Texas

[Ms Jellybean]

Give it away. I wouldn't keep feed longer than a couple of months. It can go rancid.

Why exactly can't you have chickens?

Think about this--get yourself three little Silkies. Put together some sort of a safe coop that they can sleep in. My dog house for $140 from TSC would house three Silkies no problem. You can add a lot more ventilation and a little door for very little money--a couple of hinges, a latch, some good strong wire, and screws to screw the wire in (don't use staples--too weak with good wire).

If $140 is too much, and I can appreciate that sometimes it is, take some pallets apart and make a little predator-proof box somewhat like that little dog house. Use plastic fencing and push in stakes for a small run. You can cover it with plastic netting. You have a fenced yard, so you won't have dogs getting in and foxes and coyotes are not very common in the city. With any small chick, you have to be extra vigilant because so many things can and will take them, but once a Silkie is grown they are a lot safer.

Your Silkies will cost you about $4 each if you get pet quality. (I think my hopefully show quality Ameraucanas cost me about $8 each.) Get double the number you want because half will be cockerels.

You would have chickens that aren't very destructive to have around so you won't have to worry so much about their housing. You might even just allow them in your back yard since the only predators will be from the sky and there are a few things you can do to mitigate that.

Little Silkies are really docile and easy to keep. They will forage for a good deal of their food in your yard. They have feathered feet so they don't trash your property. Large fowl, especially those without feathered feet, dig big holes in the ground. Also, if and when you get other chickens, the Silkies will probably just take the chicks and be their mother so introducing new chickens into the flock is easy.

Think about it.

I had a major hit to my budget with a car repair. I was however able to reduce the cost of the repair and I was given some money towards the cost as well.
I am hoping that I can maybe swing things for May now. I won't know for sure for a bit, but I am hoping!

Your silkie plan is a good one. I have pretty much everything I need already for that set up. There are 2 chicks coming in at the feed store I really want to get. I'll have to wait and see though.

 

[magpiesing]

I had a major hit to my budget with a car repair. I was however able to reduce the cost of the repair and I was given some money towards the cost as well.
I am hoping that I can maybe swing things for May now. I won't know for sure for a bit, but I am hoping!

Your silkie plan is a good one. I have pretty much everything I need already for that set up. There are 2 chicks coming in at the feed store I really want to get. I'll have to wait and see though.

That sounds like a good plan on a no budget. Glad to hear your car problem is working out. Hope you can do it by May as I see signs of chicken withdrawl beginning!

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I talked to my mom and she thinks Janet's idea is a really good one. I think I will pick up the silkie chicks this weekend. I have everything I need for them right now. I just need to borrow Brynn's heat light. I cancelled my heat plate order. Now I may never need it. I am saving money!

Car is fixed and back home. I don't go out much, but I really like having the car here in case I want to. I feel so trapped when the car is gone.

 

[oweirdo]

Oh man that bites.  Sorry to hear that.  They are way too proud of the "labor".  Hope it works out ok.

Way too proud, I assume your not marriedsomeone in that business. Most of that is to the company, not the mechanic! Cars today are not as easy to work on, things change almost daily. It's a lot of schooling cost to keep up to date. Sorry I'll get off my soapbox lol

I got a new hen today, black australorp. So how do I keep her FF away from the chicks and their FF.

 

[orumpoultry]

Howdy ya'll, remember me?

