Okies in the BYC The Original

[buffalogal]

Quote:
I had a Gentleman tell me once that to get rid of a clever predator that was raiding his birds, he selected one cockerel and started feeding it small amounts of strychnine daily, increasing a little every day for a couple of weeks. Then he staked this one bird out by itself out in the open and when the thief came by again, it would carry off it's last meal. I never tried that one myself as there's the potential for some horrific collateral damage, and it's just easier to keep a varmint hating dog.

One day I'll write a crime story where the murder is committed with an egg laid by a hen fed strychnine; call it "Death By Omelet" or something.

 

[Sooner]

Quote:
I didn't know that was even possible, that is very interesting. I had always heard if the babies were in the main flock the others would kill them.

It is most often the case, I happen to have a flock of Polish & Silver laced wynndotes (sp) & this single cochin in there. I had the pen sectioned off but the babies would go through & the momma would go crazy so they ended up running with the flock. I don't even try to keep them apart now.

 

[Buckguy20]

Kassaundra, do you live in town or out in the country?
My parents live north of Henryetta in the Wilson community.

 

[buffalogal]

Quote:
I have the original 1913 edition, but you can find modern reprints of The Call of the Hen:
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&tag=mozilla-20&index=blended&link_code=qs&field-keywords=The%20Call%20of%20The%20Hen%26%2334%3Bby%20Walter%20Hogan&sourceid=Mozilla-search

Judging Poultry for Production doesn't have a modern reprint, but you can find the 1930 edition like I have, or the"newer" version from 1941 at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Judging+Poultry+for+Production%22+by+Rice%2C+Hall%2C+%26+Marble&x=0&y=0

I only track the hens and pullets I'll be setting up in breeding pens in a couple of weeks. All the girls without some disqualifying fault have leg bands, but you get to know them from their perky little heads as you go out gathering eggs. (especially the ones that resent your bothering them and peck)

Anconas are an Italian breed similar to Leghorns, but they only come in one color; black with (ideally) about 15 to 20% white tipped feathers. Think of a starry sky on a dark night, and that's about right. I have single and rose comb. There are also bantams, but I only keep the big girls. Some people say "Leghorns are flighty, Anconas are like pheasants", but they aren't wild, just a (little) high strung. They're very hardy and even the single comb are good winter layers. I just think they're purty.

 

[Buckguy20]

I have had some before and I liked them.

 

[Sooner]

I looked them up while waiting on your reply, the are very pretty!!! Maybe you will stick around & make it to our swap in the spring & I might get to see some close up! Do you deal with any other breeds? Have you ever had the bantam or do you know if it is as winter hardy & lay as well?

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

Good afternoon everyone! Waiting on the next batch of eweather to hit. They don't know if its going to be rain,snow or sleet or all of the above!Its 32 now,a big heat wave!
You all were talking about Anconas,they are one of my favorite breeds. I used to have a nice flock I got from McMurray. They are great layers of big eggs. Mine weren't to flighty but they were free range. Diffently need other breeds for setters as they don't at all. I don't think They come in bantam Sooner,I guess the mottlled OEGB would be the closest thing in looks.
Also your NN roo came out of parents the same color as him. They had white legs. I have only two with yellow legs,one is the nn/rir croos roo and the other is half buff rock.I think the nns are going to be like the Aracunas. If you don't breed them per one of the main colors they will end up with a different classification like the EE! Other wise when yuou cross a black with black legs to a different color with yellow legs the resulting birds are going to have off colored legs,even white ones.So I am going to go the EE route and just breed for nice bare necks and any color combination and not worry about showing them!

 

[Sooner]

Sorry to hear about all the cold you are getting! I am glad we don't have to deal with it yet! I don't like cold. Plus I am still not ready! I have a few more cookie tin heaters to get made! This showing stuff is really messing up my watering/feeding routine. LOL.

I just wanted a project to play with & had decided on doing NN's. I think they are interesting now that I have decided to like them. I have decided on using the RIR to see if I can get yellow legs & the body type won't hurt either. Once I can get that I will hopefully just work on NN without alot of out crossing. This hopefully something that I can learn from for the future.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Wish me luck! Today I am going to be stringing some lights in the barn for my birds to start laying again. I'm hoping to have eggs by January that I can incubate from all three pens. My blues, my blacks and my whites!

One question...will a 60 Watt light be enough to light up a 16' x 16' room (approximation of size) enough to induce laying?

Once I have chicks, I am hoping to go to a heating bulb to keep them warm enough and maintain egg production.

 

[Buckguy20]

Sooner you are sounding like a pro!