Surviving Minnesota!

[jerryse]

So here is another way to sex birds .

 

[KlopKlop]

Post pics!

I do love the little yellow puff balls


I first left the post office with 2 boxes of chicks they said were mine. I was confused and opened the packing slips in the truck to find that one box is for the local farm and feed store. Somebody (USPS or hoovers) marked the boxes '1 of 2' and '2 of 2' so the post lady thought they were together. I almost kept them

 

[KlopKlop]

I should also say that I am a little miffed that they didnt send any extras. a box of 50 should have at least 1 extra packing peanut.
I am going to talk to Hoovers today and let them know the frustration I am dealing with. I know there is some variability in chick hatching and PO service and all but this particular order is going to give me an ulcer!

 

[duluthralphie]

Another fine day in the Banana Belt should be 75 by 4 pm today, Sunny skies and a light breeze of less than 1 knot from the south.*

I am going to Runnings this morning. I need to get something to trim the Butt Feathers on Ed with. One of the articles I was reading on trimming butt feathers said you could just pull them. I am not sure if I have the heart to pluck feathers off a bird with a head still on it's back. I also saw some say I have to be careful to not leave sharp ends that impede breeding. Arrghh

Well it will not really matter for a week or so, until one of these tow hens decides to stop being broody. Does anyone know if putting 2 broodies in the same pen shortens, lengthens or has no effect on the broody time?

King George was beating on Bert last night it took me a couple minutes to get to Bert as they were in the far back pen of one of the breeding pens I had used on a group of turkeys. By the time I got to Bert and got King George out of there Bert had a bloody crown. Not too bad like all head wounds it looks worse than it is. King George was having a bad day. I let the Brits out early yesterday, I only have Sven as a rooster in the layer coop. I have noticed Sven does not patrol a large area he stays within a 100 ft or so of his coop. King George patrols a larger area but seldom comes to the Layer coop area.

Yesterday King George decided he wanted to expand the size of his haram. The only place he could look for new women was Sven's haram. King George managed to pull an Ole and raped a EE hen in the driveway about 150 ft from the layer coop. By the time Sven got there the King was done with the deed. A little later, I was filling the wild bird feeders, the hens know I am a klutz and try to trip me when I add feed to the feeders, I might accidentally on purpose drop a few treats for them too, the King saw the gathering of hens and came running over to them. I went back inside. When I left Sven also went to the feeders.

For a few minutes the King just ate spilled seeds while Sven watched him to make sure the King behaved himself. Sven then decided to show who was boss, I was watching from inside, he stood up tall and let out a loud crow. This ticked the King off and the détente was over. The king lunged at Sven. Bot h of them had their hackles out as far as they could get them. They looked like they had paper plates around their necks they were so far out! The lunged at each other a few times. I was going to go out and break them up, but knowing they needed to settle the pecking order I let it go awhile. They were not really attacking each other anymore, they just had their hackles out while they pecked at the seeds. Then they would back off and make a feint then break it off. I am not sure how it ended it appeared they both just agreed to stop fighting as they walked away with hackles out. If I had to guess I would say Sven won, as he crowed when the King was about 15 ft away and the King never responded back to it.

Then later after Sven and most the layers had went into the coop, the King approached the layer coop door, Sven made a crow and the King turned tail and ran away, Which is when he went and beat on Bert. Which leads me to think Sven had won.

Also I noticed last night Sven has moved the hens from the back of the coop to the front. When Ed was in the coop he was top roo, when I moved him to the breeding pen there was an opening for top Roo. Sven was the one that filled the void, Chauncy was not very aggressive. Ed use to sit by the door to the run, Sven when he became top roo moved from the back of the coop to sitting right above the human/chicken door to the outside. At first he sat alone up there with the guineas. Last night I noticed the guineas and a few chicken hens are in the rear of the coop and most the hens sit with Sven at the door. It will be interesting when Ed comes back to the coop.

Long and boring, going on and on, I just find it amazing to watch the chicken behaviors, and have no life so I relay it all to you guys.

