Utah!

[Sphinx]

Yeah, the weather was kind of crazy, wasn't it? We go the family season passes to Lagoon for Christmas, and today we actually purchased them. Spent about an hour at the park.

Dh aerated the lawn today, and got everything buttoned away 2 min before the storm hit. Perfect timing! I also planted carrots.

Squint, my tardy chick seems to be doing a little better today. Feather sexing says it's a boy. We'll see if that works out. I feel a lot more optimistic about his health today though.

 

[jwoo]

Duckling! The last and only little blue one. The only picture I could take and send before my dad left last night I promise more when he gets back though.

Awesome Hector! Just saw this because we were out of town on vacation. My ladies made some fine looking babies! I bet you the all blacks are from eggs that were from M the Cayuga and the Blue from Moneypenney our Blue Swedish Cross. I'm not sure who lays what egg since they are basically the same in size but I believe with the dad being black Swedish that genticaly you have to have a blue Swedish parent to have blue Swedish offspring BUT that two blue Swedish parents never produce a blue swede, which is why they are rare!

That's a great looking baby! Lets see some pictures of the other three! My daughter is excited to see them!

 

[MoriahQuilts]

I'm trying an incubator hatch for the first time - What HUMIDITY have you had success with in our high mountains? I've read lots on BYC and the recommendations are all over the place. The instructions with the incubator seem VERY high. Where should I start?

 

[RedIII]

Well, we found one hen, but not the other. My Cuckoo Marans is still missing

We looked all over in the yard and the neighbor's yard where the chickens sometimes roam, but we couldn't find a trace of her. I am really hoping that she's either well hidden, or someone was walking by and decided to "adopt" her. There were no signs of a struggle or any feathers being dropped, but we did find some rather large pieces of scat, alarmingly enough. I took a couple of pictures and am going to research them. If it's just that dumb coon, then I know it didn't get the hen. But, if it's a fox..............then my girl may be long gone, since they cache their food

Can I please just keep the birds I have AND have a couple of new chicks? Sheesh.

Oh, and no sign of where that BSL hen is hiding her eggs, but I know she's laying again. We found an egg in the bottom of the coop. Little stink.

 

[Cynthia12]

I'm trying an incubator hatch for the first time - What HUMIDITY have you had success with in our high mountains? I've read lots on BYC and the recommendations are all over the place. The instructions with the incubator seem VERY high. Where should I start?

I keep mine in the mid 40's. Not high at all. They have found that the old school thought was not necessary. I don't go completely dry, but do the mid 40's, then up it to 65 for hatching.
What ya hatching??

 

[slvrphoenix]

Careful the goats and chickens have the same math. Who you getting your goats from? nice start to your coop.

Hi guys! How's everyone's Saturday going? Sounds like Red and Lisa had a fun meet n greet.
my DH has been a busy guy today! Put up a fence for the baby Nigerian Dwarf goats we are getting in 3 weeks, and got started on the chicken coop!

Framing the floor


So the actually floor of the coop is about 4' off the ground. The single frame around the bottom is just for support. The ground where it's sitting currently isn't where it will permanently be, and it is a bit uneven, making the whole thing look lop-sided, but it will be great when it's finished. It's 8 feet square.
I'm so excited!

 

[ElkMtnCove]

I'm quickly scanning and trying to catch up... saw you're missing some hens Red. I'm SO sorry, I know how this feels. I couldn't find signs of my fav roo that vanished and then my husband saw the fox....twice. I followed it's path and finally found some of his feathers. At least I'm hoping that means it was an immediate death as he'd fight and lose a few if it weren't. Finally captured his twin and put him in with the girls for safety. On a funny note my Welsummer went broody and she's a protective bugger...so she's been sitting on eggs for about a week. I told my daughter not to collect them with the other eggs, we'd probably need to throw them. Then I decided I might sneak out if we get a warmer light and try to candle them. It'd be a REAL strange mix tho because a black silkie roo lives with them and my occassional EE wild roos would join in (bantys). But we've rarely found a fertile eggs so the poor girls probably sitting on bad eggs. Still keep the faith on your hens. I had one MIA over night and looked everywhere and she showed up in the morning and our new pup chased the black silkie and he was MIA for several afternoon hours and I found him hunkered down in some rocks. He's like "look! I'm a rock!" So they are pretty smart to hide if feel threatened, and I think hens are a little smarter than roos when it comes to hiding.

Well, we found one hen, but not the other. My Cuckoo Marans is still missing

We looked all over in the yard and the neighbor's yard where the chickens sometimes roam, but we couldn't find a trace of her. I am really hoping that she's either well hidden, or someone was walking by and decided to "adopt" her. There were no signs of a struggle or any feathers being dropped, but we did find some rather large pieces of scat, alarmingly enough. I took a couple of pictures and am going to research them. If it's just that dumb coon, then I know it didn't get the hen. But, if it's a fox..............then my girl may be long gone, since they cache their food

Can I please just keep the birds I have AND have a couple of new chicks? Sheesh.

Oh, and no sign of where that BSL hen is hiding her eggs, but I know she's laying again. We found an egg in the bottom of the coop. Little stink.

 

[SashaT]

Careful there goats and chickens have the same math. Who you getting you goats from? nice start to your coop.

Ha ha! Yeah, the goat math has already started to kick in too, and we haven't even brought any home yet! We went to look at two 4 week old babies and I ended up buying a yearling doe as well. We're waiting to bring her home until we get the weaned babies...I'd hate to have her all by her lonesome. Buying them from a gal in Clinton by the name of Becky-can't remember her last name. She has a good sized herd of nannies and 3 billies. Also has some gorgeous Arabians.
Here's a link to an ad she has on KSL...
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=19708423&cat=&lpid=3&search=nigerian dwarf
I see you have Nigerians too, Slvrphoenix! I want to breed the yearling doe this fall-do you offer outside stud services?

 

[MoriahQuilts]

Cynthia - thank you so much! Do you leave vents open or closed?

They will be EEs and hopefully a few Ameraucanas. I have a blue Ameraucana rooster in with my flock of EEs, Orps, SLW, one Marans and one black Ameraucana hen who lays a pretty blue. I would like to buy some Ameraucana eggs but wanted to experiment with mine first since they're free. And I'd like to know what the egg looks like that comes from a Marans/Amer cross hen. I set the eggs with the most color.

Blue eggs make me happy!

 

[RedIII]

Thanks Elk. I'm sorry to hear about your roo. Lousy predators

I have some good news, though. The Marans has been found! And she IS setting! I'm so excited! I combed all over through that yard, and then today my boyfriend saw her walking around and watched where she went. She's hidden good. I don't dare move her, but the only way I can think to try and fence off the grass she's in is to sneak over there when she's up off the nest and hurry and put something up. I'm just so worried that something will come and get her.

I'm making a disclaimer now: If something gets my Marans and the eggs aren't hatched yet, I may cry and I will not be ashamed about it. And then I may possibly try to bribe anyone with an incubator to finish the eggs for me ASAP.

EDIT: