The Middle Tennessee Thread

[debid]

I just ordered my hatchery chicks. No, they aren't breeder quality but at least I'm buying local. The Poultry House has been good to me so went that route again this time. And, dark Brahma...

 

[debid]

I'm totally open to that but I just heard it's harder integrating into my current flock of 7 the older they are. I did that last Summer and hated seeing my new girls picked on because they were the same age/size as my current girls. They're fine now though! I read that younger chicks are easier because the older girls don't see them as much as "competition"

I won't put a young one in with mine because they killed a little gal before. The bigger/older pullets were not welcomed either but they seemed to know to act subservient while the younger one panicked.

 

[jas humbert]

I am dancing between breeds. I just can't seem to decide on what I want to concentrate on. I can have 12 chickens. That means either 1 roo and 11 hens or 2 roos and and 10 hens if I want two breeds
Then I thought that I would like a full sized dual purpose chicken and then a maybe a couple of egg machine hens and a couple of super broodies. Raising a rare breed appeals to me but I need it to be a workhorse too. At some point I would like to get quail again so it would be nice if the super broodies were light enough to hatch quail eggs too. So I am trying to decide between breeds. I am looking at the Neiderheiner as a dual purpose chicken. It is both rare and dual purpose and I love it's color. I can't decide whether I would want Silkies, Cochins or Rose Comb Nankings for super broodies. For the egg machines I have no preference between a brown or white egg. If the super egg machines lays a different color than the Neiderheiners then they could run with them and I wouldn't need to make a third pen.

My Sapphire (Leghorn X Am) has been on strike all winter so I am not really impressed with her as an egg machine. I have 2 Olive Egger hens and a nice 3 generation Olive Egger roo. They haven't laid an egg since mid October. True I have not provided light but really. They aren't aged. The Sapphire is about 10 months old and the other Olive Egger hen 18. The third hen is 2 years so I wasn't expecting as much from her. But I am really wanting more. I have built them a new hen house that is an improvement on the old. It has much better natural lighting.They have been in the new pen about a week. I am hoping to see eggs soon. But I am considering going a whole new direction with my breeds. I will miss the blue and green eggs though.

I also use no supplemental lighting and I've had at least some eggs all winter. About half my summer totals, but still steady production. The welsummers and the black australorps (1 and 2 years old) layed the best all winter except for about 6 weeks off per bird in late fall/early winter when they molted. I love the australorp personality too - good sized dual purpose birds with very even temperament and friendly too. The sole americana was a spring baby and did not start laying until early January but shes been 5-6 eggs a week since but thats probably just new layer enthusiasm. The salmon faveroles were also spring babies that started laying in November and have been 4 eggs a week per bird since then. The silkies layed all winter - they always do. I have 6 silkie hens and get 3-4 eggs every day in winter. Better production per bird in the summer when and if they are not broody. I love my silkies and with 6 hens somebody is always broody except in the coldest part of the year. No one has started going broody yet but I generally have at least one hen broody from late February through November. If not I wait two week and can be sure someone will go broody in the meantime. Most go broody 3-4 times a year. They are good mommies and at 2-3 pounds probably light enough to hatch small eggs. They do fine with bigger eggs too. I had a silkie hatch 4 huge orphington eggs for a friend last year. They are a nice supplement to the bigger hens for winter eggs because they are broody half the year but lay steady when the other chickens slow down in winter. Silkie eggs are about 2/3 the size of normal egg and work well in my recipes at a 3 to 2 ratio. They usually molt once a year but often time it to right after a broody bout so not so much molting slowdown in fall like many breeds.

 

[DMRippy]

I was gifted a pretty good size wine cooler a couple of years ago. My son took it thinking he might could fix it but never did. I think I am going to finally make an incubator out of it. I think it is about 3 x 3 x 1.5 ft. Double doors too. If I am going to cut down my hatching I might as well reduce the size of my bator right? I don't think I am ever going to be hatching 540 eggs at any time again. I think this will hold between 180-270 I have not checked the size of my hatching trays in the space.

So I think I will sell my MEGA BATOR when I get the new one finished. If I can't get my asking price I may keep it as a back up hatcher.

 

[Penny Hen]

I am breathlessly waiting for my husband to file his taxes. He has promised me a new incubator after we purchase a proper refrigerator. Currently our refrigerator is a chest style Redddi Wip that was being thrown out from the grocery store where he works. Our former refrigerator bit the dust almost a year ago. So first it is the refrigerator and then the incubator,.

 

[Penny Hen]

This summer I am going to be traveling between Nashville and Richmond, Virginia to see my brother. On the way back I am planning to pick up hatching eggs for myself. If anyone would be interested in me picking up for them along that route (primarily the I-40) let me know and we will try to coordinate.

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

TSC Chick Days starts today in our area.

 

[Penny Hen]

TSC Chick Days starts today in our area.

Ohhhhh the Chick Days are here! I may have to find me a lavender cochin or two.

 

[GardenWren]

A friend of mine's local CO-OP got their chicks in early. She scored a gorgeous little lavender Ameraucana. I've got so many eggs in the incubators, I'm having to force myself to stay away from farm stores. Lol!

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

We only live once. Get one in every color make and model, ahh, I mean one in every variety and breed. Such a small cost for so much joy.