Chicken/egg question

[user 7704]

I am a slacker. Went to coop this morning and realized I have not insulated this Winter. That is my job after I get home from taking mom to doctor.

Their water had a thick layer of ice this morning. I do not keep water in the coop. This was in the run.

 

[user 7704]

My roosters have some frost bite damage on the heads. Don't see any on their feet so far, but I haven't inspected them all.

 

[Mountain trapper]

My roosters have some frost bite damage on the heads. Don't see any on their feet so far, but I haven't inspected them all.

Can you knit little hats for them?
When you picked out your chickens, did you make sure to get the breeds that are cold hardy? We've had a couple roosters over the years that would get a couple little black spots on their combs, but nothing serious.

 

[user 7704]

Can you knit little hats for them?
When you picked out your chickens, did you make sure to get the breeds that are cold hardy? We've had a couple roosters over the years that would get a couple little black spots on their combs, but nothing serious.

The roosters came out of the straight run bin at TSC. It was a get what you get type. They ended up being Langshan

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

My birds were locked in for days. Boy were they happy to get out!! Flapping and running around like “we’re free”!

 

[user 7704]

I opened their door, but they chose not to come out. I cleaned the coop yesterday and boy was it full of poop.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Had to make a run to town today to get a bucket of hydraulic oil for the tractor. Stopped at the store to get a few things, including eggs. They wanted $8.59 per dozen. I couldn't bring myself to pay that much for eggs. Our hens are laying one egg every other day now so it won't be long before they give us what we need.

 

[lonewolf]

we have bird flu in the wild bird population in the UK, all domestic stock have to be kept indoors so they dont catch it, can still buy eggs locally.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

That is outrageous for eggs!! Wow. Can’t believe my girls are still laying an egg each, every single day! Been giving the extras to family and neighbors. They do appreciate them.

 

[Mountain trapper]

That is out for eggs!! Wow. Can’t believe my girls are still laying an egg each every single day! Been gi the extras to family and neighbors. They do appreciate them.

There's a girl down the road from us selling eggs for $4 a dozen. I stopped in but she was sold out. She's selling her eggs as fast as gets them.

 

[Mountain trapper]

The roosters came out of the straight run bin at TSC. It was a get what you get type. They ended up being Langshan

We buy all of our day old chick's from Murray McMurray hatchery. In their catalog they have a description of each bird they sell listing how many eggs the hens lay, color, whether they are cold hardy, heat tolerant, good foragers etc. We've always had good luck with Murray McMurray. I like that they still send out a catalog too, so does Stromburgs.

 

[Cindyd]

I made a list yesterday for dollar general sale items. I went and holy moly, store looked like it had been looted. I've never seen so many empty shelves in that store, even when we are expecting a hurricane. Canned goods, sugar, flour, salt, OTC meds, bandaids and related, coffee, soaps, shampoo, and other items I wouldn't expect them to be low on (i.e. hair bows, clips section, makeup/beauty isle. All cleaned out. It was kind of eery feeling.

The temp here has been back up pretty nice so I assume it was the sales they had, and everyone had the same idea as me and beat me to it. Lady working there said they had a truck coming Tuesday to restock. I guess you gotta get there at the crack of dawn to get anything. Haa!

An older woman on a scooter came in for beer while I was there and left complaining they were out of budweiser. Oh well.

I did get 8 eggs yesterday from our chickens who seem to have finally kicked back in to laying.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

There's a girl down the road from us selling eggs for $4 a dozen. I stopped in but she was sold out. She's selling her eggs as fast as gets them.

If you were close, I’d give you eggs every week. Sigh.

 

[Survivor_316]

We buy all of our day old chick's from Murray McMurray hatchery. In their catalog they have a description of each bird they sell listing how many eggs the hens lay, color, whether they are cold hardy, heat tolerant, good foragers etc. We've always had good luck with Murray McMurray. I like that they still send out a catalog too, so does Stromburgs.

