The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Jockey - sorry about the mites! Very frustrating.

Gramma - I don't think my rooster has gleet but I guess I need to get a closer look after dark. I'd like to get up close and see what I smell too. I kind-of think it's not gleet because none of the girls show any symptoms and I figured that if he had it I'd see it on them.

 

[AletaG]

Imported English Orpingtons that are grown out a bit to assess quality usually go for $500.00 + for a trio. Right now adult Mottled English Orpintons are going for $1000.00 a bird

If I paid that much for birds they'd be living in the master bedroom and the cats/dog and I would be sleeping in the coop.

I have seen some photos of birds here on BYC that make me wish I had that much money to invest in birds, but

I thought I was crazy for paying $300 for my pair of geese. I feel less crazy now. Especially since they frequently take grand champion (or reserve) at our shows here. Both shows I attended, and the past two years before that they have been Grand Champion of show (2012 & 2011) and Reserve Grand Champion (2010).

I bet you'd be really sick if one passed away. :S
Not trying to criticize you by the way, just think the prices are too much. It would be hard to make that back with chickens. No one here would ever go for it.

I'm thinking it has to do with rarity and the lack of decent gene pool. To get a typy bird, you have to cull 50 (or more). I have a friend who imports, and sometimes she gets a few "packing peanuts" of a breed she's not trying to breed. I started with 4 Rhodebars (2pair) and 4 Birchen Marans from her unwanted "packing peanuts" - down to 2 BM cockerels and a sad little Rhodebar. I'm mostly raising them out of curiosity now. One BM cockerel looks really good. So, out of 8 birds, one may end up worth looking at. When you've got that much weak stock (the rest died of MG that has affected the rest of my flocks health not a whit)... you have to charge more for the survivors, let alone the NICE ones. Can't be my game, that's sure.

QUestion about combs!
I thought combs were indicative of the breed - but am I wrong? can the same breed have different combs?

ok, here is my last unidentified rooster. For a long time I was hoping he was a sulmtaler roo, but apparently they are all dark. I have posted his pic here before, but he is older now and looks a little different. A very skittish, stay in the background, sweet guy. Check out his crest in the first pic.
and see how shiny his creamy white feathers are? another crooked comb
notice the white legs above

Icelandics are a land race (not like a breed) and can be many different colors and comb types. I have 3 and one is a lot like a Rhodebar, one is has soft mottled feathers and the rooster has similar coloring to the one with the mottling, but has tight feathering like the "rhodebar" look alike. They can be coal black, or mottled... check out the Icee thread. You'll be amazed.

 

[jockeyeba]

I'm going insane My husband brought a load of hay from our horse barn around to the chicken yard but he picked it up off the ground I put it in some nesting boxes

http://www.ehow.com/how_8540863_kill-straw-mites.html

Sounds like straw mites.


I cannot use alfalfa hay in the coop because I start itching like crazy.

They don't seem to be biting me just crawling on me. I looked up mites & there is a plant mite A friend said their "bird mites" from the sparrows that are roosting n our barn eaves but they don't seem to be biting me. I'm in the process of washing all the clothes that came in contact & vacuuming
I know they didn't come from the baled hay. I throw hay to the sheep & it was hay that had been on the ground for a while that they seemed to be in.

 

[armorfirelady]

QUestion about combs!

I thought combs were indicative of the breed - but am I wrong? can the same breed have different combs?

Well if they are a cross breed combs are useless. I have a BCM & an EE. Both have pea combs but when you cross them you get a funky looking comb

I love my Lucy Lu (the black hen) but her comb is pretty goofy looking lol

 

[delisha]

All the males looks like Icelandic to me...they are a new bird and right now they are going to all look different. Most will be cull birds. I know nothing about the sop on Icys. You might post them to the icy thread and ask. You might have a winner in your group.

About prices in chickens

Imports are different.

It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to import birds and hatching eggs. First you have to find a seller, than they have to go threw inspection by the US and testing before they even get here.
When they arrive here in the US they sit in an environment you have to pay for, a vet that has to check them daily, workers to clean. paper work..etc..it takes months sometimes.When and if you finally get them you start breeding and culling generations and getting them used to a different environment. Half are lost to lack of resistance and different feeding and nutritional needs.
Someone has to pay for the heavy cost.

