The Front Porch Swing

[LindaB220]

Hey folks, been missing a spell since I reinjured my knee a touch. It's better now and I'm following orders.

Blooie, you always bring a tear with the amazing strides that Kendra is taking. So proud of her.

@perchie.girl Love you Deb. Take care of youself.

Here's what I've been up to:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/972255/byc-member-interview-lindab220


What a blast!!!!!

 

[perchie.girl]

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@Blooie Hurray for Kendra!

She is standing and moving pretty good with that walker. Are those the flexible braces that help keep her feet straight for her?

@perchie.girl take care of You! we will hear from you when things right.

@Greyfeathers I am no help in your quest as I have no chickens yet, but I hope you find the chickies you are looking for. I love the story about Que Pie, it sounds like a candidate for a children's travel series. "Travels with Que Pie"
What is your climate like? I will probably get blasted for this but my understanding is that Silkies are a warm climate bird. They don't handle cold weather too well since their feathers are not very insulating. Just an excuse to bring them in the house, right? Are you looking for bantams or standard size birds?

Hey folks, been missing a spell since I reinjured my knee a touch. It's better now and I'm following orders.

Blooie, you always bring a tear with the amazing strides that Kendra is taking. So proud of her.

@perchie.girl Love you Deb. Take care of youself.

Here's what I've been up to:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/972255/byc-member-interview-lindab220


What a blast!!!!!

Ooo Linda congrats...

Thanks everyone... its nothing new to me... I go through this from time to time.... I just wanted everyone to know i would still be here on digest.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Hey, we're in NW Tennessee, close to Paris Landing State Park. Been a LONG LONG time since I've posted, although I've been in and out reading other's postings. I'm ready to get a couple or few hens as companions and egg laying doesn't matter to me or us. I've had chickens before but they weren't companions although some were friendly. I've read and reread and rereread about Silkies and Cochins and what are usually the best pet type chickens.

I'm concerned here with all the rain we get or have gotten at this time of year. I've got a chicken house set up for them, but I usually slip them in the house now and then and always would allow them on the decks with us and actually prefer them to hunt me down for lov'n and snacks.

Unfortunately, I've been very ill and have had to have transfusions. Docs still don't know where i'm losing blood or even where it's going and have done a few tests but now have to see cardio since my heart still isn't "acting" like it should. Over the last months, I've learned enough to tell if I'm losing too much at once since my blood pressure will take a steep dive while I'm active, then go back to being overly high if I'm sitting or laying down. It's when it does't recover over a day or two that I have to make a run to the ER.

Well, enough of that. I'm pretty upset at hubby since he's stalled on my chick hunt. Now, I don't think I can find the "pet" chicks I'm looking for. I've raised enough birds and rehabbed enough wildlife to find that a lot of times, it's not the type, but the amount of interaction that matters. However, I made a goof with two kinds thinking that and ended up with my hubby being henpecked ( Literally), and both of use being flogged and pecked till we bled. LOL Even our german shepherd kept out of site of those two.

I've been looking through the internet to see who may have that special couple or few chicks that fit the bill so to speak, but see that most farm stores haven't a clue as to what kind they have. I'm really wanting hens. I don't mind the size, although hubby thought the cochins where huge compared to his RIR's he knew as a kid. Does he remember that far back? Had to be 65 years or so for him. And what does it matter to him the size? Heck if I know. He's trying to make me promise not to let them run in the house..oh sure..like THAT's gonna happen.

I handraised some Bobwhite Quail chicks that were left behind in a dump nest when the first eggs hatched a few days before these did. Poor things. Kept one as a pet..turned out to be a hen. Her name was Que pie. She traveled the states with us and everyone we met had to have a photo taken with her. She LOVED to be picked up and scritched. She always let me know of danger or if she were happy. Loved for me to dig through the garden where she gobbled whatever bug appeared. She knew the refrige where she paced back and forth for a strip of cheese that she'd gobble up like a worm. Always make the cooing sounds for more. Bed time, she'd pace back and forth in front of the TV until I'd walk to the BR with her where she'd hop on the bed and up to a dresser where she had a "nest" made of towels. She'd wake in the morning, hop on the bed and talk to us.

She loved to take naps with us, lay on top of one of us. While we watched TV, if she wasn't on a lap, she'd nestle a foot and would be all comfy while you wanted ever so much to move that foot but didn't dare for waking little Que Pie. She lived till she was 16 years old and we've a ton of stories of her and her travelling adventures. We've never had another hen like her and don't expect the next to be like her.

I just want one or two to be happy and want the cuddling and attention. But where the heck am I going to find one now, when most places don't have hens of any kind until mid May. Can you tell I'm patient? NOT!. Looked at the ads in Murray, KY, Paris, TN and Clarksville...but so far, either they don't know what they have, or don't have what I'm looking for. :/

Wow what a great story... Sorry I had to break it up into paragraphs so I could read it. so Que Pie was a BobWhite? Awesome.

If your looking for personality Cochin or Silky is a good bet. Silkies are considered bantams. But unfortunately they are very very difficult to sex unless you are a Silky Breeder.

