The Middle Tennessee Thread

[Troyerchicks]

Co-op is making it hard to stay with just the chickens I have. They don't have a six chicken limit!!! I don't think they have any limit. Darn you Co-op!!

The gold laced wyandottes (sp?) were very very cute!
I'm just glad the bunny bin was empty!

Have a great day everyone! Looks like spring has decided to stay.

 

[cpegram]

Wow today is going to be a beautiful day much to nice to work "cough". But seriously my chickies are loving it except for my full grown LF they have very large coop and run predator proof to the max. For about a week I have not allowed them to free range. A year they have been free ranging when we are home 4 days a week plus afternoons, well last week we lost 3 hens in two days sad as these were my first chicks last year. I never let my silkies free range poor things would be way to easy prey. They want outside so bad every evening lately they are lined up at the run door. I feel bad but until DH catches that fox

I have to. *sigh*. Hopefully soon they can go back out.

 

[HBuehler]

Them darn chickies

My MF Cochins began laying about a week ago so after a few eggs I moved them out to the MF pen and left 2 MF pullets with Toast and Reeses-Anne's former kids and then moved them all into a big pen with rest of my Silkies..next day another brown egg..ok the other MF's they are the same age as the others so it was logical-moved them... so only Silkies remain in that pen...this morning a brown egg in the Silkie pen...Reeses is the one laying-she was in every pen that mysteriously had extra eggs in it. I have never seen a Silkie egg this dark
So,this afternoon I walk into the chick house and laying in the Bantam Ameraucana pen is the prettiest blue egg Jens Babies are laying eggs already

Sam is going to be such a happy Roodle
Now,if my hens who have been on Spring Break could step up and match these little pullets we could have breakfast

 

[believer01]

Happy Campers! That's my girls! I'm finally getting things like I'd like to have them......brought my original 4 girls home last April and my plans for their protection and enjoyment have been sidelined numerous times ever since. First the horrible flooding in May 2010. Then the horrible heat of the summer. Then I torqued my back the wrong way and was laid up for a month, sprained ankle sidelined me for 2! Ok, pity party over....

I used rabbit fence to give the girls access to green grass outside their (dirt floored) pen! Hung CD's from the tree branches that overhang the area to hopefully scare off the hawks. They are soooo loving this!

And we've got a fella coming with a bulldozer in 2 weeks to dig another swale to divert rainwater from our yard and the chicken pen.

After looking at the pics of you all's coops/pens I've got some more ideas. Hoping to put a flower bed around the outside of the pen, like Jenski has! And a 'cover' over the coop area like I've seen some have. And then enlarge the coop a bit.....

Oops - this is contagious!

 

[Jenski]

Yeh, you go there believer01! The flower bed serves several purposes - - to camouflage my birds from the neighborhood, to grow a few goodies for the birds to enjoy, and most importantly to discourage casual passes from curious critters. Beneath the bottom edge of the pen there is a line of nice Tennessee field stones covered by our very fine clay. I had a few 2 x 4 beams attached across the top of that pen, and I stitched together a roof of 1 x 2" field fence and pulled the whole thing over the top. It's attached with heavy duty plastic zip ties since I was not sure I would keep it up there, but so far it's working.

I was just outside this past week moving around one of the dog fences . . . and I must have modified these coops a dozen times over the past couple of years. I don't think we ever get finished fooling with our critter quarters, do we??

 

[believer01]

Thanks for the encouragement, Jenski. I'm ready to get to work!

1NewEgg I'm so sorry to hear you lost some girls. Hope DH catches the culprit soon! Maybe you could hang the skin on the side of the coop as a warning to other varmints?

 

[cpegram]

believer01 I think that would be a GREAT idea LOL...I feel like i have chickie's everywhere...under the house...one in the house...hospital

she was closing one eye the day before yesterday....put some eye cream on there w/ some antibiotics...doing GREAT!! she/he (a silkie) was not too happy about being separated from everyone at first....but now it's ok. I have some more in the incubator.....as for my last hatch for awhile i think...I hope? I gotta get some errends and cleaning around the house today and get rooms ready for guests.....and hopefully get outside in that sunshine

Hope everyone has a great day!

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Connie I feel just like you! I have 2 brooder and my whirpool bath full of chicks, 3 incubators one in lock down set for another 100% hatch and a few in a friends incubator as well. I ran out of room. I keep saying no more but the babies I am getting are just to good, I can't help but set the eggs. Anyone need some really cute babies. As far as house cleaning goes well I could do some but weekends are my fun days and I refuse. Maybe when it rains I will come in to do boring ole house chores. I am headed to the mile long yard sale today and hanging out with good friends. I hope you have fun with the family.
Tisha

 

[Jenski]

Ohhh Tisha, you lost your tub, too!

I hate when that happens. . . . but it really is such a great place for chicks! Keeps the drafts down, easy to clean up afterwards. . . freaks your guests out . . .


1newegg, I am sorry to hear about your hens being taken! That stinks. There will always be varmints, though, and when you catch one, another takes its place. When I have a bit more space I'm getting chicken-friendly LGDs, no doubt about it. I know some folks out in the country - - WAY out - - and they have a couple of big, open field fenced areas where they let their 50+ birds roam (4 x 4 field fence, too). They have four LGDs for their goat flock, and no predator chicken losses to date. They don't lock their birds in at night, either! The hawks, possums, wild dogs, coyotes, wild hogs, foxes - - all of them steer clear of the "dog place."
BTW, thanks for the lovely picture! Wish we had smell-a-vision.

Holly, I'm glad to hear Remy's babies are passing muster. They are a good little breed, eh! Pretty tough little critters, and good layers. Have you noticed any difference in how early the tail feathers start coming in between the boys and the girls? My two chicks are 8 days old now, and they already have decent tail feathers coming in. In some of my other breeds I noticed the boys were later with the tails. Keeping fingers crossed!

Troyerchicks, how many birds ye got over there now??

Ahh, don't you just love spring. . .


CityGirl, OklaDD, Shelley, good morning! Hope y'all are doing well and having fun with your birds.


Hope everyone has a great Saturday (it is Sat, isn't it??) - - for those of you going to the mile long yard sale, happy hunting!

 

[firefly7]

Is this the thread I would look on for middle Tn quail raisers? If anyone local is raising coturnix I would love to hear from you.
Di.