Texas

[ShadowsFIAL]

Why would you fear having males? Just don't leave her any eggs to hatch. I've been very surprised that sometimes when my Silkies are broody, they still lay a lot of eggs. Silkies are the best for incubating eggs. They used them to hatch falcon eggs when they were trying to bring back the species from the brink of extinction in the 70s. Still do, apparently.

do you have silkies jajeanpierre? If you do, do you know how they fair in a mixed flock? I though about getting two so that they would keep eachother company, as I know they don't roost very well.

 

[jajeanpierre]

do you have silkies jajeanpierre? If you do, do you know how they fair in a mixed flock? I though about getting two so that they would keep eachother company, as I know they don't roost very well.

I have a bunch of hatchery Silkies: 7 pullets and one cockerel. Their flock consists of themselves, plus four (large fowl) Polish pullets, a bantam Plymouth Rock and a large fowl Ameraucana cockerel who kept running away from his flock to the loving arms of my hussy Silkies. There had been a couple of bantam Cochins with them, but they both carry two frizzle genes so are too fragile in this cold weather and now won't go back to this flock. The other Ameraucanas are in the much bigger front part of the property. The Silkies are notorious for sleeping in a pile on the ground. I have some that roost on low roosts, but most sleep on the bottom of my little mobile coop. I really enjoy them--they are funny sweet little birds. My Silkies are the only ones of the small flock brave enough to attack my Scarlet macaw (and actually frighten her!) when she went to ground amongst the little chickens. The show bred Silkies have huge top knots and will have vision problems. Having dealt with that in the four Polish I have, I am quite happy with the less extremely fluffy hatchery Silkies.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Had to share this. Too funny!

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Yeah, theyre going to just credit my card back for the 9 that didnt make it.
The lady is really sweet but Im not chancing it from that place again. I talked to hubby and we're keeping all 6 that are left. I have both the breeds I originally wanted, plus 2 extra birds. So I guess in the scheme of things its not a total loss. I just feel bad that so many didnt make it. What a tough little life. I did try to makebthem as comfortable as possible though, while they were here.
Now its my turn to clean! Ive got a small mountain of laundry to do, plus clean the brooder again, and vacuum.
Where are you getting the onions from? This weather has given me the gardening bug bad! My friend dropped off a bunch of catalogs, including one full of some really beautiful heritage varieties.
I still need to build my raised bed though..lol
Until then I have plenty of medicinals to plant! Chamomile, Calendula, Valerian, Skullcap...i better get my compost back up and running lol. Ive been slacking

I got my onions at Calloway's. They have the Y1015 onion and from what I've read it is a god one for me. I haven't grown onions before...
The feed store has onions too. Walmart usually gets some in now as well. I bought some air plants today when I bought the onions. I need to figure out how I want to hang them up now.

I have a bunch of hatchery Silkies: 7 pullets and one cockerel. Their flock consists of themselves, plus four (large fowl) Polish pullets, a bantam Plymouth Rock and a large fowl Ameraucana cockerel who kept running away from his flock to the loving arms of my hussy Silkies. There had been a couple of bantam Cochins with them, but they both carry two frizzle genes so are too fragile in this cold weather and now won't go back to this flock. The other Ameraucanas are in the much bigger front part of the property. The Silkies are notorious for sleeping in a pile on the ground. I have some that roost on low roosts, but most sleep on the bottom of my little mobile coop. I really enjoy them--they are funny sweet little birds. My Silkies are the only ones of the small flock brave enough to attack my Scarlet macaw (and actually frighten her!) when she went to ground amongst the little chickens. The show bred Silkies have huge top knots and will have vision problems. Having dealt with that in the four Polish I have, I am quite happy with the less extremely fluffy hatchery Silkies.

Silkies were not on my list of chickens to get, but after all the reading I've been doing I am going to have to get some. I can add 3 to my flock without issue I think. When I get my flock. :/ Dang roof! Roof is going on on Monday. Did I already mention that?

Edit: I found a new place to get seeds for sprouting. They have a dog mix and a bird mix too. I plan on ordering from them next month. I just ordered some seeds from a different place this week. I got a vegan yogurt starter too. Can't wait to have dairy free yogurt!

 

[Brookshire11]

I got my onions at Calloway's.  They have the Y1015 onion and from what I've read it is a god one for me.  I haven't grown onions before...
The feed store has onions too.  Walmart usually gets some in now as well.  I bought some air plants today when I bought the onions. I need to figure out how I want to hang them up now. 
Silkies were not on my list of chickens to get, but after all the reading I've been doing I am going to have to get some.  I can add 3 to my flock without issue I think.  When I get my flock.  :/  Dang roof!  Roof is going on on Monday. Did I already mention that?

Edit:  I found a new place to get seeds for sprouting.  They have a dog mix and a bird mix too.  I plan on ordering from them next month.  I just ordered some seeds from a different place this week. I got a vegan yogurt starter too.  Can't wait to have dairy free yogurt!  

Exciting!

