| Author | Content |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
October 26, 2009
12:57 AM Post #7208930
| Time goes by just to fast. I think about seven weeks ago ZZ's sent me her four serama hens, and two roos. I housed them together to the first six weeks or so and Dot though the smaller of the Roos just would not allow the other roo (Booker the Looker) any time at all with or around the hens. I seperated the two roos and divided the girls so each one had two hens each. Well within days after that both roos and the hens seemed contented and all four hens started laying eggs on the same day. I could not believe it. In a perior of five days with four hens I had twenty eggs. I incubated seven and sold three to a customer to incubate. Today is day nine in the inc and my granddaughter and I candled the eggs tonight and it looks like at least six out of seven and maybe all seven are fertil and well developed. I was told that they did not do well incubating them so with no real experience I decided to try any way and it looks very promising at this point. I just can't get over how they laid so many eggs and I was told they were lousy layers. Tonight I went out late and checked for more eggs and two of the hens are setting on four more eggs and I was told they would not set. Murphy is setting and she looks so totally proud of herself. ZZ's would be so proud of these boyz and girlz so I will be posting some pic's very soon.
This message was edited Oct 25, 2009 10:01 PM
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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porkpal
Richmond, TX
October 26, 2009
12:06 PM Post #7210067
| What do you hear from ZZ? |
Catscan
Lodi
United States
October 26, 2009
02:21 PM Post #7210477
| ZZ is traveling the country--she has been from CA to Ohio and back to CA in the last few weeks!
Hey, Hay! My Serama pullets are big time layers as well--and for the past 3 weeks they have been joint brooding a clutch of 14 eggs--all infertile since they are separated from the roos.. I have 10 roos left, having sold 3 Saturday.
I hadn't heard that they were poor layers...just that it was hard to artificially hatch the eggs, expecially if they are shipped. They seem to be tough little birds. |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
October 26, 2009
03:26 PM Post #7210713
|
It is unreal Catscan!!! I just googled Seramas and all the info stated they were basically lousy layers. I'm getting four eggs every day now for the last about ten days. I now have two eggs cartons full with ten in the incubator. Plus I sold some. If all my hens laid like this i'd play heck keeping up with them. I really do hope they will either stop or at least slow down very soon. Even with small birds, enough is enough. LOL I have missed you Catsy. Haystack. |
Catscan
Lodi
United States
October 27, 2009
10:34 PM Post #7215537
| I don't know about that, Hay--but I just got snookered on craigslist. I had almost 14 Serama roos and had to thin them--so I listed them on craigslist for $15 each, $20 for a pair--which I know is ridiculously under-priced, but I was desperate.
A young couple came Saturday and bought 2 plus took a freebie Nankin/Japanese Bantam cross. Another fellow who is picking two up tomorrow said this couple just contacted him saying they had 3 Serama roosters which they would sell him for $85! So they bought mine to re-sell and are trying to pass off my little mongrel as a pure bred Serama...
So take good care of those Seramas...I have people stalking me on line trying to woo me into selling them my discards...
And I miss you too--Hay!
This message was edited Oct 27, 2009 10:56 PM |
ZZsBabiez
Lodi, CA
(Zone 9b)
October 28, 2009
08:02 PM Post #7218356
| OMG Haystack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so thrilled.. this is the best thing I have heard... I just can't find the words to tell you how exciting this is for me! I've been homesick and a little down... this was just what the doctor ordered! A BABY!!!!!!!!!!!
This truckin biz is not easy on the heart.. LOL I am in Massachusetts at a truck stop right now. I still haven't gotten a chance to get an air card so I can get online more often. All is okay.. I just miss everything.. LOL
This was so great to read Haystack!
You go Catsy! An underground Serama biz!! Cody says the lil orange roo is crowing at the house.. AND daughter of Biff is gonna be a mommy!
OH HOW I MISS DG
|
ZZsBabiez
Lodi, CA
(Zone 9b)
October 28, 2009
08:26 PM Post #7218449
| Hay, are any of the Modern Games laying yet? I have a few at the house that Cody is taking care of and they are still not laying.. seems to take them longer?
