***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[poultryand bees]

Quick post - Marys Swap in MWC is crazy crowded with vendors and buyers today. Saw silkies (sold by a non-BYC member) and a lot of other birds. Lots of baby chicks _ some more expensive than Atwoods but older so they are more sturdy, and others for less than Atwoods and Lumber 2.

 

[jcatblum]

With a crowd @ Mary's I am guessing the wind in OKC isn't like the wind at my place. It is cold & miserable outside! The goats don't even want to come out. I opened 2 windows an hour ago & think it is time to close them -- I am shivering wearing a hoodie in the house. I am sure the warm temps will be back soon.

I am trying to wait until it warms up so I can move some chicks into the shed & get a brooder ready for the birds hatching this weekend.

 

[Poco Pollo]

Bill - Congrats on the certification. I hope your NPIP testing goes well.

I'm moving my first hatch out to a pasture pen today. They are fully feathered and yammering to get out of the brooder. They don't need lights any more, so it's time.

P&B - Sounds like Mary's Swap Meet was worth attending. Wish I were a little closer. Maybe one of these weekends that I'm not swamped I'll make the drive.

 

[Ksane]

Thought I'd share some good news with you'al, with Poultry and Bees patience and willingness to answer questions, she helped us through a process.
We got our aviary facilities inspected by an Okmulgee County Game Warden, went to OKC today to turn all the paperwork, and now have our "Commercial Wildlife Breeder's License" through Oklahoma's Dept of Wildlife and Conservation. We will start building our flocks of multiple native upland game bird species starting with quail and pheasants, hoping at some point to get into chukars and grouse as well.
On Sunday we go through our initial NPIP cert...so every bird has to be tested over 4 months...not looking forward to that...close to 150 birds here meet that criteria. (so glad they don't do chicks)
Anyway, just wanted to share and give a big thanks to Maribeth!
Ya'all have good night!
Bill

Congrats Is it true with NPIP that you can't bring in birds from auctions or anywhere that haven't been tested? Or do they quarantine them until they're tested?
That rooster in your avatar is way cool, I like him a lot.

So on a more upbeat note, saw the tom turkey breeding the hens yesterday afternoon, the sure look rough with their mating. Does anyone know when the hens will start laying since they have started mating?

It's brutal! And the goofy hens lays right down for it. All I've been able to find is they're seasonal layers, which doesn't say much. I'm waiting on the same thing.

Finaly got the Alpha (de throned) Rooster, Cockrel and Tom Turkey situation fixed.
Let the Cockrel out of his confinement yesterday, the Cockrel promptly whooped the Roosters tail feathers all over the chicken yard and back yard in less than 5 minutes of being let out, took care of several hens and was ready to fight again. Sad, sad day for BB the used to be Alpha rooster, his defense was to run behind me and try to hide. Now have the boys seperated into their own areas with their own hens.
The turkey tom and turkey hens are now in their own fenced area away from the chickens. And have started mating, so guess they think it is spring time and time for poults.

I feel so much less alone when all you guys are around dealing with the same things I am with these birds. My Cochin boys all decided this week they don't want to live together so I've been planning on how to build yards and split up birds. I'd put my favorite LF Cochin boy with my 4 Cochin girls the other day but just don't know if I'm going to be able to deal with him grabbing them by the back of the heads and having his way with them. They're my super special girls and they look at me like I betrayed them. Ok, fine, maybe it's just my guilty conscience but I can't stand it. I think I'm going to make a 10x20 pen and put my Cochin girls and 6 Silkie girls in there and the boys can have some 'seasoned' girls from the other side of the tracks.
My sweet Cochin girl babies want to remain pristine and untouched!

 

[NanaKat]

Temps were 33 this morning here, but I'm already in shorts anda t-shirt!

Oh 1 more thing---- P&B or anyone. Planet Natural sells bee habitats. Not honey bee set ups, but houses for bees..... Similar to bats houses. They say set in a spot that has a good wind block (I personally don't think. That type of place exist here). The bees will move in & stay close by to pollinate your garden. Cover the box & move it into the barn for the winter.
Any thoughts on this? I do like the thought of honeybees-- just can't sell DH on setting up hives, he thinks it is dangerous!

