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Author
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Topic: CHICKENS!
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mockingbird
Knowflake Posts: 2128
From:
Registered: Dec 2011
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posted January 03, 2012 03:06 PM
  
My birthday present's going to be a chicken coop  We've ordered 4 (female sexed) chicks for early April delivery - two Welsummers and two Easter Eggers. I went for friendly but not-too-docile decent egg producers and foragers. We plan on letting them loose in a movable, covered run when we're outside. I'd love to just let them free range, but we have some really gorgeous hawks in the area. Do any of you keep chickens? ------------------
My Chart IP: Logged |
Emeraldopal
Knowflake Posts: 2065
From: U
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted January 03, 2012 03:27 PM
I've had chickens, love fresh eggs...it takes awhile for egg production,
up to a year for normal everyday eggs... How many roosters? That's where the
problems always are, lol One rooster is enough!!! ------------------
All my love, with all my Heart
lotusheartone IP: Logged |
mockingbird
Knowflake Posts: 2128
From:
Registered: Dec 2011
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posted January 03, 2012 03:41 PM
Only hens for us this year. We're on five acres, but in a fairly residential area - I'm not sure how the neighbors would take it. Some of them have chickens, but I've never heard crowing so I'm assuming that they're rooster-less, too.We'll feel them out as we get more familiar with one another.
Do you think there'd be a problem with introducing a young male next year (that is, to grown hens)? IP: Logged |
Emeraldopal
Knowflake Posts: 2065
From: U
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted January 03, 2012 05:00 PM
I see no problem introducing
a young male next year...
Hens are docile, I love them...
they will welcome him!!!My girls use to pick them
up and walk around with them...
they loved it! Sometimes, they'd follow the kids into
the house..there I was screaming...
they're gonna poop in here.. lol, the good old days... Thanks for bringing back
lovely memories for me! ------------------
All my love, with all my Heart
lotusheartone IP: Logged |
juniperb
Moderator Posts: 8194
From: Blue Star Kachina
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted January 04, 2012 08:42 PM
With children, no rooster is agood idea ! They can get so territorial and ornery.
Do you know which easter eggers you`re getting?Easter Eggers - they're mutts that lay blue, green, or brown eggs. Commonly sold under the false claim of an "Americauna" Ameraucanas - A bearded breed that lays blue eggs; hard to find without weeding out false sellers of Easter Eggers Araucanas - a rare breed that lays blue eggs and has no tail as well as some fascinating "tufts" on their faces French Marans - feather legged breed that lay DARK brown eggs. Getting Black Copper, Blue Copper, Wheaten, and Blue Wheaten are your best bet for the best eggs Welsummers - they lay orangey colored eggs I have mutts and pure Araucanas and they are so gentle  Just for fun, and gentle chicks and so adorable try the silkies! (no colored eggs but sooo cute & fun) they are eternal mother hens and will hatch any egg. ------------------
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. ~Rumi~ IP: Logged |
Emeraldopal
Knowflake Posts: 2065
From: U
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted January 05, 2012 12:39 AM
Thanks, Juni, this is your territory, lolI only farmed for 3 years, it was
awesome! I never had any problems with roosters
when there was just One! More than One, and no, that doesn't work! those are broilers, we did that,
It was disgusting, all they do
is eat and poop, and they're jerks, lol ------------------
All my love, with all my Heart
lotusheartone IP: Logged |
Venus
Moderator Posts: 1758
From:
Registered: Mar 2011
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posted January 05, 2012 03:20 AM
i remember my great uncle had a few hens and a beautiful small garden wich he grew from scratch.. when i was 5-ish and sleeping over we'd get up real early and pick up the eggs for breakfast.. such wonderful memories, the same uncle past away almost a year ago  he was only in his early 60s and quite healthy, they said he caught a bad infection and after spraying his garden with some kind of anti-bug thing or whatever it got worse.. its a shame the thing that brought him the most joy is also what killed him..sorry to dampen the otherwise cheerful thread IP: Logged |
mockingbird
Knowflake Posts: 2128
From:
Registered: Dec 2011
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posted January 06, 2012 01:50 PM
Emeraldopal - juni - I went with an on-line source for both types:
http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Easter-Egger-p246.aspx
http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Welsummer-p249.aspx Because they had good sexing and survival guarantees and also offered vaccination. re: silkies: I looked at those, but I was afraid that the other hens might bully them. It probably wouldn't be a huge issue, though, because I didn't get any white breeds.
They seem to be kind of jerks. Venus - I'm sorry to hear of your loss. IP: Logged |
juniperb
Moderator Posts: 8194
From: Blue Star Kachina
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted January 06, 2012 02:14 PM
I have never vaced my chickens. It just adds the injection meds to the eggs you wish to eat.
