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[Yorkshire Coop]

@rebrascora

Good morning Barabara! Goodness I can see that your body clock is way of kilter, your up super early today! I guessed you are really busy still but fab news that you have been able to get out riding I managed yesterday again and even in some drizzle!! Not like us but need to keep making the effort. Although the rain is a pain we sure did need a bit for the grass. Hoping if it warms up the grass may grow a bit again. All quiet here really with same old same old. Been getting things done outside while the sun has been shining, managed to frazzle my arms the other day with a t shirt on so they are mixed colours again! Didn't realise until it was too late.

Such ashame on all those cockerels and your so right about them being too cute to cull. The little Pekin I had that had a gimpy leg got the pellet in the back of the head. A cheating way I know but Charlie has been shooting them for me One shot and they are gone, all very quick. It was never going to get better and the bad was dragging and had started bleeding. As soon as I saw that it had to go I'm afraid. The other one I have left has a pretty red comb so I think cockerel. The little Orpington I'm still not sure on
Going to keep the two blacktails for my egg production over this winter. My other hybrid hen was the only one who layed last winter so I'm hoping these will too.

Think that's about it for now and I must get ready to go do Harry, hoping to get out again this morning

Have a lovely Sunday and try to get a nap today!! Running on empty is not good

Catch you soon

Kim xx

 

[jemini212]

@jemini212


Hi and welcome

Can't believe you are also in the Consett area!!

What type of chickens do you have? Are they laying well at the moment? Do you have any broodies and/or chicks?

Are those huskies in your avatar? They look beautiful. Do you drive them? (I think it's referred to as mushing with dogs isn't it but I'm a horse person, so I'll stick with terminology I know) My partner and I drive as well as ride so the idea of driving dogs is quite appealing.

Anyway, just wanted to say "hello" with you being such a near neighbour!

Regards

Barbara

Hi Barbara, I'm in Leadgate.Small world huh?
I have 14 brown hybrid pullets and 2 old hens aprox 3+ years. I also have 5 9 week old chicks of mixed breed. Brought them as silky x, gold lace x and hybrid x but think we are determining that 2 of those are roo's. So 21 in total for now.
I have literally only had them since April so am new to this and am getting anywhere between 11-15 eggs daily. I have one of the older hens

that tries to sit on everone elses eggs but she does still lay so often I have to show her something nice to distract her out of the nest area.

They both were my huskies.. I lost them both. The one on the left was the father and we lost him at 12 years old on xmas eve due to age related kidney failure and the one on the right was his son and we lost him in Feb at 6 years old after an 8month battle with cancer. Sucks doesn't it! Had a pretty tough time since xmas so this chicken keeping opportunity came at the right time to occupy my mind.

 

[Dave C]

Hello & welcome, us north easterners are taking over this form

 

[Dave C]

Does not sound too bad, always takes a bit of time getting the pecking order sorted out.
Good you can handle them. Always a plus fur giving them a good inspection.
Your house sounds just like ours!! He puts up with my chicken and horse hobbies and I put up with his and our sons shooting. Seems to work ok and now he has got a new gun cabinet I've got my wardrobe back!! Installed his first one without even asking, just took everything out put the cabinet in and never gave a second thought to where the clothes were going to go!! I've said "when you stop collecting guns, I will stop collecting chickens" I'm sure they don't need as many as they have :/
Charlie our son is really enjoying it though and it gets him off the PS4 and out in some fresh air ~

Very similar to our house as well.
Mrs C & daughter are horse mad & me & my youngest son (also a Charlie) are mad on shooting & Gundogs and also have the chicken obsession

 

[philyc]

Short update. We now have 3 hatched all a day apart and two more are starting to hatch now too. So 5 of 8 isn't too bad one is a rehire island red the other 4 I'm not sure as they were the mystery eggs the Mrs got. We had to separate the hens with the eggs/chicks as one of the leghorns got hold of a chick and was pretty viscious with it.

I will get some pictures up soon for you guys

 

[rebrascora]

@jemini212

Yes, a very small world! I thought Dave was close in Teesdale which is about 30 miles but you are literally 2-3 miles up the road!

I searched for and read your intro thread after I sent my post..... sorry, I should have done that before to save you duplicating stuff. It's great that you got an allotment that was already set up for chickens and even got two hens thrown in. 11 years is a long time to wait for one but I know it's the same most places these days.... waiting for "dead men's shoes" so to speak! Although this one clearly not dead if he is consuming half a dozen eggs a week!

