***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[okcarla]

Have you seen the dubia thread? I have posted pics of some of the cool things I've caught the dubias doing like molting, exposing egg sacs (they look more like sticks though), mating etc....

If your main thing is a fast good start I'd do the almost double dubias for the extra $25, it sounds like the better "deal" and a faster start.

I thought the pic you posted of the hissers looked cool, I didn't research them much b/c of the climbing thing. I wanted my first feeder insects to be as escape proof as possible. Are the hissers live bearers too? How long until they are grown enough to reproduce? Do they eat the same as the dubias?

Here is the link
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/412070/raising-feeder-insects

Someone has Dubia Roaches for sale locally... or at least they're listed on Oklahoha City Craigslist for sale: http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/pet/2810242713.html

I'm almost tempted to try raising some myself after reading Kassaundra's link.

 

[old*cowboy]

Looks like I've got two Dark Cornish and two Light Sussex in the hatcher so far. This is a small group, so I'm pretty sure any stragglers will be out of their shells by tomorrow. I've got the first brooder of the season heated and waiting. I'll post some pictures tomorrow when they are all dry and fluffy.

Beekeeping class was great. I picked out my gloves, helmet, veil, and hive tool. I also brought home my frame pieces and hive body pieces. I need to do a little prep work on the frame pieces this week so that they can be assembled with the help of our instructor. He's got some special tools that are guaranteed to make the job easy. We'll be using wood glue on most of the parts that require assembly, so I'm content to wait.

Here's my bee trivia question for the week: What do varroa mites, skunks, and teenage boys have in common?

All three are major pest to honey bees and can wipe out a colony pretty quick. Mites attack from inside the hive, skunks from outside eating bees that taste sweet, and teen age boys cause they a notorius for throwing things at bee hives.

 

[Ksane]

That would've been awesome to have a mother who was a science teacher lol! I can deal with blood and guts and having to kill something, anything like that. Just not when I'm attached to it or have raised it. I was really surprised when I got so attached individually to my chickens and realized I'd never in a million years be able to part with of (God forbid) eat the extra roosters. That would sure be handy if I could. I'd have been good at slaughtering and skinning. Sigh. But not in this lifetime.



I just love my Dark Cornish bantam and sure would like to someday get some standard Dark Cornish. Here it is January and my little Dark Cornish just dropped all her feathers in her 1st molt. Poor girl. Good thing she snuggles up with the puffy Faverolles at night.
I can't wait to hear what those three have in common!

 

[Ksane]

Someone has Dubia Roaches for sale locally... or at least they're listed on Oklahoha City Craigslist for sale: http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/pet/2810242713.html
I'm almost tempted to try raising some myself after reading Kassaundra's link.

That's a decent price. The same you'd pay including shipping online for them. I was going to order the $75 starter colony from
http://www.ebay.com/itm/19062803678...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1765wt_1270
which is a little bit better deal but not by much. I may end up emailing the craigslist ad instead.
I found 80 12" square egg flats here on BYC for a total of $23 shipped so I was happy about that, that's what most people use for their dubia. The lady who has them's name is Colored Egg Farmer. I think she said she just raised her price to 20 cents per flat. Shipping was like $17.

 

[okcarla]

That's a decent price. The same you'd pay including shipping online for them. I was going to order the $75 starter colony from
http://www.ebay.com/itm/19062803678...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1765wt_1270
which is a little bit better deal but not by much. I may end up emailing the craigslist ad instead.
I found 80 12" square egg flats here on BYC for a total of $23 shipped so I was happy about that, that's what most people use for their dubia. The lady who has them's name is Colored Egg Farmer. I think she said she just raised her price to 20 cents per flat. Shipping was like $17.

You could get free egg flats from many local restaurants just by asking. We used to go to a Waffle House where a waitress would save them for us. Of course, they're used, but I doubt if the roaches would complain. We use the egg flats in our cabinet incubators and throw them away after each hatch.

 

[Ksane]

You could get free egg flats from many local restaurants just by asking. We used to go to a Waffle House where a waitress would save them for us. Of course, they're used, but I doubt if the roaches would complain. We use the egg flats in our cabinet incubators and throw them away after each hatch.

My husband tried asking WalMart and they claimed not to have any, I think he gave up too soon. It never even occurred to me to ask at restaurants. Heck, the ones I *bought were used anyway. She probably got them from iHop lol! But the price she charged me was only 2 cents each, that was before she raised her price.

 

[jcatblum]

Quote:

I would be interested in getting about 25 or so if your daughter hatches that many at a time, if not fewer will be great. My folks will be interested in anything except the whites. They have 100 white leghorns for egg production. My dad doesn't care but Mom says she would rather have a little color in the garden. All the chickens are kept in a large henhouse and run, but the guineas free range, and for some reason the white ones seem to have a higher degree of predation out there (Oklahoma Panhandle).

edited for typos

I agree the lighter colors call the predators. Every pied guinea we have ever had has disappeared. Think we only have a few white & buff dundotte left. The dark ones seem to do best free ranging. DD insist on hatching every guinea egg we find. She will for sure have plenty! Last yr she sold hundreds on Craigslist & took some to auction. She became hooked quickly!

 

[jcatblum]

Went to the Blanchard auction for a while. Dh told me to go so he could work on some projects. Didn't get any birds. Just 3 drills & 4 old milk crates some one converted into chicken cages. I will use them to take chicks to auction probably. Auction was going fast tonight. Prices were higher than last time too. Saw lots of BYCers @ auction & it was good to visit. There didn't seem to be alot of birds, but there was more chicks & eggs than last time. Was a full house. I honestly didnt see anything else i wanted to bid on, so i cut out early. Got home & DH said I was home too early. He still was working on replacing bathroom fixtures. Sometimes it is so nice being married to a handy man.

 

[Kassaundra]

Ksane, glad you found the info helpful. Yes calling them exotic beetles would get less of "the looks", seriously people want to medicate you when they hear. The hissing roaches sound interesting, I need to figure out if I am alright w/ the higher escape risk, and thank you that is a very kind offer. Trust me when I say the chickens will have absolutely NO problems eating the roaches at all, unless you count the body slamming the other chickens out of the way. If you don't release it soon enough they will jump smooth up and take part of your finger w/ the dubia! I still wear gloves to handle them and have had more then one glove shredded.

Oh and I get my egg flats from a restaurant that used to be a wonder waffle.

 

[okracefan]

Went to the Blanchard auction for a while. Dh told me to go so he could work on some projects. Didn't get any birds. Just 3 drills & 4 old milk crates some one converted into chicken cages. I will use them to take chicks to auction probably. Auction was going fast tonight. Prices were higher than last time too. Saw lots of BYCers @ auction & it was good to visit. There didn't seem to be alot of birds, but there was more chicks & eggs than last time. Was a full house. I honestly didnt see anything else i wanted to bid on, so i cut out early. Got home & DH said I was home too early. He still was working on replacing bathroom fixtures. Sometimes it is so nice being married to a handy man.

I too left there early but took nothing home. Who is holding all the Cochins hostage this year? However I did get a lesson on Sil-go's that makes we want to get some more.