The Welsummer Thread!!!!

[SFIcelandics]

Quote:
Yeah, I know... Im over 150 poultry, and that is not including the pigeons... Thank goodness I only had to move about 75 chickens from one shed to the other, but until I had help, I was carrying them one in each hand, up to the other shed... After I got help, loaded them in cages, and it went alot faster!

Nate

 

[flower]

Here in the Mojave desert we can see the snow up in the mountains but do not experience what we want to avoid. I have just two Welsummer hens and they are as different as the temperature between 2.5K ft and 10K ft. One hen is scrawny with red comb and wattles laying almost daily, the other is hugh with pale pink comb and wattles, not laying.
This spot of southern california is like no other that I have experienced. And my flock of 11 is quite different also. Here comes the winter, May we all do well !

 

[grandmaof5]

No snow up here yet, but when DH went out this morning to open up for the girls he said they had lots of water; I went out a few minutes later to bring them some porridge and had a goodlook in the coop- the water in the bottom of the plastic waterer was frozen. I took out another waterer that I had waiting, and when I came in I told DH that he had to check it well, it looked full but the water in the bottom was frozen over...

I hope the nice warm porridge made up for it.

Thankfully it is still early in the year, and it wasn't frozen solid...

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
Yeah, I know... Im over 150 poultry, and that is not including the pigeons... Thank goodness I only had to move about 75 chickens from one shed to the other, but until I had help, I was carrying them one in each hand, up to the other shed... After I got help, loaded them in cages, and it went alot faster!

Nate

Nate, I can just envision this scenario at your place!

I feel your pain, I feel your pain! I too am over 150 poultry and just spent some major time a couple of weeks ago moving and changing birds and pens, I hear ya!!!!! My question is after you caught one, how did you catch the other? I have gotten rather adept at the one handed chicken catch with the first one I caught up under my arm. My DH laughs like Santa Claus everytime he watches this event. Me chasing a bird with one bird tucked under my arm......DH thinks it's really funny when the area is a bit mucky after tons of rain. Somehow or another I usually end up wearing lots of that muck.

 

[EweSheep]

or use that chicken wire catcher thingy! Saves me from chasing them from pulled feathers.

 

[SFIcelandics]

Quote:
Yeah, I know... Im over 150 poultry, and that is not including the pigeons... Thank goodness I only had to move about 75 chickens from one shed to the other, but until I had help, I was carrying them one in each hand, up to the other shed... After I got help, loaded them in cages, and it went alot faster!

Nate

Nate, I can just envision this scenario at your place!

I feel your pain, I feel your pain! I too am over 150 poultry and just spent some major time a couple of weeks ago moving and changing birds and pens, I hear ya!!!!! My question is after you caught one, how did you catch the other? I have gotten rather adept at the one handed chicken catch with the first one I caught up under my arm. My DH laughs like Santa Claus everytime he watches this event. Me chasing a bird with one bird tucked under my arm......DH thinks it's really funny when the area is a bit mucky after tons of rain. Somehow or another I usually end up wearing lots of that muck.

Well I was catching them one handed, lol... I fed them in the summer coop, locked them in and started catching, the LF chickens I carried 2 at a time. The bantams I could fit about 3-4 in one hand and one in the other, so I could still open the barn door. LOL... I still have a ton of chicks that are in the 2-3 month old range, and they are growing fast, which most of those will be my breeding stock for 2011 once I do my final cull, as they will be laying around march or April when most people want their chicks... Im already getting some bookings, and offering a discount, on-top of my already lower prices than most other welsummer breeders. My goal is this: Keep my prices competitive, but affordable, so that way people can experience the "true WELSUMMER" instead of a hatchery. When I got my welsummers I paid over $6.00 per chick, for some really good stock. And after shipping I think it was $196.00 for 25 chicks. But I wanted quality, and am offering them at a fraction of what I had to pay.

Nate

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
I do have a net but I really do not like using it, every bird here knows the net and they freak out whenever they see me move it off the tree where it hangs. It can hang on the tree but it better not come off is how they see it.

 

[EweSheep]

I dont like to use the net, because they get hung up on something.

So the long wired hook with a plastic cover works well for me and the birds are not too traumatized by it. Gather them all up to a corner and "snake them out" with the hook. Some folks said it can break their legs but I think it all boils down how the bird is and how you handle the chicken hook.

When we moved, I left it behind and wished I never did! That thing must be over 80 years old. Wonderful gadget!

Now I have to go and find myself one, preferably galanivized ones.

 

[cackleberrylinda]

Quote:
Yeah, I know... Im over 150 poultry, and that is not including the pigeons... Thank goodness I only had to move about 75 chickens from one shed to the other, but until I had help, I was carrying them one in each hand, up to the other shed... After I got help, loaded them in cages, and it went alot faster!

Nate

Nate, I can just envision this scenario at your place!

I feel your pain, I feel your pain! I too am over 150 poultry and just spent some major time a couple of weeks ago moving and changing birds and pens, I hear ya!!!!! My question is after you caught one, how did you catch the other? I have gotten rather adept at the one handed chicken catch with the first one I caught up under my arm. My DH laughs like Santa Claus everytime he watches this event. Me chasing a bird with one bird tucked under my arm......DH thinks it's really funny when the area is a bit mucky after tons of rain. Somehow or another I usually end up wearing lots of that muck.

Best advice EVER!!?? Wait until they are asleep and take em off the perch and carry them to the new perch while they doze... can do 3-4 birds at once in your arms, or.... put em in a box and off you go. Never move a hen in daylight if you can help it,,,, then too, never say never

 

[EweSheep]

yes that too but a few can really upset the flock with so much one's squawking. It does not take much for them to get them all frenzed. Unless the flock is used to your presence at night when you closed the doors, then it would not be much of a problem.