I still can't get over so many eggs... that is just too funny! You are the Serama King! If they weren't happy, they wouldn't lay that good. |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
October 28, 2009
09:34 PM Post #7218708
| ZZ! Good to hear from you, we've missed you. |
ZZsBabiez
Lodi, CA
(Zone 9b)
October 28, 2009
09:55 PM Post #7218772
| Hey Porkpal! How are you doin? Got any chicken pics to post? I am getting my chicken fix here tonight. :)
Did we get divine socks yet? :) |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
October 28, 2009
10:01 PM Post #7218788
| No divine socks! The sulk is wearing me out. |
greykyttyn
Joplin, MO
(Zone 6b)
October 28, 2009
10:22 PM Post #7218868
| :( *sniff, sniff* I was talking to ZZ on FB & she got kicked off. She needs an air card! I miss ZZ.
Hay - Do you think i could keep Serama's alive here? :) |
Catscan
Lodi
United States
October 29, 2009
12:02 AM Post #7219242
| The Great Sulk need not continue, porkpal--Yea, verily--the demi-divine socks are completed--I believe there were four sock-worthy sulkers:
Wren
Porkpal
MissJestr
Dalianut
grownut was also worthy--but as she refuses to wear socks--some alternative reward is being concocted.
However the above must contact me with an address to which I may send their reward--they need not send me their REAL address, of course--a deeply disliked neighbor or in-law will suffice.
Now there is the "small" matter of Moxon's hideous and humiliating hat--which she has. Has anyone else noticed that she is suddenly AWOL--and no, she can't blame it on Law School or censorship. It is pure millinery cowardice!
|
porkpal
Richmond, TX
October 29, 2009
12:11 AM Post #7219271
| She must be unearthed; the hat deserves to adorn a worthy fiber fanatic.
Demi-divine? Does that mean we each get one sock? |
ZZsBabiez
Lodi, CA
(Zone 9b)
October 29, 2009
09:50 AM Post #7220083
| What did I do? Haystack is gonna have a COW! I hijacked his thread!! I'm glad he can't find me!
Oh to find dear Moxon... And Greykyttyn, I'm sorry about the connection issues! I hope to get that fixed soon!
Yes, I need an air card to continue this harassment.. I am guilty of stirring the pot and I'm proud of it!
I do think there is such a thing as trucker socks yes??
Haystack.. pics please!! Dot and Murphy's baby is driving me nutz! |
greykyttyn
Joplin, MO
(Zone 6b)
October 29, 2009
10:26 AM Post #7220174
| I found CMoxon! She was on FB last night! MissJestr convinced me to start a sulk there for socks... on a thread started by CMoxon.
ZZ - trucker socks are heavy fisherman's wool. I have 3 pairs of dads. They are the perfect length to go in rubber boots so that your feet stay warm while you are attempting to slosh around in the muddy snow hooking up the trailers (or breaking ice for the animals & feeding chickens) |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
October 29, 2009
10:33 AM Post #7220190
| Oh no, Face Book is robbing us of our people; it must be one of those evil farm games again!
ZZ you can't hijack this thread, it has your name in the title. |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
October 29, 2009
11:29 PM Post #7222681
|
Yeah doggone it!! Porkpal is right, it is sorta hard to hijack your own thread. But then on the other hand, I dunno she could be spanked, NO That could get me in trouble. Yeah I think we will just let her know we love hearing from her no matter whose thread. Hay P.S. Dot and Murph's baby are due to hatch on the fifth or sixth of November. Stay tuned for pic's. I'm so excited about them. |
cndydavis
Brookville, PA
(Zone 5a)
October 30, 2009
05:48 AM Post #7223046
| Yup facebook is quilty..thats where i found ZZ the other nite..talked to her quite awhile..hehe..i really like facebook..sorry Hay!!
greykyttn and Cmoxon, would love to add you both on facebook..get hold of me!!
cindy
sorry again Hay!! |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
October 30, 2009
09:06 PM Post #7225438
|
OH Cindy: Have I lost my dear Cindy also to facebook? Steal my threads, throw me in to the briar patch, anything I don't care but please don't suck me into facebook. SHSSh I already have a facebook page. LOL |
greykyttyn
Joplin, MO
(Zone 6b)
October 30, 2009
09:27 PM Post #7225521
| YOU DO! Where are you hay? U never added me :( |
karbear71
Kent, WA
October 30, 2009
11:25 PM Post #7225973
| I have to admit that i have been on facebook more so lately than DG.
