Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread

[berkeleysprings]

Absolutely do it.  Ive already been doing that, for the most part.  Actually I have meeting places where I sell chickens or eggs, since I really dont want people coming to my home who I dont know.  The meeting place is 10 mins from my house, and 99 times out of 100, the people meeting me are coming from lots farther.  I just tell them to call me when they are about 10 mins from the meeting place.  If they dont call, then I know they arent coming.

it's just frustrating because when I go to buy chicken from somebody I'm so excited and can't wait to get there most of the time I'm really early . what I buy chickens I'm like a little kid at christmas time and I can't wait lol

 

[halo]

I know what you mean!

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

Hi everyone! I've been quietly keeping up with the thread over the last few weeks and finally have something to say. That heat did me no favors- I've had a Wheaten wipeout! My #1 and back-up roosters couldn't keep up with those 100+ degree days and died. Thankfully a few of the hens (3, to be exact) made it and I've collected some of their eggs to hatch. I also ordered some others from a BYC member. Although I'm frustrated, it's just a bump in the big road. I hadn't planned on setting eggs again this year but ah well. Hope y'all are faring better in the heat. I know I'm thankful for the storm that brought us rain and cooler temperatures last night.

 

[berkeleysprings]

Hi everyone! I've been quietly keeping up with the thread over the last few weeks and finally have something to say. That heat did me no favors- I've had a Wheaten wipeout! My #1 and back-up roosters couldn't keep up with those 100+ degree days and died. Thankfully a few of the hens (3, to be exact) made it and I've collected some of their eggs to hatch. I also ordered some others from a BYC member. Although I'm frustrated, it's just a bump in the big road. I hadn't planned on setting eggs again this year but ah well. Hope y'all are faring better in the heat. I know I'm thankful for the storm that brought us rain and cooler temperatures last night.

 

I'm sorry about your loss . the heat will kill them quicker than the cold
that was a smart idea to keep an extra rooster
let me know if you ever run out of roosters I have plenty and for the most part we're very close to each other good luck with you hatching eggs

 

[Bigfamily4me]

That really stinks about your birds! I have been hearing about a lot off losses. On the marans club group, one gentleman in KY lost 35 birds in one day because it was 114. Well that was enough to scare me! Don't laugh (well go ahead because I'll never know) but my hubby convinced me to pick up a window a/c unit for the coop. It never made it really cool, but it cut the dangerous humidity and temps to something more tolerable for the chickens. When the temp was 110 with humidity, their coop was reading 85. Still hot, still lots of panting chickens, but they all made it.

Sorry again for your losses.

 

[walkswithdog]

Me, Im just sitting here patiently waiting for Randy's next hatch... well, almost patiently. Hi RANDY. ace pace, bounce, pace:::

 

[Debbi]

Sorry for your loss! I don't do anything here to help with the heat or the cold. Other than making sure their water is ALWAYS available, and in the hot weather somewhat cool. I have been changing out water 4 times a day for the last month! Our temps here have been 99-108 and humid for a straight month now, I know I'm sick of it! I will also mist them down if they look really hot and will stand for it. Most of my Marans run from the mistings, but this year has been different, and most of them just stand there and let themselves get soaked. Also, I find in the high humidity, they much rather prefer a good, dry dust bath. I guess it sucks the moisture off of them. This goes for the birds in the run, and the free rangers. So far this summer, I have only lost one Showgirl chick, and that's it...knock wood. I feel, and I know I will get pelted for this, but hey go ahead. I feel that the strong survive, whether it be in the cold or heat. Adding artificial heat or coolness just makes them more suseptible to dependancy on those things. If they get used to it, and then the power goes out, then what? They should be acclimated to the weather conditions in your area, if they die, then they did not succeed in doing so. I have never used heat lamps in the coop, nor will I ever. As long as it is draft free and ventilated, they will get used to it. While we had an extremely mild winter last year, the one before was brutal for here. We had about a straight week or more of minus 10 temps, and all birds did just fine. I brood my chicks inside in a shop room where I can adjust the temps until they are ready for the outside. If it's summer, they get a good taste of the weather they will be put out into for at least a week before they go. Winter, same thing. In the two plus years so far, I have not lost a Marans due to extreme heat or cold.

 

[berkeleysprings]

yea mine hate water and love a dust bath/ dirt bath. .my coops and out door runs are in thw shade surounded by oak and hickory trees

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

When it's really hot like it was last week, I like to let my chickens loose so they can seek shelter in the hedgerow. Unfortunately, I can't do that while I'm at work because our neighbor's dog "slips the chain" as the owner puts it and comes down to my house to kill birds. That blasted dog has killed over a dozen of my birds and my neighbor has never paid me for any of them despite us asking for compensation. The dog was loose again this morning. I saw it running amok towards the end of the driveway. It had come down to our house and ripped up the trash as well as our closest neighbor's cans. Thankfully it didn't dig into the the chicken runs this time. People who keep a dog chained up all the time, never train or vaccinate it, then act all "well gosh darn" when it gets loose shouldn't be allowed to have one.

 

[Debbi]

When it's really hot like it was last week, I like to let my chickens loose so they can seek shelter in the hedgerow. Unfortunately, I can't do that while I'm at work because our neighbor's dog "slips the chain" as the owner puts it and comes down to my house to kill birds. That blasted dog has killed over a dozen of my birds and my neighbor has never paid me for any of them despite us asking for compensation. The dog was loose again this morning. I saw it running amok towards the end of the driveway. It had come down to our house and ripped up the trash as well as our closest neighbor's cans. Thankfully it didn't dig into the the chicken runs this time. People who keep a dog chained up all the time, never train or vaccinate it, then act all "well gosh darn" when it gets loose shouldn't be allowed to have one.

We have a cure for that out here; "SSS".