Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Wrightsx4]

Lol, Nova I love your short stories. I hope you're right about Salomon, although my population of roosters is a little overwhelming right now. I have too many with reasons for keeping them, and I need to narrow that down but it's hard since they're all different breeds. The six that I have in the rooster coop seem to be getting along really well, I do let them out when the rest of them are free ranging, but otherwise they don't get any hen time. I wish I could put Salomon in with them, but they would kill him. Is very meek like his mama was. Well, except for the evilness that he got from the ee side. So for now he's in the big coop with the hens and the salmon Faverolles, Mr Sprinkles and Tread. I think you have room for about five of my salmon fav boys in your 4x8!

 

[ozexpat]

I just got a quick phone pic.

Here is was before, which was strong, but the eggs had to travel over the slatted grooves, I made a new top for the lower tray to the eggs will roll along the groove.

Some comparison pics will probably explain it better.

Before


After


planning to use the Hovabator (now with fan conversion complete) as a hatcher, as the DIY 'bator was a pain to clean.

try lining the hovabator with foil and using a tupperware type dish under the fan for humidity when you need it. it makes it easier for clean up.

 

[NovaAman]

They'd become dinner in my 4x8. LOL.

Here is how I decide who is dinner and who is not. Most mutts, automatic dinner status. Pure boys, two went to new homes this year, both for breeding. Silly took one boy, sold the other to one of my egg customers. He's got 60+ hens, only had one rooster. The third boy is still here. We'll see how he turns out, he may be for eating too. Any pures that don't find new homes, but I have no use for also go in the freezer. Then there are the mutts who just grow on you... mostly cuz of the silkie mix in there. Rod Stewart was a keeper because from the beginning he was an ugly sucker. Short, fat, and to much black skin. LOL. He's was/is just like his daddy Roger. Great to the hens, nice to people, mean as a demon to anything that TRIES to interfer with his ladies. He even has great attitude with the chicks. He used to be number 3. Worked his way up to number one, because Mr. F died protecting the girls from a coon attack during the day, saved all the girls, some minor injuries, but he took a real beating, died of internal injuries a week or so later. Was totally devastating. He was the type of roo EVERYONE wants for their flock and family. He was also 4 yrs old, so he had the moves down for his ladies. HIs ladies love him, would just squat for him, preen him, never had a bare back or head with him. Roger now... Roger was a demon silkie. Great bird. He'd bite me every time I picked him up, then let me pick him up, ride around on my shoulder. Just had to let me know that HE was boss, and it was HIS decision not mine. LOL. He survived a hawk scalping, a raccoon attack, then finished raising the babies that survived that attack, then ended up not surviving the second hawk late fall last year. He roosted on roost 5 feet up, kicked the crap out of roosters twice his size, (had to resuce a RIR roo that was pinned in a corner in a metal filing stand with Roger beating him, RIR became dinner, bad attitude), and very good to the ladies as well. SO, after that, Rod became number one and he will NOT relinquish his postition. He won't back down from a fight, even from Strutter who out weighs him by 10 pounds. (We eat his kids though) Strutter is a keeper, because he's good to his girls, the neighbors girls, people friendly, and he's for breeding. The phoenix are for breeding. Fritz the Jerk is just a funny lawn ornament. He likes the big girls, but can't quite hit the mark... HELLO! One pound bird trying to get some some from 6 pound birds... Not happening. LOL. They squat for him though, I think just to make him feel better, and I think they secretly go off laughing their beaks off. Now, Why do I keep the white Jap boy... Well, he's going to be for breeding also.

The ones I don't want to eat, and don't want to breed, I sell to this Chinese lady. Her family likes the silkies for breeding and for more dinner, and have no problem with the silkie cross roos for eating either.

 

[Wrightsx4]

The problem is I only have multiple roos of the favs - which I'm soon narrowing down to one (no luck on local takers so far), the other roos are each a different type...and I want babies from all of them!
I have one roo each: Blue copper, golden cuckoo, black-tailed buff (came from extremely dark opaque brown egg!), wheaten, RIR, ee, silkie, and then there's Jeff's shoulder chicken, Precious - why do shoulder chickens always end up being roosters? No more shoulder chickens... they always end up becoming roosters. And Salomon. I will also never again buy a dozen "assorted" pure eggs - that's how I got too many roosters that I want to keep. The mutt boys were planned dinners from day 1...except precious who was suppose to be a she.

 

[lindz8504]

Well it looks like Rogue is going to be destined for a dinner invite..... went down to close up last night and he was in the process of pecking anyone on a roost close to or below him for no apparent reason. He is also trying to start mating the girls which they want no parts of so he grabs them and has pulled feathers from a couple of the meeker ones heads. He doesn't bother the wyandotte hens but then they are old biddies and will flog him back so he stays clear and so does everyone else. So I have a cochin cockerel left and maybe some in the chicks.... if I decide to get another rooster what breed would everyone suggest? Need something mellow because I have small kids.

 

[NovaAman]

Oh, those yucky pain in the butt month of teenage angst. LOL.

You are going to want to get a bird from a breeder. Why? So you can see how the daddy roo behaves. Personally, I wouldn't just pick a breed... I can't just pick one. I want one of everything. BUT, I so far have to say that I love my faverolles, and I love my marans, and I loved my silkie Roger. I like Ray too, but he's such a wuss. LOL. I have heard that some of the cochin boys, breeder raised are much better temperment, and have heard great things about brahmas. I had a brahma once, but he ended up being one of the dinner boys. TOo many roos at that time, andthat was before I went nuts nad got to many chickens. LOL

 

[Bens-Hens]

I don't think I could just pick a roo breed. I don't have enough experience with that.

We just chose on genes and temperament. Which so far seems to have paid off. Smudge was a bit rough with some of the pullets, but we soon realised it was just because he was ready for action and they were not, if they don't squat he has some chasing to do. Once they squatted, life got easier for everyone.

I also found out why the breeder does not have any barred rock eggs, someone came along and said "I will take all of your BR eggs until I say stop" I really wish she would bend and give me half a dozen lol

Two days and I pick those up, already on our way collecting our eggs, Marking who came from who so we can make a short list on Sunday.

Finally, the people who said they might take Smudge decided they did not have time to settle him in properly, so I will advertise him this weekend. Hopefully someone wants a good boy, or Alicia will miss out on her wish of letting him live out his days.

 

[EverMystique1]

I got caight up! Yay! Been hell these last weeks at work, and trying to finish at least the blasted kitchen.
Several comments had me busting a gut, but i can't recall what they were to note them.

Now, time for yums, and bed. Got over 12 hrs in today, again to tomorrow, and hopefully not friday.

 

[lindz8504]

Ok I know I read some where on this thread about measuring pelvic bones but I can't find it. All my girls are between 1- 1 1/2 fingertips. How reliable did that seem to be? They are all getting redder I'm the walls and comb but not as much as my older girls. I am figuribg another month or so and will be pleasantly surprised if it is earlier!

 

[NovaAman]

I think its like 2...?