Online Large Fowl Chat Thread

[CapricornFarm]

The light I wanted to install in the warm room had a bad ballast :-( So I will have to get a new one. I did drag another brooder in there and the cabinet for the sink. I scrubbed the four brooders that are built in. Had to keep fighting goats every time I went in or out the door. Curious buggers:-D Got the painting done.
I sold two more dozen eating eggs and a batch of chicks today. That little girl was thrilled to get a polish chick . I put an ad on Craigslist and got quite a few calls today, more people coming over tomorrow .

 

[CapricornFarm]

I never had anyone show up today to see chicks. But I sold three dozen eating eggs and could have sold a doe if I had one I wanted to sell.
I checked out the shelter I want to convert to a chicken coop. One 2x4 was completely rotted off , but other than that it is in good shape. DH worked on repairing the fence where the goats mashed it down. He had originally attached the fence to some small trees, but naturally that didn't last.
Finished putting the top on the stall door entering the insulated room. So glad to be making progress there. Then I worked on packing boxes of eggs. Still several to do before I go to town tomorrow . Glad the weather is still pretty good.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Today I went shopping. But first I mailed 6 boxes of eggs and sold six dozen eating eggs. I bought the thermostat for the incubator i am going to build, and a hot plate for a heat source. Next i need to build the cabinet. I also bought a new light fixture to install in the warm room. And some pipe for the sink drain.
I told a guy he could come over at 4:30 this afternoon to look at chicks. At 4:05 my husband came home and the guy was already here So i sold him a bunch of chicks once i got home. Then out to feed the critters. I don't like it getting dark so early. Nice weather, though.

 

[mrheinz77]

I don't like the time change either. Ugh. I'm trying to come up with a name for my poultry adventure. I'm thinking New Beginnings Poultry.

I had a pullet lay an egg 3 days ago and another today. Now to figure out who it was from. It was quite large for a pullet. Maybe its just wishful thinking.
I did have a Welsummer pullet acting like she wanted to lay so I scooped her up and put her in the nest. She sat there for 45 minutes clucking away. I really need to get my breeding pens done. I have some bantam Black Wyandottes in the outside brooder yet that hatched 8/15. I hate to put them in the main coop because I mainly have LF in there and they are tiny compared to them. They fit right in with the outside brooder crew.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I like the name. I used to package pet foods under the name Mother Hen Farms. Before I even had chickens. I even drew the chicken for the label design.
I am excited about getting the chicks out to the barn. I hatched a splash polish today, first one ever. Too cute. I need to take some chick pics. Those silver Sussex chicks grow fast! Monster feet on them. Just set 48 more assorted eggs. Tomorrow I am going to count EE chicks and call the lady that wants them if I have enough.
Must hit the sack, lots to do tomorrow!;-)

 

[shellyga]

Quote:
I envy your market Deb.. of course.. I don't have as many chickens as you do.. yet..lol... I am building a good eating egg market at school - selling most of the eggs I get minus what we use and what I give to my neighbor that is suffering in this economy.. I figure once my freeloaders start laying.. AND all the pullets I have growing out start.. I will be swimming in eggs... My next adventure will be to have some way to put the various breeds of newly hatched chicks in separate brooders or mark them in some way. That way when someone wants a particular breed of chick (that I am not hatching for myself which would be a problem right now..lol) I have an accurate count to offer. In December, we are building the pen to separate the blue/black/splash orps from the main flock..I have two beautiful roosters.. Levi is the Blue and ____ is the new black rooster I just picked up from Nancy.. along with 4 hens she was selling. He doesn't have a name yet..suggestsions anyone???

I am not too fond of this time change.. with my work and afterschool program - I tend to go to work in the dark and come home in the dark.. such a bummer.. luckily today is an "early day" so it will be light for a couple of hours so I can get something done outside..lol

Shelly

 

[CapricornFarm]

I have worked hard on promoting the farm, but still need to keep at it . I recently made a sign DH says I don't need. But I am going to put it up anyways.
Part of the reason I am so excited about getting the chicks into the barn is the brooder with all the dividers. I keep selling chicks I need to keep. And people are always asking how many of this or that do you have?
I recently started a file on addresses for swaps and egg sales. I went to WalMart to get index cards. Without lines , they are $0.45. With lines, over $2. How nuts is that? And the quality of the paper is lousy. Hardly seem like cards, more like paper. Progress?
Did I tell you guys that DH cleaned out part of the garage? I had a big pile of lumber in a 12 X12 area. He put it up on shelves so now I have room to build stuff indoors! What a guy.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Today I mailed another box of eggs. Went to Freds, bought an extension cord for the barn etc. Raked leaves again. I try to get rid of a garbage can full every day. Pretty much finished insulating the warm room. Just need to cover it with plywood. Installed the light in there, what a difference! Lashed a tarp down over the Speckled Sussex pen, they like to sleep outside and it is going to rain tonight.
Silkie chicks hatching this morning, too cute !:-D

 

[CapricornFarm]

Today I mailed three more boxes of eggs . Stopped at the hardware store for a few items. Took some pictures of eggs and my four section brooder someone wanted to see. The goats all got out and were eating acorns in the flower beds near the driveway . They are so helpful. It is supposed to turn cold, so I worked at
closing some of the gaps near the roof on a couple of the coops. It rained a bit early this morning.
The AT&T guy came and fixed the phone line where the guys screwed it up digging with the backhoe.
Seems like I can't keep enough eating eggs on hand, sold three dozen and another lady wants more . I swear, I need more chickens:-D

 

[mrheinz77]

We had snow today. Yuck. Most of it is gone now but some areas got 3-6 inches. Its nothing like the east coast got though.

This is a picture of Deb's brooder. It looks pretty good to me.