South Dakota here

[Jeep Hound]

Cochins are of the large fowl variety. I was told they are over a year old still waiting to see an egg. It has been over a week since they moved in.

 

[SouthDakotan]

Cochins are of the large fowl variety. I was told they are over a year old still waiting to see an egg. It has been over a week since they moved in.

Cochins are slow to mature. They may take longer than a year. I know my Orpington hens too almost a year, and yet their lighter breed "cousins" in the flock were laying for a while before they even started. But my Orpingtons had their benefits too. If you got Cochins for their visual appeal, not just egg production, you will love them even if they never laid! But if you are out to get eggs and that is your number one goal, then consider some of the lighter weight breeds who are quick to start producing eggs. I love the look of Cochins! I wish I had some in my flock, but I don't.

 

[SouthDakotan]

Thought I would show you all my newest breeding cage. Its a raised cage for one of my bantams. breeds. I am looking at making about four more elevated hatches, but also plan on making a couple more chicken tractors.







I've also made my first homemade brooder. Its not fancy, but I got the idea from the DIY thread here on BYCs. You use a clear tub and place a window screen over it. I took the screen and attached it to the rim of the tub by piercing holes into the rim of the tub and the screen and then lacing a twine threw the holes. So it acts like a hinge. The screening is metal, not plastic so the heat of the lamp when put in place won't be an issue for the screen.
The tub has a thermometer tape to the wall of the tub, facing out, so that can keep an eye on the temperature inside the tub. I used a larger tub so that the chicks can move under the lamp or away from it if they are too warm. Once my chicks arrive, I will take a new picture with the baby birds inside.

 

[Mrs Doolittle]

South Dakotan here! I'm in Sioux Falls. First year having chickens, and we have 7. 3 Reds, 1 Delaware (I'm pretty sure.), 1 Turken, 1 Silkie, and 1 unknown so far.

 

[Mrs Doolittle]

I know I am kind of late to the party here, but I am in Sioux Falls. I don't have chickens yet, but they are on order (4 started pullets; 2 barred rock and 2 easter eggers) and should get here in May. I have been wanting chickens pretty much all my life, and when I found out (last year) that Sioux Falls allows them in city limits I started doing research. It took me awhile to talk my husband around to the idea, but he is humoring me. The kids thought I had lost my mind, but they are coming around.

Now my mother is insisting that we need a duck, but I think I will need another year to talk my husband into it.

Hey you!!! lol

 

[SouthDakotan]

South Dakotan here! I'm in Sioux Falls. First year having chickens, and we have 7. 3 Reds, 1 Delaware (I'm pretty sure.), 1 Turken, 1 Silkie, and 1 unknown so far.

This is awesome! Welcome to SD's BYC thread! We have one for East River, SD too! Just look for East River in the search section. Figured we could thus improve our connections and networking abilities.

I'm up by Brookings, in the small artsy community of Bushnell. I'm "restocking" my poultry numbers. I currently have just two egg layer duck hens and a pair of muscovies. End of the week, they will be joined by 15 or so more ducks. The beginning of the next week, my King Pigeons arrive. Week after that my "old hens" arrive that are a mixed flock that are being replaced by some young pullets at their current farm. Then at the end of the month my baby chickens and ducklings arrive. So its all changing this month! I'm very excited to have my flocks back! I got rid of my flocks a year ago when we decided to do some major remodeling of their coops and it meant there would be no winter accommodations. I'm also getting a breeding set (three hens & one roo) of Silkies. That is the week of the 18th.

Anisah

 

[Mrs Doolittle]

This is awesome! Welcome to SD's BYC thread! We have one for East River, SD too! Just look for East River in the search section. Figured we could thus improve our connections and networking abilities.

I'm up by Brookings, in the small artsy community of Bushnell. I'm "restocking" my poultry numbers. I currently have just two egg layer duck hens and a pair of muscovies. End of the week, they will be joined by 15 or so more ducks. The beginning of the next week, my King Pigeons arrive. Week after that my "old hens" arrive that are a mixed flock that are being replaced by some young pullets at their current farm. Then at the end of the month my baby chickens and ducklings arrive. So its all changing this month! I'm very excited to have my flocks back! I got rid of my flocks a year ago when we decided to do some major remodeling of their coops and it meant there would be no winter accommodations. I'm also getting a breeding set (three hens & one roo) of Silkies. That is the week of the 18th.

Anisah

So exciting!

And thanks to BYC, my unknown has been identified as a Golden Lakenvelder hen. Woot!

 

[Magpie31]

Hey you!!! lol

Oh. So thats how you recognized me.

 

[NancyWicker]

Mrs Doolittle, you have a Golden Lakenvelder? Those are SO pretty! If I do an order from Sand Hill this year I am definately going to have Golden Lakenvelders on it.
We got to work on our coop all weekend, and then this WIND yesterday and today! Guess that's South Dakota for you.

 

[Mrs Doolittle]

Mrs Doolittle, you have a Golden Lakenvelder? Those are SO pretty! If I do an order from Sand Hill this year I am definately going to have Golden Lakenvelders on it.
We got to work on our coop all weekend, and then this WIND yesterday and today! Guess that's South Dakota for you.

Apparently so. She's pretty but very skittish!