Do they have a good hatch rate?
*edit- wow. Nevermind. You said chicks, not eggs.

Where's my coffee? I'm not functioning yet.

 

[DrHenley]

Do they have a good hatch rate?
*edit- wow. Nevermind. You said chicks, not eggs.

Where's my coffee? I'm not functioning yet.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Do they have a good hatch rate?
*edit- wow. Nevermind. You said chicks, not eggs.

Where's my coffee? I'm not functioning yet.

Well, they do have a good survival rate when we pick them up at the post office.

 

[Mountain trapper]

We just got the latest Murray McMurray chicken catalog in the mail today.

 

[Survivor_316]

I'll go and request a catalog.
Do you raise meat chickens, too? I would like to raise some chickens and quail for meat this year.

 

[DrHenley]

My uncle raised quail, it wasn't too difficult. I loved eating quail eggs!

 

[Survivor_316]

I'm not sure if I'd have a hard time butchering them. They seem so much nicer than chickens, but they taste so good! The last thing we need is more pets, though, so I'd have to toughen up if we got them.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I'll go and request a catalog.
Do you raise meat chickens, too? I would like to raise some chickens and quail for meat this year.

Yep. We've been raising Cornish X meat chickens for several years. We always lose some of of the meat chickens due to our elevation. I think we're going to try another breed this year.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I'm not sure if I'd have a hard time butchering them. They seem so much nicer than chickens, but they taste so good! The last thing we need is more pets, though, so I'd have to toughen up if we got them.

I raised chuckers last year. Very easy to raise. I turned about 35 of loose, and still see them occasionally around the sage brush areas. I think their a little bigger than quail.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Yep. We've been raising Cornish X meat chickens for several years. We always lose some of of the meat chickens due to our elevation. I think we're going to try another breed this year.

Have you tried the Red Cornish hens? I’ve heard positive things about them.

I’ve read some negatives about raising quail for meat so I wont be raising those. Am going to get 60 Cornish X type come early spring this year.

 

[DrHenley]

Meat is only one reason for raising quail. You can sell eggs just like with chickens, and if you are prolific enough, you can sell quail to quail hunting preserves, bird dog trainers, and places that run bird dog field trials. Demand is always high, but birds raised for hunting have to be raised differently.

 

[Cindyd]

I had oredered the Murray McMurrauy catalog last year but ended up getting more hens locally. I may order some this year from the catalog since you give them a good review. I want more ducks also but they just don't last long here due to critters picking them off. Not sure I want to have another fenced area built to keep ducks in. We have a decent size pond and they love it, but they just don't last letting them free range around to enjoy the pond.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Have you tried the Red Cornish hens? I’ve heard positive things about them.

I’ve read some negatives about raising quail for meat so I wont be raising those. Am going to get 60 Cornish X type come early spring this year.

No. But we did raise some Red Rangers one year. We didn't like the taste, and ended up donating them to the senior center in town. This year we're going to try another breed since we loose so many Cornish X. I'll look in to the Red Cornish.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

What breed are you thinking of raising? I saw a Barred Rock cross too from that same seller...Myer’s Poultry. I’ve bought from them before and the chicks always arrive in good shape.

 

[user 7704]

Got my new door for the coop.

 

[Mountain trapper]

What breed are you thinking of raising? I saw a Barred Rock cross too from that same seller...Myer’s Poultry. I’ve bought from them before and the chicks always arrive in good shape.

We're going try some dark brahma this spring for meat chickens.

 

[Survivor_316]

I’ve read some negatives about raising quail for meat so I wont be raising those.

What did you hear if you don't mind me asking?

I want more ducks also but they just don't last long here due to critters picking them off. Not sure I want to have another fenced area built to keep ducks in. We have a decent size pond and they love it, but they just don't last letting them free range around to enjoy the pond.

Same here. Our ducks always 3nd up as pets because their eggs get buried and they can be so sweet. I had a drake that was like a dog. He would run up to me to get a head scratch whenever I was out. I hated losing him.