Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Bigfamily4me]

Koom-by-yah my lord... Koom-by-yah

I said koom-by-yah boys. We aren't going to get going again now are we? (Please nnoooooo!)

 

[JustJohn]

So I am driving home this afternoon decided to take the back road way and low and behold I come upon a flock of buff Orps picking beside the road. Beautiful birds. 7 hens and a roo. I see a lady calling them from her back yard so I tell her I think her birds are really pretty, she thanks me, we get to talking about hatching eggs, she invites me onto the property, introduces me to her hubby, nice guy too. A tour of the property, and I invited her to join us here. She is chicken crazy like us. Small flock, but she has plans to add. If you are out there reading along, Welcome!

JJisoutpreachingthegospelofpoultrytogrowtheflock

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I had no idea that we produce 95 percent of the ginseng in the US. And its highly prized in China. That's pretty cool. If California out produces us and steals our "dairy state" title we can fall back on "the ginseng state." My uncle used to have a ginseng farm. Not sure why he got out of it.

Oh, and today I learned that there is a commercial turkey farm for sale near me. They contract with Jeromes (Jenni-o). Should I become a turkey farmer?

 

[delisha]

Just wondering....

Do you keep track of your egg production? If you do, what it the average % of eggs per day that you get from your flock as a whole?

If you keep track by age, what it the avg % you can expect to get from each age group?

Just asking.

I track all expenses and egg production. If I have a hen not broody and not laying because of molt I cull.

Quote: It does not ask for dollar amounts. Just person sent or received from.

I would love to start tracking with my chickens, eggs costs, but how skewed would it be to start now with coop and accessories, hens etc already in place? Guess I could at least track goign forward. Also, I wish there was a way to track what each hen is doing in order to watch for any problems. Other than my bantys and blue/green layers it would be impossible.

Any white egg layers that are friendly and cold hardy?

White rocks and you can't beat a Heritage Catalana. A beautiful rare white egg laying chicken if you can find them.

LOL I have the exact same problem....they all want the same nestbox! There will literally be lines for one or two boxes. ALso, I have 3 broody hens now (2 of which are bantys) so there is often 2 hens in 1 box.

Has anyone ever had a roo go into a nestbox? I was out observing them one day and when they forgot I was there, I saw the weirdest thing,....one of the Roos did the lil noise calling the hens over...then ended up climbing into the box and stayed there for a few minutes! WEIRD!

My Roo goes in often. He chooses a nest box and encourages hens to lay for him. It i really cute to watch and listen to him talk to his girls.

QUESTION~when do you start feeding your chicks (in the brooder) things other than chick starter? and if you do, what?

Would it be a good idea to give them a little grass (assuming I can find any) with the roots attached so they get a little exposure since who knows when it's going to be warm enough to put them out, or is this not a good idea?

Jim~would really value your input here.

NOTE~my chickies are being fed Nutrena chick starter/grower, un-medicated.

Can't find any info in print on this subject, haven't searched the sites yet. Didn't have this problem with my Noodle because she was hatched under my aussie, Fricassee (aka broody butt) and I just let nature do the work. Too bad Mother Nature is against me this spring. It's still snowing!!!

Thank you in advance to all you chickie gurus

Using a dirt plug is really smart. It helps new chicks develop immunities.
I feed my chicks all kinds of greens. Kale, cabbage, Oregano, Cilantro, eggs, yogurt, and raw meat

Hi, y'all. I was out working on my fence and I see my rhubarb is poking it's pretty little pink head up out of the ground. Yay! Been seeing snow flakes today -- yuck!

Hey, does anyone in the Madison area have some fertile eggs I could borrow? I have a broody hen (for weeks!!) that just refuses to give up and I'm starting to get worried about her. If I could get a couple of fertile eggs for her, I'd slip them under her and later give you back any chicks that she hatches from the eggs. (I don't need any more chickens!!) If anyone can help me help my broody out, I'd really appreciate it...

It makes me sad to read such biting comments about "ALL" teenagers. Every generation has had negative feedback about the people two generations younger. (I remember how outrageous "adults" thought rock & roll was in the late '60s early 70s!!) I think there's probably some safety there (no one wants to blast the generation directly younger as hell, that's the generation YOUR generation raised!) but you can blast them (indirectly) and directly by attacking their kids. Just remember there's probably a generational issue at hand and sometimes it's probably better to address the individuals in your life that you're disappointed with then to write off a whole generation as being worthless and lazy. Now, I'm going to go give my 18 year old a hug and a kiss and I'm grateful for the joy and pleasure he's brought to our lives even if he doesn't do everything I want him to do -- he's still a terrific kid and I'm blessed to be his mom.

