Surviving Minnesota!

[DwayneNLiz]

Phone works.
I don't know technological stuff.

phone line generally carries 50-60 volts hence why you can still use it when power is out

Morning . We had rain during the night .

glad it is over your way, i left my sun roof open
oops

 

[ejb3810]

MnchickMom, in my experience the Orpingtons were not a thrifty chicken. Too big and gluttonous. Egg production was just average.
Having stated this, I would say that if a person lived near someone that would be a good mentor then you would probably be well advised to go with the breed which they specialize in. After the learning curve has advanced then you could move on to some other breed which strikes your fancy.

 

[MNChickMom]

RIP COLTEN -

We just lost our Breeder Buff Orpington Roo, he was injured in a fight with a tom cat on Monday. We believe he had nuerological injuries as he tremored occasionally and could not turn or lift his head. Every 3 hours we syringe fed him 6 mls of vitamin water. Last evening I heard a little bit of gurgling like aspiration. He did have 2 visible gashes to the head that I treated with Vetricin.

I am so angry with myself because we put him in the hen crate (large chicken crate used to transport chickens to fair) on Sunday night, as my husband was building his breeding pen for his girlfriends. So we did the chicken shuffle and said for 1 day he will be fine in a 3x4 crate. Well the tom cat broke the top board of the crate and entered.

 

[BantyChooks]

Local breeder. My "lorps" are really sweet! One in particular would like to be a lapper, but my turkey Daisy won't allow it.
View attachment 1140794

Pretty!

MnchickMom, in my experience the Orpingtons were not a thrifty chicken. Too big and gluttonous. Egg production was just average.
Having stated this, I would say that if a person lived near someone that would be a good mentor then you would probably be well advised to go with the breed which they specialize in. After the learning curve has advanced then you could move on to some other breed which strikes your fancy.

Agree.... My orps ate as much as 2 other layers combined and gave half the eggs. They sure were pretty though.

 

[BantyChooks]

:

RIP COLTEN -

We just lost our Breeder Buff Orpington Roo, he was injured in a fight with a tom cat on Monday. We believe he had nuerological injuries as he tremored occasionally and could not turn or lift his head. Every 3 hours we syringe fed him 6 mls of vitamin water. Last evening I heard a little bit of gurgling like aspiration. He did have 2 visible gashes to the head that I treated with Vetricin.

I am so angry with myself because we put him in the hen crate (large chicken crate used to transport chickens to fair) on Sunday night, as my husband was building his breeding pen for his girlfriends. So we did the chicken shuffle and said for 1 day he will be fine in a 3x4 crate. Well the tom cat broke the top board of the crate and entered.

I'm so sorry.

 

[Cebarmlds]

Thunder storm about 1am still no power. We are usually last to get power restored because not many people on the line.
Cellphone works but I'll have to go for a drive to charge it. Will need to get ice any way.

 

[Cebarmlds]

I had buff Orpington hatchery type a few years ago very friendly laid ok the first year. Wouldn't get them again unless they were from a breeder.

 

[holm25]

My only issue with the Orps so far is that only one of my two hens has ever laid and that they do have quite the feed intake. BUT I love how big and docile they are. I have a thing for big birds and if these guys had peacombs they would be almost perfect.



I do manage to keep Single combs intact all winter without heat. I'm not sure how but I do... I'm planning on keeping back slot of birds I hatched this fall to keep the coop warm... We will see if it helps... I think I can keep 65-75 birds in my coop with all the extra roost room I have. I'm not sure...


And then I have all my show/breeder birds that stay in cages... I don't keep my males caged though... I just toss them in with the hens 2-3 times a week so they can do their job... Otherwise my hens get so beat up... We are gonna possibly make a new coop and run for my turkeys next spring and if we do I will move all my roosters except for one to that pen unless they are being used for breeding... Other wise I have too many roosters running around... I have over 10 roosters right now that are running around... Not all are sexually mature yet but they are getting there!

 

[holm25]

My hatchery Irps were great and at 4 years old they still lay 4-5 eggs a week per bird. My Australorps on the other hand are still 5-6 a week. Those birds have earned permanent homes and will probably die here. 3 of them are some of the most reliable broodies. I have one that has hatched 3 batches of babies this year..

 

[duluthralphie]

RIP COLTEN -

We just lost our Breeder Buff Orpington Roo, he was injured in a fight with a tom cat on Monday. We believe he had nuerological injuries as he tremored occasionally and could not turn or lift his head. Every 3 hours we syringe fed him 6 mls of vitamin water. Last evening I heard a little bit of gurgling like aspiration. He did have 2 visible gashes to the head that I treated with Vetricin.

I am so angry with myself because we put him in the hen crate (large chicken crate used to transport chickens to fair) on Sunday night, as my husband was building his breeding pen for his girlfriends. So we did the chicken shuffle and said for 1 day he will be fine in a 3x4 crate. Well the tom cat broke the top board of the crate and entered.

Bummer, ,,I hope the Tom Cat is now extinct.