Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Hens and Roos]

So we brought all 3 chicks upstairs for pets and attention. They did pretty well. I was quite surprised by Comet though. HR... Did you guys handle her much? Comet sat in my hand, stretched our her neck and dozed as I rubbed her little neck and head. Rocket and Venus didn't calm down nearly as much. They all throw such a fit getting picked up, but seem to be learning to calm down (at least some). Now if only they didn't pooop all over me...

Any good hints to ake these guys as tame as possible? We really would like these guys to be more like pets...

The chicks spend at least the first two weeks crated in our kitchen- so they see everything and hear us, the kids go in on a regular basis to check and hold them. Some chicks respond better than others- most chirp really loud and try hard to become invisible

very small pieces of bread tossed to them also helps get them use to us and coming over to us

 

[Dr HaHa]

Good morning Everybody! Didn't get any pics of the ugly children yet but I will. Cind it's first come first served, it's yours. Well worth the expense of the trip I promise!! I'll send ya a PM with pics and dimensions later today. I told Laura this morning that the new stove will probably get put in as soon as it gets here because I won't be able to stand it just sitting there. She already knew that.

She knows me too well. Bigz

on the FFF When the BFF came over I talked him into bringing us a couple of tubs of fish so I know it won't be long until we're chowin down too. We're thinkin that a local lake that got the shore line bought out and one of boat landings shut down should be excellent spring crappie fishin. The one landing that is County owned gives you access but you have to cross under a bridge to get to the big side and the ice stays pretty thin there so no has fished it all winter. We'll hit it hard this spring. Which reminds me I need a longer ultralight pole. Bf4 just keep handling the chicks as much as possible. Lots to do today better get movin coffee has kicked in.

 

[MustLoveHens]

Morning all!
Just thought I'd check in before we have to load the truck for the dump run!
Sold the rest of the pullets to a lady down in Ill. THey are leaving the 11th! That leaves just the 5 I held out for myself and Troll. They will go in the pen when the others leave and then I get to really scrub and disinfect the chick tv for the incubator batch....Please hatch...please hatch...please hatch....

BF4- The best chicken tame down trick ever is.....meal worms. Hand fed meal worms...I've tamed down many a wild Game Fowl Hen and Rooster with those little suckers. Works like a charm!
They love them and before you know it all hands are nice and fun hands. My Girls see the meal worm container and they take me down like a wounded caribou....

Ok, gotta go load the truck
Cheers!

 

[Dooner]

Could i take a broody bantam off her golf ball and put here alone in the garage in a small coop and leave here there to hatch 4 regular eggs i am ordering? After they hatch will they be okay with the bantam in the garage or do i have to put all of them in the house? When do i seperate them?

 

[Dooner]

Hello everyone, it has been a while. Got a traveling job back in october and i am home on weekends. Great job, but way too much traveling. Anyways, my three Black sex links have not gotten along since we added the bantam last summer. Two of the three are getting plucked clean. I use blu kote and saddles, but not helping much. I still get eggs but i think it will only be a matter of time until they croak. Do i just wait or will it ever get better?

 

[Angiebubs]

CC: I was trying to get rid of roos due to the fighting. I have a lady to take my Wally but Im having second thoughts as hes such a sweetheart and these last two seem to get along. My daughters fav chicken is a roo "Donny"-hes getting pretty testy with my mud boots argh! And I can't re home him as he has crooked toes and a few random brown spots (so thinking he may not be pure bred BR). Its just with all this talk of raising chicks Im day dreaming about if I were to try and raise and sell day 1 chicks LOL.(for fun-not profit obviously)..there are a few breeds that seem in high demand and hard to find-like Salmon Faverolles, Sussex, and brahmas. Would also be fun to raise EEs for the heck of it. My other thought is-maybe let some of my hens raise chicks-would be fun to try once-but Im all about the tameness so would probably pull and raise them inside. I was also asking as I know there is still a chance when ordering sexed pullets that a boy may turn up-hate to get attached and find out it was a boy again.

Thanks for the info on the feather sexing. When raising exotic birds, suppossedly they had to be sexed as well. After having enough babies, I was able to tell with some breeds, due to head size, eye placement, and personality. And am curious if those that have raised a lot of chicks can do the same. It kinda sounds like there are certain behaviors and posturing with chicks that can hint towards their gender.

 

[Angiebubs]

Oh and yesterday was a 10 egg day!! Out of 11 possible hens-pretty exciting!! And I had another adorable banty green egg

 

[otonoh]

morning all,

Been having problems with not getting email notifications on the forum, just checked, I mistyped my email. The girls are loving the weather, They have been going outside for the past few days, They think it is spring too. I have been getting between 5-7 eggs a day all winter. I have 7 chickens so I must be doing something right. I need to add more wood chips today or tomorrow.
I was looking at incubators with fans online, I might as well order chicks directly, I don't think I will be incubating every year.
Have a good day everyone

David

 

[Angiebubs]

 

[FrenchToast]

OMG !! He is so Ugly he is Cute !!!!