Look what arrived today! (Right section this time)

[KB3LAZ]

I got a call from the post office an hour or so ago to pick up my baby chicks (Buff Orpingtons). I must say, I am surprised as they are a day early. That said, they did not run to the heat lamp but directly to the food and water after I dipped their little beaks in the feeder for the first time. Having an appetite is a good sign. I hope they all make it as they all look healthy but I have raised meat chickens a few times in the past and you never know if you are going to lose a few in the first week.

I figured this would be a fun project for Pilar and I as my parents have chickens and she likes to hand feed them. Also since I have been gone for a handful of years I figured building a coop and run would be a good father son bonding activity. Another thing is that I wanted to try my hand a some Heritage breed chickens this time around. Something I can get eggs from and hatch a few batches a year for meat and entertainment. Those cornish cross just get fat and sit there waiting to be slaughtered.

It is a good thing my parents kept the rabbit hutches and heat lamps as well as the feeders from their chicks. (We raised meat rabbits for a handful of years but I prefer the taste of chicken.)

Anyway, here are some photos. Mind you, I am no photographer. (Eww those pics suck, sorry. I will have to use Pili's camera to see if I can do any better. Failing that ask her to take a for shots.)

[KG4CGC]

Nice chickens.

[KB3LAZ]

Nice chickens.

Thanks, I can't wait to get their coop built. Though they can't go in it for about 5 weeks. Well, I could move the brooder to the coop but I will likely leave the brooder in the garage. It is easier that way. When they get older, watching chickens can be more entertaining than TV!

[W2NAP]

fascinating. well now you have to keep adding pics as they get bigger

[KB3LAZ]

fascinating. well now you have to keep adding pics as they get bigger

I can do that! It gives me a chance to practice using the camera too. I am so bad at taking pictures. Really, my wife has a nice expensive camera that takes great photos until it is in my hands. In fact most people take better phone pics than I do with a camera. Then again phones have decent cameras in them nowadays, regardless I am no good at it.

[KG4CGC]

I can do that! It gives me a chance to practice using the camera too. I am so bad at taking pictures. Really, my wife has a nice expensive camera that takes great photos until it is in my hands. In fact most people take better phone pics than I do with a camera. Then again phones have decent cameras in them nowadays, regardless I am no good at it.

I'm a professional photographer. I'm here to help.
Have camera, will travel.

[NQ6U]

Used to have chickens when I lived in Oregon. They are entertaining to watch and fresh eggs from truly free-range hens are a lot different than those things that come in a carton. Surprised me to find out that it's impossible to whip up fresh egg whites; you have to let them sit for a week or so first.

[KB3LAZ]

Used to have chickens when I lived in Oregon. They are entertaining to watch and fresh eggs from truly free-range hens are a lot different than those things that come in a carton. Surprised me to find out that it's impossible to whip up fresh egg whites; you have to let them sit for a week or so first.

Yeah, I have heard that, seems strange.

[NA4BH]

Aardvarks?


I'm just guessing here, but you don't live in the city.

[KB3LAZ]

Aardvarks?


I'm just guessing here, but you don't live in the city.

I have not tried to raise aardvarks but not I do not live in the city.

[NA4BH]

You should have a fun time with the new additions.

[WZ7U]

They're all fun & games till you get this...

[WZ7U]

Here's me with "Steve"

[n6hcm]

i'm always amazed that it's ok to send chicks through the mail ...

[KB3LAZ]

Here's me with "Steve"

Nice picture!


i'm always amazed that it's ok to send chicks through the mail ...

Yeah, they send all kinds of live animals through the mail. There was an exotic pet store I worked at as a teenager and they used to send us ferrets, spiders, reptiles, birds and you name it through the mail. Some things came via ups etc but others we picked up at the post office. It was a small pet store. I think the larger ones all use courier services.

[W2NAP]

i'm always amazed that it's ok to send chicks through the mail ...

they send package of bees though the mail.

[WØTKX]

You can also mail binders full of women. :whistle:

[N8YX]

We have free-range chickens on parts of our local bicycle path. They've learned to stay out of the cyclist's way. :yes:

[HUGH]

This reminds me of school days when I used to go by train. On the platform there'd often be (completely unattended) things like boxes of chicks, cut flowers and even on one occasion, a small crate of homing pigeons.

