Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Amyable]

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I don't know what I am doing yet when it omes to posting. I was looking for some dates that there are meet and greets or other opportunities to buy one or two hens. I thought this was an upcoming event, sorry. I did not realize that it was last year. Sorry if I confused anyone. Any suggestions for me?

We are meeting again this year, in Clintonville in June.

See here 2011 WI Bash There are sure to be lots of birds. Feel free to ask for something specific and see if anyone can help you out. Glad you stopped in; where in the state are ya?

 

[jvls1942]

I am finally able to get on the puter.. Mom wouldn't go to bed.. paying me back , I guess..

I got up early and drank my first cuppa on the deck with my trusty .22 on my lap.. no fox showed up.. prolly a good thing.. saved me the embarrasment of missing it.. LOL
gonna try again tomorrow..

Raiquee. I had an "ah-ha" moment on the deck this morning..( I had 1 1/2 hours to think)... I mentally planned out how I was going to lock the flaps on the nests to keep them closed and yet easy to open when needed to(at minimal $$$).. Another trip to Fleet and the job was done..
I will be taking a lot of pictures of this project..

I also checked the fence posts around chicken yard #2.. they are high enough to add another row of fencing , and then I am going to stretch bird neting over it.. I want to keep the guineas contained for awhile after I let them loose.. Poor things, they are still cooped up.. We could use another husband around here to do some of these odd jobs.. LOL

 

[Dooner]

Quote:
I would love some ideas for breeds. My first three hens are what I now understand are production chickens. They are special blacks from beaver dam hatcheries. Got them from a local farmer. I have tons to learn yet. I have had them three weeks now. Great layers! They are pretty good size and pretty noisy. I want two new ones, quiet ones and that will be my max until we can move and that may be years. I like the buff orpingtons and delawares. Are these good picks to introduce. My eggs are on the medium size, so I would like good layers, quiet and large eggs. Also, ones that will inroduce well.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Quote:
I would love some ideas for breeds. My first three hens are what I now understand are production chickens. They are special blacks from beaver dam hatcheries. Got them from a local farmer. I have tons to learn yet. I have had them three weeks now. Great layers! They are pretty good size and pretty noisy. I want two new ones, quiet ones and that will be my max until we can move and that may be years. I like the buff orpingtons and delawares. Are these good picks to introduce. My eggs are on the medium size, so I would like good layers, quiet and large eggs. Also, ones that will inroduce well.

So how old are they? It is easiest to introduce new birds- after 30 day quarantine-if they are either around the same size or just a bit smaller because the hens will have a pecking order and it will need to be re-established when new are added. Some people have the best luck adding new ones at night after the birds are roosting- for us we have moved new birds in durning the day and handed out treats at the same time-this allows us to monitor how the birds get along. From what we have seen hens/pullets usually settle down faster than the boys! We have several different breeds and they each have their own amount of noise they make-our Welsummer girls can get pretty loud and chatty. Are you close to neighbors that would complain? Are you looking for different egg colors as well- like Ameraucanas lay blueish color eggs, Welsummer lay a terra cotta color eggs, Andalusians lay a white egg and others on here would be able to help with egg color too.

 

[Dooner]

Quote:
I would love some ideas for breeds. My first three hens are what I now understand are production chickens. They are special blacks from beaver dam hatcheries. Got them from a local farmer. I have tons to learn yet. I have had them three weeks now. Great layers! They are pretty good size and pretty noisy. I want two new ones, quiet ones and that will be my max until we can move and that may be years. I like the buff orpingtons and delawares. Are these good picks to introduce. My eggs are on the medium size, so I would like good layers, quiet and large eggs. Also, ones that will inroduce well.

So how old are they? It is easiest to introduce new birds- after 30 day quarantine-if they are either around the same size or just a bit smaller because the hens will have a pecking order and it will need to be re-established when new are added. Some people have the best luck adding new ones at night after the birds are roosting- for us we have moved new birds in durning the day and handed out treats at the same time-this allows us to monitor how the birds get along. From what we have seen hens/pullets usually settle down faster than the boys! We have several different breeds and they each have their own amount of noise they make-our Welsummer girls can get pretty loud and chatty. Are you close to neighbors that would complain? Are you looking for different egg colors as well- like Ameraucanas lay blueish color eggs, Welsummer lay a terra cotta color eggs, Andalusians lay a white egg and others on here would be able to help with egg color too.

I live in SE wisconsin. I guess I am referred to as an outlaw chicken owner. I live in a subdivision on a five acre parcel, but one neighbor is several hundred yards away so I need to be as quiet as i can be. I think the more people that know, the greater the liklihood I will be turned in. The three hens i have have been laying for around three months acoording to the farmer I got them from. I got into this for several reasons: love fresh eggs; educational hobby for my two grandchildren; a good hobby and interest for me.

For now egg color is not important. I am building a new coop, 4x4x6, elevated twofeet off the ground. I then plan on building a hoop run 5x12 ish. How do you quarantine them?