You can order sexed chicks from EFowel in small orders as small as three. You pay for it in extra shipping costs.

http://www.efowl.com/Small_Order_Special_3_Chicks_p/1906.htm The price is 65 bucks .... They say free shipping but that price includes flat rate shipping for anywhere in the US. you can choose your breeds from a pull down menu and The selection is pretty good.

I personally like Easter Eggers because they sometimes lay blue or blue green eggs. Not guaranteed because they were crossed with a breed that lays lots of eggs. My Easter Eggers layed Blue, Green, Pink, and brown eggs. Each hen will not lay several colors... So you will be able to identify which hen layed which egg eventually. The ones I had were pretty calm.

Good luck on your search. Oh and raising up baby chicks is an awesome way to go because they get used to being handled from the start.

deb

 

[tntchix]

Been a long time since I posted here about the progress Kendra has been making. Today was huge!

The look on her face goes from wow this is so hard! to no big deal.

I know what an accomplishment this is for her.

 

[tntchix]

Hi. Sorry I disappeared too. Life called and wanted me back. *I went kicking and screaming* and then ran back here as fast as I could.

 

[Blooie]

The look on her face goes from wow this is so hard! to no big deal.

I know what an accomplishment this is for her.

It sure is! Not bad for a little one whose been in a wheelchair since 9 months old. Her doctors in Denver are going to be STUNNED! They weren't sure she would be able to do this. We were!

 

[Tomtommom]

Go kendra!

 

[Greyfeathers]

TY for the responses. I've hatched and raised several kinds of birds from Painted Buntings to Pea Fowl and although time consuming, at times nerve wracking and tiring, I would do it over and over. Yes, there were times of sadness over losses , but the rewards of watching the birds grow and successfully make the transition to wildling ( if it was wild bird egg) or if domestic type, they would fly or run to you at the site of you. Even the wildlings showed affection and some would return to visit year after year. I've been considering hatching the eggs myself and the only hesitation was my impatience. I have concerns over silkies and Cochin's because of all the rain we get here in NW Tn. We never know what kind of weather we'll have in the winter. It varies from weeks of sub zero to very mild with no or little snow. Had and am still having a very late spring with lots of rain and temps in 50s and 60s. Been reading more in regards to some other kinds and their temperaments. I have a little building that is dedicated to house the hens and what ever else needs a home. It's unused at the moment after the horrible death of my beloved Jax duck followed by the rehoming of little Skittles hen and buster Duckie while I was going through a debilitating illness. Hubby and I now have an arrangement that will make him capable of taking care of everyone in the event something happens to me. I've not had a chance to drive around to different farm stores to see what they have on hand but think this week we'll take a few trips. I'll have this phone with me so I can take a look at the pet hens others here have.

 

[perchie.girl]

TY for the responses. I've hatched and raised several kinds of birds from Painted Buntings to Pea Fowl and although time consuming, at times nerve wracking and tiring, I would do it over and over. Yes, there were times of sadness over losses , but the rewards of watching the birds grow and successfully make the transition to wildling ( if it was wild bird egg) or if domestic type, they would fly or run to you at the site of you.

We never know what kind of weather we'll have in the winter. It varies from weeks of sub zero to very mild with no or little snow. Had and am still having a very late spring with lots of rain and temps in 50s and 60s. Been reading more in regards to some other kinds and their temperaments.

I have a little building that is dedicated to house the hens and what ever else needs a home. It's unused at the moment after the horrible death of my beloved Jax duck followed by the rehoming of little Skittles hen and buster Duckie while I was going through a debilitating illness.
Hubby and I now have an arrangement that will make him capable of taking care of everyone in the event something happens to me. I've not had a chance to drive around to different farm stores to see what they have on hand but think this week we'll take a few trips. I'll have this phone with me so I can take a look at the pet hens others here have.

Cochins would be an excellent choice they are built for rain and cold weather.

I had two Silkies for about a year and I do get snow. They were fine My coops have chainlink for a roof with a tarp over the top... But they do get rained and snowed on occasionally. I set up a table of sorts and put a dog crate under that with bedding for the silkeys... They always greeted me at the door Rain or shine or snow....

One even had enough fethers on the tips of his wings to be able to roost on a saw horse.... I had my back turned one late afternoon doing something in the Welsummer pen when I heard a Mighty flapping.... Now I knew the other chickens in the pen behind me were already roosting... so I turned around and there was my little Black Truffle settling in on the saw horse and staring at me with his beedy black eyes..... Like he was saying "What...! " He was a hoot.... His brother was in the dog house all hunkered down...

Oh and Welsummers are a very wonderful quiet bird... I Loved them to death Very pretty... I had three roos and 20 hens in that one partition. They got along very well. There was one roo who was the boss and the other two minded their manners.... Very few squabbles. and those Hens were gorgeous.... Layed more eggs than I could ever eat.... Terracotta colored with very pretty darker speckles.

deb

 

[zinia8]

Hi everyone, it's been awhile since I've posted. I will probably never get caught up.