Haystack I am so glad to hear you have serama's now. I am loving mine. They are just starting to lay eggs. I so hope to have little ones too. Polka (roo) has the cutest crow and he thinks he is so tough!
|
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
October 31, 2009
01:02 AM Post #7226233
|
Hi Karbear: I have four hens and two roos, The smallest of the roos is Dot, they were formerly ZZ's. She went back to school and will be relocating. She sent them to me and Dot is barely over a half a pound, but he has a twenty pound attitude. I love watching them crow as they rear back and this little screetch comes out of them. They are so funny, these little girls are laying machines. I had ten in the inc and I candled all of them last night and only one was not fertile. I removed it and so one the sixth I am hopping to have nine healthy babiez come bursting out. These are my first seramas so I still have a lot to learn about them. I have thirty more serama eggs that will go in the inc tomorrow along with four banties and six new marans eggs. The Marans are blackcoppers. |
green04735
Bridgewater, ME
October 31, 2009
05:39 PM Post #7228086
| Hay have you got your feed boxes built yet?I still wating for pictures |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 02, 2009
03:40 AM Post #7232654
| Sorry Green! I have been so busy with the hatching of these seramas, and selling chickens and eggs. I have it about 1/3 done and hope to get back on it very soon. I have never been this busy selling chickens this time of the year. Usually people don't want to winter them. I have no idea whats going on but hatching eggs and selling new layers has been crazy this last half of Oct and up til now. My chickens are laying like crazy right now so eggs sales have been excellent. I have probably around fifteen new layers that just started laying in the last few days. So I'm getting at least three to four doz a day right now. I also have an order for fifty babies that will be arriving the ninth of this month and should be ready for early spring sales of new layers. |
green04735
Bridgewater, ME
November 02, 2009
07:57 AM Post #7232873
| OK I guress that answer is acceptable.LOL |
ZZsBabiez
Lodi, CA
(Zone 9b)
November 04, 2009
08:59 PM Post #7242380
| still want pics |
greykyttyn
Joplin, MO
(Zone 6b)
November 04, 2009
09:12 PM Post #7242439
| so do i! unless some magically money tree appears in my yard so that I can come take my own pictures... |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 05, 2009
04:12 PM Post #7244875
|
We have two new baby seramas. Dot is the father and murph is the mommy of one and Booker the Looker is the papa of one and cocoa is the mommy of one. Pic's will be forth comming sometime today.
ZZ's you should be so proud of your Babiez. Hay |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 06, 2009
11:44 PM Post #7249384
| Here are some pic's of our new serama babiez, The dark chick is also the smallest by far and is the baby of Dot, and Murph. the lighter two are from Booker the Looker and Cocoa. we got three out of six and my friend got two out of his three. So not to bad for the first try. Murph is setting on three right now and Cocoa is sitting on five. and they are about six days in progress. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
greykyttyn
Joplin, MO
(Zone 6b)
November 06, 2009
11:47 PM Post #7249387
| They are soo precious! I can't believe you put them in a fish tank. Does that work well? |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 06, 2009
11:49 PM Post #7249395
| Sorry the pic's are not very good but with my eysight it's just shoot and hope. Another pic. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 06, 2009
11:56 PM Post #7249407
| Yes Greykyttyn the fish tank is perfect and heat is so easy to control with the lights. They will be in the fish tank until they are three weeks old. One more pic. The pic does not give you any idea of their size but I can tell you that Dot's baby was the size of my thumb. I have never seen a baby so small and I was sure they were to small to live. I wished everyone could see just how small they really are. Hay 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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ZZsBabiez
Lodi, CA
(Zone 9b)
November 11, 2009
09:44 PM Post #7265471
| OH OH OHHHH!! Haystack! Great JOB!!! They are darling! Give em a smooch for me! Lil BooBoo Babiez!!
When Dot hatched.. he was the size of a bumble bee!! I thought he would never make it either!
