The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[ki4got]

Quote:
dorkings come in several varieties, but if you got it from a hatchery, then chances are if it's red it's not a dorking... the only hatchery (of sorts) that deals with red dorkings is sand hill preservation center. mcmurray has silver greys.

dorkings are characterized by the long low posture you can see on big guy (sg in front). they have white skin, 5 toes and single comb.

color varieties include red (classic black breasted red) silver grey (classic silver duckwing) as well as colored, white (rose comb) and cuckoo (single and rose comb).

 

[lalaland]

no, not from a hatchery. This woman trades eggs on byc, and hatched supposedly to order - I got very few of what I had ordered, ended up with sulmtalers which Aoxa finally identified for me, and I'm still trying to identify what I have. So far, icelandic, crested cream leg bar, the sulmtalers, ....my main rooster is totally unknown. But he doesn't have 5 toes, and he has a rose comb.

 

[Sally8]

reptiles and fish have the ability to change sex... so egg temperature does have that effect for some species. mammals are another story tho.

I know nothing about reptiles and don't want to. lol When my son was old enough to want lizards and such, I wouldn't let him have 1. If it escaped, I would have had to move. Thanks. Had no idea.

 

[ki4got]

no, not from a hatchery. This woman trades eggs on byc, and hatched supposedly to order - I got very few of what I had ordered, ended up with sulmtalers which Aoxa finally identified for me, and I'm still trying to identify what I have. So far, icelandic, crested cream leg bar, the sulmtalers, ....my main rooster is totally unknown. But he doesn't have 5 toes, and he has a rose comb.

the large white earlobes seem to be indicative of Mediterranean breeds quite often... that's where I would start my search.
edit: actually my first instinct was rose comb brown leghorn... I googled it and was right, I think.

 

[Pozees]

the large white earlobes seem to be indicative of Mediterranean breeds quite often... that's where I would start my search.
edit: actually my first instinct was rose comb brown leghorn... I googled it and was right, I think.

LOL I was just going to say the same thing, he looks like a Rose Comb Light Brown Leghorn

 

[lalaland]

cool! I'll go look up that breed!

 

[lalaland]

you know, I think you've got it! chick pics look like what i remember...So buster is a rose comb brown leghorn. (will go out side later and check for the black stripe down the center of the feathers, but he sure seems to match the pics) one of the sites said they aren't too cold hardy - oops, I live in sub zero MN.

Not sure I want to hatch eggs from him, though....if they are white egg layers, then....crossing with blue egg layers, and brown egg layers, and....dang I am totally ignorant about breeding. I don't really care about breed purity here as I have such a mixed flock, and this flock is for eggs. customers not too fond of white eggs.

Am still planning on getting sulmtaler hatching eggs this spring so I can breed those, am just in love with the breed.
Thanks!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I've been supplementing the flock with various things ... an emphasis on protein treats and nutrients ... lately because they've been going through an ugly molt and I really want them to grow feathers instead if eat them off each other. I've mixed up the protein (cat kibble or scrambled eggs or both, etc.) with cultured buttermilk and brewers yeast and a touch of molasses and now Nutri-balancer. Yesterday I added a small amount of fermented feed to the treat.

I used to always have some broken eggs in the day's collection -- broken due to thin/fragile shell, though occasionally one could be broken by clumsy or pecking birds -- but haven't had a broken egg for several days now. Not since I started with the Nutri-balancer. The overall egg production is down -- fewer daylight hours, so that's expected -- but am starting to get more really big eggs.

I've always had oyster shell available free choice ... lately I've also been putting out crushed egg shells.

The regular food was layer pellets, and lately we switched to an all purpose poultry food that is higher in protein so we can feed everyone the same thing. We've always got younger birds in the flock who need a higher protein food.

Bigger & better eggs might be a coincidence to the extra protein and Nutri-balancer and cultures ... Or not.

They'll be getting more and more fermented feed over time.

 

[Shan30]

Baaah! Got two of the raccoons on Friday night but we know there is at least one more out there so the girls are still locked up.

My husband came in this morning from doing chores to tell me that my broody Ameraucana was dead in the coop and her head is missing!
Feel so stupid, there is a drain hole in the floor that is about 1 and 1/2 inches across that we've never really worried about. Obviously something either came in, killed her and could only take the head or reached through and pulled her head down. Mink maybe? Poor thing

 

[Mrs. K]

Once, I had a raccoon leave a note: "Please leave BBQ sauce, I am tired of them plain!" !@#$#$@%^^&*^#%$# predators. Minks often just dehead them.

MRs k