It was part of the service of British Rail whereby the train guard would collect them, put them in his compartment and deposit them at the appropriate station down the line. They would be awaited according to the train timetable, very cheap and ecologically friendly. Newspapers and beer were often carried on more mainline passenger services, imagine the temptation, but there would be a truck at the rail terminus ready to load. Trouble if there was any beer missing.

[K7SGJ]

Thanks, I can't wait to get their coop built. Though they can't go in it for about 5 weeks. Well, I could move the brooder to the coop but I will likely leave the brooder in the garage. It is easier that way. When they get older, watching chickens can be more entertaining than TV!


We have chickens out here. Needless to say, they are a hoot to watch. This time of the year, we have a couple of fans going for them, and put a block of ice in their every day. Even with all that, my wife brought one in that was in critical condition. We are keeping her in the cool house, and hand watering her with a syringe. I hope she makes it.

We have ours in a chain-link run 8'x10'x6'. We put sun screen all around it and put several sheets of tin on top. We let them out to eat the bugs on the stuff in the garden, and take the chickpoop and put it in the garden. Full circle. We do have to be careful because we lost one to a falcon, and several to either a coyote or bobcat.

This is a pretty good site to go to, to get information and ideas. http://www.backyardchickens.com/

Good luck with the little peepers. You will have fun with them, and actually, chickens are pretty smart. Of course, they also make good pollo fundido.

[KK4AMI]

We have chickens out here. Needless to say, they are a hoot to watch. This time of the year, we have a couple of fans going for them, and put a block of ice in their every day. Even with all that, my wife brought one in that was in critical condition. We are keeping her in the cool house, and hand watering her with a syringe. I hope she makes it.

We have ours in a chain-link run 8'x10'x6'. We put sun screen all around it and put several sheets of tin on top. We let them out to eat the bugs on the stuff in the garden, and take the chickpoop and put it in the garden. Full circle. We do have to be careful because we lost one to a falcon, and several to either a coyote or bobcat.

This is a pretty good site to go to, to get information and ideas. http://www.backyardchickens.com/

Good luck with the little peepers. You will have fun with them, and actually, chickens are pretty smart. Of course, they also make good pollo fundido.

I'll be damned. They put sunscreen on chickens now. I just can't figure out how they get it under their feathers.

[KG4NEL]

They're all fun & games till you get this...

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED

[KB3LAZ]

We have chickens out here. Needless to say, they are a hoot to watch. This time of the year, we have a couple of fans going for them, and put a block of ice in their every day. Even with all that, my wife brought one in that was in critical condition. We are keeping her in the cool house, and hand watering her with a syringe. I hope she makes it.

We have ours in a chain-link run 8'x10'x6'. We put sun screen all around it and put several sheets of tin on top. We let them out to eat the bugs on the stuff in the garden, and take the chickpoop and put it in the garden. Full circle. We do have to be careful because we lost one to a falcon, and several to either a coyote or bobcat.

This is a pretty good site to go to, to get information and ideas. http://www.backyardchickens.com/

Good luck with the little peepers. You will have fun with them, and actually, chickens are pretty smart. Of course, they also make good pollo fundido.

I hope your chicken gets better. Mine sure are growing fast as they are already feathering. They eat like hogs too! I started with 19 chicks but one came to me impacted and died on day two. But the 18 that I have left have been increasing their feed intake about every 4 days. On day one and two they only ate 4 ounces of food total then on day four they were up to 8 then 12 and now 16 ounces. I can sure see where the food is going too!

Thanks for the link to backyardchickens I have been a member there for about 6 months as my mother got chickens a few months back and wanted me to do some research.

As for predators we have had a few hawks fly over a few times and the chickens sure make a lot of noise as they run back to the coop. We free range about 4 to 6 hours a day so I am sure loss is just going to be a fact of life.

[WZ7U]

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED


Mostly yeah, but that one rooster (not the one on my shoulder - Steve is the cool rooster) always attacks all but two people in the whole wide world.

We!l, three now. He's been leaving me alone the last couple visits. Must have something to do with being treated like a football after he attacks me. Its taken long enough, sheesh.

[KB3LAZ]

14729 New photo at two weeks. They looked more or less the same at one day and one week so I didn't take a photo then. As you can see they have scratched out most of their bedding as they do everyday. (Hope this post turns out okay as I am posting from a phone and I have never been good with these things.)

