The Middle Tennessee Thread

[Jenski]

Morning all! Fantastic weather we have, huh - - and it's worth putting up with the wind. It's drying everything out, anyway.


Holly, isn't the sale house the one you can see from your yard? The one on the hill? Oh jiminey Christmas, can you imagine us being able to wave to each other from our windows?? T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!!! Ahhh, good stuff.

That house is a little posh for my budget, though. If you find anyone who can drop the cash off at my door, though, just tell them large bills are fine.

It was a good idea though, CityGirl! Hey, I noticed there is an entire 144 acre peninsula surrounded by the river for sale up near Holly, too. If we all pooled our cash (a couple of cool mil, LOL!), we could start a chicken commune up there . . .

Welcome, Troyerchicks! Hope you find the buff Orps you are looking for. If you go to HBuehler's place, you will probably find many other breeds you want, too. Be careful!

1newegg, you need a day off! Hope you can get out and enjoy the weather this week. At least hubby is making progress on the pen, though! That's always a plus.

sunflowerenvy, glad your power is back on! That's a bummer when it's chilly out. Ours never goes off when it's nice outside!

Okla-DD, I picked up a copy of The Farmer's Exchange at the auction, and now I have a new time-stealer. . . they have a website too: http://www.thefarmersexchange.com/ , and if you click on the red link at the top that says "Digital Edition," you can flip through a digital copy of the catalog every month. I bet I spent a good hour yesterday looking at farm liquidation auction stuff, livestock ads, and BIG TRACTORS!!! Dear me.

Well, I'm off for a romantic Valentine's Day coffee with the folks.

Hope you all have a great day!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

On this loveliest of Valentine's Day, I beg of favor of you my Middle Tennessean friends.

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TAKE THESE HORMONAL COCKERELS OFF MY HANDS!!!!!!

They are driving me crazy. They are full of testosterone and feeling springy. The poor girls are hiding from them, as are the smaller boys. Sheesh. It's a big wash of hormones out there. I have the large barred EE (who graduated to the LF coop yesterday after I realized all the other boys in the bachelor pen were crammed in the dog crate to get away from him. He is NOT pleased to be in with the big chickens. One terrified chicken versus 7 terrified chickens? I can't win this game.). He is GORGEOUS and full of personality. There are two splash and one black ameraucanas too. They are smaller, but are looking good.

So the rooster issue is making me crazy. I really want to find someone willing to take them all and eat them. The only other options I can think of would be to contact the zoo or find a dog rescue that needs hormone free, cage free meat. I can't whack their heads off myself and quite frankly don't eat enough chicken to make taking them to a processor worthwhile. But I am now facing a season of hatching and know it will continue to be an issue. Not enough people want roosters to find them all good homes. Someone needs to eat them. Sigh. Do y'all have any thoughts?

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

Citygirl have you tried craigslist?

 

[Silverose]

Hello everyone, I'm new here, no chickens yet, plan to build a coop in a month or two then get some chickens.

Where's the best bet on getting good quality chickens ? I live at the bottom of tn about an hour north of florence al. in wayne county. I'm mostly interested in the ameraucana breed as well as rir, plymouth rock, golden comet and I'm on the fence still about some silkies (I seen a pic of a gorgeous silkie bantie roo in my organic gardening mag a few months back he's quite handsome) is mail order my only option this far out? (i'm not only new to chickens, but relatively new to Tn also, I was raised in FL)

 

[Shelly_WNC]

Happy Valentine's Day All!!

It so exciting to read about everyone gearing up getting their coops and brooders completed for the hatching season. And the thought of Jen moving next door to Holly really makes me smile - then we can visit both of you at the same time *smile*. Oh what a wonderful chicken farm that would make.

Glad to hear Tisha got out of the deep TN south and everyone got to experience the auction. I have never been but now you all have me very curious, though the swaps my be more my speed. I 'watched' and cow auction once in Carthage and I couldn't understand a word that guy said - LOL. How do they do that (talking ninety miles an hour)?

