Online Large Fowl Chat Thread

[CapricornFarm]

Selling all the quail tomorrow . Sad to see them go, but I need less work and more cage space. Going to put banties in the quail condo. Hope it does not rain tomorrow . Today I made a fire and burned the rest of the deer carcass that the dog dragged home. Some hunter shot it and decided it was too small I guess. It was getting gross I need to go back out to the barn and check the chicks. My back is flared up again, I do not want to move. Went to the GI doctor today, so next month I get a colonoscopy. She said IBS is a very painful condition. No kidding?!? I told her if I could get rid of my intestines I would, I am so tired of it. I did mail silkie eggs today since I was in town. Pitched one load of hay etc. out of the goat shelter I am converting to a coop. Several more to go but the back says not right now. I did staple wire to the panel for the run, added a piece to the other panel to attach the door to. Painted more wood for the run as well. Hopefully DH will work on that tomorrow . I am loving this weather, no coat needed today. Put some chickens up for sale on CL today, need to thin the grow out group.

 

[shellyga]

Congratulations on selling the quail Deb.. and buying the Ameraucanas.. (details on those please..lol) I still have a small group of Bobwhites, button, Pharoah and Cortunix.. not sure what I am thinking but since I was raised up on eating fried quail.. that might be the way they leave the farm...except for the buttons of course.. they wouldn't be much more than a crumb cooked up

Heading to the auction tonight with the guinea experiment gone wrong..

I knew they were noisy.. but not THAT noisy.. DH and I looked at each other after the first couple of days and said in unison.. "they gotta GO" I must say they are interesting.. but humm.. not for me. I also have a couple of hens and maybe a rooster.. can't decide on the roosters because I like them..gonna sit out today and see if I have TOO many in the mixed flock..lol..before grabbing a cage

I have my sights set on a pair of lavender silkes.. I am going to pick them up next Sunday.. she has some babies (and some paints) I might get too.. just have to see how much my spending allowance is for next week.

Well so much for sleeping in on a Saturday.. my son has Army Reserve Drill and since I knew he had to leave about 4:30.. the "Mama" in me woke up at 4:00 to make fresh coffee and some breakfast.. no alarm needed. After a disastrous short lived marriage.. he said it was nice to wake up to the smell of bacon cooking.. he is staying here until he gets his feet back under him.. a few months.. but I enjoy the company since DH's work schedule leaves me alone most evenings..

Off to find another cup of coffee

Shelly

 

[CapricornFarm]

Another warm day in January. The daffodils are coming up! I burned leaves today. I hate to do it, prefer to compost but my back is bad and I can't keep bending 24/7. I am tired of oak leaves, great drifts of them in the driveway and on the porch. For a while I was raking them up and dumping them in the runs. Now I have sand to shovel in there. Did a bit of that today, removed more hay etc. from the old goat shelter, then DH helped me move it over to where I want it. Had to take the old rotten skids off the bottom and nail new boards on there. Will tack on a wire bottom tomorrow . The guy is now coming tomorrow for the quail. And someone else is coming over for a dozen silkie eggs. Tonight I built the nest box for the latest coop. I am putting Sussex in there, they need more room. I built the door for the run today. Hopefully it won't rain tomorrow and DH will build the frame for the run. I need to put a window in the coop, and a door on the end. Man, this month is flying along already!
Forgot to tell you, I got Wheaten Ameraucanas, Lav. Am. Rooster and Black, plus Black split to lav. Pullets. And I already have whites, I am getting 1-2 eggs a day from three pullets. Oh, and the lady I got the Silver Sussex from is selling me a pair of coronations , and throwing in some spare roos I can sell. Good thing I am building the bigger coop.

 

[shellyga]

Deb.. I don't think you EVER slow down.. sending some healing hugs for your back

I just THOUGHT I was early to the auction last night.. WOW at the crowd that showed up. My birds were almost the last ones to be auctioned but I still got a good price for them. Thank goodness those noisy guineas are gone.. I made a $2 profit on them in the 4 weeks they were here. I don't think that compensates for my aggravation at their noise.. but much better than taking a loss. For the first time in a long time, I didn't come home with any birds. The guy who tempts me with chicks had a bunch.. but my latest hatch of Barred Rocks and FCM has taken ALL my brooder space. The chicks went for $1 each!!! I did end up bringing home some Welsummer hatching eggs. All the rest of the eggs were way out of my price range.. they were bringing $15+ a dozen.. a big price at the auction. Most of the time, I can pick up some to fill some space in my incubator or put under a broody for $5 a dozen at most.