These habitats sound like the ones for wood bees which are excellent pollinators. The house is not for them to store honey, but for the bee to lay eggs. The "house" holds straws that the female lays her egg, places a food and then seals it lays another egg, etc. Each straw can hold up to five eggs. The reason for storage is so that the eggs don't freeze. In windy sections of the state, you can attach the house to a piece of plywood and attach it to a fence. I have used coffee can inside a wooden box with an overhang roof, filled with straws and in late fall, pulled the can and placed it in the crisper of the barn fridge for storage. In the spring, it goes back into the wooden box for hatch.

I do the same thing, will research a problem get some seeds to try for the solution then by the time it is to plant them can't remember why I have them. I am horrible about keeping records, I'm going to try and be better this year (but I say that every year)

I keep a notebook when I order seeds where I include a copy of the seed order and make notes on what I ordered a set of seed for and where I wanted to plant them. When notes are made when I order, my Partsheimers is not a problem.

It's brutal! And the goofy hens lays right down for it. All I've been able to find is they're seasonal layers, which doesn't say much. I'm waiting on the same thing.


I feel so much less alone when all you guys are around dealing with the same things I am with these birds. My Cochin boys all decided this week they don't want to live together so I've been planning on how to build yards and split up birds. I'd put my favorite LF Cochin boy with my 4 Cochin girls the other day but just don't know if I'm going to be able to deal with him grabbing them by the back of the heads and having his way with them. They're my super special girls and they look at me like I betrayed them. Ok, fine, maybe it's just my guilty conscience but I can't stand it. I think I'm going to make a 10x20 pen and put my Cochin girls and 6 Silkie girls in there and the boys can have some 'seasoned' girls from the other side of the tracks.
My sweet Cochin girl babies want to remain pristine and untouched!

The wild turkeys are strutting their stuff. The hens only lay in the spring and that carried over to the domestic varieties.
I had coffee when I read your comment on the "seasoned" girls!! LOL!

 

[fairwindminishetland]

Can anyone help us guess of the parentage of this banty cochin? He almost looks like our little EE's with his little beard Kurt really likes him so trying to help him figure out what he likes about the bird.

From that angle is looks like it has d'Uccles in it?

 

[fairwindminishetland]

The newest hatchling has been rejected by the foster hen I placed it with. I was afraid that might happen so was keeping a close watch. The baby thinks I am it's mother anyway. I brought it in to get photos of it and when I set it on the table, it kept running toward me and jumping on my hand. It cheeps constantly if I'm not holding it and it tries to climb up toward my voice when it hears me talking. Sooooo cute, but since I'm not a hen I'll have to make other arrangements for it. I think I'll place it in a makeshift brooder and "borrow" a couple of it's siblings to grow with.

Now, tell me, what kind of hen wouldn't love this little face?

​

What a cutie pie...what kind is it?

 

[mefordz]

When/where is the poultry show in Pryor?

pryor poultry show is next saturday morning at the fairgrounds east of pryor on old 412.

 

[jcatblum]

Just got this message on my phone. Think taptotalk can now be used on your PC to improve your BYC viewing.
Hope it helps someone!
Just a small reminder to check out the Tapatalk Notifier for Chrome at
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/plfhcjljnfjpfcbjpgnflfofmahljkjj


Sent from my iPhone

 

[Ksane]

The wild turkeys are strutting their stuff. The hens only lay in the spring and that carried over to the domestic varieties.
I had coffee when I read your comment on the "seasoned" girls!! LOL!

Once a year is all?? Dang. I'm going to save up eggs for Jcat's DD so she can hatch out a bunch of turkey If nothing else they do sell for good money, it help help her chicken habit.
Yea, we all know what those seasoned girls are like. Acting all needy, willing to sell themselves just to have the biggest rooster. They don't fool me. Me & my Cochin girl babies don't play that game.
Did get the posts set (my husband did) and he's at Lowe's right now getting fencing and pickets. Can't wait to get it done this week. I want to put a bench and table and umbrella in the 10x20 Cochin/Silkie girl yard. I really miss sitting out with them since it got cold.