Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Hurley]

Having a good evening chilling with my baby boys and scanning the forum for interesting tidbits.

Dreaming of next season and thinking on adding a breed or two. So many breeds I could go for for so many reasons! I greatly enjoy browsing the ads and the threads, thinking and dreaming of more chickens.

It's a sickness.

Ones I'm in love with tonight:

Iowa Blues - darn rare it seems, lovely in the photos I can find of them, and they draw me in, being born and bred in the state. Am seriously contemplating getting some from Sandhill this spring, if they have them available. I would hate to see the breed disappear entirely.
V-combed breeds, esp. the La Fleche. I do like their look and I'm drawn to the white-earred dark breeds. Looks like Sandhill carries them as well, which would make a nice split for a box to order.
Silver Spangled Hamburg - just love the coloration of them, could go for a pullet or two to add to the flock just because.
Light Brahmas, love the coloration and the overall outline of the breed.

I'm also trying to find out info on showing as a possibility in the future. Would love any info on shows in the area so I can go and check it out, learn some of the ins and outs. I showed horses growing up, show Australian Shepherds in conformation, obedience, and have trained but not yet shown in agility. I attended some canary shows and considered showing singers, but decided that is wasn't for me. I'm much more intrigued by chickens.

I picked up 10 meaties this spring and raised them up, processed them thanks to the help and information I gleened from this lovely forum, and am pleased with the results in my freezer. Following the processing, however, I was greatly saddened to lose my chicken spoiling time (if I'm going to raise meaties, they're going to have the best possible life I can give them during their short time). After that test run to see how much I truly enjoyed chicken care, we built a small coop, connected it to a 20 x 20 run, and raised up some Marans from a local breeder who was wonderful to talk to. This fall I acquired a trio of Ameraucana pullets of roughly the same age as I have love of those little muffed birds and their colored eggs. At the same time I picked up a Rhode Island Red year old hen for my husband, who gave me my first egg on Thanksgiving.

I love my little flock, and get the biggest tickle out of feeding them, clucking over them, watching their antics when I let them out to range our acreage. Pulling large branches out of the woods for random perches in the run is also a good time, giving Thomas (my son) and I a chance to run the red wagon down the trail and load it up. I also get stupid pleasure out of mixing grains for scratch treat, wheat, lentils, peas, various other seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. So far they have been quite personable and sweet and my 1 1/2 year old knows what "feed chickens?" means and gets all excited to go out and scatter grain for the chickens. They have their layer pellets, but enjoy their daily treat as well.

Guess I don't really have any point to this rambling, just enjoying the evening and thought I'd share with my fellow Wisconsonites.

Hope everyone has had a pleasant Thansgiving!

Connie

 

[Dandelion Acres]

I'm also trying to find out info on showing as a possibility in the future. Would love any info on shows in the area so I can go and check it out, learn some of the ins and outs.

I second that, my oldest son is 9 and really wants to show some birds. I think it would be beneficial to attend a few shows first. Heck, I might even give it a go myself, LOL.​

 

[WIChookchick]

Hurley...
Would you like a White crested black polish standard rooster? he is V combed and white ear'd.

He is picked on by my hens, and they won't leave his crest alone, it is growing back after his molt!!

This is his son, but he is a silver lace wyandotte/polish cross, so has a rose comb

Free either one.. I am in Oregon WI. south of madison

 

[Terri O]

Good morning everyone! Great Turkey day for us too. My pies were a hit--just split the remaining piece with DH for breakfast-MMMM. I had pecan yesterday so it was nice to get a piece of pumpkin this morning.

LOL--guess I never sent this one yesterday! Good morning to all and especially those who have just come in! Be careful--you will love us so much that your day may not be complete without finding out what your chicken friends are up to!

We love to check up on each other and hear what's going on--please share!
I am going to a scrapbook event today for 12 hours! So excited--gotta get packing--Later...have a fantastic day! Terri O

Just had to add after reading what I missed...get your 9 year old into 4H so he can learn the ropes! And Hurley you are raising your boys up right! Unfortunately my kids dont have "the chicken gene" in them! So sad...one daughter will come out and watch for a little bit, but at 18 you have so much "more" to do right?

She doesnt care to listen to my stories but thought she would share about not washing the eggs...she is an animal sciences major at Madison...funny she never heard me tell the story about the natural bloom that the hen puts on the egg!

Those are neat goats WIChCh! I didnt know you were getting rid of any...I just sold 2 of mine yesterday! I like that roo too! Everyone knows my weakness for them. He kind of reminds me of one that I got from H&R a year ago or so...unfortunately he was not real wise about horse water tanks...