It's been a while since I've posted or been active at all. Almost three years, to be exact! A lot has happened on my end, and I'll leave it as simple as possible. I sold all of my birds ( chickens, turkeys, quail, everything....) almost three years ago. From over 500, to zero, in just a few weeks was quite a change. I sold all but four of my coops. My biggest coop, and my pride and joy, was destroyed in a tornado early last year. Family health, work, and just life in general has kept me away from birds of all kinds for a lot longer than I'd ever hoped it would. As luck would have it, we managed to scrap the old coop and are about to rebuild everything.
My fiance is helping me every way he can, but he knows nothing about birds and I'm completely nit-picking him about the rebuilds. I think I'm driving him a little insane! Ha ha! With his help, I'll be able to have enough coops to run five breeds again. I'm a little egg-cited, and have already warned the neighbor that the birds are coming back! His only concern was escapees. I had quite a few in the year I sold them all. Almost 50 birds ran loose between my yard and my only neighbors. Enough escape artists that the neighbor up the road ( 1/4 mile away ) saw to it that I was cited for my loose birds, even though we were doing our best to get them all caught back up.
Anyways, I'm hoping to find some adult birds between now and getting chicks so I can stop the itch that I can't scratch! Fresh EGGS! Chicken dances! Chicken football! Lord I miss all of these things so very much so!! I have ten fluffy butts waiting for me at the feed store to pick up tomorrow morning, a mix of sex-links and Buff Orpingtons to get me started. An old breeder friend of mine is sending me Silver Spangled Hamburg hatching eggs from my old lines once I've got the kinks in the old incubator solved. Two years of inactivity haven't done it any good.
If anyone in the East Texas area ( around Trinity ) has any Black Australorp's PLEASE let me know. My weakness. Otherwise I'll order a batch from Ideal and start all over again.

So. Starting over, yet again, here we go!
- Kate

Edit: All fencing issues have been fixed and I have two working, ready to use coops sectioned off for two separate breeds. But I'm going to start off again with brown eggers and white eggers separated until I get settled back into chicken world. I don't think I have the ability to worry about separating breeds just yet. By May, I'll have the rest of the area ( an acre ) cleared for the breed specific areas to start building. I'd still like to find some Aussie's to put with my layers though! Like I said, may just order some.

 

[magpiesing]

Way too proud, I assume your not marriedsomeone in that business. Most of that is to the company, not the mechanic! Cars today are not as easy to work on, things change almost daily. It's a lot of schooling cost to keep up to date. Sorry I'll get off my soapbox lol

I got a new hen today, black australorp. So how do I keep her FF away from the chicks and their FF.

Actually you are right. Vehicles are much more complicated now. My hubby isn't in the business but is a good "shade tree" & knows enough to take care of most issues. We drive a 1992 toyota pickup so is still mostly old school. I couldn't afford the upkeep on a new one. Oh I do want a black australorp really, really do!

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Way too proud, I assume your not marriedsomeone in that business. Most of that is to the company, not the mechanic! Cars today are not as easy to work on, things change almost daily. It's a lot of schooling cost to keep up to date. Sorry I'll get off my soapbox lol

I got a new hen today, black australorp. So how do I keep her FF away from the chicks and their FF.

Not married. I have a son that wants to be a mechanic for Subaru though.

I was able to get the cost down. Quite a bit! This is a very good dealership and I have known the owner's father for almost 25 years. They take good care of us there. And they proved that once again today. I can't say enough good about the Subaru dealership in McKinney.

 

[magpiesing]

Just checked on my little brooder. It's day 19. She went out to get a snack and a drink so took the opportunity to put newspaper under her nest. The cage bottom is wire and I don't want any injuries to chicks. We had to put her in a cage by herself for a few days because her fall chicks (twice her size) kept trying to nest with her. We can leave the door open now, guess they finally figured it out.

The other three eggs she is sitting are clear and she's had them for the same time as the good ones. What should I do with them? Or should I just let her kick them out when she thinks they are bad eggs? My sebright kicked all the eggs out that didn't hatch after her one chick did.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I found this fencing. They have other types too, but I don't want bright orange and this is taller so I could stand up in the run with a covering over it. It should still work with plastic stakes. I ma get metal ones though. I can use those with the big girls too.

It will work, right?

 

[ClovisMan]

I talked to my mom and she thinks Janet's idea is a really good one. I think I will pick up the silkie chicks this weekend. I have everything I need for them right now. I just need to borrow Brynn's heat light. I cancelled my heat plate order. Now I may never need it. I am saving money!

Car is fixed and back home. I don't go out much, but I really like having the car here in case I want to. I feel so trapped when the car is gone.

Next time the check engine light comes on, go to AutoZone or Oreillys and they will scan it for free. Ask the guy to turn the CEL off. ( times out of 10, it never comes back on unless something is really wrong. Stealerships often write these riduculous service quotes and simply turn off the light and reset the computer. Takes about 30 seconds...