I haven't read the meet up thread yet, but it sounds like it's March 12th. I'll have to clear my calendar ... can't wait to see every one again!!! and meet some more Middle TN'ers.

My incubators all cleaned up and ready to go ... going to give it another try here soon. Trying to figure out my calendar when the best weekend to hatch is. I need to go to FLA in March sometime. Wow spring is coming real fast now - I have a ton of projects that need to get started. Besides a chicken coop my favorite project is going to be a nice patio out back for nice evenings outside and barbeques.

Welcome Silverose - I think you have a good choice of chickys from HBuehler and some beautiful silkies from splendidsilkies.

I need to read this thread more often , when I miss a few days it's hard to catch back up on everyones activities. I'm thinking we need more pics!! That pic of the snow with the barn/coop was really good, can't wait to see that same scene in the spring. Fuzzy butt pictures would really be great right now .. getting us in the spring fever spirit.

Have a great day everyone!!!

 

[sunflowerenvy]

Quote:
welcome to tn maybe at your local feed store will sell chicks . i got my first set of chicks at the tractor supply co. in savannah, tn in hardin county in think it was back in april of 2010, also know that the framer coop sell chick too.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

I just came inside t take a break this weather is awesome. I got 2 more showgirl eggs today but judging by my 8 day candle someone needs their butt trimmed. I will have to be the girls I don't plan on showing because they are all in a breeding pen now. I did walk away with RV behind Jack Ferguson with my blue silkie pullet. I want to get him in the fall with this same girl haha. Set your goals high right. Of course the Showgirls took BV and RV but no other showgirls were shown. In welcome the competition with the Showgirls and wish others would keep and show them. They are great.
Thanks Shelly but I am still upgrading my pens but this fall should be a knock out year for me as far as upgrades. I have some very nice babies growing up now, with 2 incubators still running and I just put one out to dry. My space is limited so I can really only keep and grow out the best of what I hatch. Adding 2 more hutches soon since I have a project I am working on for the fall.

Citygirl I couldn't process a chicken sorry! I did try my friend but she wanted different colors than you have.

Silverose let me know when you get ready for silkies. They are the best and the sweetest IMO. I should have PQ, and BQ B/B/S for sale most of the time. Just depends on what you are looking for. I hatch year round usually. CityGirl also has some very nice buffs. Build the coop bigger than you think you will need the room, I am sure you will want more once you get started. Then save up for the bator you will need that too. Chickens are worse than lays and babies are my choice of drug. haha

Back outside.

 

[HBuehler]

Quote:

Well I have to say the best place to get some nice chickens is right in my yard

We raise true Ameraucana in Wheaten/Blue Wheaten the Easter Egger variety which is what the Ameraucana are at all feed stores etc but mine are not that hatchery stock,We have Barred Rocks in the common black and rare BLUE.I don't like the personality of the RIR so we don't have them... or the Golden Comet/Red Sex Link but thinking about setting a small amount of RSL eggs for spring chicks.
If you want nice quality chickens hatcheries don't sell them..they focus on egg production only so their birds don't come close to the breed standards.
Jenski-Isn't the price of real estate around me great..all we need is the winning lottery ticket...OK you know which house it is near me.We could wave or use walkie talkies..heck a shout would work

CityGirl-Can't help you out I'm afraid I'm full of Roodle issues here soon...those boys

Well I had a great hatch and it's already time to lockdown a huge bunch-think when I look it's well over a turner and a half possibly 2..SO glad the heated brooder house is almost done..my basement can't hold another cage.I think when it's done I'm going to throw myself an empty nest party

Next is the new bantam Condo's being built 2 big coops with attached covered runs so they won't get sun burned.

 

[Troyerchicks]

HBuehler - would be interested in 3 or 4 of the pullets but can't do the roosters. We live in the city and want to stay on the good side of our neighbors.

Do Buff Orpington play well with other chickens?

 

[Troyerchicks]

Okla - thank you for the information on the auctions! I will definately look into going to one!