Online Large Fowl Chat Thread

[Arielle]

I've been putting a doz or 2 eggs in a cooler down by the street and have been selling out. DH buys eggs from the store to keep us in eggs. How ironic is that!! Girls are increasing their production. Had a light on all winter and still saw a decrease in eggs ; down to 6 eggs a day from the lot of them. Changed to a 200 watt and the production increased. Could be just the days were getting longer anyway. IDK.

My lambs are black, or white. Had almost half the lambs last year be black. This year the whites are far out numbering the blacks. Only 3/11 black . 5 ewes to go. Hoping for a few more black and a few more twins.

 

[Arielle]

THe winds blew all day. Great to dry the laundry; a little cold to work out side all day--so i didn't. lol Finished one more breeding pen. Put in 2 roosts and DH closed in the roof. WILL finish the third one tomorrow. Need a duck pen, too. Have the supplies; just need to get the pieces together in the right order. THe last lamb is noisy occasionally. Definitely requires a peek to see if all is well. Looks like a nice weekend weatherwise. Lots to do outside.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Today we hauled wood, and piled it. DH had cut it last week, so we took the Mule and drove back in the woods on our neighbors acreage and picked it up. He has over 30 acres and mostly just feeds the deer with it. He was glad to have us cut the wood since the tree fell on his ATV path. Very scenic back there. I am amazed how much wood we had used , but it sure saved on the propane bill. Our tank is still almost full, used less than a BBQ tank so far. But it has been an abnormally mild winter. I am loving that.

No new kids to report, my bottle baby is gaining weight and follows me everywhere he can. He can sure yell when he gets hungry! I can't believe Sasha and Bella have not kidded yet! The goats are happy with the big round bale of hay, but it is harder to keep them in the barn since they want to be out there eating 24/7.
I installed the latest feeder I built. Put it in one of the grow out pens in the barn, those little buggers can eat! Still needing way more of those feeders built. DH came to the barn looking for me, he wanted the drill. I am using it, dear... we have two! Actually three if you count the crappy battery driven one. Shovelled a wagon and a half of chicken poo out from under brooders and moved chicks out of the garage into brooders outdoors. If it gets too cold they may need to go into the insulated room in the barn. I need more coops! Went and bought more chicken feed today, man I use a lot of that stuff. Maybe I should sell a few chickens...

 

[Arielle]

Nice to hear that slim is thriving.

We have also used less wood than usual. I have let the wood stove go out a number of times this winter, far more than usual. Yesterday, I let the fire go out, and the house is at 58 this morning. A little cool. Will clean out the ashes for the hens to play in.

One of my marans roosters has been too quiet, sitting off by himself. DH caught him and looked him over. Nothing obvious. I moved him into a small dog crate for observation. My first impulse was to take his temperature, but I've never read of anyone doing this. Perhaps an under the wing temperature? He's still eating so hopefully with water and food readily available he will pull thru.

Back to working on the breeding pens today.

 

[shellyga]

I am super excited... my first Coronation Sussex chick has hatched.. one of the three of the first ones didn't develop.. but I am

that the second CS egg hatches.. we are checking it constantly to make sure it knows love already

Luckily it now has company from one of Nancy's silkie chicks.. DH has everything ready to redo the "aquarium brooder" for them once everyone hatches out and is ready to leave the incubator.

Just had to share with folks that would understand!!!

Shelly

 

[Arielle]

How wonderful! THe CS have arrived-- or rather are arriving!Pics are a must. We had a Lt sussez and just loved her. My Boys called her tity-whitey until I mentioned " your're calling her underwear". Name stuck, along with the giggles.

Congrats on the CS chicks. Pics?

Two groups of chicks are out of the house.

WIll monitor overnight as the temps will drop below 32 tonight and I have a 250watt red heat lamp on for each group. House is very quiet. One group left to go out. Twins born this afternoon about 12:30. A simple birth for the first black lamb. THe second black lamb was having trouble getting out as mom was insisting on keeping the first in front of her which pressed her bum against a wall. We got her up, I held her to prevent her returning again to the same impossible location, while DH assisted. He's very good with lambs. I should have been more clear about my wish for blacks and twins. SHould have added GIRLS. THese are boys.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Woot, love those Coronations! I am considering breeding a Coro Rooster to Speckled Sussex hens to increase size. How cool would those look? My other project will be Lavender Ameraucana Rooster X Black Polish hens. Lavender polish that lay colored eggs?!? maybe someday...
I had to take a rest day today, so I had a nap this afternoon. Of course I had to put some sand in some of the mucky runs, and feed everyone. By the time I did that, Bella had kidded in the front pasture shelter! I knew something was up when she didn't make it to the feed trough first, she was last in line and walking very slow. So she had a single very large buckling and he was up on his feet when I found him. Now I will have to milk the other side until he figures out how to nurse on both sides. Some only nurse one side, so I guess I may be milking, which is OK I guess I can use the milk for Slim.
DH is off work tomorrow, and he says he can help me if I have a project to do. HA HA HA, when do I not have a project to do? It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow, so maybe we will build a coop.
Arielle, we all want girls... chickens, sheep, goats, girls are always good. I have a few left to kid, hope they all have girls. Bunny, Nivea, Buttons, and Sasha all are due any time. I get more money for the girls, that is what everyone wants.

