Utah!

[Lilwanis]

Oh, and if you were counting, yes, I have sixteen boys here. Five I will give away, the other eleven are dinner or may luck out and be a breeder.

 

[RedIII]

Cynthia, that popcorn picture is so true! I feel about like that when I go outside. Except maybe with extra butter

Sara, I have a purebred black Ameraucana rooster that your boss can have for free, but be warned - he's a total jerk. More than likely, he's going to be dinner at some point here.

Birdman, my RIR is the head hen in my flock, and I know she'll mount some of the other girls once in a while. I really do think it's a dominance thing. She gets a boot in the butt if I catch her doing it. Fortunately, she isn't terribly large. Most all of my hens have stayed small, for some reason.

Karen, I wish I kept Silkies. Those (roos?) are gorgeous!

Desert, so sorry about the wee little peafowl

I hear ya on the hatching! It's either tears of joy, or tears of sorrow. Funny side note - I keep dreaming about the Icelandic eggs I have under my broodies. I hope I have at least one baby out of all those! Anyway, I dreamed last night that I had 20-30 Icee's hatch, and they were all different colors of the rainbow

Sheesh, dunno what I ate before bed............

Oh, poof..........Who else was I going to say something to?.............

On the broodies in the heat thing: Mine get spoiled. They're in their own shaded areas (sometimes in a carrier, if I had to move them) they get their own food and water, and I try to make sure that they don't get too warm. I'll rig up tarps or other forms of shelter to keep the elements off of them and give them privacy. One of them will be getting a bottle of ice tomorrow to make sure she's cool enough.

Desert - have you tried setting a little dish of water in where your broody can reach it? I know it's a hassle, especially if you're working an entire ranch, but it's what I do with my girls. Usually they won't drink in front of me unless they're parched. So I just leave little dishes of water for them and refill them as needed. It does the trick.

Okay, now for a picture overload! I'll put it in a separate post, though.

 

[RedIII]

Alrighty, so I thought it would be fun to give a lineup of the residents of the preserve, with the exception of the elusive quail that are wild, as well as my black Ameraucana roo, who lives in Tooele with his EE GF.

We begin our tour with a love shot of the preserve, taken from the back yard. (For those of you not in on the joke, part of my back yard is referred to as a game preserve, since I have so many birds running around out there. There, now you're "in"

)


This is Princess Peach, my scruffiest hen. She's a vagabond and can usually be found wandering around our yard, around neighbor's yards, hanging out with my brother's husky, or tagging along with whomever is doing yard work. She's due for an apron small enough to stay on her. Peachy is a hatchery BO.


This is Lacey, a beautiful Barnevelder that I adopted from Sundancen. She's quite shy, but lately I've been able to pet her when she's roosting at night.


Here's Lenny, our special studmuffin rooster. He's a hatchery stock BR from Lisa (La Casa)


Shirley, a Welsummer from Cynthia. She's usually the last one into the coop at night, as she likes to wander around the preserve for a while in the dark.


Trixie, a hatchery BSL and also quite a spunky girl. I once saw her drop a wing and circle Lenny right after he bred her. She gave him a good peck on the head and chased him off. Made me laugh.


Chelsea, another of my Cynthia babies. She's an Exchequer Leghorn, and one of my smartest chickens, if not the smartest chicken. If there's a way through, around, over (or probably under) an obstacle, Chelsea will find it. She starts most of the hidden nests I find.


On the left is Summer, one of my Icelandic girls. That butt over to the right is her sister, Autumn. These two came from Auntie Hattie. Summer's nickname is "Psycho". Trust me........it fits like a glove.


Flekka, my third Icelandic girl. She came from Cynthia and is a wonderful bird, all around. Unfortunately you can't see her little white top hat in this shot.


There we go.


Lark, my hatchery RIR and head hen.



Here's Gunther, my head roo. He is an Icelandic from Thebirdguy. Every night, I have to put him in the garage so he doesn't wake neighbors in the morning. And every night, he screams like a girl. Seriously. I have to grab him quickly and clamp a hand over his beak to keep him quiet.


Sven, Gunther's brother. He is better behaved and will occasionally hop up on my shoulder.


