Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[Lotsapaints]

Mine are 13 weeks and still not crowing the Partridge Rocks are trying that are the same age not doing too well either thank goodness!

 

[kathyinmo]

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Honestly! My 5month old boys do NOT crow! Really!

 

[kathyinmo]

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HOT? Are you kiddin me. I have had nothing but rain and muck for what seems like weeks on end! Finally got nice weather the past 2 days (around 80), and the forcast shows more rain starts tomorrow!

Meet ya half way!

Actually, my cousin is a trucker, and he goes from here (or Iowa) to Florida quite frequently!

Hmmm, I need to talk to him ..... Maybe we can get a cross country (chicken) relay going, huh? Instead of handing off a baton, they hand off a chicken!

I did not post any pictures (and you know I have thousands of those!), and I did not post my phone number! They have to email me, and after our initial contact, I decide.

http://joplin.craigslist.org/grd/1755574528.html

 

[Cetawin]

You have blue things that are not orpingtons hmmmmmmm and silkies hmmmmmm talk to me about this truck driving cousin.

I would get in a relay that did not require me running or jumping hurdles but that I could grab a chicken to keep. hahaha New olympic sport The Chicken Relay

 

[jeremy]

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Are you selling your Lavender Orpingtons Kathy?

 

[speckledhen]

Kathy, I was wondering how you handled all that with your nursing job! It's okay. I know how it feels to get in too deep. I'm wanting to go down to about 15-20 layers, over time. Cetawin will be taking my black Orpington hen and possibly my younger blue Ameraucana, Nora, home with her. I was even thinking about selling one of the blue Rock pullets and maybe Levi. If Levi is a good boy and Dutch accepts him in the flock, it would be hard to lose him, though. I need a wattle-less wonder for the mouthy Delaware ladies--I want to tell 'em "peck that, why don't ya?" LOL.

 

[kathyinmo]

I'll tell ya what really made up my mind ... This crappy weather, all wet and dreary .... Missouri is just a big rock, sprinkled with a little clay dirt, ya know. The drainage is poor. Anytime it rains there are flood watches! Anyway, this causes standing puddles of putrid standing water, with rotted and decaying vegetatation (leaves, grass clippings, etc), and mold, mildew, fungus, maggots, etc.... I let my birds take turns out free ranging. Of course they get into every single puddle and near the tree bases, etc (alot of timber where they range). I have had 7 cases of botulism the past 2 weeks. I was able to save 3 of them, lost 3, and 1 is still iffy. I can not stand to lose a bird. A dead chicken to me feels like I failed them. Plain and simple, I do not have time to handfeed sick birds, after I have treated them. I also felt ashamed that I didn't notice it earlier on one advanced case I found. I try to take time every day to really look at my birds, and do a quick check over. How did I miss that one?

If you recall (some of you may), it was just about a year ago when I experienced my first case of botulism. I learned a whole lot from that! Here is the thread on it. It is now a sticky on the Emergencies forum, and it makes me smile when someone sends me a PM to say that the thread saved the life of one of their birds. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=219553 Anyway, one of later signs is feathers being loose. The other day, I discovered one was in the late stages, and the feathers nearly came off in my hand, they were so loose. It made me sick, and so angry with myself. Some chicken farmers may mark off their losses and say it is to be expected (especially with large numbers of birds). I can not do that. Botulism can kill your bird quickly, and they must be treated or they are doomed. Time is of the essence! Having too many chickens caused me to overlook one sick bird, and she is dead. I do not want this to happen. I will decrease my population, so I can be more attentive to the ones I have.

 

[joletabey]

Oh Kathy, hugs to you!!! I understand the feeling of being overwhelmed, and you have been an absolute superwoman with all this. I wish I could take on some more. . . . . I might could squish in another orp hen or two, but I agree with Cetawin about the heat- if this relay thing works, I could drive to somewhere in Georgia????

 

[Laney]

Kathy,

I am so sorry you have to downsize, and for your loss of birds. I know that I can not handle more than my two breeds. My daughter has her Barred Rocks from Cyn, and now her New Hampshire Reds for her 4H poultry project, but she knows they are HER birds...I just can't handle more. If I'm going to do justice to the breeds I have, then I can only focus on the two. I still have a few layers, a couple of cochins, some silver phoenix etc. But if I have to downsize, they would be the first to go.

I have people already wanting chickens from me, so I know I won't have trouble placing any that need new homes.

Biden went to a new home two days ago. He went to live with some Hens that were having trouble keeping a rooster. It seems the hens were too aggressive. Sounded like a perfect match to me. My girls are finally growing their feathers back, the skin on their backs is healing from the 2 weeks that Biden spent in the punishment pen. I think his new girlfriends will show him what his place is, and they will get along just fine.

Right now I have about 30 birds with about 7 being Roosters, all roosters being juveniles right now. I know the count on the Roosters is accurate....the count on the Hens is a chicken lovers estimate

Laney

 

[Cetawin]

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uh ummm would that Blue Rock be big enough for Thor?

Thor needs a harem of big women you know.

I think I shall just rent a suburban, bring plenty of cash, an extra crate (or 2) and we can go straight to Suede's pen ummmm I mean look around and see who else wants to come to Kentucky.

I sure hope Dutchie and Levi can just get along.