Surviving Minnesota!

[KlopKlop]

Found a family portrait today as I was cleaning up.



I thought there were too many dogs and not enough bunnies (people and poultry are accurate, though!), but she had also drawn the ram wethers and told me we don't count the baby animals, just the breeders. This kid always gives me a laugh.

Also, I'm getting a representative egg from all the girls except the one or two Olive Eggers that I *think* I made last year. No silkie or guinea eggs yet, either.


I should really get a white egg layer, but I wasn't terribly impressed with the leghorns I had a couple years ago. Too flighty and it seems like my other birds lay just as well as they did. My silkies lay almost a pink tinted egg.

And I'll just leave this here.


It's from last year, of course.

I have 2 leghorns that were TSC specials. They are super friendly and always the first to greet me at the feed shed for treats! we like them

If you dont like the white ones, Hoovers sells brown leghorns (still lay white eggs)
We may get a few this year. They make good eye candy

 

[Dandelioness]

Where are you at dandelioness? I am in elk river. This is my (our) first time raising chickens so the poor things are the teachers. I was thinking of putting in a 50 watt ceramic heater
way up high in the coop. Just to basically warm it a bit at night and then i will have to pull that slowly too in the next few weeks. I have all hens. 2 amaracauna's, 2 gold lace wyandottes, and 2 buff orpingtons. I would say they are 90% feathered out at 5 ish weeks. They have some down yet around their neck and bellys but have full feathers. They are about the size of a blue jay now. Wow they seem to be growing as we speak. lol

I'm over in Chisago county. My aunt lived in Elk River years ago. I had a friend break me into chickens several years ago, at my request. Now she's my sheep enabler, too. My first flock was a mixed heavy breed special from Sand Hill Preservation. I got 50 little chicks and a checklist that said how many I had of each, but the chicks themselves were not marked. The kids and I had a lot of fun figuring out what we had. There were blue jersey giants, iowa blues, speckled sussex, orloffs, gold and silver laced wyandottes (not all on one chicken!), rhode island whites and reds, orpington, cochin, mottled java, and I can't even remember what else now. My prize Rhode Island Red rooster from that batch died earlier this winter. He was so sweet we could just pick him up and walk around with him. I think you'll like the breeds you have. I imagine you've done your research on temperament if you chose those for your first flock. I haven't ever had Ameraucanas, just the easter eggers which are usually either off-type/sport Ameraucanas or mutts. I have layers and also raise meat birds for myself and others.

I usually brood in the spring, because I do not have an indoor brooding area. I have a night box with a run - the heating plate or (in the past) heat lamp for chicks was in one corner of the box, and I put food and water out in the grassy run. The chicks would go in and out and self regulate themselves. I think they feather out quicker that way. This is totally outside, though, and typically not until last week of april/first week of may.

You may enjoy this thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update Any way that you can let them come and go from the heat will be better for them. I was considering the ceramic bulb - a reptile bulb, right? - that you're talking about when I switched away from heat lamps. I think you could definitely set something up for them with that, using the cave idea in that thread.

Here's another idea you might like: http://www.plamondon.com/pasture_hover.html

Don't be shy about pictures!!

 

[KlopKlop]

I have to call Hoovers today but I'm hoping to have chicks next Friday very very excited to have chicks again.

I think I will brood a week or two in my basement then finish them in my shop where I brooded last year. I am just not comfortable with keeping the shop brooder warm enough this time of year for day olds

 

[Cluckies]

Morning folks, I'm way behind on reading, I'll try and get caught up this weekend. Mom had knee replacement surgery, everything went well. But very busy week. Have a great one. Not looking forward to more snow though...

 

[KlopKlop]

Hey cluckies! Good to see you.

How is the flock

 

[duluthralphie]

Morning folks, I'm way behind on reading, I'll try and get caught up this weekend. Mom had knee replacement surgery, everything went well. But very busy week. Have a great one. Not looking forward to more snow though...

More what?? Where?? When?? Why??

NO, I refuse to take any. I took my plow off the bobcat. sorry.

 

[duluthralphie]

Yesterday was a bad day, I learned WAY too many things for one day..

I have to thank Ivie though, Judy and I learned how to put that cute little splice she uses on a chick with a twisted leg.

I had a chick that had poked a dime size hole in an egg and then just sat there for 14 hours. I never know when to help them. I decided to break the shell over the air sac off and see what was happening. The little girl was in there but not moving. I find I can break little pieces until I get to a "damp" are or bleeding area. I never found it on this one. She was dry in her shell. She had been in t so long her neck had a kink, not as bad as SC had and a bum leg.i

I called Ivie and she told Judy how to put the splint thingy on her. She is now splinted in her own incubator. She is so cute though, and she loves when I massage her neck, She just closes her eyes and almost falls asleep during the massage.


That was one thing I learned.


The next thing I learned has to deal with sex. I learned the CX hens are too large for Bert Jr to inseminate. Bert Jr is not really a light weight either. I think it is like two BBW or BBB turkeys trying to breed. the only way it could happen is AI. If I continue the Toad Experiment I will use Rainbows and CX roosters. We know that works as I have Bert Jr. I am even thinking of putting my Rainbow hens in with Bert Jr and see if that works.