[K7SGJ]

14729 New photo at two weeks. They looked more or less the same at one day and one week so I didn't take a photo then. As you can see they have scratched out most of their bedding as they do everyday. (Hope this post turns out okay as I am posting from a phone and I have never been good with these things.)

They are a lot of fun when they're just little peepers. They do all kinds of crazy shit. On a sadder note, the hen didn't make it, although we tried. I hate it when that happens. When it cools off about 30-40 degrees, we'll probably let another half dozen or so eggs hatch.

[KB3LAZ]

They are starting to feather out at week three.

14743

[KG4CGC]

They grow so fast. They don't stay kittens for long.

[NQ6U]

They grow so fast. They don't stay kittens for long.

Just about lunch size now.

[n2ize]

they send package of bees though the mail.

Tropical and salt water fish aquarium fish too.

[KB3LAZ]

14805

They are getting big. This is a photo from last week at 5 weeks. They are 6 weeks now, I will have to take another photo. Next time of a rooster, they have big bright combs already. My mother got Rhode Island Reds and they did not develop so fast.

[NQ6U]

Extra roosters = fried chicken!

[K7SGJ]

Extra roosters = fried chicken!

Pollo Fundidos Yum

[KB3LAZ]

If only I could get them to go in the coop by themselves at night...grr

[K7SGJ]

If only I could get them to go in the coop by themselves at night...grr

Out here, the coyotes help round them up.

[WZ7U]

You may need to deny them other spots they like to roost in like trees and such. I had a tree roosting problem I cured by going out before dusk and shaking the branches rather vigorously. Well, cured it for about a week after doing it for as long. Seems they are kinda stubborn like that..... once they acquire a habit like that it's hard to cure.

Yeah, the coyotes finished the extra stubborn ones off. Good luck herding cats, I meant chickens.

[KB3LAZ]

They are all going into the coop at night now. As for denying them spots, I have not let them free rage as of yet, they are still in their attached run.

On another note, I ordered my mom some more ducks for her birthday that were supposed to arrive at the post office today but no dice. I hope they survive another day in transit. If they dont, I am sure Metzer will replace them but that is beside the point...poor little guys will likely be dehydrated at the least.

[KB3LAZ]

14841

Here is an updated photo. You cant see the rest of them because they have me surrounded as they want something to eat and seem to think my boots are a feeder.

[WØTKX]

They are getting big. I'm getting hungry. :lol:

http://i.imgur.com/WwHLBjQ.gif

[KB3LAZ]

They are getting big. I'm getting hungry. :lol:

http://i.imgur.com/WwHLBjQ.gif

Still a long way to go as they are a dual purpose breed and only 8 weeks old. If they were cornish cross then we could have a meal, lol.

[KB3LAZ]

Well, I got a call at 7am to come to the post office and pick up the ducklings, which was a surprise as my post office does not open until 9am. I got them all home and everyone was alive. which is in a big part due to Metzer shipping them with a large cup of grow gel. I have used other hatcheries in the past and they normally give a table spoon of grow gel but metzer gave them about 4-5 table spoons. Good on them for that.

Now, all but one are running around eating and drinking. I have one Khaki campbell male that is a little lethargic, but only a little so I hope he snaps out of it. Much better than I was expecting as normally an extra day in transit does not work in favor of shipped livestock.

Now I know that sexing poultry and fowl is only about 90% but I have had good luck getting what I order. What I like about this shipment is that they have little rubber leg bands that will stretch and finally fall off when as they grow. Other hatcheries use paper tags that fall off before you get your stock. Well, in defense of another, Cackle, they use a non toxic marking paint on the males head which worked well. Another hatchery I was happy with.

Anyway, I hope mom is happy Sunday when she gets her birthday gift, she said she wanted ducks so I ordered her an assortment of trios. Khaki Campbells, Buff Orpingtons, Cayugas, and Blue Swedish (blue does not breed true, it looks like I got two blues and a black). Now dad and I will have to upgrade the duck mansion. We will be converting a second 20x40 greenhouse into a barn/covered run. 10x20 enclosed and 30x20 with top covered and sides wired. We have done this before with the other and will take us two weekends worth of work.

I will post some photos later.
14843

Yep, I lost one. :(