Texas

[reindeermama]

Incuview Update 8/8/2015
Six chicks hatched. Seven chicks pipped and died during the night. They were big beautiful chicks, I am guessing to much humidity during the incubation period which means the humidity gauge is way off. I broke six more pipped chicks out of the shell and left them in the incubator, hope some of them make it. The other eggs I will open tonight or tomorrow if they do not pip and see what happened. Your opinions are welcome.
Ed Thomas
Lampasas, Texas

I hope they make it. I am really new to incubating so i have no clue. Wishing you the best.

 

[reindeermama]

City of Abilene is going to be hearing arguments and public comments about loud roosters in the city limits. Proposed change is that they can only have roosters on properties that exceed 1 acre in size and then some stuff about noise ordinances. It has only become a problem since they began new developments and people in those areas have started keeping chickens on those little residential lots. Older and more established areas with larger lots on the north side of town don't have the problem with complaints but the new ordinance will be city wide. Glad we moved from there into the country.

Well I moved from an area that allowed none. The new town...no limit as long as there are no complaints. I don't keep any roosters. I would love one, but since I am in town..I don't keep one. One of these days we can retire to our 11 acres and I will have a rooster then. I only have 3/4 of an acre in town. I try to keep my coop extremely clean and my chickens aren't as noisy as some of the doves and mockingbirds that flock to our neighbor's bird feeders. I have heard about some kind of collar to stop your rooster from crowing. I am also lucky to have one vacant lot between us and the neighbors. I know the new lots they are building on here are like 7,500 sq feet. My husband just shakes his head, especially when they are putting a mini mansion on it. (these homes are like 3000 sq. ft) Not much yard to speak of. Where are the kids suppose to play? Oh by the way, I grin every time I see your list of what you have.. That is so awesome and I imagine fun.

 

[reindeermama]

And to think I use to feed racoons. Now I can not stand them. Hope the 3rd one is scared off.

I was in a rent house,(before we bought a house) and had a raccoon opened the kitchen door. It was about 10 p.m....boy did I scream. I guess that scared it off. No screen door or anything. One of those lever type door knobs. Boy, I kept that sucker locked from then on.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

And to think I use to feed racoons. Now I can not stand them. Hope the 3rd one is scared off.

Me too. I caught one prior to this skulking around my pens and then getting up a tree when caught. So far, no reappearances.

 

[jtn42248]

.... Oh by the way, I grin every time I see your list of what you have.. That is so awesome and I imagine fun.

A lot of fun, a good bit of work, a handful but not enough to stop me...I am planning on getting some Call Ducks, more chickens and possibly some Peafowl this fall and spring when things cool down a bit. If I could afford it my entire farm would be a covered aviary that I just happened to live in.

 

[hensfortherapy]

My 17 week old cream legbars. I am anxious to see the color egg they lay. I have some time yet to wait.

 

[TherryChicken]

My 17 week old cream legbars. I am anxious to see the color egg they lay. I have some time yet to wait.

Cream legbar only lay one color egg

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

My 17 week old cream legbars. I am anxious to see the color egg they lay. I have some time yet to wait.

Yours are about 3 weeks ahead of mine - I can't wait to see what they come up with!!!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Odd question for those of you for whom prickly pear is a nuisance/weed:

I'm clearing the "wild" part of my property in preparation for (finally) getting it properly fenced in - the work crews need to have access without having to wade through waist deep grasses, lantana and mesquite saplings! I've been using my (very tough) mower to just systematically go over and shred everything - very hard work in this heat. I am doing the same for the prickly pear, just running it over - I don't really have too many proper big stands any more, but the pads keep popping up. (And I'm sure they'll regrow form the shredding bits, form my experience.)

For those of you who range your chickens in this sort of terrain, are there any problems with prickly pear, or any of the other thorned weeds? It seems that it is the rare weed/native plant that ISN'T thorned, some of them wickedly so. While I'd like to assume they'd be smart enough not to eat something like that if it would hurt them (e.g., swallowing spines), and to stay away if it scratches them, I thought it would be worth asking. (Eye injuries?) Also, anyone have issues with ducks and this sort of vegetation? I'm possibly getting muscovies in the spring, and was hoping to let them roam most of the property (about an acre in the back).

I'll sit here and search BYC as well while I rest - I have to let my body temperature come back down before going back out there...

- Ant Farm

 

[TherryChicken]

Still looking for a red and a black silkie hen. Thank you!