***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[michiele]

Traci, Thank you for the advice. That is a sad situation. Hopefully, I will have better experience

I will not buy chickens off craigslist again. I had a very bad experience. My very first birds I bought were a breeding group of Dominiques. I bought a rooster and six hens. The rooster was sneezing and had watery eyes. I mentioned it to the breeder and he said that the bird wasn't sick, that he was just sneezing because it had been windy and dusty. Being inexperienced, I believed him and bought the birds. Well, that rooster had mycoplasma. Here it is over a year later and I have reached the point where I have to depopulate and start over because I can't get rid of it. The point is, that man should have culled those birds, but he palmed them off on me because I didn't know any better. I know anyone anywhere can be dishonest and try to save a buck when they should do the right thing, but at least if you buy from someone on here they probably have a lot of people that know them and can vouch for whether they're honest or not. I personally wouldn't buy from anyone again without that kind of feedback in place. I went through a lot of heartache because I have come to love these birds so much, and it makes me angry that someone deliberately sold me a bird that was going to be nothing but trouble.​

 

[sjarvis00]

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We are near Shawnee, and have several started Columbian Wyandotte pullets feel free to call if you are interested. They are a calm, quite, and large bird with a great disposition and lay very well fro 4-5 years so you dont have to rotate the layers nearly as frequently. We do have blue and black cochins available they are good layers in cool weather but nearly stop when it gets hot. The Wyandotte will lay year round, the heavy layer breeds lay during the summer and not much if at all during winter. Just something to keep in mind.

I would like to say thank you to all who have recently asked about us and Steph's sister it means a great deal to have such good friends. Steph's sister is still in teh hospital and will likely be there for a few more weeks. In the mean time we will continue to bounce her 2 year old around between us and his grandparents.

Summer with all of the kids, three out of school now and getting them focused on real life can be a real chore it should start to slow down some soon I hope but am not counting on it.

Everyone have a good week as we will not likely be back on here for a few days.

Carl

 

[erinszoo]

Just saying Hi, newbie here! I live in Kay county and have 10 chickens, 1 duck, 2 geese, and a turkey at the moment. Have ordered 10 more chickens and 2 more ducks for August ... maybe it will cool down by then. Ha!

 

[sjarvis00]

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It is hard for those trying to get started off right, my suggestion would be never, never, never buy a bird that does not look act and feel healthy if you touch a bird that you think is too thin, sneezing etc. wash very well before touching another one, especially one of your birds. Be carefull out there as too many will pawn off thier sick, wormy, and otherwise infected birds.

 

[sjarvis00]

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Cool down by august? that is when it will be even hotter. Well welcome to the thread and if you can pull of an August cool down my hats off to you.

 

[Buckguy20]

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I hope I can get some pullets from you wonderful Okies when I am ready I will tell my hubby that the feather feet birds don't lay many eggs. He might still want one and then we can get the rest to be better egg layers Here is the list I had of chickens we might like to try:
Welsummer
Sussex
Easter Egg
Orpington
Marans
Any experience with these in OK?
Michiile

Someday I want to have four chickens too! Now if I can just make myself let go of the other 200.
I currently have or have had all of these breeds. Of the five you have listed, the Welsummers have been my most consistent layers and they a lay a beautiful dark Terracotta egg. Some with dark spots.
My feather legged Marans are also good layers but do slack up in the colder months.
My Easter eggers and Ameraucanas are also great layers and are consistently laying through this hot weather.
I have had Buff Orpingtons and they were Ok as layers but inconsistent and didn't aly very well when it was hot.
I only had a few Sussex hens and they were about like my Orpingtons. There eggs were not very big. I also have Jersey Giants and while they are laying very well, their eggs are not very large either.
My Naked necks are alo very good layers and I have some that lay large eggs and some that are smaller.
I also have atwo Australorp hens and a Langshan hen and they all lay a good size light brown egg.
Monty

 

[Buckguy20]

Hey Carl can you PM me the info about the place we talked about in Shwanee.

 

[tgperg]

Even though my Dominiques have to be put down, I'm going to start over with Dominiques. My girls laid eggs all winter long. I don't light the coop and it's unheated, and they just surprised us and laid year round. They go broody too, and they're just awesome birds. I love them so much.

Traci

 

[NanaKat]

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So glad to hear that good news!

 

[NanaKat]

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I only have one photo of the inside and it's not very good. When I get home this evening I'll take some more. Thank you! I have some more of the outside though if your interested

Sure! I'd love to see any photos you have. The coop looks very similar to one I've been trying to plan and am curious about yours. Can you give the dimensions, too?

That coop is just too cute! Love that it looks like the old style barns