I putting off the inevitable or is there hope? I have her on a cold compress to keep her cooled down while she is in shock.

 

[Matt in Okla]

Wife just accidentally ran over one while pulling tractor. Leg broke and pulled it out of socket. I splintered the leg but there is no muscle connectivity.
Am I putting off the inevitable or is there hope? I have her on a cold compress to keep her cooled down while she is in shock.

Never mind. I know the answer. It's worse than I thought.
Military side screamed fight for its life so I did, grabbed the tri-fold bag and went to work. Farmer side said you know better do what needs doing.
Farmer n military sides met with the mutual skill.
Sometimes I don't like neither n today is one cause killing don't bother me for what needs it but this is different.