Texas

[Matejka]

Yesterday was beautiful. Woke up this morning, went outside at 5 a.m and it was warm! 67 no wind, that changed. Cleaned coop out, removed a sh$tload of leaves/litter. make it easier to keep baby waterer clean, mama to dig, babies to learn. mama managed to get babies from coop to run, which I KNEW was gonna coz issues. It did, babies promptly went thru clainlink into pasture.... cats eyeing babies, mama panicking, herded em back in run, fought mama to catch babies and put back in coop, mama followed, then blocked tunnel to prevent babies from going back to run (til they get some size on em). Hens aren't happy, rooster not happy, they can't get to coop. I'll remove block to tunnel at roost time....
Interesting morning.

 

[Matejka]

It continues to be a interesting day.
Let the flock out to free range while I cleaned the coop. Later I hear a ruckus rooster (Lippy) steady crowing/calling. Go out to coop, flock clustered around coop, and can't get in, Lippy still sounding off. Open tunnel, flock goes in run then coop, Lippy goes in coop, comes out crowing. I count heads-1 short. Lippy keeps looking towards me then back pasture, pacing fence and crowing.
9 days ago I let them free range 1 came up missing, no fuss, feathers nothing just gone.
I think oh crap another one gone. Lock run, start looking ......
2 hours later, Lippy still pacing and sounding off, counting heads and fussing, 1 have 1 place left to look, my shed, I had been in/out and had door open all morning. Nothing, only thing-trashcan turned over-
Note to self-fuss at dog. I sit down on chair to clean trash up, can sawdust, general workshop trash
THERE'S THE MISSING BIRD. sitting on shelf under workbench
Inside a dewalt tool bag. Only her head showing.
She got picked up and dropped in nestbox. Lippy still crowing and counting heads. He counts and I hear a bak, not a crow, he looks around again (counting heads) another bak (wth) or (wtf) and walks over to missing hen pecks her on head and walks away. All peace and quiet in the house now.

 

[pctechtx]

Got a young Black Jersey Giant roo that needs a new home. He's just started crowing and sounds funny. I'm in Chandler TX if anyone wants him. I'd prefer giving him away than culling him.

 

[TXChookstead]

Hi! We're in Tyler and just discovered this thread. We have a small flock of Black Australorps, and have hatched a couple of broods from them this late winter/early spring. So far the chicks have been going to friends, though we will keep some as well. (The kids would revolt if we didn't!)

I would like to get certified, but at this point there is no one who handles that in Smith County, where we are. So....

Next on the list is a bigger coop! We have most of the supplies already on hand for a hoop coop, so hope to get that done in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Matejka]

Welcome!
Good luck on the coop.
I'm gonna have to enlarge mine

 

[electrycmonk]

Hi! We're in Tyler and just discovered this thread. We have a small flock of Black Australorps, and have hatched a couple of broods from them this late winter/early spring. So far the chicks have been going to friends, though we will keep some as well. (The kids would revolt if we didn't!)

I would like to get certified, but at this point there is no one who handles that in Smith County, where we are. So....

Next on the list is a bigger coop! We have most of the supplies already on hand for a hoop coop, so hope to get that done in the next couple of weeks.

Welcome, welcome….

 

[Kiki]

Hi! We're in Tyler and just discovered this thread. We have a small flock of Black Australorps, and have hatched a couple of broods from them this late winter/early spring. So far the chicks have been going to friends, though we will keep some as well. (The kids would revolt if we didn't!)

I would like to get certified, but at this point there is no one who handles that in Smith County, where we are. So....

Next on the list is a bigger coop! We have most of the supplies already on hand for a hoop coop, so hope to get that done in the next couple of weeks.

Welcome!

What do you mean by getting certified?

 

[TXChookstead]

Welcome!

What do you mean by getting certified?

Thank y'all for the welcomes!

By certification, I mean the NPIP certification that the flock is disease-free. I think it might give folks some reassurance that the chicks or eggs are healthy. I do see folks mentioning they have this certification when putting chicks or eggs "up for discussion" on local Marketplace messages. Usually they are in adjoining counties where there is a flock tester, though.

 

[007Sean]

Well, hope this last week was winters last hurrah! It's 82°F here today!

 

[Matejka]

77 and severe storms
Wind rain hail
Spring in Texas
Gotta love it
Stick around it will change