Online Large Fowl Chat Thread

[CapricornFarm]

It was quite sunny and fairly warm here today. But by tonight , the little buckling I call Slim was shivering, despite the heat lamp. I brought him in and sat in front of the woodstove with him and gave him a bottle. He took a bit, and we cuddled for about an hour and a half. I put jammies on him and took him back to his Ma, he went right to her and started nursing. Good boy! I took a picture of his sister,here she is..

By the time I unloaded 20 x 50lb. bags of feed, fed the animals and watered, I was in no shape to go look at chickens and it was dark out. So I will go Sunday. I was in the garage looking for some medication I wanted to give Nina, and suddenly I hear a goat, IN the garage! Goats are not permitted in the garage, because that is where the feed is kept! Jack is about three inches away from spilling the bucket of milk! He must have jumped the fence AGAIN, and followed me . Since I was planning to go right back out, I left the door ajar. I snapped on a leash, and dragged a protesting goat down to the second, larger buck pen. Last I heard, he was still down there yelling. He hates being by himself. Maybe tomorrow I will put Peppermint Patrick in with him.
Tomorrow is the chicken auction again, so I will take some extra roos and a few assorted youngsters. And maybe my baby quail. I had so much planned to do today, but did not get much done besides buying another load of feed and chores. The chickens are liking this warm weather, I got almost a whole bucket full of eggs today. Now if I could just sell them....

 

[shellyga]

A busy day for you Deb.. as usual... I'LL TAKE SOME EGGS..lol My last batch from you is due to hatch tomorrow.. noticed a pip on one of the EE's this morning.. what is it about EE's..they are always first..

I had an early day of work yesterday - meaning that I didn't work the afterschool program. I was able to pull into the driveway about 4:00.. my son is reworking my daylily beds (not the time of year for it.. but who am I to balk at free labor) and pointed out an EE hen who has been keeping him company OVER the fence.. once the plants go in.. she might be in trouble. I have been watching one of my hens for the past two nights... YEP...I have the first BROODY of the year..

a blue orpington has decided that February is a good time to become a chick mommy. I lifted her up and marked eggs to put under her. We are suppose to have some really cold temperatures next week so I didn't "stack" her like I do my incubators. She is sitting on 8. After the disasters last year with chicks being picked off one by one by hawks.. I won't let her raise them unless she can do it within the confines of the coop.. this breeder group doesn't get to free range.. the one time I tried.. they all hopped the fence to go back to the main coop..

I need to do some work on cleaning up around the coop.. DH is picking up some hay so the breeder coops will get a fresh layer.. with all this rain recently.. it has been a mess. Hay helps some.

Well.. I am off to find another cup of coffee... : ) After that, a trip to the PO to mail some eggs and some baked goods.. (yep..I joined that swap too..lol)
Shelly

 

[Arielle]

Another long night. Lambs are due anytime. I need to get them out of the barn for the day and guess where they are going? TO a chicken run! I bought 5 bales of straw yeaterday and will get thatput down in their lambing barn. THe hay just isn't holding as dry bedding. DH will help with this project.

My boys have their chore list for the day including feed the dogs, let the mouse go out of the trap and bring in firewood. It really helps that they can read so they have a list to work from and are not yelling for me to tell them the next job.

Listening to Slim's story reminded me of last years twins born in the cold and found almost too late. I ran to the house to put the lamb in a bath tub of warm water and rubbed him. He did revive and after toweling him placed him on the lap of my boys with a blanket over them. My boys are so hot! DH brought the twin in as it was very tiny. THe two lived in the house for a month then went back to live with the mother. I really don't like lambing at this time of year but the Easter market is a good time to sell some of the lambs.

Yesterday's storm is gone and today is sunny and clear. A good day to work outside.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I always have big plans on when I want to breed my does, but the buck is big and determined so it is pretty hard to keep him contained when he wants out. So we have kids when the stork shows up.
I got up early and went to the auction today, sold a few roosters and some young EEs. Prices are still depressed, some of the roosters I saw go for $1.50, and laying hens as cheap as $6. I bought a white frizzle rooster for $2! And half a dozen assorted young birds for $2. Each, about 1/3 grown. I saw some d'uccles I liked, but they went for $18. Each! Go figure.
Well I did get some work in on my run today. Completed the frame, except I need to make the door. Plus I painted all the wood, and put another coat of paint on the coop door. Also cut a hole in the side as a pop door. Then stapled the welded wire on a second side. Hopefully I will finish tomorrow . Probably will use that coop for some new birds I am getting. Yes, I need my head examined :-D:

 

[Chicken Coach]

I went to the chicken sale today but today all the chickens where high,last time real low. I got a call from a sale in mo. that is close to here and he said that they where cheap but they had a bunch of junk birds. The only thing that i bought was a rug that has a goat and hen and flowers on it and says one old goat and one cute chick lives here. I find the darnest things at this sale.