Where did you get your pullets and chicks from? Will you keep the cockerels, eat them or just neck and dispose of?

I love the way you have done up the shed in multicolours. I hope those chickens appreciate all the effort you have gone to, so that they have a fabulous and unique home. Are you selling the eggs or just supplying friends and family like me.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your huskies. That must have been heart breaking. I nearly lost one of my horses a few weeks back and that was pretty traumatic. It's when they are suffering and you have to make difficult decisions that it really becomes stressful and emotional. I am still reeling from the fact that I nearly made the wrong decision for my horse and he's the picture of health now!

Anyway, it's great to have another member on the thread and especially such a close neighbour. If I can be of help in any way, let me know.

Best wishes

Barbara

 

[rebrascora]

@philyc

Hi Phil

Congrats on the hatch. 5/8 is good enough! I'm having a much less successful year than last year with my broodies for a number of reasons, low fertility being one of them. My old legbar cock was deposed last autumn and I had to cull him in the end because his life wasn't worth living after that, but the new lads are clearly not as good at the job as he was, despite there being plenty of activity on that score. Not that I need any more chickens of course but if you have a broody hen and fertile eggs (or not as is the case) it seems a waste not to set some! And now that I have pekins I have more broody hens than I can shake a stick at and chicken maths is at risk of taking over! Think I need to be selling at the "Fur and Feather" sale next time it is on! Unfortunately my partner is already planning what to buy next....he's worse than me!.

Anyway, I look forward to seeing photos of your chicks. Mine were busy scratching through my muck heap this morning and making a shocking mess.... not the prettiest setting for a photo!

 

[jemini212]

@jemini212
 

Yes, a very small world! I thought Dave was close in Teesdale which is about 30 miles but you are literally 2-3 miles up the road!

I searched for and read your intro thread after I sent my post..... sorry, I should have done that before to save you duplicating stuff. It's great that you got an allotment that was already set up for chickens and even got two hens thrown in. 11 years is a long time to wait for one but I know it's the same most places these days.... waiting for "dead men's shoes" so to speak! Although this one clearly not dead if he is consuming half a dozen eggs a week!

Where did you get your pullets and chicks from?  Will you keep the cockerels, eat them or just neck and dispose of?  

I love the way you have done up the shed in multicolours. I hope those chickens appreciate all the effort you have gone to, so that they have a fabulous and unique home. Are you selling the eggs or just supplying friends and family like me.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your huskies. That must have been heart breaking. I nearly lost one of my horses a few weeks back and that was pretty traumatic. It's when they are suffering and you have to make difficult decisions that it really becomes stressful and emotional. I am still reeling from the fact that I nearly made the wrong decision for my horse and he's the picture of health now!

Anyway, it's great to have another member on the thread and especially such a close neighbour. If I can be of help in any way, let me know.

Best wishes 

Barbara 

Hi Barbara,
I got my pullets from a farmer in Ouston near Chester le Street. 16 weeks old hybrids. They are super friendly and most started laying within 2-3 days.
I got my chicks from a lady off Gumtree that had allotments near the vets in Leadgate and they were just starting out with breeding so wanted to keep full breeds for themselves and sell the cross breeds. She did say at the time that she would be happy to swap any roosters so I should really contact her and see if this is still the case. I don't think I could dispose of them. The guy in the allotment next to me has offered to but they aren't any trouble at the moment. They are really pretty so it would be a shame.
For eggs ar the moment just friends and family. They give me a couple of quid here and there which helps with feeding costs and i get any left over eggs (2 last week

)

Pleased to hear that your horse is on the mend. Such beautiful majestic creatures.

Do you breed your hens or are they just for eggs? Would be lovely to have a breeder so closeby. Whenever I think of adding to the flock there are never any closer than 40miles or so.

Terri

 

[philyc]

Here is a picture of two of our mystery chicks. The pale one has feathery feet.



Also got one more mystery and a rir with the other hen and three eggs.

One mystery chick hatched with its yolk unabsorbed (pic below) and is now with a farmer friend in his brooder so fingers crossed. No movement from the last three eggs still but 5ish from 8 when four of them were left unattended for about a day (poorly chick was not one of the four) isn't too bad

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@philyc

Very nice chicks

There are a few breeds with feathered legs so it will be interesting to see how that one turns out

Fingers crossed for the unabsorbed yolk but it looks ruptured so not a good sign I'm afraid.