Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[MandaRae]

I'm pre-planning my fertile Eggs for the spring. Is anyone here from North Eastern Pennsylvania Lackawanna/Susquehanna county would be awesome.
I will have fertile blue eggs to swap this Spring
I'd like to add RIR, Marans & some white egg layers to the flock this spring.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Dennis, will you have Welsh Harlequin ducks next year? Hubby plans to run a water line to my run next summer, so I can have ducks. I don't want two male ducks, so Welsh Harlequin would be a better choice. Or can you sex the other ducks too? I don't care how many eggs they lay, just don't want a male duck to hurt my chickens.

 

[dheltzel]

Dennis, will you have Welsh Harlequin ducks next year? Hubby plans to run a water line to my run next summer, so I can have ducks. I don't want two male ducks, so Welsh Harlequin would be a better choice. Or can you sex the other ducks too? I don't care how many eggs they lay, just don't want a male duck to hurt my chickens.

I have switched to only bantam ducks and sold off all my Welsh Harlequin breeders. They were too nervous for my taste. I will have Australian Spotted and Mini Silver Appleyard ducklings available. They both fly very well and are excellent layers during the spring and summer. MSA ducks are basically the color genetics of snowy, which is where the Welsh Harlequins get their ability to sex by bill color. In addition, waterfowl are much easier to vent sex than chicks, and I intend to try that next year on both breeds. Will be trying to sex by bill color and check with vent sexing, but still not sure how accurate that will be.
On the good side, bantam drakes are too small to give non-bantam chicken hens any problems, and the drakes are much quieter and prettier than the females.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I have switched to only bantam ducks and sold off all my Welsh Harlequin breeders. They were too nervous for my taste. I will have Australian Spotted and Mini Silver Appleyard ducklings available. They both fly very well and are excellent layers during the spring and summer. MSA ducks are basically the color genetics of snowy, which is where the Welsh Harlequins get their ability to sex by bill color. In addition, waterfowl are much easier to vent sex than chicks, and I intend to try that next year on both breeds. Will be trying to sex by bill color and check with vent sexing, but still not sure how accurate that will be.
On the good side, bantam drakes are too small to give non-bantam chicken hens any problems, and the drakes are much quieter and prettier than the females.

Sounds like Mini Silver Appleyard will be a good fit for us. Only concern is that they will fly over our 4ft fence when free range. As long as we don't get 2 boys out of 3 ducks, it wouldn't be an issue. My son would like bantams over standard size ducks.

 

[dheltzel]

Sounds like Mini Silver Appleyard will be a good fit for us. Only concern is that they will fly over our 4ft fence when free range. As long as we don't get 2 boys out of 3 ducks, it wouldn't be an issue. My son would like bantams over standard size ducks.

If you want pet ducks that lay large eggs, look into getting some sexed buff or swede ducklings. Maybe from someplace like this: https://www.metzerfarms.com/BuffDuc...CustID=27356904&ID=B&BirdType=Duck&Breed=Buff

 

[BullChick]

Sounds like Mini Silver Appleyard will be a good fit for us. Only concern is that they will fly over our 4ft fence when free range. As long as we don't get 2 boys out of 3 ducks, it wouldn't be an issue. My son would like bantams over standard size ducks.

I know my Muscovies didn’t bother flying around. If you must, just clip a wing.

 

[TillyPeeps]

If you want pet ducks that lay large eggs, look into getting some sexed buff or swede ducklings. Maybe from someplace like this: https://www.metzerfarms.com/BuffDuc...CustID=27356904&ID=B&BirdType=Duck&Breed=Buff

I don't plan to use any duck egg myself, so it's ok even if they don't lay any egg. I want female ducks just for peace of the flock, not for eggs. They are only pets for my son. He likes smaller birds, but I don't know how good small chickens will survive Marek in my flock. I'm also afraid that some ducklings will not survive shipping, so I prefer to pick them up.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I have treated all my chickens for lice yesterday with poultry dust. this one:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...rbSRutOVwOFULxvEGr9HC_qCnruhEa1xoCGakQAvD_BwE

I found Henny had dirty butt, so I gave her a bath. Then I noticed that her butt was red and had scars, and there are bug eggs covered the roots of her butt feathers. Lice, right? Anyway, I went to coop when it's dark and dust each bird. Do I need to redo it again in 7 days? i also sprayed and dusted their coop. They never had a favorit dustbath spot, so it's hard to add poultry dust to their dustbath areas.

 

[BullChick]

I noticed a SPR pullet looks pretty bad. I’ll try to get a picture tomorrow.

She has just one tail feather that quivers when the wind blows.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I have treated all my chickens for lice yesterday with poultry dust. this one:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...rbSRutOVwOFULxvEGr9HC_qCnruhEa1xoCGakQAvD_BwE

I found Henny had dirty butt, so I gave her a bath. Then I noticed that her butt was red and had scars, and there are bug eggs covered the roots of her butt feathers. Lice, right? Anyway, I went to coop when it's dark and dust each bird. Do I need to redo it again in 7 days? i also sprayed and dusted their coop. They never had a favorit dustbath spot, so it's hard to add poultry dust to their dustbath areas.

It stinks that it's starting to cool off for the year. Typically, what i do for lice is dip them in a warm dip with 3oz permethrin liquid in 5 gallons of water. It kills any bugs on them and protects them for about a month at least. Recently, I found mites and buckled down and bought elector psp (ouch!) But haven't seen anymore since.

She has just one tail feather that quivers when the wind blows.
View attachment 2370644

It's molt season... check out poor Duchess!! Shes not a happy camper right now!