Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[cuties]

Omg! That is sooo exactly my kids!! Syd secretly does little things to get blake going. She is definitely the boss!
Thanks for putting them in their place! Plus sometimes it really helps when another "adult" says the same stuff as you!!
I was mortified at day care. They told me blakes second to last day that he was alw ays naughty untill the minute I walked in the door. I was pi $$ y that they never talked to me about it all year!
His teacher just told me it was ok. Because the next techer is really strict, and there will be a turn around. But whatever, he behaves pretty well for us. If she cant figure out how to do her job, her issue. Shoulder shrug guh here.

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Judi, the reason I don't bring birds to the fair anymore is because I'm afraid of bringing something home. My plan in the past had been to just sell the birds after the show, but why would I want to sell my best birds?

There has been a stray cat hanging around here again. This morning I found him stalking my chickens. He is Gray/blue with a white chest and white paws. He is not friendly though. I put a can of cat food outside for him today and made sure he saw me put it down for him. Them I spied on him to make sure he ate it. If I can get him used to us, I will catch him and have him neutered and vaccinated. He can stick around unless he starts killing my chickens.

 

[Angiebubs]

bbp totally agree. would be fun to show but then the isolation for a month and possibilty of them getting sick? no thanks. there was one lav orp who had a swollen face and watery eyes sleeping and fluffed up poor thing.

 

[vickiw]

A question for all you Wisconsin poultry folks please.

I am going to have to make some hard decisions soon on my remaining battery girls. My poor little Crockpot with leukosis will have to be mercifully culled before winter if her condition does not deem sooner. Mamma s waterbelly has actually gotten better but she never started to lay again. Another hard decision. The last one, Soup, when she did lay her eggs were literally filled with blood spots and large pigment and tissue sheds to the point of disgusting but now hasn't laid at all for more than a month.

Anyway, this is going to lead to some vacancies in my coop. I am considering filling these with BA's, but I don't want hatchery/production BA' s, instead I would like to get hold of some quality pullets. Anyone have a recommendation? Or possible other suggestion for my northern coop?

Thank you in advance for your help and or advice.

 

[Sclark73]

Terri- Lady is last years offspring of my SS x Silkie/Cochin Bantam Roo, As is Red my other broody sitting.

 

[cuties]

A question for all you Wisconsin poultry folks please.

I am going to have to make some hard decisions soon on my remaining battery girls. My poor little Crockpot with leukosis will have to be mercifully culled before winter if her condition does not deem sooner. Mamma s waterbelly has actually gotten better but she never started to lay again. Another hard decision. The last one, Soup, when she did lay her eggs were literally filled with blood spots and large pigment and tissue sheds to the point of disgusting but now hasn't laid at all for more than a month.

Anyway, this is going to lead to some vacancies in my coop. I am considering filling these with BA's, but I don't want hatchery/production BA' s, instead I would like to get hold of some quality pullets. Anyone have a recommendation? Or possible other suggestion for my northern coop?

Thank you in advance for your help and or advice.

Vicki, I am sorry the girls have not shown much improvement :-( I think you must have given them the best possible end to their life. I thin k your girls must be the happiest chickies ever!! I do not know what ba's are. And not up north, so I'm not much help there. But I will say I agree with goingwith a breeder. I love my reds, but they were a production typw bird. They have no personality.
Good luck with your search!!

 

[Bigfamily4me]

Black australorp BA. No help. The one I got from Terri is a pretty good layer but the personality is NOT the usual. my BA is just a p!ssy pants and if she didnt lay well, id have no problem seeing her gone. I don't know how she came out so different from what they're supposed to be like.

Honestly, with the way you spoil your chickens, those girls have had a most wonderful existence since their battery days. You're a good chook momma and any chook is lucky to have you, no matter for how long or short a time.

 

[vickiw]

Vicki, I am sorry the girls have not shown much improvement :-( I think you must have given them the best possible end to their life. I thin k your girls must be the happiest chickies ever!! I do not know what ba's are. And not up north, so I'm not much help there. But I will say I agree with goingwith a breeder. I love my reds, but they were a production typw bird. They have no personality.
Good luck with your search!!

Thank you Cuties! It does make it a lot easier knowing I was able to give them a full year plus the freedom to be chickens as God intended them to be but at the same time protected and cared for. I still have Noodle, the young mutt that Mom's hatched from my neighbor s egg and my three red pullets. Mine are loaded with personality! Friendly and chattering to me constantly and a bit too smart for their own good always getting into some kind of teenage mischief but all I have to do is call "babies" and they come running. They are such characters that my hubby calls them the three amigos
BTW - BA stands for black Austrolorp.

 

[unkadan]

vicki I would think you could scratch northern winters as a requirement, you have a heated coop, hot meals, a maid, a nurse, and cook on call 24/7.
Pick a breed you like the looks of, do the research then find a breeder
There should be some great BA's here in the state and in the U.P. one of the best breeders for many years lived 2 hrs north of us. I'm pretty sure some of his genetics are still around the area (he dispersed his flock a few years ago I am told)

IF you are looking for some young pullets now is the time to get communication going with breeders, most will have juvenile birds available this time of year. Most clubs have websites with breeders lists.

bbl

 

[vickiw]

Black australorp BA. No help. The one I got from Terri is a pretty good layer but the personality is NOT the usual. my BA is just a p!ssy pants and if she didnt lay well, id have no problem seeing her gone. I don't know how she came out so different from what they're supposed to be like.

Honestly, with the way you spoil your chickens, those girls have had a most wonderful existence since their battery days. You're a good chook momma and any chook is lucky to have you, no matter for how long or short a time.

TY

That is one of the many reasons I want to get mine off a good line. I have read several places that the production BA' s lack several of the characteristics, both physical and personality, of what makes a true Aussie.