Gander360 I am going to have to check on what is so special about the red star pullets that it would be worth almost 50.00 a bird. We were all talking about someone that had spent 75.00 per egg for Silver Lace Brahmas just the other day.
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I have had broody hens off and mostly on all year. I have been buying them fertile eggs so that they will hopefully get over being broody faster. I had tried everything else to try to stop the broody cycle and this seems to be the best so far. My coop is not set up for chicks hatching. So on the days that the eggs should be hatching I keep a close eye on the nest and as soon as the chick is dry, I grab them and pop them into the brooder. Just hatching an egg or two, seems to make the girls happy. They are a little pissy when I mess with them, but I make sure that they become a custom me touching them and petting them during them brooding time. The little Faverrolle that is now broody is the most aggressive of all the hens I have had go broody. The Silkies are the easiest to mess with. The EE was a little temperamental, but as I say I am the boss of the coop. The Faverrolle I think is the cutest of them all. I have 7 eggs under her that she stole from Snowball the white Silkie. There are 6 FBCM eggs and a EE egg. So my suggestion is keep a watch on the nest and move them in the first day. If you have to you might want to wear gloves when you go to take them away.
Zgoatlady. I am so sorry to hear about your son's troubles. I too have been treated at the unnamed local hospital. I was put in a bed that had a hole in the mattress. After 2 days, I hurt so bad because of the horrible bed, and inactivity that at times I couldn't help but cry from the pain. The doctor gave orders for pain meds every 4 hours but I would only get them every 6 or 7 hours. I didn't have any choice of hospitals after I call 911, that day. But after the last several visits to this hospital, I am praying that I don't ever have to go again. I hope that when they get the new hospital built that maybe it will be better. I am not going to hold my breath though.
I am also sorry to hear that so many are having sick birds. It's was really surprising me last year that it seemed like hardly anyone had some of the birds die on them. From my past experiences with chickens over the last almost 30 years was that sooner or later some of the chicks will up and die for no apparent reasons. And some days that chickens will just up and die without a lot of warning. It always seems to the favorite chicken too. It sounds to me that everyone is trying to do their very best for their flocks, and sometime all we can do is give each other hugs, because it can be sad some days, when you own chickens.
I have had a number of losses with the meat birds this year. One of them was coughing and wheezing. It was really hard to hear, and I kept expecting it to die. But after 3 days of antibiotics it is fine again. I lost a couple of the others, but I am not sure why. I also lost a few because they trampled some into a corner of the pen, and at least 4 of them didn't make it. I have learned that 36 meat birds is more than I can handle at one time. I don't think I will ever get more that 24 or 25 at a time. That seems to be what I am able to handle at any given time.
By the way we are going to have a
"Going to freezer Camp"
school here next weekend on the 15th. If anyone wants to come a see meat birds get processed, you are more than welcome join us. We will be doing a second school day on the 24th or the 25th of May. So just PM me, and I will give you the address and time we will start. My husband and son work together, and most of the birds will be skinned and package for the freezer in meal size packages. If you want you could bring your own bird and we will show you how to do it. I do all the packaging. I am thinking about plucking a couple of the birds this year. I am still trying to figure out how to build a fire to put my big canner on to scald the birds outside rather than doing it in my kitchen
Christina you can also call me at 360-802-3883
