Messages

31

News and Information / Re: New Junior Grand Master Exhibitor

« on: September 20, 2022, 09:15:35 AM »

Way to go Colton! Congratulations on your Award.

32

News and Information / ABC National on-site and off-site auctions

« on: September 12, 2022, 02:18:49 PM »

Lindsay has informed me that the offsite silent auction bidding is going strong. If you will be attending the ABC National Meet in Lincoln, NE on November 19th you can bid there. There will also be on-site bidding and raffles going on at the show. Some of items at the show include gift cards, LF and Bantam wood show boxes, Brinsea hi-intensity egg candler, chicken wind chime, owl wall plaques and more. If you can't make the show, you can bid on the offsite silent auction by sending an email to: ABCsecretaryhelton@gmail.com. On the subject line list "Silent Auction Bid". In the text of your email, include the item you wish to bid on, your bid (you may include maximum bidding), your name, email address, your phone number, and mailing address.

Here is a list of the current off-site auction items:

10 large fowl day old self blue straight run Ameraucana chicks by Paul and Angela Smith hatched March-May 2023, shipped by Priority mail. Purchaser's choice of hatch date from our scheduled hatches.
 

10 large fowl blue, black and splash Ameraucana chicks priority express shipping paid to be shipped Spring 2023 by Lindsay Helton

 

15 count large fowl Ameraucana chick variety pack priority express shipping paid to be shipped Spring 2023 by Lindsay Helton (may contain any of the following: blue, black, splash, wheaten, blue wheaten, self blue, black split to self blue)

 

1 dozen LF buyer choice eggs by Samantha Brown - buyer can pick any of our LF varieties next laying season and they pay shipping.

 

1 dozen buyer's choice bantams eggs by Samantha Brown - buyer can pick any of our bantam varieties next laying season not including buff bantams and they pay shipping.

 

1 dozen LF black Ameraucana hatching eggs buyer pays shipping for Spring 2023 by Brad Stonebarger

 

One dozen LF brown red Ameraucana hatching eggs buyer pays shipping for Spring 2023 by Stacy Melton

 

Two sets of 1 dozen Erminette Ameraucana hatching eggs shipping paid for Spring 2023 by Becky Pelton

 

33

Exhibiting & Promoting / 2022 North Central District Meet

« on: August 31, 2022, 10:55:02 PM »

The Beaver Pigeon and Bantam Club have catalogs and entry forms available now at Poultry Show Central. This will be our North Central District Meet for 2022. October 8, 2022 is the show at the Jefferson County Fair Park, 503 N Jackson Ave, Jefferson WI. Post mark for entries is Sept 26, 2022. Coop in hours are 4-8pm Friday Oct 7th and 7-9 am Saturday Oct 8th. There will also be a swap meet on Sat Oct 8th from 7am-1pm. Free admission but sellers a $10 fee.

34

News and Information / Re: Junior membership sponsorship

« on: August 13, 2022, 12:28:41 AM »

Thanks Valorie, for the great investment in the future of the ABC!

35

Breeding / Re: Ameraucana eye color

« on: August 09, 2022, 01:03:23 PM »

Thanks, Lindsay, for that bit of "EYE CANDY" and another lesson on the Ameraucana  breed!       

36

News and Information / Re: Egg color reference cards have been restocked!

« on: July 13, 2022, 08:22:30 PM »

Got mine too! Nice job on the egg color chart and the 2022 member's handbook.

37

News and Information / Re: Egg color reference cards have been restocked!

« on: July 08, 2022, 05:43:14 PM »

Thanks Lindsay! I can wait. Just hope the maroon polo shirt is in stock this time. Keeping my fingers crossed!

38

Exhibiting & Promoting / Re: Comanche Crossroads Feb 12-13, 2022. Comanche Texas. Quadruple Show.

« on: February 17, 2022, 11:42:10 AM »

Thanks for the pictures and results Kris!

