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Barnyard Buddies:  What kind of chickens do you have  |
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urbanchickee
Farmgirl at Heart
9 Posts
Lisa
NC
USA
9 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 10 2008 : 04:44:56 AM
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I now have to add 1 Barred Rock and 3 EE chicks on the way. A few will be finding new homes cause we don't have enough room for that many really. My kids can't wait for the chicks to come.
Life on my little "farmette" gets crazy. 3kids,2dogs,3chickens. Life is good... |
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mrsmorgen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
morgen
coudersport
pa
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2008 : 05:20:57 AM
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We got Buff Orpingtons and gold laced wyandottes this year. None are producing eggs right now ( can't wait) but I have to say I love my buffs. The one named Olga loves to be pet and held. They are great chickens!
Morgen
I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all..
laura ingalls wilder
www.laubers.blogspot.com |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2008 : 02:14:26 AM
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hi all! i am happy find i am not the only alaskan here! sadly i live north of fairbanks which is quite a ways from eagle river (hi amy! *waving*)
we are picking up 35 rhode island red chicks in the morning and i cannot wait till they are old enough to lay!
amy, we have friends here who winter their hens thru without a problem, i am hoping i can too! they salvaged doors from the "transfer mall" (transfer site for the dump for those of you who dont live in alaska lol), built their hen house, then covered it with the doors and put blue board over them. they keep a heat lamp on in the worst part of the winter (our winters here get to 40 and 50 below zero!) to my knowlege they havent lost even one to the cold yet! we are going to put the chicks temporarily in our 4 wheeler trailor lined with cardboard and a partial top of plywood. we will have a heat lamp on them for a while. if it rains i guess i will just cover the whole shebang with a tarp lol. as you can see i still have to build my coop *grin*
i do have a question for you ladies that are more experienced with chicks. is it necessary to use starter feed with the chicks or can i just put them on scratch feed? if i use starter it has antibiotics in it, will it be out of their system before they are ready to butcher and lay? i am trying to find ways of making our food healthier and also to not be dependant on "store bought" feed since we will be moving to a homestead in a few years that is 150 air miles from the closest store! i am really looking forward to learning and sharing alot here! peace connie in alaska |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2008 : 05:05:58 AM
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Hi Connie,
A big warm welcome to you !! I know you will enjoy MJanes site. I have been coming here for about 8 months now and there is a great bunch of ladies in here with lots of info, support, inspiration, and smiles. There are so many topics to read about I don't have time to read them all.
On the chicks personally I would start them out on the chick starter at least for a little while. When they are penned up they don't have access to all the good bugs and grass. So they need a descent amount of protien and vitamins to give them a good start. The antibiotics should be out of their system by then. Some of the ladies have posted some homemade recipes that sounded pretty good. I know some used hard boiled eggs and something else if I remember. I can't remember where that was posted. Maybe one of the ladies here will remember and can help.
I kept mine on the starter for about 4 weeks and then switched to a layers mash with 18 percent protien. I put them outside in a pen that gave them access to the grass. I also started offering them a homemade scratch combo free choice. After that I opened the pen and started to let them free range. Of course my weather is much warmer hear so they didn't need to be under the heat lamp as long because it started to get into the high 80's and now they are 10 weeks old and doing great.
good luck and take care
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2008 : 12:42:07 PM
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| hi linda, thank you for the reply and the warm welcome. we just got the chicks settled. we had ordered 35 and got home with 40 rhode island reds (5 free!) as well as 3 black cornish *grin* we did decide to go with the starter feed. i have them in my homemade meat trailer that we pull behind the 4 wheelers. they have timothy hay for bedding and a heat lamp. we put a baby gate over part of the top and a peice of plywood over the rest. i can put a tarp over the whole thing if it rains, but right now it is a clear warm day (in the 70s and it isnt even noon yet!). that should keep them nice and comfy as well as give them the chance of sunshine and protection from flying preditors. one little guy isnt doing as well as the rest. i wonder if i should put him and a couple of the others in a smaller home for a few days so he has a better chance at the food? thanks again for your input and welcome! peace connie in alaska |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2008 : 2:21:24 PM
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Connie,
the ones that aren't doing as well are probably weak from shipment....thats what happened to mine. You might try giving them a little sugar water and dip their beaks in it a couple of times to make sure they drank some. Thats what I did for mine and it really helped jump start their systems. Also with that many chicks maybe put an extra food feeder in on the opposite side. If you don't have one any little container will do. Cool about the extra free ones.....Good luck.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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therealshari
True Blue Farmgirl
235 Posts
Shari
Beryl
UT
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2008 : 07:52:05 AM
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We have Black Astrolorps, Buff Orpingtons, Plymouth Barred Rock, and White Rock.
They're just a year old the end of April. We kept them with light all winter and enjoyed an abundance of eggs. Nineteen hens averaged just over 14 eggs a day until last month. Now we're going through the molt and broody stage and are getting 4 to 6 eggs a day.
