Utah!

[cyndiloowho]

Lilwanis, I'd kind of be interested to find that out, too. I don't know how you go about getting certified for it, or even how long it takes.

Gamebirds, I hope your bantams are okay. It got down to -4 where I am in West Valley, but we had everyone tucked away in the "spa". I worry about them with such bitter cold.

I refuse to ask what breeds of chicken people are planning on bringing to Chickenstock. I'll get in so much trouble if I start planning on adding more girls (or boys) outside of the ex-battery hens

Lisa, I demand to live vicariously through you! Haha

So, dumb question....what is Chickenstock? I googled it and found a plethora of great recipes, but........

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/734035/2nd-annual-rocky-mountain-chickenstock-may-4-2013

A chicken get together in Idaho Falls May 4

 

[Cynthia12]

Well finally! I got my barred rock eggs today. Only 5 days out. I had written the guy on Sat. when they didn't show. He said he would send more today or tomorrow. I wrote him back when they came, told him I would try these. I candled, seeing a lot of them with an air sac going up the side already! Not a good thing, so wrote him back telling him how they didn't look too good. Will look for the larger bullseye tomorrow.

Hi Cyndi..

If you are interested in going to that, these gals get a group together and go. Right Lisa? They love the different chicks, and eggs. Sounds fun.

Pay? For using more electricity? Oh man. What next?

I hope my chickens do ok through this second cold snap. It's supposed to warm up in about a week..to 40, and high 30's, going down to only..mid teens at night.

Spring? What? Where? When? Who said spring is coming? Ha, it will feel like spring when it hits double digits again.

 

[cyndiloowho]

Chickenstock sounds really fun! Thanks!!!
I have been reading a lot about raising mealworms, anyone here doing it?
I am hoping to just buy locally to start but I don't know that I can find a good bulk price. I suppose I will find out

I also got lost reading about "growing fodder" from pawtraitart's profile. Can't wait to start both projects!

 

[Sphinx]

Birdman, you are so smart to refuse to let Rocky Mtn Power put a cool keeper on your ac. My dad owns an HVAC company, and he says that it's so bad for your system- they cycle on and off, and the cool keeper just abruptly cuts power. No big deal once or twice, but if it's happening several times a day, it can ruin your AC.

Red, I don't know what to tell you- building a bigger run sounds so horribly unpleasant right now, but isolation in the garage would suck for her, and inside would also be messy.

Lisa, didn't you know that "separate but equal" became UN-PC a few decades ago? ROFL On your showgirl, I'm inclined to think you're right- #1 is a girl and the other two are boys.

Cyndiloowho, when I had lizards, I bought my mealworms on ebay. I'd get 500 or 1000 or around $15, which was a fraction of the price of buying them locally. If I were to start raising mealworms, I think I'd get my starter stock that way.

My bigger bulb died a couple nights ago, so I put a 40 watt bulb out there, hoping it'd be enough, but my frizzle's water was frozen the next morning (I have yet to see her drink from the nipples, so I keep a backup source out there for her). Last night I went to buy a new big bulb, and I think I narrowly averted a tragedy. Have you guys seen the article about teflon coated bulbs? I had a "shatter resistant" bulb in my hand, and dh was pressuring me to leave when something niggled at my brain and I remembered hearing talk about them being toxic. There was no warning at all on the bulb, so I could be being paranoid, but I'm pretty sure if I had bought that bulb, my chickens would be dead this morning (actually, they very well could be, it's still dark outside and I haven't checked them yet today). I ended up getting a different one that nothing about it being shatter resistant. Anyway, I thought I'd put the reminder out there, because I wouldn't have known any better if it wasn't for Backyard Chickens.

 

[Cynthia12]

Chickenstock sounds really fun! Thanks!!!
I have been reading a lot about raising mealworms, anyone here doing it?
I am hoping to just buy locally to start but I don't know that I can find a good bulk price. I suppose I will find out

I also got lost reading about "growing fodder" from pawtraitart's profile. Can't wait to start both projects!

Hey cyndi, Lisa and I, and not sure if anyone else has done the fodder..but we have, and had pretty good success. The room you have it in has to be pretty cool for sure, because I've tried since I've had babies in that room, and the temp is higher, my fodder doesn't grow nearly as well now. So, I haven't done as much since I can't keep the temps down around the mid to low 60's in that room. I also so started because of paw's site. Here is a picture of one of my fodder. I use wheat.

Well, BYC is having a hard time downloading pics right now..will try again later.

Hope everyone is enjoying the nice cool weather.

I know, it isn't a laughing matter. sorry

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

CYnthia, did you see my showgirl comb pics? What did you think of genders? I was thinking Sphinx is right about the bottom being boys, but my Maynard did have an awfully narrow comb, so I am going back and forth. I put the pics on the showgirl thread too to see what people think, we will see! Cool weather, bah! We are having a heat wave this morning. 8 degrees, that is 24 degrees warmer than yesterday morning lol!

Sphinx, thanks for the input And the link on the bulbs was a good one, I had not heard of that, thank you!

Cyndiloo--the fodder is really easy, they like it. When mine grows out, if I cant use it asap I put it in the garage, it does not mold and stays good for days without water. Also check out the fermented feed/grains, I have been doing that too and my chickens are addicted. And their poop is not as disgusting, it really helps, cuts down on feed too.

Daloorashens, how is the hatching going? Blujems are your eggs doing ok? I was thinking about the cuckoo babies, if they have a Wheaten dad they should have puffy cheeks right? I still don't know about these I hatched, so interested to see if yours look different or the same.

 

[blujems]

Casa, I need to candle them tonight. I have been very forgetful. I head in to candle and get distracted and forget why I am in there. I am lucky I am remembering to turn them.
I am hoping the cuckoo eggs have puffy cheeks.
and I think the 3 FBCM are 2 roosters and 1 hen. the roosters were more black and the hen had more of a grayish head at hatching. (just guessing based on their behavior)


Sphinx thanks for the info on bulbs I have never heard that. Good info to know.

 

[Cynthia12]

Lisa, my two girls had bumps. They didn't show up for a while though. It's hard to know if you haven't seen the boys. I do know that when two of my friends that got boys, those bumps were big by that age. No question about it. Not quite the walnut comb yet, but bigger bumps than any of yours have yet. You just may have all girls..so hard to say. Both of the boys that I've seen, their combs weren't red, they were purple. Not too pretty to me at all. Oh wait, I saw another roo years ago. Chiko had one..big ol walnut comb. First time I had seen one. I'll say it again, didn't like the looks of the Silkie combs. That's how a lot of the showgirls will be too. I'm sure you've looked up pictures.

Monday! 40 degrees, and at night!! So, just have to get through this week. My DH says it will be sweater weather to us! lol...

Going to try and see if I can get a picture up now..couldn't earlier for cyndi..of the fodder.....

Mine usually took 4 days

 

[Cynthia12]

Lisa, found one of a little cockeral. See how not only wide it is, but also sitting higher? small picture, not sure you can tell.

To each his own, but I personally don't like the showgirls roo combs. Nice looking rooster here,
better if he had an.. ahem, smaller bump. ) Loving this guys bowtie, and chest/neck feathering.