39

Housing, Health & Hatching / Re: Cold Weather Tolerance

« on: February 01, 2022, 02:30:01 PM »

Kris, it is truly amazing what the Ameraucana Breed can tolerate in cold weather. I often think the cold weather is harder on me than my birds. When the temps get below zero and wind chill sets in, poor me, I have to take breaks to go inside to warm up. (More than once) The birds however have to keep out in the cold. Chore time for me is normally about 1 hour and 15 minutes a day, but in the sub-zero weather it can be hours. One thing about the Ameraucana Breed, is with the small pea comb, I do not have the combs freeze and fall off as when I had single comb birds.

Now on your question about housing. My main LF breeding pens and grow out pens are close to what you describe in your situation. I was tired of predators killing birds by digging into my pens with a shelter attached. About 15 years ago to try to combat this I started making my LF Breeding pens and my grow out pens 4 feet off the ground. Each one has a small house with a wood floor, enclosed on 4 sides and a metal roof. There is a small door for them to go to a runout pen. The runout pens have 1/2 x 1 welded wire bottoms (also 4 feet off the ground), sides and the ends are 1 x 1 welded wire mesh 24 inches tall. The tops are 1 x 1 welded wire mesh. Originally, I used 1 inch poultry netting for the sides and top of the runs. This worked well for me for about 12 years with no problems. Then about 2 years ago I started having raccoons tear into the poultry netting and kill birds. So last year I covered the poultry netting with 1 x 1 welded wire mesh. The birds seem to tolerate the cold weather well with this setup. Occasionally I might have adult bantams in these setups. My bantams are mainly in a regular chicken house in wire cages. It always seems to be a few degrees warmer in the chicken house than the outside pens for my bantams. I do have one other outside overflow pen for breeders in reserve that are not my primary breeders. it is off the ground also, but no enclosed shelter. The top and 3 sides are covered with a tarp and is open on the south side. The birds seem to endure well in this outside pen also.

40

Housing, Health & Hatching / Re: Winter Doldrums

« on: January 31, 2022, 01:53:30 AM »

Let's see, 2 more days and it is February (a short but sometimes a very cold month for us here). Temps can easily go way below zero! March can be warmer, but also chances of heavier snow. I guess for now just dreams of April and spring weather!

41

News and Information / Re: New district rosettes have been received!

« on: January 21, 2022, 11:39:48 PM »

They look great Lindsay!

42

Exhibiting & Promoting / Re: Bluebonnet Classic Double Show, Navasota Texas

« on: January 11, 2022, 01:27:51 PM »

I know what you mean! With aisles closed for judging, birds being moved to Champion Row, then the mass exit for coop out, and uncooperative birds it sometimes is a challenge. Thanks again for the great effort and great pictures.

43

Exhibiting & Promoting / Re: Bluebonnet Classic Double Show, Navasota Texas

« on: January 10, 2022, 03:45:44 PM »

Thanks for the pics Kris. They make checking the show results much more enjoyable!

44

Housing, Health & Hatching / Winter Doldrums

« on: January 03, 2022, 08:53:06 AM »

Yes, it seems like 2022 hatching will never get here. Blowing snow, sub zero temps sometimes are the high for the day. Frozen water pipes and chicken waterers are the norm. One can only dream of collecting eggs from what few hens are laying. Dreaming of those days when you can give birds baths and prepping them for a show. Spring seems a long horizen away, but then I stop and think of all those people in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and surounding states that were hit with recent devistating tornados. Many of them possibly ABC members. My heartfelt sympathies along with other ABC members go out to them. I guess I don't have it so bad afterall. May those effected repair, regroup and move forward and we hope to see old friends and ABC members at 2022 shows. Keep your chin up as there has to be better days ahead!

45

Exhibiting & Promoting / Re: 2021 Klein Poultry Extravaganza Show

« on: December 06, 2021, 06:26:02 PM »

Thanks for the pictures Kris. Good job!