 

[Chicken Coach]

Hi guys, I went to a chicken sale in Ok. which they have once a mo. and boy it was a long drive.But they had 1200 chickens there.Some of my friends where their and i stayed until 1:30 am and they still had a bunch of chickens to go. There was a master breeder of old english there and he had really good birds. Prices where crazy like 25 to 45 a bird for the most part,but it was the best bunch of chickens that i've seen in a long time.I came home with a trio ri bantys and a dozen of there eggs.Also i got 7 more banty brown leghorns.The next day i took some odd and ends chickens to the livestock sale and sold them. I took a trio of frizzel cochins that where OK at best and they brought 60 bucks.So they whole mess payed for the good ones that i got in OK.Last night i got the best sales on my java eggs on ebay 67.99 for a dozen eggs.Who knows why,it was the least bids and watchers but they where high bids. Finally the hens are helping to pay for their feed. I went to my friends farm to buy some fire wood and he has over 100 lambs on the ground and he is about half done.Also he has about 40 hogs running around with the first sow to pig yesterday. Man he is going to wave a lot of pigs.

 

[Arielle]

I'm up extra early to check on the chickens again, being their first night outside and all. Alll is well. I'm loosing track of who is where--maybe cards on the doors with breed and hatch dates. Anyone do something like this?

Checked the lambs and ewes, waiting for a ewe to go anytime. I'm afraid to put her out for exercise as that seems to be when they lamb. Will dock tails today.The wind is quiet and the temperature warmer than I expected; will see if the winds pick up again. DH and I both noticed that this winter has been windier than usual. Less snow but more wind. I'd rather have the snow!


Edited to ask: is anyone setting for the Easter Hatch along? I did sign up but haven't decided what eggs to set. Put the marans in isolation. Need to put the BO in isolation, too. Hope I have time to get them with the right rooster. I'm starting to wonder how many pens( breeding, grow out and roosters) I need. Clearly more.

 

[shellyga]

Well this morning I have four chicks.. one Coronation, one silkie, one Colombian wyndotte and one lavender Orp (but it has wry neck- hoping for some improvement before I cull) The other coronation pipped but died ..

The rest of the eggs will have through tomorrow morning to hatch or be discarded. Incubator space is at a premium so I already have some eggs lined up for that space..some Lavender Ameraucanas I picked up from Nancy Garry at the Newnan Show.
I have a group of eggs due to hatch tomorrow that has another two possibilities for some more coronations. Of course.. every batch I have set since they started laying has included some..

We moved the Pharaoh quail outside yesterday.. they have lived in luxury in the living room for what seems like forever. I love hearing their noises..but the mess was too much. DH loves them too.. so I told him we would use that spot to raise up a few more -- going to process (well have someone do it for us) eventually and need more than 10 to make a meal. I grew up eating quail that was shot by my father and grandfather.. would be nice to eat some without biting on bird shot

Our income taxes should be here soon and I am going to use my "play money" portion to buy a big incubator. I am looking at the Sportsman and the Brinsea cabinet ones. I like that the Brinsea price includes the egg trays and seems easier to clean.. also comes with a clear door.. the Sportsman is more in shipping and you have to buy those egg trays and a clear door. Does anyone have any experience with either of these that they can share?

We are also looking at adding two smaller coop areas.. right now we have two 10 x 10 x 6 chain link dog kennels with roofing.. well there are two pens that are 10 feet apart.. the plan is to add a fence section with a door on both the front and back of this gap.. essentially making use of the side walls of both existing coops. If you run a fencing section down the middle.. you will end up with two 10 x 5 x 6 feet areas for some of my smaller groups of chickens. I want to put my BLRW roo and his (now) three girls in one side.. and either Colombian Wyndotte or Black Copper Marans on the other (they are in the chick grow out pen right now to keep eggs pure..lol) Plans.. there are always plans...

Well time for me to go let out the chickens and check on everyone