Thelma, my shy OE. She comes from Cynthia and has the most impressive beard I've seen on a hen.


Here's Pen, (formerly Penny), one of the two mutt babies recently raised and weaned by one of my Wyandottes. He's half RIR.


On the left, Pixie, my BSL teen. Next to her is Amy, my Delaware teen. Both hatchery stock.


Dottie, a hatchery Dominique/BR cross from Lisa.


The lovely Jemma, my blue Ameraucana. She, too, comes from Cynthia.


Here's Handsome Rob, another teen. He comes from Sundancen and was raised by one of my broodies. Notice Jemma trying to photo bomb, there.

Serah, short for Serenity. Hatchery EE.


Turkey! One of the babies.


The other turkey poult. They're loooouuuud.


Betty, the turkey momma. She randomly showed up in my uncle's back yard last year and he gave her to me.


Stevie, my broody blue Wyandotte. I got her from Lisa, who hatched her from eggs that came from Blu and Phoenix.


I'm recycling this picture. This is Angel, Stevie's sister.


Here's a better shot of Autumn, one of the Icelandics.


I had to turn on the flash to even get this one. This is Nora (Chuck Norris) my Leghorn-EE/SBEL from Cynthia. She is ensconced deep in her fortress of ivy and sitting on six eggs. Second time being broody.


Cookie, SLW broody. Her chick is under her and out of sight.



And now, guess where my girls have liked laying for the past little while? Yup, in here.


Same bush, but back behind some of the branches.


Eggs.............right in the middle of ye old bush. Those little brats.


Oh, the joy of being the game warden! I get to crawl through bushes at awkward angles and get all tore up in the name of eggs. I know you're jealous.


The end. To quote a favorite movie, "Thank you for not shouting at me!"

 

[Desert Springs]

Desert, so sorry about the wee little peafowl

I hear ya on the hatching! It's either tears of joy, or tears of sorrow. Funny side note - I keep dreaming about the Icelandic eggs I have under my broodies. I hope I have at least one baby out of all those! Anyway, I dreamed last night that I had 20-30 Icee's hatch, and they were all different colors of the rainbow

Sheesh, dunno what I ate before bed............


Desert - have you tried setting a little dish of water in where your broody can reach it? I know it's a hassle, especially if you're working an entire ranch, but it's what I do with my girls. Usually they won't drink in front of me unless they're parched. So I just leave little dishes of water for them and refill them as needed. It does the trick.

Red, the Icees are doing great!!! Just wanted you to know.

That's funny

about your Icee dream.... keeping my fingers crossed for you!!

Yes Red, I have taken it a step further with my broody... she is now in the quarantine coop with her own water and food. She has been there for a couple days and still getting weaker. Just don't think she can take much more, plus she is now almost too underweight to recover.

She keeps hanging in there though so I just don't know.

I have been daily spraying the runs and coops to keep them cooler, plus now have fans going. The rest seem to be doing okay... although the juveniles seem to be a little hotter than the rest; they are still eating and drinking though.

So, put my last big Ebay egg purchase in lockdown. Out of 96 eggs, 29 were a 'no go'. That leaves about 10 guineas, 10 Barred Hollands, 10 Welsummers, 4 SQ English Orps, 5 SQ Buff Orps and the rest Black Australorps. Have 3 'black chick' brooders ready to separate the Australorps, black Orps and Barred Hollands as they hatch so that I can keep them straight. (NOTE TO SELF: only have one black chick breed hatching at one time

).

 

[Desert Springs]

Alrighty, so I thought it would be fun to give a lineup of the residents of the preserve, with the exception of the elusive quail that are wild, as well as my black Ameraucana roo, who lives in Tooele with his EE GF.

We begin our tour with a love shot of the preserve, taken from the back yard. (For those of you not in on the joke, part of my back yard is referred to as a game preserve, since I have so many birds running around out there. There, now you're "in"

)


This is Princess Peach, my scruffiest hen. She's a vagabond and can usually be found wandering around our yard, around neighbor's yards, hanging out with my brother's husky, or tagging along with whomever is doing yard work. She's due for an apron small enough to stay on her. Peachy is a hatchery BO.


