I can't wait for my silkies to get pretty (they are in the ugly growing stage lol) so I can post pictures of my new babies. Hopefully I will have some ducklings this year and post pictures of my ducklings haha. Can't have enough fluffy butt baby pictures on here
Hi Maceman88,
Hubby Bob and I are in Waterford 15658. We have pure English strain Light Sussex. Our breeding season will be later this year due to the birds recovering from the bitter winter. I do have my best hen sitting eggs right now. Are you getting chicks or started birds? If you are getting chicks, go to Tractor Supply and pick up a bottle of Bovidr Labs Poultry Nutri-Drops or Goat Nutri-Drench. Either will work but whichever you choose, use the usage and dosage instructions for the Poultry formula. These formulas do not need to be digested. they mainline to the bloodstream. Measureable in 30 minutes with 99% utilization. All natural. I have used these products for over a decade on my dogs and poultry. Last season I raised the chicks on the Goat formula last season with excellent results. These formulas are excellent for dealing with chicks' travel stress. Give each chick one drop only by mouth upon arrival. Then put 2 ml per gallon on their waterers for the 1st month to get them off to a strong start.
Get a 3 ml syringe while you are at Tractor Supply. Safely dispose of the needle and use it to dose and measure the formula. I make my waterers look like very weak tea color. see here for more info: http://www.nutridrench.comhttps://www.backyardchickens.com/t/746509/how-to-deal-with-travel-stress-in-baby-chicks
Best Success with your birds,
Karen
Ok, so what do y'all feed your birds? I don't want to feed just the layer food anymore but don't know what else to do. I have ducks, chickens, quail, and emus... But the emus get different food.
Most people try to avoid broodiness and it gets bred out of "production" lines of large fowl. Bantams are not bred for high egg production and most go broody a lot (silkies and cochins being extreme examples of this). In large fowl, I would pick a breed you like and get stock from someone that raises them for fun or showing.
Some breeds have a reputation for broodiness, but I think it varies a low between strains and even individual hens. Here are some LF breeds that are know for broodiness:
Buff Orpingtons
Marans
Sumatras
Games
Cochins
We had a LF Blue Cochin last year but lost her when she was just a few months old. She was my oldest's 'special chick'. I had forgotten I chose that breed to be our broody. I think I'm leaning toward another cochin or a buff orphington... I remember reading that BOs are good mamas.
Our BA roo is named Romeo (incidentally, the blue cochin was named Juliet). He was super friendly too and great around the kids. I never tried to put him on my shoulder, but he didn't mind being picked up. We're seeing a new aggressive side to him though, especially around my pre-schooler.
That's what I was thinking too. Our BA, Mary Poopins is a Yakker too. I can hear her every morning while the coop is still locked up. She makes almost a bellowing sound. Glad to hear it a breed trait, good to know!
@AnneInTheBurbs That rooster looks like my BA. He is a good looking boy. He lost the tips of his comb this winter to frost bite He is a good boy, never tries to flog me even with his hormones coming in.
Romeo lost the points on his comb this winter too... and no wonder, he'd sit outside even on those sub-zero temperature days! You mention his hormones coming in... is that an age thing or a seasonal thing. I'm thinking that might be what's going on with Romeo lately... he's been incredibly virile lately, the girls are being over-bred (although, there are only 4 girls and I know he should have more), and the aggression towards us lately. I'm hoping it's just a seasonal thing and he'll settle back down... I miss my sweet rooster.
It was sub-zero this day and the crazy bird is sitting out in the open.
We had a LF Blue Cochin last year but lost her when she was just a few months old. She was my oldest's 'special chick'. I had forgotten I chose that breed to be our broody. I think I'm leaning toward another cochin or a buff orphington... I remember reading that BOs are good mamas.
Our BA roo is named Romeo (incidentally, the blue cochin was named Juliet). He was super friendly too and great around the kids. I never tried to put him on my shoulder, but he didn't mind being picked up. We're seeing a new aggressive side to him though, especially around my pre-schooler.
I don't know when Romeo ever sleeps, because he crows all day and all night long.
Romeo lost the points on his comb this winter too... and no wonder, he'd sit outside even on those sub-zero temperature days! You mention his hormones coming in... is that an age thing or a seasonal thing. I'm thinking that might be what's going on with Romeo lately... he's been incredibly virile lately, the girls are being over-bred (although, there are only 4 girls and I know he should have more), and the aggression towards us lately. I'm hoping it's just a seasonal thing and he'll settle back down... I miss my sweet rooster.
It was sub-zero this day and the crazy bird is sitting out in the open.
What a stud! That's so funny to hear everyone saying their BA's are so noisy. It's hard to tell which is a breed trait or strange individual trait when you only have one specimen of the breed.
What a stud! That's so funny to hear everyone saying their BA's are so noisy. It's hard to tell which is a breed trait or strange individual trait when you only have one specimen of the breed.
I had never heard of BAs being particularly noisy and just assumed it was just my noisy boy... one of these days I'm going to count the number of times he crows in one day. You could probably keep time by this guy... I'll have to just add in the 1am, 3am, and 5:30am crows because I'll be sleeping and I've never been awake between 3am and 5:30am to see if there is another one in between there! haha.
He is really handsome... I'm sad that he lost the points on his comb, he was just a beauty. He doesn't pose like Troyer's roos though, so it's hard to get a nice photo of him. I love the iridescence in his (all of the BAs) feathers
Since you all are dying to know about the baby bunnies (lol)... I rooted around in the pile of fur in the nest today and there was movement! I'm sure they've been in there since Sunday, but this was the first confirmation I had that she had a successful birth. Thanks to everyone who helped me through this first kindling! How long before we should expect to see them coming out in the open on their own?
Update on a few things.
Silkie, the pilgrim eggs are doing great, 1 didn't develop, 1 quit early on.. but the other 2 had internal pips when I checked last night....
Fisherlady, That rock assortment that you brought is doing really well, they will move to the big coops this weekend and have control of all the hen's they want since many roosters will be leaving today they I'll not have any competition.. and the barred have been laying for about a week now, I am gonna go ahead and set a few of those eggs since I have a broody....
Blarney, so sorry to say that I lost the olive egg rooster last weekend, we called him sentry because he was always outside walking the fence line and always the first to notice anything....it did help to know that he was doing what he thought his job was, we lost no hen's that day, but it was obvious that he put up a fight....
ISO guinea, any color, they are only for bug control
Ok, so what do y'all feed your birds? I don't want to feed just the layer food anymore but don't know what else to do. I have ducks, chickens, quail, and emus... But the emus get different food.
I have mine special mixed. No soy at all. I used a distiller's grain base, add corn, oats & wheat, dry molasses & the base minerals that would go into a layer mash. This mix is mostly powder, so I ferment it to give it some stickiness. In winter, I use the same grains but have to go with layer pellets (containing soy I don't want) and a sweet feed pellet for the molasses. I don't ferment in winter so powdered feed doesn't work well then.
He is a good boy, never tries to flog me even with his hormones coming in.
