South Carolina

[Cpntherfan]

12 free chicken 2-3 yr old 2rooster 10hens in Eastover on columbia c/l

 

[KrisH]

Not too worried about money up front, but we don't want to end up with 30 birds to ourselves either (Kris is very patient with me, but i don't want to press my luck either) From what I read poults can be tricky to raise and need gamebird starter like Guinea do, but chicks help them survive the first few weeks (they teach the poults how to eat)

RobertH

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

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Yes I fed mine Gamebird feed when they were poults. I think I actually started them on chick starter the first week, then to gamebird feed until they were big enough to roam the yard (about 4-5 months old) . I raised them with the guinea keets & couple of silkie chicks who were too small to stay in there longer than a week.

Guess that would by why my guineas think they are turkeys....or my turkeys think they are guineas!

 

[coleridgedane]

I have a friend in Camden who raises all sorts of turkeys. He has a bunch of poults. I know they're fascinating & fearless yard guards, but I just can't get over that "thing" that hangs off their nose. Ewww. I'd be happy to pass on his #.

 

[KrisH]

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Sure, and what varieties if you know. We go to blythewood regularly, so it's not far out of the way. there is someone else below columbia also.

RobertH

 

[Joycats]

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Fresh is best. Processed food is bad for you.

 

[Joycats]

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I would love some turkeys! What do I need for housing? Could they be raised with chicks for awhile? I'm loving the guineas now. They don't need anything!

Housing for turkeys? SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH do not tell my two they are supposed to have a house

If I do not forget, I will get a pic tomorrow evening of where my turkeys sleep. LOL!

ETA: My BBWs just lived in the barn like the chickens goats & horses

My turkeys don't have a house either. I propped some sheets of plywood up against the fence, piled hay under it and voila - turkey home.

Turkeys are so much fun, I'm amazed at how friendly and "nosey" they are. They're like puppies following us around and I step on one of them everyday. They are HUGE, I would love to have different varieties but I honestly don't think I can afford to feed them. And Kimberly, there's no way my turkeys could ever leave the ground much less make up into a tree! They are HUGE!

 

[Joycats]

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That is called a snood and it's so funny to watch as it changes based on their emotions. When the Tom is showing off his snood will hang way down below his chin, his face changes color too. Sometimes his face is red, sometimes blue and sometimes purple. The snood shrinks up when he's focused on eating and it almost disappears. Turkeys have been an educational experience for us. I really like them, I just hope they stay friendly. My friend had a pet Tom Turkey and when spring arrived he got really aggressive with her. He knocked her on the ground and was flogging her, her husband had to move the bird off of her. They can get really heavy, my Tom weighs at least 50 pounds. I'll have to get a video of him walking around, it's hilarious - they waddle like ducks.

 

[jeeping31]

12 free chicken 2-3 yr old 2rooster 10hens in Eastover on columbia c/l



Cpntherfan what kind of hens? Looking to get two more hens right now got 6 pullets.​

 

[RedBugPoultry]

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Right now I smell like BBQ'd chicken. OK Burned Chicken...


I am having a genius day.... decided to do some rearranging....took silkies out of their pen and into the basement. Decided to put the only girls I want to keep out of my pet/layer pen into the no-longer-a-silkie pen, along with one silkie roo & my sizzle.

I am such a dork - I forgot the heat lamp was down low for the silkies...when coming out of the basement Nicole says "Something is on fire - I see smoke"

OH S

T!!

The big girls tried to cram under that light - I have no idea why - they are not used to a light...it was almost dark and not that cold either!

Barney (Barnevelder hen I think) got the worst of it....burned a bunch of feathers off....skin is not exposed though. Nancy (SLW) has brown on her side where she was getting toasty.

Needless to say, there is NO lamp in there now!

Those girls are so smart, they saw their new home had a fancy heating system and they were just trying it out. Honestly, I've found that if you offer heat to a chicken in this weather, they will all accept it graciously. It's too bloody cold out there and I'm ready for springtime.

Burrr, I agree! I am ready for springtime too!!

Chicky, have you just tried a 75 watt bulb? I have chicks out in a hutch with just a 75 watt bulb and I have not checked on them this morning but they were doing ok yesterday. The light was keeping their water from freezing in the hutch too. I have plastic around the sides of the hutch and a big tray of sand under the light for them to keep out of the cold draft but I am sure it would work for the bigger chickens too. They do try to get as close as possible to that heat. I have not offered any heat to the bigger chickens here but it has only gotten down to 22 degrees so far. I have been closing everything up that I can for less drafts. I am sure you guys are have it much worse up there.

Keep warm everyone--I hear there is a thaw coming! Probably short lived but hopefully a little warmer!