Possible breeding program

[Rillowen]

I need some more dorking blood. Mine will be mostly white or colored dorking with white rock cross. Just hatched several. Im wondering if you are close enough to trade.

Or more accurately, if you would be willing to. Im in southern MO.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Or more accurately, if you would be willing to. Im in southern MO.

South central Kansas. My "Dorkings" are a multi-generational Dorking-Sussex cross, specifically bred for disease resistance.

If you're ever headed in this direction, maybe we could meet somewhere. Are you closer to Branson, or Poplar Bluff? Just to give me an idea of distances.

 

[LaurenRitz]

My old broody was confused about the new chicks. They're too old to bond with her, but she wants them. She'll go into their brooder and talk to them, but goes back to her own chicks each time, looking back like she expects the babies to follow.

When I first put them in the brooder it was closed, and she did a lot of pacing in front of it. Took her a day or two to figure out she couldn't get to them.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Most of my birds are rafter roosting. Two are in the run, 5 in the coop including the two oldest roosters and three hens.

I heard a ruckus out there this morning. Even the neighbors dogs were barking like crazy, but at least they were barking from their kennel.

I ran outside, and the coop door was open! Both roosters were out in the yard and their girls nowhere to be found. From the feathers spread around I thought one might be dead, but I found all three girls.

One was hiding under my car, one on the mower, and the third had actually broken through into the "secure" run.

All accounted for, and no apparent injuries.

I thought I had closed that door. I have no idea what got in.

I think I am going to transition the older girls to rafter roosting. I want to get to the point that I don't have to worry if that door accidentally doesn't get closed.

Now that something knows there's a smorgasbord in there, I expect a spate of early morning alarms.

 

[LaurenRitz]

One of my sisters birds has gone broody. Since she doesn't want broodies and I do, she'll bring the pullet here and I'll trade for a bird that doesn't go broody.

The silly bird just started laying a few weeks ago.

I'll give the young lady a chance to raise chicks and see how she does.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Last night only 3 of the birds went back into the coop, probably because of whatever got in there yesterday morning (I accidentally left the door open), so I'm tempted to just leave the coop shut and let those three live in the coop and run. It's 3 I need to eliminate from the breeding program, so that works out.

All the others went into the rafters. Yay! That will put all the birds except the broodies and chicks 100% outside and free range.