Washingtonians

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Quote: are you guys referring to the "Party Line Print" or something else that I am unfamiliar with?

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

Since I am relatively new to this chicken adventure: does anyone have experience with really small bantams? We got some SLR bantams and they are SO tiny: while the rest of the lot has feathered and moved outside, they are only just getting some wing and back feathers, are mostly fluff still, and haven't seemed to grow a centimeter since we got them. Now, they've been fed the same as the other birds, even given a special box to eat in at times, because the bigger birds would hog down all the treats before Teeny and Tiny (I know, really original, right?!) could get any. I know the adult weight is only something like 32 oz or something crazy, but sheesh...at this rate, it feels like they'll be inside forever, because they are so small I don't dare put them out. Any idea how fast they grow? They still seem rather fragile: they are in the brooder box with the six chicks hubby brought back from the feed store, and although those chicks are only 2 weeks old they are much bigger and have more feathers. Is this normal for bantams or are my two just not stellar specimens?

I love reading this thread!

I have seramas = the smallest ever. My roos are right around 19 oz or less, hens even less. I do not know what kind you have so I can't answer any of your questions. But how old are they? Will they be penned with the LF (large fowl)? What is your elevation in Tonasket? You down around town or up on Mt Hull or one of the others? It has been plenty warm here lately. Mine are all outside other than the 10 tiny babies i have in the kitchen right now. After my coop is built this weekend they will go out into a grow out area. If they have a spot to get to that is a warmer area (light or heat rock) and out of the weather, they probably would be fine. I actually raised a singleton serama with 4 lavendar orps. The singleton hid amongst their legs. It was funny. The singleton was able to get up into their feathers and did just great. Regarding feeding, watch them. If you feel they are not eating...section off a part with food that the LF cannot get to and only the bantams can get under a bit of fence or something. just some thoughts.

 

[VelvettFog]

Now I'm curious, I will have to go back and read missed posts - I want to see the dry side when it's green! What month do you turn brown?

Mo -- totally depends on how the spring goes. Last year was a very wet spring. The hills around Yakima were green into late June/July. That's very unusual. I'd say that in a normal year the hills loose their green/purple tint by mid-june.

I have a Q or two for the crew.
Q. how long does it take you (youall with experience) to dress out a chicken if you pluck it by hand?
Q. How difficult is it to raise rabbits for food and which breed would you suggest for weight to food cost?

Mikey - I don't do rabbits so can't answer that.

Chickens - once the bird has bled out, it only takes me about 10 or 15 minutes to get them in the chiller. (big coleman cooler full of ice water.) I do not singe my birds, so that saves a little time.

 

[CrazyChcknChick]

are you guys referring to the "Party Line Print" or something else that I am unfamiliar with?

On Facebook: there is a group called Omak n Vicinity Buy/Sell/Trade and one called Oroville- Tonasket trading post. Both are open groups: if you are on FB you can be added by another member.

I need to read up on how to get multiple quotes in my reply: it seems to only pull in the last message.

 

[CrazyChcknChick]

I have seramas = the smallest ever. My roos are right around 19 oz or less, hens even less. I do not know what kind you have so I can't answer any of your questions. But how old are they? Will they be penned with the LF (large fowl)? What is your elevation in Tonasket? You down around town or up on Mt Hull or one of the others? It has been plenty warm here lately. Mine are all outside other than the 10 tiny babies i have in the kitchen right now. After my coop is built this weekend they will go out into a grow out area. If they have a spot to get to that is a warmer area (light or heat rock) and out of the weather, they probably would be fine. I actually raised a singleton serama with 4 lavendar orps. The singleton hid amongst their legs. It was funny. The singleton was able to get up into their feathers and did just great. Regarding feeding, watch them. If you feel they are not eating...section off a part with food that the LF cannot get to and only the bantams can get under a bit of fence or something. just some thoughts.

Thank you! They are only about 5 weeks old right now, and they are bantam Silver Laced Rocks. We're actually in Omak, up on the flats off of Ross Canyon rd. The others are outside already (this was their second night) and did fine during the heat of the day. They will eventually share the same coop and pen as the LF, the coop is a converted 12 x 12 horse stall with 12 nest boxes in a stacked pattern, the lowest only about 18 inches off of ground level, and the litter is at least 6 in right now. The outside run is not finished yet (this weekend, probably) and is 11' wide by 27' long. The other bantams (mottled cochins) are out there and doing fine, using the ladders to reach the boxes, and the feeder and waterer are hung low enough so that they can get to them. It's just that the little SLRs are so very small...I bet they could still squeeze through the 2" chicken wire around the base of the outside run (the base of the coop is secured with hardware cloth all the way around, dug in.) We have electric fencing that we will be turning on soon, and the run opens up into the pasture. The perimeter of the pasture is 3 strand electric fencing all the way around, as well as having chicken wire all along the bottom ( we didn't do that, someone else already did, thank heavens!) Before we let them out to forage I still need to walk the perimeter and fix and gaps. The run will get morning sun, shade between 11-3 ish, dappled sunlight thereafter: it faces East. I was more concerned about providing shade in the summer heat than warmth in the winter, because the barn has electricity and one of the outlets is right next to the coop. We've got a heat lamp in there until they get a little older and more used to the change in temps at night.

 

[KMHunter]

Well I tried to "quote" multiple posts and I seem unable to do so. So...:
VF: Love the place.
(sorry can't remember our tag): Yes, a BYC pool party would be a blast.
Farmin Mamma: No one has the right to judge. On our place...(even though daughter made me sign contract that exsisting birds are not sent to freezer) the "freezer camp pens" will be well fed, well taken care of and will have the best lives that we can give them. Then when it is time for them to do their "job"...we will butcher them in the most humane possible way. Here they either are to eat or to lay an egg. We have a few as pets. but no one has the right to judge me for doing this. My birds probably have better lives than many who are never killed for whatever reason.

My dad always taught me that animals should be treated with respect. In life and in death. He hunted and taught me that we only hunt or kill animals for food oe to put them out of their misery. I think if you can treat chickens well and give them a good life, processing them humanely and appreciating their contribution is part of the circle of life, food chain thing. I myself can't, or haven't yet learned to process any of my chickens. But I am working up to it. I am a wimp.

 

[KMHunter]

Broodytood Welcome back!,
So good to hear from you! Glad you are on the mend and feeling better!

 

[KMHunter]

Quote: You go to Profile and then click on edit account details. Then scroll to the bottom and there shoud be a checked box that says remove nested quotes. You want to uncheck that. I had the same problem! Took me awhile to figure it out!

 

[Totalcolour]

I'm shipping cockerels to the auction, and old roos will be compost, I expect, since past some age their meat becomes the color and texture of mahogany and the broth they produce is about as tasty as boiled wood.

Okay SF, when was the last time you actually tried boiled wood, and was it any specific kind? I think you just didn't season it properly

I'm thinking of giving the really old birds to my dog - she's on a modified raw meat diet, so a half a duck or chicken is a very tasty treat for her. Himself had a good laugh the other night after the "Cornish process"; we fed her the head and neck of one and she loved it!

 

[Totalcolour]

Rabbits really, really stink when you dress them out, at least the wild ones do. That's my memory from my days of hunting the little critters.
Would a sprinkler have reduced the heat enough to help the rabbits? I dunno, just askin'.

Hmmm, I reckon you weren't doing it right mikeyb - wild or domestic, we dress them and they don't' smell any worse than chickens. Course, I don't like chicken smell much either!