***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[jrjoplin]

@NanaKat that was my guess but I couldn’t figure out how they got in the chicken yard. The dog that got in tore off fence planks (two sides of the chicken yard are wood fence the other two are chain link). Coyotes are still my main suspect as they are known to run the neighborhood and take small pets. The neighbor behind us caught a few walking the chain link fence a few times on a trail camera (set up after their dog was taken) but I’ve never seen evidence inside the yard other than dead chickens.

I have to start with building an additional brooder. My current one is made to hold 40-50 chicks. My hatchery order has been placed for delivery the last week of March with 75 chicks. It’s plain to see chicken math doesn’t stop with catastrophe. Let’s pray a cold snowy winter doesn’t effect building plans too much.

 

[Al Capon]

@NanaKat I couldn’t figure out how they got in the chicken yard. The dog that got in tore off fence planks (two sides of the chicken yard are wood fence the other two are chain link).

 

[jrjoplin]

@Al Capon Our guess is they climbed or jumped the 5’ chain link fence. I just couldn’t find any evidence.

 

[NanaKat]

@Al Capon Our guess is they climbed or jumped the 5’ chain link fence. I just couldn’t find any evidence.

The evidence is the missing and dead birds. We have had issues every year with coyotes.

 

[GaryDean26]

I haven't posted on this thread for a while. It has been a tough year for the flock. We lost 7 of our 10 hens from the Cream Legbar breeding flock this year (6 to predators 1 to illness). We lost all three of out Breda Gueldre hens this year (two to predators and one to the summer heat). We had a suprisingly good year with Black copper Marans though. We officially got our of Marans in 2015 and haven't had any Marans Cockerels since then but hatched some Marans eggs from other flock last year to get a few more pullets and ended up with a single Black Copper Marans cockerel. We sold him but not before put him over the Black Copper Marans hens in our laying flock to hatch a few more eggs for the laying flock. We didn't expect much but both the type of the birds and quality of eggs came out better than we ever could have asked for. I will post some eggs photos later, but wanted to post some of the Legbar Pullets photos that I took this morning. I got the slate colored crests this year. I prefer the cream colored crests. Last year I got 80% cream colored crests and 20% slate colored. This year it was 100% slate colored. I guess I can thank the cockerel for that. My wife likes the slate colored crests best. I like the cream crests best. I am hoping for more cream crests in the spring.

 

[Al Capon]

Neat looking, I like the funky doo.

 

[GaryDean26]

Neat looking, I like the funky doo.

Yes...the funky hair doo gets a lot of attention.

The slate colored crest it typically described with a French baret but since the Legbar is an English breed my favorite post on the hair doo was when these two were posted side-by-side.

 

[shoresofOK]

Hello,
Anyone around northeast oklahoma have any black austrolorps for sale by chance? I am looking for some pullets or hens to purchase
Thanks

 

[NanaKat]

Hello,
Anyone around northeast oklahoma have any black austrolorps for sale by chance? I am looking for some pullets or hens to purchase
Thanks

Glad to see your post
There is a BYC Northeast Okie thread that hasn't been too active this year. And there is a Facebook group too.
Sure hope you find what you are seeking.

 

[NanaKat]

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas and will have a
Happy and Healthy New Year