This is Lacey, a beautiful Barnevelder that I adopted from Sundancen. She's quite shy, but lately I've been able to pet her when she's roosting at night.


Here's Lenny, our special studmuffin rooster. He's a hatchery stock BR from Lisa (La Casa)


Shirley, a Welsummer from Cynthia. She's usually the last one into the coop at night, as she likes to wander around the preserve for a while in the dark.


Trixie, a hatchery BSL and also quite a spunky girl. I once saw her drop a wing and circle Lenny right after he bred her. She gave him a good peck on the head and chased him off. Made me laugh.


Chelsea, another of my Cynthia babies. She's an Exchequer Leghorn, and one of my smartest chickens, if not the smartest chicken. If there's a way through, around, over (or probably under) an obstacle, Chelsea will find it. She starts most of the hidden nests I find.


On the left is Summer, one of my Icelandic girls. That butt over to the right is her sister, Autumn. These two came from Auntie Hattie. Summer's nickname is "Psycho". Trust me........it fits like a glove.


Flekka, my third Icelandic girl. She came from Cynthia and is a wonderful bird, all around. Unfortunately you can't see her little white top hat in this shot.


There we go.


Lark, my hatchery RIR and head hen.



Here's Gunther, my head roo. He is an Icelandic from Thebirdguy. Every night, I have to put him in the garage so he doesn't wake neighbors in the morning. And every night, he screams like a girl. Seriously. I have to grab him quickly and clamp a hand over his beak to keep him quiet.


Sven, Gunther's brother. He is better behaved and will occasionally hop up on my shoulder.


Thelma, my shy OE. She comes from Cynthia and has the most impressive beard I've seen on a hen.


Here's Pen, (formerly Penny), one of the two mutt babies recently raised and weaned by one of my Wyandottes. He's half RIR.


On the left, Pixie, my BSL teen. Next to her is Amy, my Delaware teen. Both hatchery stock.


Dottie, a hatchery Dominique/BR cross from Lisa.


The lovely Jemma, my blue Ameraucana. She, too, comes from Cynthia.


Here's Handsome Rob, another teen. He comes from Sundancen and was raised by one of my broodies. Notice Jemma trying to photo bomb, there.

Serah, short for Serenity. Hatchery EE.


Turkey! One of the babies.


The other turkey poult. They're loooouuuud.


Betty, the turkey momma. She randomly showed up in my uncle's back yard last year and he gave her to me.


Stevie, my broody blue Wyandotte. I got her from Lisa, who hatched her from eggs that came from Blu and Phoenix.


I'm recycling this picture. This is Angel, Stevie's sister.


Here's a better shot of Autumn, one of the Icelandics.


I had to turn on the flash to even get this one. This is Nora (Chuck Norris) my Leghorn-EE/SBEL from Cynthia. She is ensconced deep in her fortress of ivy and sitting on six eggs. Second time being broody.


Cookie, SLW broody. Her chick is under her and out of sight.



And now, guess where my girls have liked laying for the past little while? Yup, in here.


Same bush, but back behind some of the branches.


Eggs.............right in the middle of ye old bush. Those little brats.


Oh, the joy of being the game warden! I get to crawl through bushes at awkward angles and get all tore up in the name of eggs. I know you're jealous.


The end. To quote a favorite movie, "Thank you for not shouting at me!"

Red. absolutely loved the pics!!!!

 

[sundancenbare]

I let my Serama mom out of the coop today with her brood. She is so tiny and has 2 chicks, 4 chuckers and 2 quail that she is convinced is her babies. They think she is momma so they think they are chickens. Ir is so cute to watch her and see the babies come when see calls them. Once in a while a baby strays too far from mom and Chuckie who is our chucker that thinks he is a chicken has decided her is the guard. If they stray too far from mom he herds them back to her. If the bigger hens even look at them he goes over to the hen and pushers her away from them. Doesn't matter that they are 3 times his size. He is the yard guard and they accept it. Sooo cute to sit and watch. I also found a good idea for frozen treats. I put some bread in the freezer. When it was frozen hard I gave it to the girls. they thought they had died and gone to heaven.

