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

[Farmer Viola]

I have been experiencing some technical issues with this forum, having trouble posting replies. I have just reported it (hopefully to the right place).

Try using Mozilla Firefox instead of Chrome.. my guess is browser compatibility issue. I've never had a problem on BYC using Firefox

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/?from=sfx&uid=319517&t=563

 

[NovaAman]

Yup. Have had problems on occassion. Mostly when trying to post a pic though.

 

[ozexpat]

Send Sumi a PM. She can advise you.

Occaisionally I have to close and reopen chrome. Otherwise no dramas.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks team, not real keen to go to a new browser, I have only just got used to this one hahahaha

I have been doing the open and close bit to get by, just slows down my multi-tasking going on with other tabs. I will see how the other thread goes and if not the result I am hoping for I will send Sumi a PM.

 

[EverMystique1]

Wow! This is the first time I have logged in from my computer, rather than reading on my phone. Everyone has signatures? Who knew? LOL.

I am sooooo looking forward to this weekend. The last of the loud chirpers should be able to go out into the grow-out pen, leaving us with just the newly hatched babes, who are currently going on 5 days old. I will be able to clean the brooder (really, really clean it, because those bigger chickies have made it stink horribly, since I have been working 12+ hour days) and get those little ones set up in the brooder, rather than the plastic tote they are currently homed in.

Plus, I will be candling the eggs currently in the incubator, culling those that appear to be quitters, etc. I am just too blasted tired to keep up with so many babies. LOL. Looking forward to the 3-day weekend, even if only for the opportunity to take one of my muscle relaxers, and get a break from my spasms.

Rambling. Going to shut up now.

E

 

[Bens-Hens]

Sounds like you have your hands full!

I am doing my best to pace myself with young chicks. Will be setting our nest lot in about 4 more weeks.

 

[mamahen1980]

New babies are so exciting. My girls should start laying sometime they hatched around my birthday in April they were my present, lol. Hope you have 100 percent success!

 

[NovaAman]

Hey Ben, bout to put a load of blue marans in the bator. Only 1/2 dozen though. Just thought you'd need some... encouragement. LOL Going to wait till monday though. I'll put in what ever I have at that time.

Last night we had a storm roll through. It was pretty dang windy, and pretty dang violent for a few minutes. Lasted maybe 10. Anyway, Strutter was over at the neighbors with his lady loves over there... YES his big beautiful self has kicked the crap out of their roo and taken his place. Their roo no longer challenges him, just RUNS AWAY!. LOL. Anyway, I went out to lock up the birds, and Earlene calls over and asks me if I am missing a rooster. Turns out, Strutter decided that it was just much easier to go in their covered area and roost than it was to walk home. I guess he went in to get out of the storm, and then... got comfy. He was roosted up in the corner of the run with some of their girls. LOL.

I am hoping to get a nice cockerel out of the ones I am setting, and if all works out, I may be kind and give them one of Strutters off-spring. He is just so darn nice. I figure there is a good chance his off spring will be just as well behaved.

 

[Bens-Hens]

New babies are so exciting. My girls should start laying sometime they hatched around my birthday in April they were my present, lol. Hope you have 100 percent success!

Our youngest birds were born early April too (also birthday hatch) and only one of them is laying so far. Three of our older birds are laying though so we get four eggs on a good day Our hatch will be the first test of our little roo, not sure how successful it will be, fingers crossed he does well.

Hey Ben, bout to put a load of blue marans in the bator. Only 1/2 dozen though. Just thought you'd need some... encouragement. LOL Going to wait till monday though. I'll put in what ever I have at that time.

Last night we had a storm roll through. It was pretty dang windy, and pretty dang violent for a few minutes. Lasted maybe 10. Anyway, Strutter was over at the neighbors with his lady loves over there... YES his big beautiful self has kicked the crap out of their roo and taken his place. Their roo no longer challenges him, just RUNS AWAY!. LOL. Anyway, I went out to lock up the birds, and Earlene calls over and asks me if I am missing a rooster. Turns out, Strutter decided that it was just much easier to go in their covered area and roost than it was to walk home. I guess he went in to get out of the storm, and then... got comfy. He was roosted up in the corner of the run with some of their girls. LOL.

I am hoping to get a nice cockerel out of the ones I am setting, and if all works out, I may be kind and give them one of Strutters off-spring. He is just so darn nice. I figure there is a good chance his off spring will be just as well behaved.

Hi Nova! I am on a timeline and doing my best to stick to the plan. If we hatch to early, our house sitter won't be able to cope wiht moving chicks around and so on, if we leve it too late we will be missing out on the fun!

I have been looking at breeds and I am honestly all over the place on what to get. I thought I had it locked in, but the longer I shop around the harder the choice gets hahahaha We will be limited by cost and 'bator space, two dozen bought eggs and what ever we can squeeze in from our flock will fill the left over space.

Definitely on the list is French Wheaten Marans and Blue Australorp's,

Thinking with the mix's of blue to black, and boys to girls we will need a full dozen of the Australorps to get a couple of blue ladies to keep. So the second dozen will come from some breeders down south and be mixed, but how to split it over how many breeds I am at a loss hahahah.

Alicia misses Pepper (SLW)
I love the look of the Plymoth Rocks, but they also have some Faveroles, and I like their funky beards and muffs.

If I split the dozen over all the breeds it will leave too slim a chance to end up with a female of that breed, so it may have to be a mix of four of three breeds, i.e. 4x rocks, 4x, Marans and 4x Fav's, maybe I should take the leap and just get an extra half dozen, then run another split hatch and top up the 'bator with our eggs once we candle and remove clears from the bought eggs.

Oh man, my head hurts hahahahaha

Since it's been a few days, here is a pic of three of our early eggs today. Loving the different shades we get already.
Left to right Cleo (L/S), Sunny (L/S) and Luna ('Lorp)


and better shot of Luna's purple tinted bloom.

 

[NovaAman]

And then you can mix and match up your birds and get funky mutt crosses... I love my mutt crosses. Most have those beards and some are so heavily feathered on the feet you can't hardly find the toes!