Messages

556

Exhibiting & Promoting / Nebraska State Poultry Show

« on: July 21, 2012, 10:57:01 PM »

I just received a email from Jerry De Smidt that he has approved a ABC meet for the Nebraska State Poultry Show. Show will be at the Landcaster Event Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. Show dates are Nov 2 - Check in 5-10 pm. Nov 3 - Check in 7-9 am, Judging 9 am. Nov 4 - Coop out after awards Sunday morning. Contact Show Secretary Vicki Gilliam 13301 Raymond Rd, Waverly Ne 68462 or email her at gilavina@hotmail.com . Printed entry forms should be available after Labor Day or possibly online. Check with Vicki. I will guarantee the weather will be much cooler by show time. Between Racoons and the heat, it has been a rough summer on the birds! Hope to see you at the show!!!!!!

557

Breeding / Re: Partridge Ameraucana

« on: July 20, 2012, 09:38:42 PM »

I lost my #1 Blue cock to a racoon a month ago. At least I have about 15 of his cockerells 5 weeks to 13 weeks old to see if I can replace him. Also some prospects from chicks that I bought from Paul Smith this spring. There was some talk of caps for the club earlier. With all the posts on racoon problems, any thoughts of coon skin caps. Sounds like Michael could be a good source for starts.

558

Housing, Health & Hatching / Remodeling the old rabbit house

« on: May 10, 2012, 09:00:16 PM »

Looking good Jesse. From where your lumber came from, I guess you could rightfully call this your tree house!

559

Breeding / Splash Wheaten

« on: April 16, 2012, 01:41:31 PM »

There are several ways to get Splash Wheaten. Naturally Splash to Splash = all Splash. Blue Wheaten to Blue Wheaten =1/2 Blue Wheaten, 1/4 Wheaten, 1/4 Splash. Blue Wheaten to Splash = 1/2 Blue Wheaten, 1/2 Splash. Wheaten to Splash will however give you all Blue Wheaten.

560

Housing, Health & Hatching / House Pets....?%&@

« on: April 07, 2012, 08:42:49 PM »

bryngyld said: I saw photos of them free ranging on the kitchen floor. No diapers.                                          

YUK!!!!

561

Breeding / Blacks carrying lavender gene

« on: April 05, 2012, 09:04:25 PM »

Smith Poultry and Game Bird Supplies of Bucyrus, Kansas carry a good selection of spiral and numbered bands. They are just south of Kansas City.

562

Breeding / Blacks carrying lavender gene

« on: April 05, 2012, 03:58:05 PM »

On the bands Sharon shows in this post, I have been using them for 3 years. They are really easy to put on and take off. Every once and a while I shoot one across the room when putting them on.  I use size 3 on day old bantam and 4 on LF. The only problem I encountered the first year I used them was when I put the chicks in outside runs and it was time to change band size, the UV rays had changed the color of the bands. I was trying to decide was that a blue or green and also was that a purple or pink? After using them a while, I could tell the blue turns a turquoise green and the purple turns almost a flesh color.
One other note as the size of the bands get larger and the birds get larger and more active the larger bands seem to be not as durable as the smaller size.  I would find a few that had slipped their bands. So I usually go to a spiral band which is more durable and change to number bands at adolescent age. By that time I have culled most, so you are not using near as many bands as what you started with.

563

Breeding / Partridge Ameraucana

« on: March 26, 2012, 06:40:01 PM »

I may be starting more controversy, I hope not, with all the bickering on other topics on this forum. I am of the opinion, and doubt I can be persuaded to change my mind. Grandkids are great, even awesome! I really think its the parents fault not us grandparents or grandkids. I\'m already doing all I can to spoil them! Enough said!

564

Housing, Health & Hatching / Infertility question

« on: March 24, 2012, 09:50:18 PM »

Amen to that, Mike.

565

Housing, Health & Hatching / Broody or ?

« on: March 22, 2012, 01:29:46 PM »

My neice had the power go off for about 6 hrs on her sportsman incubator in Feburary. They put blankets over the incubator until the power came back on. She still had 33 hatch out of 36 eggs hatch. Eggs were about 7-8 days from hatching when the power went out.

566

Ameraucana Marketplace / how to determine pricing?

« on: March 16, 2012, 08:50:41 PM »

I usually take my culls to a local sale barn. Same story as most of you. After comission, they may bring $1.50- $2.00 for 5-6 wk old birds.  Once in awhile maybe up to $6.00. One time I took 2 LF adult cocks thinking, well there will be $2 birds. I got my check and they each brought $14 each. You never know. But that is not the norm! Usually I just shake my head and say \"Well, at least they aren\'t eating my $15 a bag feed anymore! Then I go out to the coops and admire the ones I kept.
Boy do they look nice. They better, cause ther\'e still eating my $15 a bag feed.

567

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 16, 2012, 06:50:19 PM »

Congratulations! It sounds like the chicks and you both made it through the ordeal in great shape. Now, was it as bad as you had anticipated? Now that you have went through round 1, you will know what to expect and it will go much smoother next time. I expect you will be able to do that many chicks in less than half that time!

568

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 13, 2012, 09:59:41 AM »

Here is a pretty good down to earth site for explaining mareks vacination for the small flock raiser. http://poultryone.com/articles/mareks.html

569

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 13, 2012, 02:20:14 AM »

You do not have to vacinate at day old. I usually wait until the incubator is done hatching for that batch. Yes that means the oldest chicks might be close to 2-3 days old (usually only a very few hatch early-usually 90% on due hatch day-and a few straglers the next day). It takes at least 10 days for chicks to build up an immunity after vacination, so they should not be exposed to older birds or housing that might be contaminated with the virus. I usually keep chicks isolated for 3-4 weeks as a precaution.

570

Housing, Health & Hatching / Embryo Vaccinations

« on: March 10, 2012, 10:53:12 PM »

One advantage to using an alcahol swab is that when you swab the neck area the fuzz almost disappears and you have a clearer view of the skin below. I have done as Mike said and not swabed the area and have not had any bad effects. I do make sure the needle is swabed with alcahol between injections.