***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[bfrancis]

Just got a PM from TN...they are looking for Buff colored Belgium D'anvers, do any of you know anyone here that might have some? We have the quail colored ones, but no buff

 

[Ksane]

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Oh Joe, I love him!!

I can't count the number of times I've looked into those birds. It's a toss-up between those and a standard modern game. If I found one like that one you've got I'd have BOUGHT it and figured out where to put it after I got home. Yours is gorgeous! I'm planning a pen for the spring, I'd love to find some of those. I keep reading they're real aggressive even to the hens. Do you think that's true? I'd hate to have to keep him by himself all alone.

 

[NanaKat]

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His colors are so vibrant and what a beautiful stance!

 

[muesky]

I hope everyone has fun at the auction tonight. Wish I could have gone, but have so many things to get done for winter. Plus next weekend is the Shawnee show

So looking forward to going and since I already am getting a bunch of birds there, going to save my money for that. I am still looking for some LF white cochins. Need a roo or two and some, hens and/or pullets. In making plans for the ameracochin breeding program next year I have decided to focus on developing white, splash and maybe mottled first. Since I have the stock for those already.


Bill, I think your right about the aquarium heaters. After setting up the water barrel today, I kinda realized it would not work.

oh well, going to have to break down and buy a stock tank heater. I did changed out the hose from the barrel to the float valve with a piece of black hose (little passive solar) and had to put the barrel up higher so I used another barrel I bought at the auction that had been used as a chicken house and made a stand for the barrel. Still want to get a couple of t-post to make sure it is completely stablized. Anyway it worked out great. I will take pictures tomorrow and try to post them. Still looking for the cookie tin water heaters I made last year. I do not know where I put them.

That's what I get for putting them away where I would remember where they are.

Also got the spigot installed and it works great.

No more hauling water from the house during the winter.

I am hoping we get a bit of a reprieve and it does not start raining or anything until tomorrow night. Still have a bunch of things that need to get done and I am quickly running out of time. If the weather is clear I am going to start on getting ready to install the wood burning stove. Decided to double layer the cement board to be safe. At least I can get that installed and the tile till I get the rest of the pipe and the glass front replaced. It is so frustrating how hard it is to find wood burning stove supplies here.

You would think with as more environmentally efficient they are more people would be using them. That's what I get for thinking, yes?

Hope everyone is have a wonderful Saturday evening. Probably watching the game. Boomer all the way, BABY!!!!!

 

[Poco Pollo]

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Sounds like there were some good buys at the Stilwell auction. That's a mighty fine looking stuffed rooster up there by the auctioneer!

Do you do your own caponizing? That might /might not be something you could demonstrate at the upcoming swap in June.

I purchased caponizing instructions and surgical instruments (veterinary quality scalpels, retractors, clamps, etc.) online. I'm going to spend my down-time this winter learning to caponize. I'm going to take photos and write down what works and what doesn't, and that way in June I'll be able to have a static display and some literature to share with folks who are interested. There's no way to create a sterile or "clean enough" environment in the barn at the fair grounds, so a demonstration of the procedure isn't possible. I want to have half a dozen (or more) living examples of what caponizing can do to improve the size and quality of the meat of roosters. I bought five silkey juveniles last month, and they are all starting to look a bit rooish. If I can determine that they are males, then I plan to caponize them and then use them as broodies in the spring. I've been reading about cochin capons and silkie capons, and many people claim they make better broodies than hens because they don't ever have the urge to lay eggs. They stay with the chicks as a surrogate parent for as long as you allow them to stay together. If I can use male birds instead of hens, then I'll have more reliable broodies.

 

[Ksane]

I hung red LED lights in the Cochin coop, aren't they pretty?? They're perfect for a night light to make them want to go into their coop at dark but they're not too bright for them to sleep in. They string all the way around on all 4 sides. They don't get hot at all and use almost no electricity. I put a white rope light up in the turkeys coop and the laying girls coop. I'm going to find a red rope light for in there.

 

[NanaKat]

Quote:
Sounds like there were some good buys at the Stilwell auction. That's a mighty fine looking stuffed rooster up there by the auctioneer!

Do you do your own caponizing? That might /might not be something you could demonstrate at the upcoming swap in June.

I purchased caponizing instructions and surgical instruments (veterinary quality scalpels, retractors, clamps, etc.) online. I'm going to spend my down-time this winter learning to caponize. I'm going to take photos and write down what works and what doesn't, and that way in June I'll be able to have a static display and some literature to share with folks who are interested. There's no way to create a sterile or "clean enough" environment in the barn at the fair grounds, so a demonstration of the procedure isn't possible. I want to have half a dozen (or more) living examples of what caponizing can do to improve the size and quality of the meat of roosters. I bought five silkey juveniles last month, and they are all starting to look a bit rooish. If I can determine that they are males, then I plan to caponize them and then use them as broodies in the spring. I've been reading about cochin capons and silkie capons, and many people claim they make better broodies than hens because they don't ever have the urge to lay eggs. They stay with the chicks as a surrogate parent for as long as you allow them to stay together. If I can use male birds instead of hens, then I'll have more reliable broodies.

Like stay at home Dads.....

 

[GotGame]

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[muesky]

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I like his colors but he still looks freaky to me. Very primitive!!!

 

[Ksane]

Oh yea-and both Bantam Cochins from Robin started laying this week. One of them laid this humongous egg and next to it was a tiny little bantam Cochin egg lol I think the smallest EE is who laid the big one. Isn't the tiny one just darling? lol