I do have some of his sons running around though...
OK--I think I need to start getting ready to go now...T

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Welcome,

to everyone. I show, what do you want to know? You can pick my brains any time you need to. I just got a reply for a trio of MF Booted Bantams, think I'm going for it. Didn't have the duck for turkey day, had a last minute call from a friend, so she had duck too, LOL. Happy late Turkey Day, been so busy that this is the first day I have been able to post. DH's hunting party have 0 deer, that sucks.

 

[Hurley]

I don't currently have a spot for a lone rooster, but I do thank you for the offer! I am leaning more towards the non-crested ones so I can really see the crest. I won't be getting more chickens until spring, but I am building a covered pen to give me the possibility to raise up a few show birds, protecting them from the sun, but allowing them to have fresh outdoor access. Just need to settle on a breed. I may add a few to the laying pen of individuals I would just like to look at, but I already have 2 roosters in the pen and don't think those boys would go for a new man in the pen.

As for questions on showing:

How many chicks do you think one would need to raise up a bird or two to show? Meaning, how hard is it to get one worth showing? In the dog world, obviously some breeds are much harder to show than others, depending on popularity. Just curious if you may get 1 chick in 5 that you could show or 1 in 20 or 1 in 2 or what.

Also, is there a club or something in Wisconsin or a centralized area that lists shows available for entering (and coming to watch)? And what are the swaps/meets I read about?

What kind of equipment is involved and what kind of prep it normally done preshow? I'm guessing bathing, possibly some whitening for a white breed, nail trimming if needed... I mean, do you do anything fancy for chickens to show them (like grooming for showing cattle, horses, dogs, etc...) Do you have to get special show cages or training cages or anything? Any sites describing chicken training to show themselves?

What's the demeanor at the show? Fairly laid back? Tense? The different venues in the dog world have different feels. Just wondering what to expect. I'm not looking to get into showing if everyone is so competitive that it's like the AKC dog show world with all the hoopla and politics involved. If it's more of a "let's have some fun and show our chickens" feel, I could get into that.

And yes, I really hope the boys inherited my animal gene, but time will tell. I won't make them do anything with animals, they have to ask/want to - trying not to kill the interest.

We shall see. I'm hoping the boys are interested in the Aussies at 3 years so they can show in peewees, but it's up to them.

Connie

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

OK, one at a time. First the amount of chicks you need.
1, depends on how good the parent are
2, what breed
3, variety (color)
Some colors are harder. To keep true than others, like Mille Fleur
If you have good breeders, average is about 20 to 1
some breeds a 100 to 1, example of a hard to breed one, MF d'Uccle. You can have great parents,great blood lines and every chick you get sucks.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

2
Clubs, there are some but, they are not like most 'clubs' I'm a member of the APA, ABA and the booted & d'Uccle club. As for list of swaps/shows there is state of Wi web site that posts them and I'll post it. The best way to get the feel of a show is to go.

 

[petsits]

Hi, I'm brand new here - just found the forum. I'm thinking reading the 448 previous pages in this thread might be a little impossible, so is there anything really good I missed

?

We just started our chicken - ownership adventure late this summer with 4 in a little A frame chicken tractor my wonderful brother made me for my birthday. I'm right now working out a different water heater solution since the first ideas didn't work (going to try 100 or 200 mini Christmas lights in the cookie tin this afternoon, if I can figure out a way to affix it to my hanging 3 gallon plastic waterer).

We are in Dousman/Ottawa (West of Waukesha & Milwaukee).

(Finished off and painted since this picture!)

 

[Dr HaHa]

Afternoon All! Got a bunch done this AM thinking lunch, a quick nap, then Badger game. L went shopping and should be home about the time my eyes try to close. Always the case. Seems that yesterdays rude awakening upset my wake up time. Eyes popped open at 4:30. Had a ball with the kids today. Buster just loves to have his waddle and ears stroked. He's so mellow! Except when it comes to a confrontation with L's purse. We thought he was going after her at first but realized the purse was the threat. Think I'll borrow it just to mess with him. Or maybe find something similar for him to attack thereby making him feel superior. She's going to have to hide her purse going to and fro. And now know that he really doesn't liked to be kissed in front of his girls. It's just not done! Hurley love the color contrast on your polish! Guess it would be your BIL if we were distantly related. BCC is our go to gal she knows her chickens! And we all appreciate her help! And there are so many on here that that know a lot more than us newbies do. And the great thing is that all are willing to help us with our ignorance, couldn't find a better group of people anywhere! TO it's been driving me crazy. I love pecan pie and have never made one if you would be so kind as to pm me your recipe I would be most appreciative. In fact I'd be your friend forever, oh wait too late! But no hurry I'm not done

over just the pic yet. Bigz's glad to hear that you got your cutting done. Bet it's nice to look in the freezer. Raiqee glad after the fiasco everything worked out for ya due to your quick thinking and your ability to adapt to a desperate situation. You get an atta girl! It's beautiful outside maybe need to go back out.