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Old March 28, 2012   #46
vermiit
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Adorable chicken coop! My SO is also a 'chicken whisperer' and built 2 coops in our small suburban backyard for his girls.

Psssst! For protein and a special treat for the girls, think about raising mealworms in a 3 drawer system~ then people will REALLY think you've gone over the edge with your chickens!
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Old March 31, 2012   #47
Tracydr
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Fantastic coop. Mine is much more utilitarian.
My chickens are the ultimate trash compactors. They eat every weed I pull n the yard and all the kitchen trash. I then clean out the coop ( I use alfalfa hay for treats/bedding) and let it age before putting it on the garden.
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Old April 15, 2012   #48
coronabarb
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Hey guys, another chicken lover here. And Worth, I don't eat my girls when they are too old. Could not do it. When I get on my other computer, I will post a pic of my new rooster Brewster. He is a Blue Ameraucana. He seems to like me, (unlike the previous one) and follows me around the yard. I still have one original hen Sadie who is 4yrs old. She's an Easter Egger and lays green eggs...when she lays them. I was hoping to hatch some out (as EEs are an Ameraucana cross breed) and I could possibly get some blue egg layers. She laid 3 eggs (ate the first one before thinking of hatching them) and hasn't laid one in 5 days...so I ate the other two. SO much better than store bought eggs!

Silkies are in a class of their own, as are the Polish. More like designer chickens than farm animals. I went to a Backyard Chicken meet up a few wks ago and saw my first Seramas. I don't care for bantams since I love the eggs and theirs are so small...that and the roos have a very high piercing crow. But these little guys really were cute with attitude to match. I might have to rethink keeping bantams.
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Old April 15, 2012   #49
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http://www.minidistractions.com/serama_chickens.htm

http://www.iamranch.com/serama.htm

Seramas are the smallest chicken, about the size of a pigeon and very friendly.
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Old April 15, 2012   #50
Tracydr
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I love Seramas! I have three old English Banties, which are very, very tiny. The two hens are about 12 ounces each and just the cutest little pets. They garden with me, looking for bugs and good tidbits I may give them.
My silky just hatched 7 little fuzzy chicks! I've never had a broody hatch before!
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Old April 16, 2012   #51
nicky
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Aww - show us some pics of the baby silkie chicks!

Two of our Brahmas made a nest 2 days ago and are taking turns sitting on 4 eggs. From what we have seen - they have 1 egg from each of our layers - the Mille Fleur still isn't laying. So there are 2 light, 1 dark brahma eggs and 1 white silkie egg. The brahmas aren't pure - they are mixed with something - so IF anything hatches it will be a mix of Mille Fleur Roo & ? I hope that even a couple hatch!
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Old April 16, 2012   #52
Tracydr
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I have at least two more silky eggs hatching! Noticed that two were chirping but mama decided not to sit on them anymore. Can you blame her after over a month? Anyway, she's out in a tractor with the 7 little one week olds and I'm babysitting a mini-clutch of 5 eggs, two that are chirping but not pipped yet. May have a few mor to go! I've made a red-neck incubator out of a box,lamp, books ( books are my temperature adjustment, lol!), a damp rag and plastic bag. Use your imagination!
So, eggs in a little box, covered with damp rag, covered with a plastic bag (loosely), lamp on a stand, lifting up and down with the books. I use the handy-dandy laser thermometer to check the temperature, then lift up or down with an extra book, trying to adjust the temperatures.
This should work!
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Old April 16, 2012   #53
Tracydr
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nicky View Post
Aww - show us some pics of the baby silkie chicks!

Two of our Brahmas made a nest 2 days ago and are taking turns sitting on 4 eggs. From what we have seen - they have 1 egg from each of our layers - the Mille Fleur still isn't laying. So there are 2 light, 1 dark brahma eggs and 1 white silkie egg. The brahmas aren't pure - they are mixed with something - so IF anything hatches it will be a mix of Mille Fleur Roo & ? I hope that even a couple hatch!
I love Mille-flours. I sold a self-blue d'Uccle. They sent him as an exotic extra with an order of Banties last year. Just had way too many banty Roos to keep him.
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Old April 17, 2012   #54
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The Mille Fleurs are very sweet. The little hen is quite nervous of the other hens. She is definately last in the pecking order. SO tiny! When I give them dandelions through the fence I keep the rest eating out of my right hand while throwing her a hidden bit of treat with my left, or she doesn't get any. She has caught on quickly and always waits patiently by my left side while the rest are going crazy leaping on top of each other on my right hand side! I can't wait for her to lay. I am very curious what kind of egg we will get!
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Old May 29, 2012   #55
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Last month the chicken whisperer and I went to a chicken swap/sale. Hubby, well known for his spur of the moment purchases at chicken auctions – Rooster) was looking for 3 specific breeds of ladies to add to our gang. If he didn’t see any of the 3 specific breeds in specific colours he wasn’t going to get any. The 3 specific breeds plan was nixed within 3 minutes of entering the swap, as he fell in love with a shiny black Wyandotte (not on the list). I named her Elvira immediately because of her huge Elvis sideburns. Poor girl.



Next he spotted a white Polish (Polish on the list – white not). She laid an egg just after she got home. She is not the smartest member of the flock - but she is a blast to watch. She races around like something is chasing her, making the rest of the gang leap out of her way. She looks like a live bobble head. Hilarious little thing!




The last addition of the day is my fault. Hubby has been talking about getting a bunny or 2 for a couple of years. I always say no. As we passed by one of the vendors hubby stopped to look at more hens (not on the list) and I caught eyes with a little brownish-greyish Lionhead rabbit (VERY not on the list). Woops. I couldn’t help myself. She was so cute… {{sigh}}. Now we have a rabbit living in our downstairs bathroom.

When we are finished our other chores hubby is going to build her a proper rabbit hutch beside the coop & find her a friend (female). The plan is to make it look like the detached garage for the hen house! I have my very own manure machine!
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Old May 29, 2012   #56
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OMG Nicky....they're all too cute!

I especially like your Polish hen's "hairdo".....lol....can only imagine what she looks like bopping along. I can see where they'd be hard to resist. So did the chicken whisperer only get 2? Or did he collect more for his harem? LOL

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Old May 29, 2012   #57
nicky
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He only got 2! He is saving the last spot in the harem for a red head (another silkie like Zowie Bowie)
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Old May 30, 2012   #58
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So Nicky - what is the bunny's name? Please post pictures of her future palace! I love how you two go shopping.
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Old May 30, 2012   #59
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Awww, i love the hair on the white one, and that bunny is too darn cute!!
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Old May 30, 2012   #60
nicky
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The bunny's name is Bunita (Bunny spanish for pretty). She was almost Bunnicula (the vampire bunny), but she's a cuddler.

I will definately post pics of her new home when it is built.

The Polish thanks you for the compliments. She still doesn't have a name. I was thinking Dolly Part-hen for the beehivish hairdoo. Plus Dolly kind of suits her.
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