South Carolina

[fisharescary]

We're going to be more in the Summerville area, so I think we're on opposite sides of Charleston, but still, I'd be willing to drive over to your side if there's a really good store/significantly better prices that way. Or if you can recommend a chain of stores in particular, that could be useful. I know nothing about the area. I mean, I've never lived anywhere in the SouthEast before at all. And it's just ducks for now. Honestly I've always found chickens a little too scary with their pointy beaks and claw feet and reptilian eyes and ominous noises they make in their throats. I've been told before that this is a nonsense fear, and I must agree it's silly, but I'm just not in a rush to get something I'm afraid of. Plus ducks sound a little hardier and easier to take care of, and this will be my first poultry. Maybe one day I'll add chickens-I'm absorbing some of the enthusiasm of the chicken-keepers here, and also considering that maybe I just never met the right kind of chicken. Some of them look friendlier than others when I look through the pictures people post.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:

It's all true! They are a lot like pteradactyls! In my experience, the bantam Cochins are pretty good natured.

I just got 4 ducks, 3 Mallards and a Khaki Campbell, after 20 years or so of not having them. Boy oh boy, they are sooooo messy- mud everywhere. But I adore them, and evenings are often spent watching them.

Not sure which area of S'ville you will be in, but there is a highway 165 that drops from S'ville to Hollywood. Guessing about 25 miles?
If I recall correctly, there is a feed store just across I-26 from S'ville, On whatever street it is that's like an extension on Main St.? I drove way up there a few years ago for BR hens, and the customer service was good, feeds were all fresh - a pleasant experience overall. I found them in the yellow pages.

Welcome to the southeast, where did you move from?

 

[fisharescary]

Quote:

It's all true! They are a lot like pteradactyls! In my experience, the bantam Cochins are pretty good natured.

I just got 4 ducks, 3 Mallards and a Khaki Campbell, after 20 years or so of not having them. Boy oh boy, they are sooooo messy- mud everywhere. But I adore them, and evenings are often spent watching them.

Not sure which area of S'ville you will be in, but there is a highway 165 that drops from S'ville to Hollywood. Guessing about 25 miles?
If I recall correctly, there is a feed store just across I-26 from S'ville, On whatever street it is that's like an extension on Main St.? I drove way up there a few years ago for BR hens, and the customer service was good, feeds were all fresh - a pleasant experience overall. I found them in the yellow pages.

Welcome to the southeast, where did you move from?

Well, husband and I both grew up in Vermont, but the Navy carries us about and the last home before this one was Washington state.
I searched around and I think you're talking about the Tractor Supply Co- looks easy to get to from the hotel, so I'm gonna go start checking prices and whatnot soon as I decide I want a pleasant task.

Another local-based duck question: I found these plants growing on our hopeful future lawn. I thought they were wild strawberries, but my husband says they're not. What grows in this area and looks like a low ground cover with berries that look like teeny tiny red round strawberries? Is it poisonous ? I'm sure the ducks will think they're interesting if I leave them there.

 

[Marlaina]

Conway, SC here!

I keep meaning to introduce myself in this thread but I somehow keep forgetting.

 

[ranchhand]

fishes, I'm not sure what plants those are. I'd suggest calling the local Agricultural Extension Office. They've helped me a bunch!

Hi Marlaina! I sure wish more SC folks were down my way!

One reason is that I have a buy it now going on for 13 RIR chicks, 11 pullets and 2 cockerals. If anyone's interested, look here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=334864

 

[sc anderson]

Quote:
Hello to you Marlaina!! From all of us in Anderson SC.

 

[Orange Crush]

Greetings! My name is Mandy and I'm in the Charleston (West Ashley) area. I've been reading here over a year but we finally brought home our girls yesterday. We have 3 black Australorps and 2 buff Orpingtons. I'm excited to start this journey...though we already are dealing with predators (opossums). I didn't expect that the first night home. I look forward to learning more here!

-Mandy

 

[juliette2009]

Quote:
Hello, Mandy!

I raise Seramas and am located on Wadmalaw Island, just south of you...

Yes, predators are rampant in this area! I would suggest looking at Nite Guards, a solar powered, red-blinking LED light. I have one on all four sides of my coop/runs, and I have not had a racoon attack for an entire year...Prior to that, we lost count of how many we caught. I highly recommend them!

 

[ranchhand]

Hi Mandy,

Congratulations on your new flock!

I'm just down the highway from you, in Hollywood proper. Those possums can be really horrible, build coop Fort Knox - and then reinforce it even more. I haven't tried the Nite Guards, but I have heard a lot of folks say they really work great!
Juliette, if they work on raccoons I may have to invest. We haven't had raccoons yet, but we've got everything else. Last fall, when there were deer hanging around, we had some large critter hanging out in the woods at night. Never did figure out what it was, but I'll never forget the "coughing" sound it made.

Hope everyone is enjoying the actual spring we're having this year!

 

[phoneman]

hello from sumter s.c. i just found this threadd. i have blr wyandottes light bramas, dark bramas, silver laced wyandottes large fowl and milli fleur cochin bantams, jumbo ringneck pheasants,yellow gold phesants,b red turkeys. and 200+eggs in bator