Gold Laced Orpingtons are no longer new. They have been here for a few years now and are being bred just to be bred. A very few people are breeding to the SOP and to correct genetic flaws. I hope to be one of those people. I have been very fortunate to get a male who is beautiful. The pullet..not so much..She is a mess. I am going to bred her and see what she throws. If the chicks are healthy and vigorous I have half of the battle won. I hope she produces better than herself. That will not be hard to do. Some just are breeding to bred to re coop the investment. It is understandable, but people are going to have a mess on there hands soon. Too many of these birds are going to look like ..umm..chicken dooky soon. I am making Mottles. It will take years, but the time I am close.... the newness will be over and they will be a bit more reasonable priced. By than every hatchery will be selling so called imported gold laced orpingtons that look like..umm..poo. i want to try to improve..and bred the best..only the best. Strong..vigorous..healthy birds that make a good table fare and a gentle bird to be handled by children.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

All the males looks like Icelandic to me...they are a new bird and right now they are going to all look different. Most will be cull birds. I know nothing about the sop on Icys. You might post them to the icy thread and ask. You might have a winner in your group.

About prices in chickens

Imports are different.

It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to import birds and hatching eggs. First you have to find a seller, than they have to go threw inspection by the US and testing before they even get here.
When they arrive here in the US they sit in an environment you have to pay for, a vet that has to check them daily, workers to clean. paper work..etc..it takes months sometimes.When and if you finally get them you start breeding and culling generations and getting them used to a different environment. Half are lost to lack of resistance and different feeding and nutritional needs.
Someone has to pay for the heavy cost.

Gold Laced Orpingtons are no longer new. They have been here for a few years now and are being bred just to be bred. A very few people are breeding to the SOP and to correct genetic flaws. I hope to be one of those people. I have been very fortunate to get a male who is beautiful. The pullet..not so much..She is a mess. I am going to bred her and see what she throws. If the chicks are healthy and vigorous I have half of the battle won. I hope she produces better than herself. That will not be hard to do. Some just are breeding to bred to re coop the investment. It is understandable, but people are going to have a mess on there hands soon. Too many of these birds are going to look like ..umm..chicken dooky soon. I am making Mottles. It will take years, but the time I am close.... the newness will be over and they will be a bit more reasonable priced. By than every hatchery will be selling so called imported gold laced orpingtons that look like..umm..poo. i want to try to improve..and bred the best..only the best. Strong..vigorous..healthy birds that make a good table fare and a gentle bird to be handled by children.

Bless you. Honestly! If I could make that financial commitment I sure would. I do love chickens and admire them so much. And it is good to read someone concerned with helping get a new breed properly established with good quality birds. You've got great motivation with that beautiful male.

Right now I'm looking I to starting with "real" birds and have been investigating Delawares. I love the idea of a sustainable meat and egg producing breed, so I hope that part works out. And if I can do anything to advance the SOP I would be so proud and satisfied.

 

[mlowen]

Temporary fence link found! Two BYC-ers sent it to me. It's a great idea. I'm sure I can do something like it for myself.

http://www.ranch-coop.com/Moveable-Chicken-Yard-Garden-Posts-Video.html

 

[delisha]

Quote: As far as Delawares..have you gone to kathy's BYC link? She has created Delawares from scratch and they are beautiful. I think they are in F4 right now.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

As far as Delawares..have you gone to kathy's BYC link? She has created Delawares from scratch and they are beautiful. I think they are in F4 right now.

Sort of. I've been talking to a local person who has some of Kathy's birds and might be able to share some with me so I can help with breeding that line. There is another local person doing pretty much what I was hoping to do with Delawares ... hers are another line. I don't know much about breeding for improvements, but gather the different lines have different strengths, so having access to both could be useful in helping improve the breed. If that works out. And I might try some of Kathy's hatching eggs directly if I can ... If i do I'll need help assessing them, that's for sure!

I think it is really cool someone is doing the work to recreate this breed. Think of all the factors and patience that would require!

 

[delisha]

Quote: And years..She really worked hard on it.