We disposed of the roo's after they got too agressive with me.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleece? We do, and you can too! Check our our new "Fleece For Sale" page. |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2008 : 10:02:19 AM
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| thanks much for the idea linda. we have only lost 2 so far and oen of them it appeared to have a neurological problem. he kept his head turned kinda half way over and to the side. he died last night. we have had them for a few days, should i still try the sugar water? peace connie |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2008 : 11:55:16 AM
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Hi Connie,
Yeah I would still give them sugar water and electrolytes or vitamins made for chicks if you have them. Put about 2 tsp.of the sugar in their chick waterer. The one that was holding its head to the side sounds like bacteria might have gotten into its system. Thats what they do with their heads. You might tryng to treat them with terimyicin for a few days. It comes in a foil pack.....usually you can get this from the feed store. Good luck with your chicks and I hope the rest end up doing okay. I am no expert on chicks and their maybe more that can be done. But I know those 2 things have really helped me in the past with chicks that are stressed and have been on a long trip. Its really hard on the little fellas.
take care
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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Buttercup
True Blue Farmgirl
1433 Posts
Talitha
Vermont
USA
1433 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 08:55:58 AM
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Wow!! I really enjoyed reading all about everyone's chickens!! I can not wait till I can get some!! I am hoping DH's next job transfer will be someplace we can buy and have at least a tiny farmette  ! Thank you so much for all the information here!!
Hugz!!
Talitha
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
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wooly1s
Farmgirl in Training
14 Posts
Karen
Coeur d Alene
Idaho
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2008 : 8:06:38 PM
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With as much activity as this thread has had, I didn't think we'd have anything new to mention...but we do!
We have Ameraucanas...small combs and wattles - less likely to get frostbitten  for you up in Alaska! They are great layers, broody, extremely hardy.
Raising Barred Rocks for meat, will keep breeders back for next year's crop - they are very friendly birds.
The mishmash of outcasts from other farms that stays in the barn - a Cornish Cross and some Rhode Island Reds, and last, but first mentioned -
Blue Andalusians!They are pretty aloof, and this hen doesn't want to brood...thinking of putting her eggs under an Ameraucana...
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.com
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.blogspot.com |
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Norskema
True Blue Farmgirl
98 Posts
Candace
Central Indiana Area
USA
98 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2008 : 11:24:09 AM
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| I just got my first shipment of chickens two weeks ago. I am AMAZED at how quickly they grow. I have 26 CornishX - or as my son calls them, KFC's. They'll go into the freezer except maybe for one that is so friendly and curious. I've been careful not to name them otherwise I'd be done for! I also have 8 for layers. I had to order straight run for the Australorps so I probaby have one or two roosters in there - hopefully not all three! I also have two buffs and two Ameraucanas as well as a mystery chick that looks like it is a partridge cochin maybe... we'll see. Anyway they are so funny but I do feel badly that they are kind of the "practice chicks". I had one yesterday that had been pecked on the back of his head. I put him away in a box to have a rest (along with another chick) but it still cried so that was sad. I've read to put black grease on it to let it heal or just use antibiotic cream and use red lights - which I already do. Their area is probably 7x10 so they aren't crowded. There is plenty to eat and drink, a long branch on the floor to roost on and walk along (which they all try and then fall off of). I'm not sure what else to do. Do I keep the one away from the rest or put it back? I also still have a couple that seem to have "goopy poop" so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but I keep reading and hoping for no major disaster! |
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eskimobirdlady
True Blue Farmgirl
700 Posts
connie
fairbanks
ak
USA
700 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2008 : 3:10:04 PM
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we have added to our flock. after losing only 3 reds we got 6 barred rock. when we put them together the reds immediately started picking on the barreds so we have them seperate until we put them in the big pen. if it stays warm as it has been the past couple of days that should be soon! *keeping fingers crossed that summer is gonna stay this time!* lol we have had them for about 48 hours and no losses yet!
peace connie in alaska |
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl
9093 Posts
Nancy
West Seneca
New York
USA
9093 Posts |
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SusieQue
True Blue Farmgirl
603 Posts
Susie
Greenville
Ga
Georgia
603 Posts |
Posted - Jun 22 2008 : 4:15:20 PM
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| We have many kinds but my favorite is the silkies. |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Jun 27 2008 : 06:14:18 AM
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HI Candace
How 'bout trying to put a bit of sod in their house. I found that that helped as it gave them something else to "peck"
"learn to watch snails" SARK |
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mellaisbella
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
melanie
living on Anne of Green
Gables land
Canada
1862 Posts |
Posted - Jun 27 2008 : 06:18:31 AM
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two questions for you ladies
How do you know if you have a rooster? I just got 31 chicks and they are all doing great. They are 1 month old now and of course, cute as buttons!! They all have a great amount of their feathers except for one. This one hardly has any wing feathers. My husband said that maybe it is a rooster?
The second question is ....I have hens that are laying already and are eating layer mash....my chicks are eating chick starter...is it okay for one to eat the others food?
thanks gals
"learn to watch snails" SARK |
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Jun 27 2008 : 06:33:07 AM
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The only way I knew I had a Deleware rooster was his comb was quite a bit larger than the others ones. I wasn't quite sure about the Aracauna they had sent me until he crowed at 5 weeks. From that point on he was a naughty rooster.
Lillian |
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Barnyard Buddies: What kind of chickens do you have |
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What kind of chickens do you have