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, just to set the record straight. I don't believe that you owe me anything. I am not a politician who does favors expecting someone to be beholden to me. If at some point you had PC beyond your needs and wants I may be interested in some, but I would not expect you would owe them to me and would not be opposed to paying what they are worth.
I am to a large degree with Jerry on the keep it simple theory. I have never trimmed a vent on any chicken and don't intend to start. I do not have 100% hatch rate, but I have what I consider good results. If someone wants to trim feathers to promote peak or improved fertility that is fine. Another consideration is health and fitness. I have never seen your birds but may guess that they are in no way underfed. An overweight and out of prime physical condition bird (especially rooster) can have lower fertility and libido? You might consider initiating an exercise program with time on a treadmill for birds in question? That last sentence was an attempt at humor.

I choose to keep chickens that strike my fancy, as I think most do. I do not like frostbitten combs, and I don't want to provide housing which significantly modifies the natural environment. A coop with insulation and protection from wind and moisture is what my birds live in. I do not and do not plan to house any in a heated environment. If I decide to get serious about showing birds again I might change that so that I could hatch and raise birds that are mature enough to compete well?

Many breeds of hen can withstand the winter conditions (even in my location and housing) without comb damage. But roosters with single combs can not. That is why I favor Chanteclers, Buckeyes, Ameraucanas and some rose comb breeds. Temperament is also a big factor for me, and that is another reason I favor Chanteclers and Buckeyes. There is no bird which will lay year round in my climate without artificial light, regardless of what some might have you believe. I am not going to provide additional light and can live with low or no egg laying for part of the winter. Believe it or not in spite of this I get eggs all winter. I am less than enthused about running to the coop several times a day when it is below zero to collect eggs before they freeze, consequently my wife's Shi Tzu's have a fresh high protein diet.

I am quite fond of Campines, but I do not keep them because of the single comb. They are a somewhat flighty bird but have great personality and are not nutso wild as some breeds are in my experience.

For various reasons there are breeds I am less than enthused about. Cochins, Naked Necks, Silkies and Frizzles (not a breed but variety) are some, and there are others.

These things are only my opinion, and I am very opinionated. Other people have there own opinions and that is fine with me, but what I don't much care for is fence riding and political correctness.

Ralphie, hopefully this has provided you a little reading material to go with your coffee drinking. The value in it is probably just about what you were charged for it.

And with that I say to all have a good day and happy chicken keeping.

 

[duluthralphie]

Kloppers. You had a gaggle of birds for a few minutes!

I am kind of surprised at Hoover's. I have never had anything but great service and birds from them. They normally send about one packing peanut for every 25 birds or so.
I have gotten 2 with 25, 3 with 50 and 4 with 75....

The only complaint I have with Hoover is sexing the birds. When I ordered straight runs I got 65/35 roosters to hens. When I order roosters I got 5-6 hens, when I ordered hens (75 of them) I got no roosters! Seems a little odd for pure chance.

 

[KlopKlop]

Kloppers. You had a gaggle of birds for a few minutes!

I am kind of surprised at Hoover's. I have never had anything but great service and birds from them. They normally send about one packing peanut for every 25 birds or so.
I have gotten 2 with 25, 3 with 50 and 4 with 75....

The only complaint I have with Hoover is sexing the birds. When I ordered straight runs I got 65/35 roosters to hens. When I order roosters I got 5-6 hens, when I ordered hens (75 of them) I got no roosters! Seems a little odd for pure chance.

I agree, hoovers has always been so good! There were no extras in my order of 25 2 weeks ago either.

i just sent them an email explaining what happened and that i was frustrated and looking for an explanation as to what happened.

As far as sexing and straight run, I am under the impression that sexed orders come out of the bin first then straight run is what is left. Meaning if you get SR on a breed that most people order pullets, chances are your SR is going to be cockerel heavy and vice versa. These little puff balls are all supposed to be boys. Last year they were 34/35 correct on picking all boys.

 

[ejb3810]

Someone inquired about a poultry swap at Floodwood. They have a spring Farm and Garden Festival which includes a swap, and it is scheduled for May 7th. For any wishing additional information the phone number for the Feed Mill is 218-476-2233.

 

[jerryse]

Ralphie I just use kitchen scissors if I trim . I never worry about sharp ends on feathers . You can make it simple or complicated . Same results .

 

[duluthralphie]

Someone inquired about a poultry swap at Floodwood. They have a spring Farm and Garden Festival which includes a swap, and it is scheduled for May 7th. For any wishing additional information the phone number for the Feed Mill is 218-476-2233.

Thanks!!!

I think I am going to go. Not sure if I will bring any birds to sell or not. I have not heard from the State on my NPIP testing and approval of my "hatchery". As I understand it you cannot bring birds without the health certificate.