Online Large Fowl Chat Thread

[Chicken Coach]

Hi deb. I don't hatch in the winter because i don't have a good warm place to keep them. I do have brooders but they seem to not get warm enough. I have been hauling my big antique furniture to a big new years day antique auction. No one is buying my big furniture even with free delivery but the auctions are doing great, so it should be fun, There are 3 big antique auctions in my area that weekend. As luck goes the day i was loading furniture at my booth a lady came in and bought one of my biggest pieces so who knows! I have been fighting colds in my chickens, it seems that i get it every winter and have lost a few chickens,it's always one of my Favorite chickens. I'm using some good meds i got from a chicken farmer friend and it seems to work good,i just have to keep on top of it.By the way it pains me to eat the eggs of my best chickens,must wait till spring to set them

 

[CapricornFarm]

Hey Coach, You can send me your eggs for Christmas presents:-D I have been thinking about NH . What other breeds do you have? You should sell some. Deb

 

[CapricornFarm]

Packed and shipped three boxes of eggs today. Got to the post office in my truck with the new starter in it. Truck sounded terrible trying to start, after four tries I finally got it going. Drove back to the mechanic and they are putting in another new starter. Crap, the one I had was better than the one they put in. Anyway, I have to get up early tomorrow to go to town with DH and pick it up. Might as well buy feed while I am there.
Spent the evening listing auctions and answering pms.
Glad the weather warmed up. Maybe we will have sun tomorrow . Didn't get a chance to work on the coop today. Quail and chicks hatching. Too cute!:-D

 

[CapricornFarm]

Got my truck back and it sounds great, AND starts every time! Gotta love it! The Co-op was out of gamebird feed, and had to order another item I was looking for. At least they had chicken feed.
I did get to work on my coop today . Filled in the gaps under the roof to get rid of drafts, but left enough for ventilation. Fixed the end of the coop where DH just tacked on the plywood. Finished the wire roof on the runs, the second layer of wire is done as well. Just one end and the skirt to do. A few hooks to keep the doors shut, feeders, waterers, and lights. Had hoped to finish tomorrow but it is supposed to rain all day. Today was gorgeous , 70* and sunny in Mid Dec.?!? It won't last for sure.
My bantam cochin pullets started laying today, got two eggs from them. And I just put hay in their nest boxes yesterday:-D Did you check out the Chicks for Christmas thread? We now have contests!

 

[CapricornFarm]

it was supposed to rain today but it just sprinkled . Finished the runs, moved in chickens on one side. The other side needs latches on the doors. Cleaned and moved the quail brooder, got those big babies out of the garage and into the brooder. Built a nest box, hoping my Faverolle pullet will lay in it rather than way in the back corner of the coop. Raked garbage cans full of leaves and dumped them into the muddy runs. The chickens had a great time scratching through them for bugs.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Today I decided to go Christmas shopping for my husband. I like to call it Mission Impossible. He thinks I should not spend more than $20 for a sport coat for him.

Unless you shop at Goodwill, that isn't happening. I got him a toy, one of those radio control helicopters. He is still a kid at heart. Found some clothes, hope they fit but I generally have to take them back at least once.
So the day flew past pretty quickly . My Favorelle pullet did find and use the new nest box! Way to go girl!
Supposed to have decent weather tomorrow , hope to get something done . If I can secure the doors on the new coop, I will move some chickens. Yay!:-D

 

[shellyga]

wow Deb.. great minds think alike.. I was shopping for DH Christmas yesterday too.. I had to wait for my "once a month" teacher pay to come.. we thankfully always get paid the day we get out for the break.. makes waiting till Jan 31st for the next check a long wait..but at least I have some $$ to spend. My hubby is a gun/weapon collector so I have been watching him for the past two months as he checks things out in his pile of catalogs.. I over hear his phone conversations with his Dad and pals.. quickly scribbling notes when I hear him mention something.. then go sneaking through his catalogs to find it.. all a very secretative mission but worth it since he never tells me anything he wants..
Yesterday was the last day of school until January 3rd..and boy was I exhausted when I got home. My son is at Army Reserve drill and the ex needed someone to watch Austin.. so of course "Nana" comes to the rescue.. I do.. however.. totally understand why God gave younger woman the job of birthing and chasing babies.. I am starting to feel my age after a day following behind a 15 month old boy... my back is killing me...but who can resist those little outstretched arms when he wants me to pick him up. Steven says I spoil him.. my response "Good, I am doing my job.."

I have a few chicks hatching this morning.. some silkies from Nancy, some eggs from the last mystery swap and a couple of my own.. chores today include cleaning out the brooders and hopefully moving some quail outside.. we hatched them and they have been in the house every since.. DH loves them (Cournix) so I might have a bit of a struggle getting them moved.. we have three newly hatched that will need that cage when they outgrow the aquarium..they have started giving me some eggs.. and of course their housing inside is posh.. not like the wire cage they will eventually call home. I am set for both the Christmas Day and new Years day hatches. and one early this next week...I have been a serious hatchaholic since this time a year ago when my first chicks hatched...

well..since I have had to come back to this note alot since Austin is up..I guess I better hit send before he discovers the delete button.

have a great day

Shelly

 

[CapricornFarm]

Hey Shelly! Nice you have a break. My job is 24/7 here, but I do enjoy it when I feel good.
I need to try sexing the quail to get rid of surplus roosters, some of my birds are getting bald. I put those 90+ quail eggs in the Bator.. I think Two thirds hatched despite low humidity! So I have a huge pile of baby quail to sell.
Today I moved the Splash polish hens into their new coop, and the buff laced polish went into another. Need to pick a wcb cockerel for those splash girls, maybe I will put in two since I have them. DH cut down another tree today and split the wood. Now his back hurts, go figure.
I moved stuff around in the dining room to make room for the Xmas tree. So now he can assemble it. I have major wrapping to do. I need to buy some stuff to send mom too. Probably chocolate, she adores it.
Took some chicken pics but they don't want to upload

 

[mrheinz77]

I had a productive weekend. I got the top wire on my breeding pens in the shed. I got doors on 4 of the 7 pens. The other doors are built but need hung. The Cochin now have their pen done as do the Langshan. I moved the teens out of the outside brooder into one pen because one was crowing. I moved the next batch to the outside brooder. Tomorrow the Wellies and Ameraucanas go in their pens.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Hey Jim, Good work! DH cut another tree today, and I was cutting up kindling. I built a box to put flowers in near the mail box, four feet square. But not much progress in the coop building department. Still feeling pretty lousy. I was trying to feed the chickens when I got mobbed by the goats. I got the Mule loaded with feed into chicken city, but four goats got in before I could shut the gate. By the time I got them all out I was covered in sweat. At least the weather is pleasant.