South Carolina

[Joycats]

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I'd buy a chicken farm at Edisto. All of my favorite things in one place - heaven on earth!

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Amy - so sorry about the car. I definitely would NOT let him drive the truck if I were you..... silly man leaving the keys in the car

Nice wind going here now. No rain yet though

We went Saturday and got 1200 lbs of feed for dogs, goats & horses - and 100lbs of that was for chickens.....

DD & I went today and picked up 400lbs of chicken feed - 200 for me, 100lb for DH's buddy at work, 100lbs for layers at the farm.

Gonna pick some more up Friday for the layers. At least another 200lbs.

I hope it is cooler tomorrow. I have been putting off treating the birds cause I don't wanna melt. (Time for the monthly ivermectin )



Chick starter - I don't feed medicated. I have my opinions about cocci and how to avoid it, but have never had it here. DD thought I did in one bird, so I let her treat that pen. I did not tell her I had fed them tomatoes & watermelon & some frozen strawberries the day before

She just saw a little red in some poop from one chick and wanted to be safe

No symptoms were present at all, but the treatment did not hurt anything. Cocci is in the soil naturally - at least where chickens are - and if the bird does not get some of that soil as a small chick to build up immunity, once you put the birds on the ground, they get cocci - especially if older birds are or have been in that area.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Quote:

DH says I will never win because I never play

 

[pinkwindsong]

Quote:
Pink, 20 weeks is suppose to be the magic number for a pullet to start laying so your girls are getting close. If they are outside they will find places to lay outside. If in the pen/chicken house they will look for a place that makes them feel safe and somewhat hidden. I have actual chicken nest in my hen house I bought off ebay, but I have used milk crates and have heard people talk about using 5 gallon buckets. Some hens will just lay on the ground but I found that most of mine really like their nest.

And remember everyone to look carefully in those lower nest before your stick your hand in there--it is snake season! The nest that I found the snake last week was a lower one my dear hubby put in because my cochins don't like to fly into the higer ones.

so in a couple of weeks i need to put them up during the day so they get used to laying in there? I hate to lock them up but aI dont want them to get the idea to lay outside in the backyard bushes either. hummmm need to get a extension cord and a couple fans for the girls..

thanks Pink

 

[RedBugPoultry]

Quote:

DH says I will never win because I never play

I do not play either but my DH does! Can I add 10 acres of shade cloth to my lottery wish list?

 

[pinkwindsong]

Amy Nadine any word on your car? I sure hopes it all works out.. I had my truck stolen one year and they were just joy riding then tried tro catch it on fire. but I had gotten gas the day before so it wouldnt catch.. O got a new shiny paint job out of it..

Pink

 

[RedBugPoultry]

Quote:
Pink, 20 weeks is suppose to be the magic number for a pullet to start laying so your girls are getting close. If they are outside they will find places to lay outside. If in the pen/chicken house they will look for a place that makes them feel safe and somewhat hidden. I have actual chicken nest in my hen house I bought off ebay, but I have used milk crates and have heard people talk about using 5 gallon buckets. Some hens will just lay on the ground but I found that most of mine really like their nest.

And remember everyone to look carefully in those lower nest before your stick your hand in there--it is snake season! The nest that I found the snake last week was a lower one my dear hubby put in because my cochins don't like to fly into the higer ones.

so in a couple of weeks i need to put them up during the day so they get used to laying in there? I hate to lock them up but aI dont want them to get the idea to lay outside in the backyard bushes either. hummmm need to get a extension cord and a couple fans for the girls..

thanks Pink

You could probaby give them until the weather starts to cool down before you pen them. Are they a large breed? Asking because the take longer to start than bantams and smaller breeds. Last year we got our giant cochin around the first of April at one week old and they did not start laying until the middle of November. So 20 weeks is just a guide line people use. Hope this helps some!

 

[pinkwindsong]

Quote:
so in a couple of weeks i need to put them up during the day so they get used to laying in there? I hate to lock them up but aI dont want them to get the idea to lay outside in the backyard bushes either. hummmm need to get a extension cord and a couple fans for the girls..

thanks Pink

You could probaby give them until the weather starts to cool down before you pen them. Are they a large breed? Asking because the take longer to start than bantams and smaller breeds. Last year we got our giant cochin around the first of April at one week old and they did not start laying until the middle of November. So 20 weeks is just a guide line people use. Hope this helps some!

2 dark brahma hens, 2 barred rock hens and 1 white leghorn .. then 2 weeks behind are two EE's... none if them are bantam sized all big kids,,
Pink

 

[FarmerJohn3285]

Sad to report. I'm the latest victim of the heat. Lost my beta rir rooster today.

 

[RedBugPoultry]

2 dark brahma hens, 2 barred rock hens and 1 white leghorn .. then 2 weeks behind are two EE's... none if them are bantam sized all big kids,,
Pink

I think you will be fine with those large birds waiting until it cools down to get them use to their pen and nests. With this heat I am surprised my girls are still laying! When you do put them in though put some fake eggs or golf balls in their new nests so they think someone is already laying there and figure out what they are for all the faster. I have several cochins that are trying to hatch golf balls right now.​