The Middle Tennessee Thread

[DMRippy]

The biggest thing is keeping the wind off of them and keeping them as dry as you can.

He is right, we don't usually get much snow. We do get in the teens some, very rarely we get below 0 here, but it does happen. Cold snaps are usually short lived. I was worried to death my first year with chickens, I had no problems other than freezing waterers.

 

[ChickenQueen12]

These pics are some of my BIG boys Oreo the Barred Rock and Jordan i believe a Columbian Wyndotte. For size comparison i put a five gallon bucket next to them and the thing they are standing on is 3 inches tall.

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

they are HUGE!!!...I would love to have big roosters like that...but I have bantam hens and cant have big roosters with tiny hens.

 

[Countrypunk92]

they are HUGE!!!...I would love to have big roosters like that...but I have bantam hens and cant have big roosters with tiny hens.

or pancaked hens. Lol!

 

[DMRippy]

Just to tease you .... I know you wanted some BR's a while back...... My hubby calls this guy my turkey. I had a guy come by the other day and he sent someone back out the next day and told them to ASK TO SEE MY TURKEY! Had another guy come out today and he had to get a picture of this guy.

My Good Shepard Barred Rock Roo is HUGE. Over 2 feet tall. Must weigh close to 12 lbs and he is not done growing yet. Not even a year old

Those are full grown LF hens with him. I think that pen is 28 inches tall. He does not have to stretch to look over the top. I think he is a tad taller now. these were from a couple of months ago. he hatched around the first of the year.

 

[amenfarm]

Just to tease you .... I know you wanted some BR's a while back...... My hubby calls this guy my turkey. I had a guy come by the other day and he sent someone back out the next day and told them to ASK TO SEE MY TURKEY! Had another guy come out today and he had to get a picture of this guy.

My Good Shepard Barred Rock Roo is HUGE. Over 2 feet tall. Must weigh close to 12 lbs and he is not done growing yet. Not even a year old

Those are full grown LF hens with him. I think that pen is 28 inches tall. He does not have to stretch to look over the top. I think he is a tad taller now. these were from a couple of months ago. he hatched around the first of the year.

What are you feeding your "TURKEY"? Is his name Rex as in T-Rex?? LOL

 

[chelleigh]

Thanks everyone for all the winter advice!

My chickens are grateful. Have a fantastic weekend!
Michelle

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

wow donna...he is huge....I did not know they got that big I was thinking around 9 lbs. Soooo Pretty though!!

 

[Countrypunk92]

He is the most gorgous barred bird I hwve ever seen.

 

[CarolJ]

I drove out to Bonnie's Barnyard in Triune today - just for the heck of it. I'd heard of it but had never been there. Such a beautiful day. It's a nice place. Got some of the Tucker's layer feed, some scratch and some oyster shell.

I also got some chick feed because I kept one of the cream legbars we hatched out last week. My husband insisted on keeping one of the males that he had to nurse along. I was out of town during the hatch and my hubby let the humidity get really low, and so two chicks were shrink wrapped. He had to help them a lot in order to get them both hatched - but they survived! I told him that sure it's a cute chick now but in a few months it will be a big rooster - but he was adamant. He even named it - Chip because it was too weak to "Chirp."

That group of 5 Legbars ended up being 4 boys and 1 girl. I'm beginning to think Legbars must naturally hatch out more boys than girls. I had two Rhodebar eggs hatch - one boy and one girl. Except for Chip, I sold all the Legbars and Rhodebars.

I've shipped out several boxes of chicks now - and it's really not as complicated as I thought it would be. I learned though, that you have to charge $40 for packing/shipping in order to come out even. You have to buy a chick box, Excelsior pads, a 72-hour heat pad, and I hot glue a little tub of Gro-gel to the inside of the box, and that provides them a little moisture/nutrients during the trip. Then Express shipping is always at least $30 - $34. It all adds up.

I checked Meyer Hatchery Monday morning, they had several breeds available that I wanted - so I ordered a dozen female chicks - they'll be ready to join my layer pen in the spring. I got them first thing Tuesday morning - less than 24 hours in the mail system. One was DOA but the rest are doing great. Now Chip has some buddies to keep him company.

How long does molting usually take? Most of my chickens have stopped laying!