 

[RachaelS]

WOW what a GREAT day! Not to windy here, nice and sunny but cool! Me and DD went and dropped of a bunch of toddler books at Goodwill. Sorry to see them go, but I hope they find good new homes. Now we have more room for chapter books. Then we went to lunch and got our hair cut. Next, washed my car at one of those "bays". I spent $8 on an automatic one last week and it did not even put a dent in all the cedar pollen. Spent $7 at the "bay" and it looks great. Wish I could was at home, nothing works better than a bucket and sponge, but I am on rain water with a dirt drive way. I think that is the only thing I miss about living in town

Went to Tractor Supply to get some chicken feed and BOSS, meet a nice couple with some Bull Terriers, so sweet. Came home and finished detailing the car, she is old (11) but she still cleans up nicely. Then went to work cleaning around the coops. When I got rid of all my other birds over the summer the coops kind of became "storage"...Had to toss a almost full bag of scratch and Manna (what a waste), it had gotten wet and could not risk feeding it to my new girls. The new girls were by my side the whole time waiting each time I lifted something to get some tasty treats

Now I am on BYC catching up, then will go through my coupons and get them organized for the next week. All and All, God has blessed me with a wonderful day

sometimes it is just the little things that can make you feel so happy!

 

[TammyTX]

I sat nine 12 olive egger eggs (or possible dark layers depending on which way they go) under my Australorp a few days ago. So far so good. I am expecting new hatches around February 3rd....but, of course, today I received a jury summons for that same day!!

DANG IT!

The broody is in a medium sized dog carrier. I open the door and give her the option of coming out to eat and drink but she has only come out once...there is food and a water bottle in with her but she won't touch it. I hope she survives.


This same bird is such a good broody that every spring I have to shut her out of the coop to make her eat and stay off the nest. Very dedicated. I hope she'll be a good hen mama. Once the chicks hatch I'll move them to the hoop coop.

New big coop on order and, now that I think about it, it should be here about that same day that the chicks hatch and I have jury duty. Here is an illustration but we have to add the hang over part on the left where the roost will be ourselves. It's 8x10 plus the 5 or 6 foot wide roost part.

 

[ShadowsFIAL]

I have a bunch of hatchery Silkies: 7 pullets and one cockerel. Their flock consists of themselves, plus four (large fowl) Polish pullets, a bantam Plymouth Rock and a large fowl Ameraucana cockerel who kept running away from his flock to the loving arms of my hussy Silkies. There had been a couple of bantam Cochins with them, but they both carry two frizzle genes so are too fragile in this cold weather and now won't go back to this flock. The other Ameraucanas are in the much bigger front part of the property. The Silkies are notorious for sleeping in a pile on the ground. I have some that roost on low roosts, but most sleep on the bottom of my little mobile coop. I really enjoy them--they are funny sweet little birds. My Silkies are the only ones of the small flock brave enough to attack my Scarlet macaw (and actually frighten her!) when she went to ground amongst the little chickens. The show bred Silkies have huge top knots and will have vision problems. Having dealt with that in the four Polish I have, I am quite happy with the less extremely fluffy hatchery Silkies.

That cracked me up about the amerucana cockerel haha!

I really want to get some now, it is just so hard to find adult ones... How do you think I would fare with getting chicks and putting them outside in a 4x2 cage with a heat lamp, inside the coop? Do you think it would be too cold for them?

 

[RachaelS]

So does anyone else use the deep litter method? Since I have switched it has been night and day on the smell. Prior to using it the dirt in the coops got hard and smelt, had to clean out every weekend. Since, I switched, kind of by default with the boys that I was not sure I was going to keep anyway, no smell! I was using the "grass" clippings from the yard (all natural brush), but since it is winter have to buy hay. I LOVE it!!! You still have to clean it out, but not nearly as often. I know some think it may be a lazy way of doing things, but it works. Gives me more time to keep my kitchen clean (laundry done, floors swept, you know the places humans eat and sleep) LOL!!!

Anyone else? What are your thoughts?

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I sat nine 12 olive egger eggs (or possible dark layers depending on which way they go) under my Australorp a few days ago. So far so good. I am expecting new hatches around February 3rd....but, of course, today I received a jury summons for that same day!!

DANG IT!

The broody is in a medium sized dog carrier. I open the door and give her the option of coming out to eat and drink but she has only come out once...there is food and a water bottle in with her but she won't touch it. I hope she survives.


This same bird is such a good broody that every spring I have to shut her out of the coop to make her eat and stay off the nest. Very dedicated. I hope she'll be a good hen mama. Once the chicks hatch I'll move them to the hoop coop.

New big coop on order and, now that I think about it, it should be here about that same day that the chicks hatch and I have jury duty. Here is an illustration but we have to add the hang over part on the left where the roost will be ourselves. It's 8x10 plus the 5 or 6 foot wide roost part.

I thought cedar chips were bad to use with chickens.

So does anyone else use the deep litter method? Since I have switched it has been night and day on the smell. Prior to using it the dirt in the coops got hard and smelt, had to clean out every weekend. Since, I switched, kind of by default with the boys that I was not sure I was going to keep anyway, no smell! I was using the "grass" clippings from the yard (all natural brush), but since it is winter have to buy hay. I LOVE it!!! You still have to clean it out, but not nearly as often. I know some think it may be a lazy way of doing things, but it works. Gives me more time to keep my kitchen clean (laundry done, floors swept, you know the places humans eat and sleep) LOL!!!

Anyone else? What are your thoughts?

I plan on using it. I've done a lot of reading on it and it seems like the way to go. Kind of like a big compost pile for them that you clean up every now and then. What I have read says once a year in the spring clean all but 2 inches of litter.