Got to go.
Elaine

Lovely sentament..I have eggs, but I live in Racine.

h

just gotta make the best of it. I would still like to try to hatch some chicks [like some orps] anyone like to sell some eggs? C.C. Delish.... thought maybe cuties could bring some back from the girls cookout. If i have some luck with that I want to try some jubi-orps. Should have a nicer second coop set up by then. Wont be free rangeing them to often, at least not unattended.
HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!!!!!


Whattaheckitsalreadytomorrowtimetohitthehay

I have BBS Orp eggs

Colton-nice pics!

Question: I have 2 roos (One that is in hiding from other roo all the time right now) with 20 hens...yet half my hens are getting bare backs-is there anything i can do to help with this? I thought there would be enough girls that this wouldn't happen?

Also roo situation #2 roo has taken over dominant position and isnt allowing other roo to come down off roost much at all. Is there anything that can be done to help with this? BOth roos are super sweet to me-I pick them up they dont mind being touched etc. I hope when spring gets here they may ease up some with more room in run to get away from each other.

Yes you can..make a cock cage and cage the black Orp for a few days.

Ok- I know it should not happen, but it did, and now I am hoping someone can give me some advice...I ran out of chick feed. I am hoping to go tomorrow, but I might not be able to go until Monday. Does anyone have an idea for emergency feed? Oatmeal, sunflower seeds, rice, corn silage? Anything?

They love oatmeal mixed with scrambled egg and plain yogurt. In a pinch..you can feed boiled eggs and oatmeal. Wheat, oats, barley.

I have a quick question. We have a predator issue with our ducks, what ever it was it left the head in the run behind the coop and the body was eaten on the other side of the property but not the wings. We've only found one body and one head but are missing one more duck too. We are in the woods so it could basically be anything, but I was curious if the signs point at any particular predator. I have seen a fisher around here last winter, DH seen a bobcat, we hear coyotes, and I know the people at the end of the road (1/4 mile) feeds racoons.

Wiesel possibly. They do decapitation and eat the crop. Many of that family of preds do.

Koom-by-yah my lord... Koom-by-yah

I said koom-by-yah boys. We aren't going to get going again now are we? (Please nnoooooo!)

huh?

 

[judge]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I ground up some oats and mixed it with cornmeal. Wow- they love it!! They wouldn't stop eating it!

 

[JustJohn]

Oh, and today I learned that there is a commercial turkey farm for sale near me. They contract with Jeromes (Jenni-o). Should I become a turkey farmer?

Go and look at how they raise those birds before you sign on. You may not be willing to do that.

after Dairy we also lead the nation in cranberry production.

 

[Bigfamily4me]

The song Koom-by-yah

(No politic discussions... I can't take the turmoil!)

 

[JustJohn]

I like the kum bi ya reference. solid humor.

 

[FrenchToast]

Colton, those are beautiul roosters you have... Wish I lived closer I would take that Australorp Roo.

You sure seem to have a good head on your shoulders for only being 13yr old !!!

Do any of your brothers or sister enjoy the chickens with you or is this just your hobby ??

How'd your sis's birthday party go?

DH and I spent the day down at the neighbors cooking our sap in his big stainless steel pan.

I found out the hard way that you don't pick up the sand that is around the pan and filling in the wholes in the concrete blocks !!! OUCH !!! HOT !!!

It doesn't help either that with my neuropathies in my hands that I picked up a hand full to fill in a hole and I don't feel it right away or ?????? Did I already say OUCH ?????

Then I go to stand up and put my hand in a cold bucket of sap and I grabbed on to a 2x4 on the shelter to help me get my fat ***** out of the chair and I got two what I thought were slivers in my other hand.
After I was dunking my hand in the sap bucket I looked at my other hand only to see the crease on two fingers was bleeding pretty bad !!!! OUCH to that too !!!

Gee Whizzzzz.... hope my hand heal up so I can was intruments at the spay clinic Tuesday !!!!

So now my neighbor is looking for 25 barred Rock pullets. So I'm searching the hatcheries or the soonest delivery date for them.
Also put in a call to my brother to find out if he can get me some stainless steel to make me a maple syrup pan or next year.

Ok, have to quit typing now.... BOTH of my hands HURT.... OUCH !!!

 

[Bigfamily4me]

Frenchie... I will mock you mercilessly if you end up with a hook (or two) for hands to go with the peg leg!!!