Utah!

[RedIII]

Another hot day? Yesterday was a breaker in early heat. It's usually June 7th, so, we were close.

Hope someone out there is doing something fun today. Where's Brad? Brad, speak up! We will let you get a word in, promise! What have you been up to? You always have a project you are working on. Did you get all of the trees/bushes pruned and cut back? Didn't you say you had water in the basement? Is that all dry now? There is always something to do with our homes. I am excited to be getting a new vinyl fence on the West side of our house! Can't pass up the deal this guy is giving us on the fence. He lives down the street from us, and is doing a lot of neighbors, including the fence on the East side of us. We won't worry about the back fence. We really need new linoleum in our upstairs bath. It will come. I know that stuff has had to be in there since the 80's, at least. Can't get into the little dents with anything to get it clean looking, so have to just mop and be ok. I've tried tooth brushes..of course a larger brush, but it is in there. Next thing I get in there will not have those little dimples in it. I know the ladies know what I'm talking about.
Book Done!! Later!

I know exactly what you mean about the linoleum. The only method I have found so far that deep cleans those pores well is to use a steam cleaner. Just make sure that the cleaner works properly and is housebroken, hehe. It doesn't do much good if it just leaks water all over and doesn't steam anything. Bah.

I'm already sick of this heat. I like the cooler temperatures of the year much better! My girls are trying to adjust, as well. We turned on the sprinkler out by the run yesterday, and that cooled down the air significantly, which I think they liked.

 

[Cynthia12]

Red, going out to my chicks now to see if there is any little hair poking up on my icelandic..lol. They are in the nursery. It was so warm out there, I had to turn the light off. They were scrambled every where. So, I am thinking the same will happen today. They love it out of that bin, they can see! Maybe those Icelandics don't get stick em ups until they are a little older? lol I'll go see.

 

[RedIII]

Cynthia, I didn't even notice the fuzz on my little male's head until yesterday, and he's about 5 weeks old, I think. So it might not be something that becomes apparent until they've grown a bit. Man, I need to figure out a day to come see you and pick up that little one! I'm getting jazzed about having three Icees. It's kind of fun to try and guess their gender as they grow, since regular feather sexing doesn't work on them.

 

[sundancenbare]

I have some frizzle polish eggs in the incubator. They were the mystery eggs sent to me. I also have sizzle eggs and true araucana eggs

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

I have some frizzle polish eggs in the incubator.  They were the mystery eggs sent to me.  I also have sizzle eggs and true araucana eggs 

That sounds like a fuuuun hatch

Ok guys, help me out here. Never had toe issues. (on baby chicks anyway)
This last Marans came out, and had to help a little. Was scared after the other one died......this one has one foot that is not right the toes curl upward and dont bend in, two toes mostly. Like if s/he tried to stand the toenails would not touch the ground because the toe curves up. Will a boot work for that? I hope it is something I can fix. I can check with Speckled....wondering if you guys know? I also just realized this chick is totally blue, not black


Try to ignore my coop builders thumb. I have hammered that thing way too many times this spring!

 

[sundancenbare]

Hattie I would LOVE if Masked Villain was a frizzle. yay

That one will be the spoiled brat because we love her even more now

Red, looks like I will pass on Cynthia's Marans if you want to go ahead and get your Icelandic......Mine are all hatching. I had a boyish one hatch out of nowhere late last night and both the others are chirping and have their noses out. Hoping there is a girl in there. Just one, would make me quite happy

Daloorashens, cute chickie pics

You may even have two Blue Wheaten in there...wait till the body feathers come in, when my 5 week olds started feathering in I could not believe how beautiful, gray, rust, brown, all kinds of pretty feathers come in on these.
Sphinx, hope you have better luck with eggs not cracking! I use cat litter pans in my next boxes with that foamy shelf liner inside. Easy to clean every so often (mostly if my teens decide to sleep in the next box and poop in it, stinkers!) I keep kicking those guys out at night but they are not getting it. My littlest babies got let out of the cage permanently yesterday, so far nobody is getting picked on too bad. Hope they are ok this morning!

Can everyone here give a newbie some education? In new chicks what do boys look like vs girls, In the email above it was mentioned a boyish looking chick so I am wondering what to look for now

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Ok I will take a stab at this.....the boys tend to have broader comb areas, sometimes even down the beak a bit. The legs tend to be thicker. After a few days, the stature can be slightly different, boys stand up a bit taller girls lean more forward. Sometimes when you put yourhand in the brooder theboys tend to stand up defensive like, the girls often skitter away. After they are two days ish old, if you want to try and feather sex them, there is a difference in how the wing feathers are coming in. Sphinx posted a good picture of this once, I do not have it, hoping she can put the pic up for you. This only works on certain breeds, Ameraucanas not so much. Also, the girls tend to get tails first, they stand up a little taller, wing feathers slightly longer a little earlier. The differences are all quite subtle but if you spend enough time staring at these buggers it really starts to show. Also if you just have one chick it is hard to tell, but if you hatch several you compare them to each other and some will have the boyish tendencies and some will have the girly tendencies....and there are always a few stubborn ones in the middle that you cannot be too sure of lol. I swear, when I look at their little faces, there is something that just seems different between the sexes....hard to explain...their demeanor is just slightly different as well. The girls just seem a little sweeter. The boys seem a little busier, even a little more mad? maybe? I do not know how to explain it any better. Hope that helps!

 

[Cynthia12]

Lisa, I tape the toes individually. I use electrical tape. And, you have a Blue Marans? That's way cool. They lay the same color of egg as the blacks. )

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Ok I will try. I thought the toes that curled in were fixable but i did not know about these, they look awful. And Blue lays dark too? That is awesome! I thought the black laid darker. Now I have to hope she is a she. Does not look as boyish as the other one, but will do that feather check and see. Crossies Thanks for the info Will get out that electrical tape, I have seen you write about that.....cut the strips in half lengthwise, right? This ones toes are lots smaller than the other one.

 

[Cynthia12]

Try watching this video for sexing..

Here's a neat chart someone made. It goes into the older chicks.