I need another cup of coffee and then my trip to get the newspaper.. and my coupons.. might have to sneak another large tote in the house, complete with heat lamp.. but where to put it..

Shelly

 

[CapricornFarm]

Thanks for the healing thoughts. Of course the rum and egg nog helped too... I am not supposed to.drink it with my IBS but I figured I wouldn't get any more for a long time so I went for it. I feel better already! I was wondering if the warm weather would help the chicken prices go up quicker at auction. We are lucky to get $1.50 for a dozen eggs of any variety at the auction here so I never take eggs any more. They want hatching eggs at eating egg prices. Forget it.
The quail have left the building! He came and got all of them plus my reptipro Bator, it was just too small. Of course, I have a bunch of quail eggs in the Bator...just in case it gets too quiet around here. Put the buff sebrights in the quail pen. Need a perch, but other than that I like it . Then another guy came over and bought a dozen silkie eggs. He talked so long I didn't get all the work done I wanted to do. I did get the new nest box painted, but didn't finish the panels for the run, and only got half of the bottom on the new coop. I still need to go check the chickens in the barn, the incubators, the chicks in the garage... And packing eggs since all my auctions are ending. I am bummed about the new auction system being different, us old folks hate change.
Tomorrow I go pick up more Sussex chickens, package deal but only plan to keep maybe two since most are roosters. She made me an offer I couldn't refuse.
Must go check my last auction and go back out for the nightly rounds. Sleep well!

 

[shellyga]

another work day (away from the house that is) BLAH

We worked at getting the outside brooder in the chick grow out pen winterized --basically wrapped in srink-wrap.. new bulbs and fresh hay.. I moved three older chicks that were fully feathered outside -- I had two silkie chicks, a couple of EE's and my lone grown silkie that I put in the brooder too.. plenty of fluff for warmth. I had a total of 27 chicks hatch out this weekend.. Barred Rock and BCM.. I had to fix up another tote to use as a brooder but they will outgrow that fast.. already planning the moving around in the various inside brooders to maximize growing space. They will all pretty much be inside until the firstish of March.

I wish I had a contact for Sussex close by..at a good price.. my freeloaders better get with the program or they will have to go. I have several appointments made to add to my flock.. this Wednesday, I am heading to Athens for my Mama's birthday-- going to pick up two BCM hens there.. then I am going to pick up a pair (plus some chicks) of Lavendar Silkies this weekend. I am excited.. then the following weekend is my egg raid at Nancy Garry's place plus I am going to meet up with "LockedHearts" who lives close by and buy her trio of Columbian Wyndottes.. with a pullet thrown in.. so I have some new additions coming ...

Well time to get moving so I can get out the door on time.. I hear the sounds of rain on the roof.. we need it but I hate the muck

Shelly

 

[mrheinz77]

What kind of Sussex are you getting, Deb. I didn't do a lot this weekend besides getting the January Egg Swap set up.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Hi Jim! I am getting a pair of Coronations and a bunch of free roos I can sell to offset the cost. Very excited, my other Coro hen is older and I really needed another. Must thank you for your hard work on the swap. Guess I had better go pack eggs. Deb

 

[CapricornFarm]

Woot, got the Sussex today, and a free EE roo I will sell. Sold my flock of old buckeye hens and moved the new pullets in with the boys. Just getting rid of 9 freeloaders will help the feed bill. Got three bags of shavings, and stopped at Walmart for a few groceries. Shipped four boxes of eggs. Not much accomplished around here , but DH was happy I cooked supper.
I am bummed about no BYC tomorrow , maybe I will have to work on my tax receipts

 

[corancher]

My free loaders are finally starting to lay again. I got a BLRW egg, Barnevelder egg, several Lavender Orpington eggs today. These are all from my breeding pens. My free range birds never stopped laying so I have plenty of eating eggs. Why do you think that is? Maybe the birds just trying to make me crazy?