Silkies can hold their own except for full sized roosters.
Buffs are awesome too!
------------------
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. ~Rumi~ IP: Logged |
mockingbird
Knowflake Posts: 2128
From:
Registered: Dec 2011
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posted January 06, 2012 02:19 PM
I waivered a bit on vax - I just didn't want the little chicks to die as soon as I got them IP: Logged |
Emeraldopal
Knowflake Posts: 2065
From: U
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted January 06, 2012 03:26 PM
The laying hens I had
were Rhode Island Reds,
docile and great egg production..I also had two miniature
laying hens.. for the girls to have tiny eggs, lol
They loved them! ------------------
All my love, with all my Heart
lotusheartone IP: Logged |
T
Knowflake Posts: 10788
From:
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted January 06, 2012 06:41 PM
Sounds like fun. My neighbors have some in a coop so I get to listen to "chicken songs" day in and day out.  lolIP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 43214
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted January 20, 2012 10:47 AM
The eggs are better for baking than commercial eggs.IP: Logged |
Dee
Moderator Posts: 3151
From:
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted January 20, 2012 06:47 PM
Here's a link all about chickensMurray McMurray Hatchery
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html?aid=cpc_brand_keywords&gclid=COTy jpLk360CFfEAQAodF19Lwg
IP: Logged |
juniperb
Moderator Posts: 8194
From: Blue Star Kachina
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted January 20, 2012 07:16 PM
Farm fresh eggs are better over all!! The yolk stands higher, the white thicker and the yolk is orangy... that`s the perfect egg.  Dee, I love McMurray hatchery! I got some tophats, silkies and buffs from them a few years ago. Beautiful babies thet grew strong and healthy. ------------------
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. ~Rumi~ IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 43214
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted January 29, 2012 01:05 PM
Makes the best whipped egg whites with sugar. ------------------
"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 43214
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted February 19, 2012 02:57 PM
How do they get the grocery store eggs to be so solid white?------------------
"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
Yin
Knowflake Posts: 3366
From:
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted February 20, 2012 09:34 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Randall:
How do they get the grocery store eggs to be so solid white?
White hens. IP: Logged |
mockingbird
Knowflake Posts: 2128
From:
Registered: Dec 2011
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posted February 27, 2012 04:28 PM
We've ordered our coop!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007D8319O/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details We were going to build from scratch, but are quickly running out of time.
This little one (with some additions - pavers one foot down and one foot across along the perimeter, to start) will do for our few hens  IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 43214
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted February 28, 2012 12:00 PM
Were you joking about white hens?------------------
"Never mentally imagine for another that which you would not want to experience for yourself, since the mental image you send out inevitably comes back to you." Rebecca Clark IP: Logged |
Yin
Knowflake Posts: 3366
From:
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted February 28, 2012 12:10 PM
Nope. Look it up.  IP: Logged |
mockingbird
Knowflake Posts: 2128
From:
Registered: Dec 2011
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posted February 28, 2012 12:33 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Randall:
Were you joking about white hens?
And white hens are usually kinda jerky / high strung.
IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 43214
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted March 15, 2012 08:38 AM
Did you get your coop?IP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 43214
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted March 16, 2012 12:02 PM
 IP: Logged |
mockingbird
Knowflake Posts: 2128
From:
Registered: Dec 2011
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posted April 03, 2012 01:15 PM
Sure did!
We still have some set up to do (fox, raccoon, and hawk prevention, for the most part), but it's up.Honestly, I'm having some coop regret
I wish we had gotten a bigger one. We started running out of time and panicked and bought a prefab. We're already making plans for a bigger one next year, though... I'm having a work from home day today (my boss has agreed to two a week - my back's kind of sucking now that I've reached the third trimester), and on my way back from dropping off the girls I got a call from the Post Office. The chicks were in! 
Two Easter Eggers and two Welsummers, apparently happy and healthy 
I had to take the top off of the food and "peck" around in it with my fingers so they could find it. We used corn cob bedding (our Southern States only had small bags of pine shavings left), and they kept trying to eat it.
I'll put the top back on now that they know that's what they're supposed to munch on...
They kept pecking at the Mason jar on the waterer and freaked out when I tried to dip their beaks, so I instead dipped my finger in, let them drink off of that, and led them back over to the water. The the Easter Eggers (I'm guessing the lighter chicks) caught on more quickly than the Welsumers. 
They kept ambling around, so I put their heater pack and the our (shiny!) plastic thermometer under the heat lamp to lure them over. 
Finally, after a busy morning (er...10 minutes), they conked out. They're adorable! I hope we can take good care of them...and I'm already scouting for a rooster. IP: Logged |
Lindaland
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