That is second thing I learned.


The 3rd thing I learned is chicken experts online do not always know what they are talking about (that would include me, if I considered myself an expert). These experts are saying the only CLB's that can have white chicks are lines A & B. It is pretty obvious I have lines C, D or Rees. It is also pretty obvious I have white chicks.

When I read the proposed SOP's for CLB's and watch the discussions that take place, each person very vocally involved in "writing" the SOP's have a very personal stake oin getting the SOP's to include their birds and excluding as many others as possible. BTW a 7 pound CLB would be a giant! They are even fighting over the "color" allowed, that again seems to be aimed at the color shades certain loud pushy people have....

I learned a brine soaked beef rib smoked for hours are inedible and will be chicken and dog treats.


See way too much for me on one day!

 

[lvie]

Yesterday was a bad day, I learned WAY too many things for one day..

I have to thank Ivie though, Judy and I learned how to put that cute little splice she uses on a chick with a twisted leg.

I had a chick that had poked a dime size hole in an egg and then just sat there for 14 hours. I never know when to help them. I decided to break the shell over the air sac off and see what was happening. The little girl was in there but not moving. I find I can break little pieces until I get to a "damp" are or bleeding area. I never found it on this one. She was dry in her shell. She had been in t so long her neck had a kink, not as bad as SC had and a bum leg.i

I called Ivie and she told Judy how to put the splint thingy on her. She is now splinted in her own incubator. She is so cute though, and she loves when I massage her neck, She just closes her eyes and almost falls asleep during the massage.


That was one thing I learned.


The next thing I learned has to deal with sex. I learned the CX hens are too large for Bert Jr to inseminate. Bert Jr is not really a light weight either. I think it is like two BBW or BBB turkeys trying to breed. the only way it could happen is AI. If I continue the Toad Experiment I will use Rainbows and CX roosters. We know that works as I have Bert Jr. I am even thinking of putting my Rainbow hens in with Bert Jr and see if that works.

That is second thing I learned.


The 3rd thing I learned is chicken experts online do not always know what they are talking about (that would include me, if I considered myself an expert). These experts are saying the only CLB's that can have white chicks are lines A & B. It is pretty obvious I have lines C, D or Rees. It is also pretty obvious I have white chicks.

When I read the proposed SOP's for CLB's and watch the discussions that take place, each person very vocally involved in "writing" the SOP's have a very personal stake oin getting the SOP's to include their birds and excluding as many others as possible. BTW a 7 pound CLB would be a giant! They are even fighting over the "color" allowed, that again seems to be aimed at the color shades certain loud pushy people have....

I learned a brine soaked beef rib smoked for hours are inedible and will be chicken and dog treats.


See way too much for me on one day!

Oh my. That is alot of information to absorb! You must rest and recuperate today. Don't forget the polyvisol and vitamin E for the deformed chickie. I have both and will run it out if you need it. I know the weather is suppose to change this afternoon so I am going to walk my dogs in a few minutes. Then,, although I have bathrooms to clean (yes, I am whining) I am going to sit at the computer - again - and finish balancing these capitol one business statements. I am adapt at balancing the bank statements - i know how to balance statements - these are on a learning curve but I am adjusting and starting to appreciate that they send one statement for three different card numbers. Its all business ya know.

Talked to JoAnn at Runnings a couple days ago. Chicks are suppose to arrive March 15th, which is about two weeks earlier than Runnings usually has them in. For sure on March 16th. She ordered many different kinds. My DH is going to pack my bags. Remember me Ralphie - maybe you can build me a temporary coop to live in - he will want me back soonly to take care of all the birds. Poor guy.

 

[lilbear412]

Yes i have one of those ceramic heater plates. we have a 100 and 50 watt. We turned the heat down to the 50's in the brooder room now so if we put that ceramic 50 watt in the coop and use it in the overnight mostly when the weather is colder then that will work nicely. then as the weather gets nicer i will set a timer and use it less and less. LOVE timers. I got my chicks in February because i wanted eggs this summer and i was told the earlier i get them the better so i don't push them into egg production come October or November. LOL I have read about that heat pad brooder. I was going to do that and then we found the plate's. I think its an awesome idea and mimics mommy. I am also planning on getting some cx chicks for meat. I will start with like 10 in a tractor and put some meat in my freezer for summer. Mid summer if that works out good i will try another 10 and put chicken in the freezer for winter. If it works out ok i might try selling some next summer. I have never thought about that until you said you sell some. Pictures of my little girls... i will try. ha I have to post so many posts before i can put pictures on here i guess as when i click on the attach icon it tells me i don't have permission to attach. thanks for all your advice. you have helped a lot

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, has there been anything written on CLB thread about the SOP from the UK? I believe that they have a SOP for the CLB, and that it has been in effect for many years? It would seem a no brainer to simply adopt that, although the way APA works they might not go along with it?