Texas

[Nomibear]

Congrats! what a beautiful little family she has! What all breeds did she hatch?

 

[PhantomChikkinz]

Sad question. How do you despise of a deceased hen?
I lost one of my original 4 Buff Orpingtons today. She was a wonderful hen.She just got old young. I've been watching her and trying to make sure she was earing and pooping normal. I don't know why she died. I just know I will miss her. I guess I can say I cremated her. I hope that is exceptable.

So sorry for your loss

If she had a favorite spot in the yard or tree, I'd bury her there.

 

[PhantomChikkinz]

One more sorry! I really cant help it!

Congrats! That is a wonderful mommy right there! My little Polka Dot used to let her adopted 5 day olds sit on her back like that too!

 

[PhantomChikkinz]

Ah, there we go! I may have already posted this, but wanted to share with ya

 

[ChelseysChicken]

Ah, there we go! I may have already posted this, but wanted to share with ya

Aw! That is one pretty moma you have there!!

 

[ChelseysChicken]

Congrats! what a beautiful little family she has! What all breeds did she hatch?

Well, She was a tractor supply chick and the DH and I have never really found an Exact ID for HER but I do know other than Black OEGB or Black Japaneses bantam there are not many others she could be! But the rooster is a BB Red OEGB
I love my little mutt babies

 

[PhantomChikkinz]

phantomchikknz - Congrats on your new baby!!  What type of incubator did you use?  I

Hey Tammy! Sorry, I must've missed your post earlier.

I used a Farm Innovations 4200. Wasn't my first choice, but I was out of time and bought it in a panic. As to be expected, the temp gauge isn't all that accurate, but luckily, we had a $5 Ikea meat thermometer that has this metal probe on this long cord that plugs into the main unit. Since my incubator has the automatic turner, getting an accurate read looked like it was gonna be a problem, since the probe would slide off whenever it turned. Luckily, I came up with a solution! I used a couple of zip ties to secure the probe to one of the rows on the turner that wasn't being used, gave enough slack on the line to make sure it wouldn't burn out the motor, or pull loose, and voila!

I have to say, getting that thing to stabilize took a lot longer than I expected, especially since I'm stupidly obsessive when it comes to controlling all the little details. Once I did, it was dead on. It only started giving me problems when I removed the 5 that I knew weren't fertile. That was stressful.

However, it was so very, very worth it:

 

[jockeyeba]

 

Really??   I did not know that! 

Under "Identification" there's a button for "Typical Voice."

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/bald_eagle/id

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden_Eagle/id

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_hawk/id

Thanks for the bird website this is so cool

 

[jockeyeba]

 


Let me preface with, I do not know much about birds.  When I see one that I am interested in I research to find out what it is or I ask my dad who will ask his neighbor who is some kind of a bird person.   I feel like I have given this disclaimer before when speaking of birds.....

We have CaraCara's everywhere around here.  There are even Bald Eagles that nest on the Colorado.  I saw an Osprey on the Colorado once, too and a Golden Eagle in downtown Austin sitting on a lateral flag pole, high in the air...we were on the third floor of a building across the street.  I have also had a Kestrel on my fence..at least that is what someone else identified it as when I thought it may grab one of my chicks.  I have also seen what looks like to me some sort of falcon, but not often.  Another bird (non-raptor) that "isn't supposed to be here" is the Great Kiskadee.  We have them in far east Travis County.  I recorded it and had someone from Audubon confirm that is what I saw.  Supposedly, they are only in far south Texas. 

I think we have already talked about the green parrots...NOT parakeets...that someone let loose many years ago that now inhabit eastern Travis County and we have had them in our trees here in Bastrop County.  They are not native to the area, but they are naturalizing.

I know that some of these birds are probably on a migration when I see them...not the Kiskadee, they nest here...but sometimes I think birds just go where the food is, and be ****** the migration charts! 

EDITED:  They bleeped my use of d.a.m.n.e.d

Austin is well within the Crested Caracara's range.  I see them all the time, too. 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Crested_Caracara/lifehistory#at_food

Ms Jellybean was talking about falcons nesting in a park in northern Texas and staying as a family unit..  The two falcons that could pose a problem--Peregrines and Prairie falcons, aren't likely to be nesting in a park in northern Texas.  The Prairie falcon will winter in Texas as will the Peregrine Continental sub species.  The Tundra sub species of Peregrine will winter along the Gulf coast.  I don't know their route to get there, but they only take five days to get from the Gulf to their Arctic breeding grounds, so they won't be in northern Texas for long.

I used two references for their ranges:  Cornell University's The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and FALCONS OF NORTH AMERICA (Kate Davis, 2008).

This is what killed one of our grown game hens last year it's a medium size hawk.......

 

[lovingmyhens]

Good morning Texas! All the new babies are so very adorable!! Keep the pics coming! I doubt I will ever venture into the chick dept