South Carolina

[WestKnollAmy]

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My little girl hasn't laid for me but I did put her in with the Gold Neck boy. I know they will be mixes but they will still be cute! I plan to put her in with a Porcelain boy eventually. THOSE will be awesome for me!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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ROTFLMBO
Love it!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Love your new nest boxes now that I see them hung up! I know the girls do, too! You got a real good deal from Jackie. Those will last a long time. I have had mine a few years and just love them. So easy to clean and maintain. The big butted JG and Brahma ladies have a hard time with them but they still get in there to lay eggs!

I can't believe your babies are growing up so much! Seems like yours grow much faster than mine do.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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I watch for droopy birds this time of year. Sometimes they don't even act sick or listless and you just find them already gone. I add vitamins to the water a few times a week anyhow since I never trust most foods unless God made it Himself, like bugs and grasses.
There may be some sneezing, crusty eyes, occasional coughs or even wheezing. Make sure the coop is not closed up at night though even in this cooler night weather. They need plenty of air circulation. I like open air coops and even my shed has windows that stay open unless it is windy like last weekend. I closed the west and south windows to block the wind but left the east window wide open even with new chicks hatched under the Silkies.

For winter, I just block the west, north and south sides of my tractors with tarps or canvas. And sometimes not even that much. They can't protect themselves from wind but they are fine in just cold weather as long as they can cover their feet with their feathers. I usually give them a sleeping roost that is a 2x4 so they can sit on the 4" part. Daytime roosts are usually smaller though.

I give extra protein where ever I can. A lot of birds are molting this time of year and the bugs are quickly disappearing so more meat protein would be good. It helps them get in shape for winter and keeps their bodies in shape for good egg laying. Some people feed cat food. I do not for many reasons. It is high in salt and the cost is crazy. Per pound I can buy more nutritional food for birds. Koi food is often a better choice or some type of fish food. It often comes in small pieces and can be added to the hopper or whatever you are putting their food in.
Chickens are like any other bird and have to touch food with their beaks quite a bit before they will eat some things so mixing it in with their normal food will help get them accustomed to eating it. It sometimes takes several days. A lot of folks say their birds won;t eat some foods and rake it out onto the ground. That is because they know what they need and even though they know pellets or crumbles are food, they are looking for what their body needs. Yes, they have certain foods they love but they also know good nutrition. If they didn't know what they needed to you think they would seriously consume oyster shell?

I have a hen that loves egg yolk. She obviously is deficient in raw protein. She won't bust an egg but she follows me around and begs for the broken or weak eggs. If she sees my egg basket she comes flying! I do oblige her and often feel sorry for her if I don't find a "bad" egg so usually pull out the smallest duck egg and break it for her to slurp up the inside. She is 2 years old and has never broken an egg herself. I can lay an egg down in front of her and she will roll it around looking for a weak spot but if she can't find it she looks back at me to open it for her. That means she isn't too desperate for the yolk but would really appreciate it. Egg eaters come from being in great desperation for needed protein or calcium.

Sorry, got off track there.

You are welcome to visit next week. PM me and we will set up a time good for all of us. I don't have a lot left to sell but you are welcome to see what I do have. With my egg and meal worm business taking off I am able to stop hatching now and evaluate the birds I do have for next spring breeding season.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Just heard from the person I sold a rooster to up in IL that my gorgeous Nugget made it there safe and sound this morning. He was a huge rooster and none of the shipping boxes were really big enough for him but Paul said he made it in great shape and is excited to be out of that cramped box.
Whew! Another shipment gone well.

I'll take that kind of money for a rooster every day of the week! That is 4 roos I have sold and shipped in the past few weeks. I would much rather they be in good homes than trying to fit more in my freezer, though we had a great meal Sunday from a bunch.

 

[FarmerJohn3285]

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Just now tuning back into this thread and saw this!!!!

Another chicken lover added to our group! Well, okay, he/she won't be here for a while but I bet the little booger will be sitting on Daddy's lap and watching the screen. And not long after cooing at the chicken photos and after that.....wow, I better slow down and let you enjoy that new baby! I love babies! Congrats and enjoy!

LOL

Thanks Amy!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Set it but smell it in a week to make sure it is okay.
I do not hatch like most other people. I open my 'bator constantly during incubation and hatching. Well, every day really. Though I must say, my Sportsman is a great work of art and my little styrofoam Genesis has been fantastic as my hatcher. I set 18 eggs in my hatcher the other day and I have 3 eggs left to hatch. I pulled six eggs out a few minutes ago from chicks that were already out. I had 7 Iowa Blues shipped to me and the last one is trying to climb out of HER shell as we speak. All 7 hatched! Shipped from Iowa, mof. I often get 100% hatch on shipped eggs. I hope Jackie's do just as well.

 

[NellaBean]

Amy, I have got to get a picture of one of tthe young mottled cockerels......he has your name all over him. His tail is white and the white feathering is already wrapping up around his shoulders on his back! Strangest thing I've ever seen. I would guess its the hysterical mottling thing where the mottle gene doesn't turn off.....but I bet it will be really neat looking grown up. The younguns have really calmed down....no more vicious attacking. They run to me for food but don't latch onto my arms and hang off anymore

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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Ah, he does sound like what I would want! I love the hysterical mottling but I had one before that was marked up like that as a kid and once he mottled out at 6 months he was a normal mottled. I would have kept him but again, someone came along that offered more than what I wanted to keep him for so off he went. Everything has a price, it just depends on how much I really want to keep one as to how high it is.

The little fella in the outdoor pen with the little blue motty girl is like that! He will nip at me when I pick him up but I think it is a phase for him. My whites never do it as you saw when I opened the brooder to show you the 2 motty girls in that brooder cage. It depends on age as if I worry about them or not. My splash Marans roo, not of my breeding, was like that as a boy. He would grab my arm every time I reached in to get he food or water but once he was outside where he could run off some energy and mature a bit he became fine and is now a very good boy.
I think some can be snots, especially those boys but hopefully we will breed that out of them.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

What a beautiful week it's been! The chickens sure do love it. Me too!