 

[Dooner]

The more I read, the more i realize I don't know. I think i should hold off on adding two new chickens until i know more about diseases and handling the chickens. Is there anyone in SE wisconsin that wants to mentor me or atleast give me a few hands on lessons? I need to learn more about handling, looking for mites and diseases, clipping wings, cleaning and so on. I would bring my wife along if that made you feel safer, though i have to tell you that she is going along with this hobby, but it is clearly mine. Other than reading are there other good ways to learn?

 

[MustLoveHens]

Quote:
I would love some ideas for breeds. My first three hens are what I now understand are production chickens. They are special blacks from beaver dam hatcheries. Got them from a local farmer. I have tons to learn yet. I have had them three weeks now. Great layers! They are pretty good size and pretty noisy. I want two new ones, quiet ones and that will be my max until we can move and that may be years. I like the buff orpingtons and delawares. Are these good picks to introduce. My eggs are on the medium size, so I would like good layers, quiet and large eggs. Also, ones that will inroduce well.

Buffs would be a good choice as they are more cold hardy then Delawares but Dels could do alright. You might also consider a gold/red sexlinked or red procution breed to ago along with you black ones. Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks are also excellent choices. Hens are noisy to a point, especailly when they lay. They do their little "Help Me! I'm laying my Egg!! OUCH OUCH OUCH" cackle. For some hens it turns into a group effort and they Egg-Cackle for encouragement and support.

I have a Barred Rock that never makes a sound until after she lays, then she carries on for a half an hour... Some hens are more chatty then others since they have a lot more to say apparently.
I agree with Hens and Roos on what she said.
Hands on is a great way to learn, going to shows is another, and don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you want. Honestly I have never read a book about chickens!

All I have learned I've learned from my dh and his chicken buddies. I have had the great honor of learing hands on while learing from some of the most experienced chicken breeders back when I lived in So Cal. I learned from hands on in my own flock and trial and error. I learn something new everyday. This site has some great people who have forgotten more then I'll ever know about chickens!

Now, in the spirit of learning: What MLH Learned Last Night!
So dh and I went to Piggly and I splearged and got myself a Cream Puff. I mean who can resist a Cream Puff right?!!? So, I was standing next to the Chick TV aka the Rooster Tank, watching the miscreants doing Stupid Chicken Tricks. Then I got the bright idea that they might like a little taste of the cream. So, bravely, (read stupidly) I but a fnger full of cream puff cream down in the Tank Of Doom. They little boys all ran to the other end making the distressed "Oh NOOO! We're gonna die!" cheeps, when Black Rooster of Unknown Breed #1 comes up to my cream filled finger and takes a dive into the cream. He got a mouthfull and shook his head rather hard. I think he thought it would taste different. After he shook his head, a spot of cream landed on White Rooster of Unknown Breed and as he preened off the cream, his beady little eyes light up like a little kids does looking at a Christmas Tree. By this time Black Rooster and his Posse come back over to investigate, and White Rooster is in full run mode diving for my finger. It's on!!! My finger was picked clean in nothing flat and I learned a very valualbe leason.
Cheeseheads: "What leason is that MLH?" Do tell!!:
MLH: "Always, always always, when feeding a bunch of miscreant Rowdy Rooster cream from your cream puff, ALWAYS make sure to put your chain mail gauntlet on before you feed them!! *nurses her sore finger*

Ok have a great day everyone! I've gotta get myself going!! Ta-Ta

 

[Dr HaHa]

Goood Morning Everyone! Welcome again Dooner!

Yes there's quite the learning curve to chickens. The best thing is to read all you can find and spend as much time with your birds as you can. Ask as many ?'s as you want you'll find someone on this thread will give you a straight answer, well except for me. All great people here! Looks like I'll make it into the woods this AM good thing! Just about out of butt warmin material. Better get movin.

 

[Hens and Roos]

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Where in SE WI are you located that way we can figure out who is close by you. If you have room you could always see about getting some younger chicks- day old or so that have been kept away from the main flock and raise them up.

 

[jvls1942]

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forget about reading about diseases and a ton of other things that could go wrong.. most often none of those things ever happen anyhow.. Just get the chickens you decide you want and go with it.. Delawares and Buffs are good chickens.. Barred rocks, also called Plymouth rocks are nice.. It really does not matter what you get.. You can get loud ones or quiet ones in any breed.. Like the rest of us,, you takes your chances.. If they don't work out, you eat that one and get another..

and yeah, yeah, I got 7 pullets; just for our own eggs; about 6 years ago.. You will soon learn about chicken math.. Here is a nice one, what harm can just one more do? Oh, I am at a swap, can't go home empty handed after driving all this way. I'll just take a couple of these along..

before you know it you have 4 pairs of geese, 2 trios and an extra hen of ducks, 30 guineas, forty some odd laying hens, a few assorted roosters, and a trio of Jungle fowl, Oh, don't forget the 4 pairs of turkeys and now the 140 plus chicks in the brooders, because you don't know when to quit setting eggs..

welcome to the group.
............jiminwisc.........