Virginia

[mudvstheory]

Hello everybody
I am in Northern Virginia.
I am a pre-newbie; I keep telling the kid: first fences, then animals. She wanted to bring home a pony. I'm less ambitious - hoping to have a coop and large run by next spring. And then I would look for Delawares and Jersey Giants, for meat and eggs. And maybe Buff geese and runner ducks and muscovies.

My first challenge is big trees in the run area. The chickens will love the shade, but won't predators climb right in?

Meanwhile, are there swaps or something I should go to? I see the state fair is coming up. Is there anybody near me?

Great to "meet" you all!

 

[ki4got]

Hello everybody
I am in Northern Virginia.
I am a pre-newbie; I keep telling the kid: first fences, then animals. She wanted to bring home a pony. I'm less ambitious - hoping to have a coop and large run by next spring. And then I would look for Delawares and Jersey Giants, for meat and eggs. And maybe Buff geese and runner ducks and muscovies.

My first challenge is big trees in the run area. The chickens will love the shade, but won't predators climb right in?

Meanwhile, are there swaps or something I should go to? I see the state fair is coming up. Is there anybody near me?

Great to "meet" you all!

first off, welcome to byc!

and my question... why 2 breeds? why not 1 that fits both?

That's why I chose the Dorking... it was essentially the original 'dual purpose' breed, tracing it's roots back over 2000 years to the roman empire, and nothing can beat the texture or flavor of the Dorking IMO. AND they lay pretty well too, even in the winter.

as for waterfowl, I don't care for the mess they tend to make. I have enough mud already on my wooded mountainside LOL.

for trees, yeah I've got lots of them too... some areas get morning sun, some get afternoon sun. the trick for predators is to just cover your pens. they make deer netting in large sheets to cover extensive areas too (keeping flying predators out and chickens in), and you can also incorporate electric fencing to keep critters from climbing up also. there are a number of electric fencing options available, from completely pre-made, easily portable fences to 'do it yourself' ideas (usually more permanent solutions).

there are usually swaps within easy driving range of most areas. I don't know about your area but I do know the 3 within easy range of where I am... Roanoke, Christiansburg and Rocky Mount... if you give us a better idea of where you are, someone can chime in with what they know of maybe.

There are lots of breed threads for just about everything you can think of, and some colors come in a variety of different breeds, if your set on a particular color pattern. like in my yard, I have Swedish Flower Hens and Mille Fleur bantam Cochins... same color patterns different breeds.



Kepiru, my mfc roo above, and Gunnar's son below



or the girls... some reason they won't look at the camera. LOL
both blue mille girls, crested sfh above and mfc below.

 

[ki4got]

ok... this has been bugging me for a couple days, so I want to get opinions on it...

I received an email from someone who found my website and was excited to see that I had sg dorkings. straight off the bat says they have some older girls that weren't cared for very well that were just starting to lay again, and "Our roos are show quality, nice white 5 toed legs, red rose combs and waddles" at 16 weeks old... (exact wording/spelling). (my comment... SQ sg dorkings IMO, do not exist... SOP calls for 9 pound roos 8 pound hens, the biggest roo I've ever seen is in my pen now, and tops out at 7.5 pounds.)

so I replied that yes, I had eggs available, had some eggs in the incubator as well but I won't be selling the chicks until they are grown out a bit, so I can see how they develop. I also mentioned that sg's don't have rose comb but singles. and I DO have some 1-2 year old hens that I'd be willing to part with, since I have more than I need at the moment. They've been broody and are moulting currently, but overall have good type and average size for mcmurray sg's. I was honest and did mention that none of the sg's I've seen meet SOP for the size standard, though conformation isn't bad. told him what i'd be willing to take for these girls, since he seemed so desperate to get his hands on some that were laying and in better shape than his current girls (3 years old is NOT old IMO but the way he wrote about them in his initial email, they were ancient).

i'm not actively trying to sell these girls, but I really don't NEED 16 sg dorking hens.

the response I got just hit me wrong, and I don't know if it's me, or what... bold sections are what bother me most...
Quote:
my initial thoughts... who refers to a roo's comb as 'rose colored'? was he implying I was trying to pawn off problem birds? and 'in molt too early'... ??? most of my girls who go broody usually moult as soon as they're done. typically july thru august. some girls hold off till later in the year, but they also probably didn't go broody on me...

i'll stop here and see if anyone else has any thoughts.

 

[ChickenGrit]

He could just be venting about his previous problems. Still, I would not want to sell to him. No matter how nice your birds are he will probably find something "wrong" with them because of his attitude.

 

[Maggiesdad]

+1 ^ Trust your instincts - they are red flagging you big time. He's not worth the trouble or the possible bad rep...

If he new chickens he'd know they're always a work in progress, and he'd know starting breeding stock from hatching eggs is a big ol' grab bag.

 

[settingdusk]

Hi, I lost some quail to a possum attack last night. One drown trying to get away and flew into a pool. I lost some juvenile valley quail and am very sad about that. They were getting close to breeder age. Anyone have any valley quail near Hampton? I will travel up to an hour away.

 

[chickeneer45]

Just curious, what do you all do with unwanted rooster chicks? I have no idea what to do with mine.... And I cant keep them... Does anyone know of any placed that take them? Idk just curious

 

[cubalaya]

Just curious, what do you all do with unwanted rooster chicks? I have no idea what to do with mine.... And I cant keep them... Does anyone know of any placed that take them? Idk just curious

we eat ours. that is one of the benefits of raising chickens. i wouldn't even call them unwanted. i like having large numbers of stags (cockerels) to choose my breeders from. my 3 and 4 year old broodcocks that i have plenty of chicks from, i usually sell , no problem.

 

[chrishw]

Just curious, what do you all do with unwanted rooster chicks? I have no idea what to do with mine.... And I cant keep them... Does anyone know of any placed that take them? Idk just curious

Yummy!

 

[chickeneer45]

Ugh... I have no idea how to make a meal out of a rooster... Any tips? How old do they need to be? Do you ever eat pullets? Cuz im having serious trouble getting rid of ANY of my chicks...