 

[Arielle]

Great find on the rug!!

Always good to hear about what is selling and the prices. Different areas have it's own unique trends.

I'm supervising my 2 boys as they clean the chick's brooder. THese chicks are growing fast!! Too fast . I need more outside coops over the next few weeks. THe boys help me check the zip ties for any that need a larger size.

I did kick the turkey hen out of the transition coop ( one with heat as necessary) and she joined her older siblings. SHe has had a couple days free ranging with that flock of trouble makers and is learning to be a turkey after growing up for 3-4 months with chickens. SHe still needs extra help finding the new coop at night.

No lambs yet.

 

[shellyga]

Gosh Deb.. I wish the prices were that cheap at our auction.. I set my sights on a quad of BO.. beautiful birds and I need some new stock.. had to pay $17 each for them.. and that was because there was a rooster included.. 4 single cages of Delaware hens went for $26 EACH.. darn.. can't compete.

Even the chick prices were high.. usually you can get chicks for $.65 - $.80 each.. last night over $2.00

On the good side of things.. I just sold 5 mixed chicks.. $4 each.. and supposedly have a guy coming that wants all the chicks I have.. lets see if he shows up.

Now off to clean out an incubator.. gotta set some more eggs.

Shelly

 

[shellyga]

Great GREAT news...

Well let me back up. In the summer, I bought a quad of Coronation Sussex for a HUGE price.. thinking.. I will hatch eggs.. I will sell eggs.. all will be wonderful. These poor chickens had been raised in a cage so they had never touched the ground.. didn't know how to scratch or anything.. so I thought I would possibly find a few more "normal" chickens to teach them the ropes...I then added what we thought were 4 POL pullets (two ended up being roosters).. well in the last five months.. not a single egg!!! First it was the heat..lost the big rooster as he just fell over one day -- dead...

then they were molting.. then nothing.. so I dusted them for lice/mites just in case... still nothing.. then I wormed them.. and again.. you guessed it.. NOTHING. I had given them the "freeloaders can't live here speech" and even gone out with the hatchet in my hand.. nothing seemed to work. DH and I were trying to figure out just how to recoup our investment but in all honesty couldn't sell this flock without disclosing the NO EGG thing.. Hubby figured that the first ones were possibly pawned off on me as 1 year olds when they were really much older. Being newer to chickens.. I could be an easy target... especially with a breed new to me.

I distinctly remember checking the ALWAYS EMPTY nest box on Thursday ..to be honest, I had gotten out of the habit because there was never an egg and I would get upset over and over again. Something made me look this morning and there were FOUR eggs..

I was so excited that I yelled for DH (of course he didn't hear me).. ran all the way back to the house clutching my prizes.. and watched the look on his face. First I showed him the container of eggs from Orpington Manor (home to my wonderful BBS flock) and then showed him the four eggs and said these are from the Gazebo (deceased rooster's name was Gus) .. he said.. oohh ok.. then I said again.. a little firmer.. and louder.. ' NO.. these are from THE GAZEBO".. the shocked look on his face is priceless. We immediately put them pointed end down.. let them rest .. and they are all now cooking .. with a smile on my face.. I went out to put some fresh hay in their nest box (yep..they only have one) and spied one of the hens on the nest.. well of course I just pulled up a chair and waited... sure enough.. I was blessed with another gem. As soon as she left the nest, I added some fresh hay... went back and brought the girls some treats.. and put that egg in the incubator.. now.. to check next Sunday to see if they are fertile..

If they aren't.. oohh my.. not good

Shelly

 

[Arielle]

SHelly, That is great news!! DO keep us posted! Cor sussex are very pretty!

 

[CapricornFarm]

I have been trying to get over to see that ladies chickens, but her husband let them out of the coop this morning and there is no way I am driving after dark without glasses. I Really want to get a SLW rooster from her. Went to the PO and picked up three parcels they tried to deliver on Saturday. Then I went to the other PO to ship some boxes of eggs, since they get there faster that way. My truck didn't want to start , man I am tired of these issues. DH thinks its the battery this time. I hooked it up and charged it so we will see if it goes in the morning. The danged goat got out into the back yard again today. Then after I fed them he got into chicken city while I was feeding there . So I finally stuck him in the quarantine pen. If he gets out of it, I swear, he is going to market. My back is killing me and I am tired of dragging him around.
I got a nest box constructed and painted today, just need to make the top and paint that. I think I may put the Buff Brahmas in the new coop. I really need to get them out of their chicken tractor. Candled my valentines day eggs, which had power off for three hours thanks to a storm. Either that or shipping did most of them in. I did have a BLRW hatch out yesterday , hope.it is a pullet.
Had a new record high auction on eBay, $36.99 for 6 polish eggs! Woot!