 

[sundancenbare]

Red, the Icees are doing great!!! Just wanted you to know.

That's funny

about your Icee dream.... keeping my fingers crossed for you!!

Yes Red, I have taken it a step further with my broody... she is now in the quarantine coop with her own water and food. She has been there for a couple days and still getting weaker. Just don't think she can take much more, plus she is now almost too underweight to recover.

She keeps hanging in there though so I just don't know.

I have been daily spraying the runs and coops to keep them cooler, plus now have fans going. The rest seem to be doing okay... although the juveniles seem to be a little hotter than the rest; they are still eating and drinking though.

So, put my last big Ebay egg purchase in lockdown. Out of 96 eggs, 29 were a 'no go'. That leaves about 10 guineas, 10 Barred Hollands, 10 Welsummers, 4 SQ English Orps, 5 SQ Buff Orps and the rest Black Australorps. Have 3 'black chick' brooders ready to separate the Australorps, black Orps and Barred Hollands as they hatch so that I can keep them straight. (NOTE TO SELF: only have one black chick breed hatching at one time

).

give her some sub que fluids. Will help her a bunch. you can also give her som Dextrose with an eye dropper.

 

[Desert Springs]

I'm DYING!! I'm admitting I have said we should get a goat, because cheese! And we totally have room for one cow. We do!

Yep, the video is exactly how it happens!!!

First came a couple chickens (yum, farm fresh eggs) , then a few goats (which I thought we'd use for weed control and cheese/milk. They are now breeding and multiplying too.).... then came honey bees (fresh honey to go on toast with those morning eggs), then more chickens and my interest in opening a hatchery business. Now, if I ever find the time, I have envisioned in making my own soaps with the honey and goat's milk. I'm sure we would be drinking goat's milk if my husband would allow it.... he was raised on it and claims it brings back bad memories.

We already have horses and I've said many a time that I need to teach them to 'work', so I can rip up the acreage we have to the north of us. Yep, for cows and more chicken coops and runs.

LOL... I only planned on getting a couple egg layers... that was two years ago.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Red, GREAT pics, how fun to see the whole gang! And you !! Lol

Sundance, babies sound so cute. One day, I really need to try letting a broody hatch some eggs. I am too scared I won't be able to part with the babies so I just don't dare do it...I am overrun at the moment. Still. :/

Christina--my broody looks BAD too, she did come off the nest this afternoon, and has been in the run ever since. So crossing my fingers she will stay out of that house for awhile. Her comb looked slightly (really slightly) improved tonight. Crossies. I am absolutely shocked she has made it this far. It has been so hot in there. I took her out for a bit this morning and blocked the doorway and she screamed and screamed and would not stop until I opened the door. She was so determined!

I sure hope yours makes it through? Which breed is yours? Mine is my best FBCM. Ugh.

Back to Red--Good idea about just putting them in a cage somewhere in the shade. I have two cages but they are in use for my roosters (taking a page from your playbook and putting them in the garage at night) but I had not thought about using one just during the day, then she could coop up at night when it is cooler and the rooster is using it... If she goes in there tomorrow and tries to sit, I am doing this, I am glad you mentioned it! Thanks!

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Yep, the video is exactly how it happens!!! First came a couple chickens (yum, farm fresh eggs) , then a few goats (which I thought we'd use for weed control and cheese/milk. They are now breeding and multiplying too.).... then came honey bees (fresh honey to go on toast with those morning eggs), then more chickens and my interest in opening a hatchery business. Now, if I ever find the time, I have envisioned in making my own soaps with the honey and goat's milk. I'm sure we would be drinking goat's milk if my husband would allow it.... he was raised on it and claims it brings back bad memories. We already have horses and I've said many a time that I need to teach them to 'work', so I can rip up the acreage we have to the north of us. Yep, for cows and more chicken coops and runs. LOL... I only planned on getting a couple egg layers... that was two years ago.

Too funny! We keep toying with the idea of goats, pigs, and a cow for meat. Sphinx got one last year and it really tempted me..oh man if we had more room I would be in trouble, the only thing that keeps me from doing it is that I cannot choose which one, if I could have them all I would be in trouble for sure haha!