Thank you for the pics... they will be on my mind for miles and miles! You are the greatest!! |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 16, 2009
07:45 PM Post #7280524
|
The four girls we got from have all gone broody at the same time. As far as I can tell so far the are nine eggs under the four girls. I have never seen anything like this before, four hens, and all four go broody at the same time...Hmmmm. Any there should be hatching goin on in the next three or four days as best I can figure. This was all going on behind my back cause I was busy hatching some in the inc at the time and never noticed what the hens were doing. It has been a great ride so far. Lots of pics of the hens and their babies when the hatching begins. Haystack |
whirleybird
Bellingham, WA
November 17, 2009
11:56 PM Post #7285020
| Looks like things are going well, Haystack!
Things are good here- 10 hens and 10 eggs/day!!!
We'll have to plan a visit sometime soon...
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 18, 2009
01:55 AM Post #7285397
| Whirlybird!!! How nice to hear from you. Wow your girls must be very happy producing like that for you. I sure have missed seeing you and your lovely wife. That beautiful daughter of of your's makes me smile every time I see her, she is such a doll. Seeing her with your girls is just the cutest. I never get tired of the pic's. I have been so busy. I have a couple ladies coming over tomorrow evening to pick up twenty five pullets, and another customer comming to pick up a doz fertile eggs. Then friday a customer will be picking up ten doz eggs for some kind of egg party. Not sure what an egg party is? Oh well I just sell the eggs. Whirly can you believe this wind and rain we have had recently. I have been ducking tree limbs. LOL. Thanks for stopping by, we have missed you guys. Howie P.S. Getting together with you folks is always a huge delight. Let's do it. dmail me your phone#
This message was edited Nov 17, 2009 10:18 PM |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 22, 2009
04:38 PM Post #7300432
|
This is the ultimate experience in hatching, Finally I went out to the main coop to find my serama babiez are hatching and being cared for by their moms. All four hens are brooding in two seperate pairs. It's so cute to watch them brood in pairs. I have never seen it before. I never even knew they would do that, and both papas are sitting the edge of the nest watching over the pairs of moms. It is such a wonderful experience to see that happening. I am getting pic's and will post soon. Hay |
Loon
AuGres, MI
(Zone 5b)
November 23, 2009
02:29 PM Post #7302890
| Haystack,
What do you owe your success to? If the Seremas are notorius for not setting on eggs why do you think they're doing it at your place? It must be a lot of fun and exciting and possibly profitable too since you're selling them.
Brenda |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
November 23, 2009
04:05 PM Post #7303189
| Yeah, and his hens are still laying for him while there seems to be a nationwide strike affecting the rest of us! |
Catscan
Lodi
United States
November 23, 2009
04:42 PM Post #7303329
| My Seramas are laying and broody too...I am not sure why people say they don't. Maybe strain dependent?
|
Loon
AuGres, MI
(Zone 5b)
November 23, 2009
06:18 PM Post #7303639
| I had a neighbor tell me I "had" to have a rooster. He said that the hens will lay better with a rooster around. I've proved him wrong. I have 12 hens and no rooster and we consistently get 10-12 eggs every single day. My hens look pretty too because they don't have roosters around pulling their feathers out and pecking on their head which I think stresses them out. The neighbor now is only getting maybe 6 eggs a day out of almost 40 chickens. He has 4 roosters over there. Tried to give me one. I told him we don't need no stinkin rooster here. :) |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 23, 2009
09:42 PM Post #7304346
|
Hi Loon!! You asked to what do I owe my success? All joking aside, I really don't know. I have had no prior experience with Seramas so I have no real claim to fame. Same with my hen's laying. I can only say I am fortunate. I'm not vain enough to think I do a better job than any of friends on D G. I don't even know if the Seramas are in fact lousy layers, I just know when I was researching infor on them it stated they were very poor layers and that hatching them was even more difficult. Then two that have hatched babies in the one pen were sitting on eight eggs, the other pair are setting on six eggs. So that makes fourteen eggs they are brooding over and so far we have three more new babiez today and are expecting at least three or four more to hatch. I have some pic's of the one pair but are waiting for the other pair to hatch some before we post. I will be posting pic's sometime tomorrow. So often I see most of us doing all the right things and with different results. Who really knows and understands it all? I sure don't. I just feel lucky even though I pretend to know what I'm doing. Hatching eggs makes me feel really humble, cause it's such a true miracle. Hay |
Loon
AuGres, MI
(Zone 5b)
November 23, 2009
11:49 PM Post #7304706
| Hay,
Are you SURE you're not giving them massages or singing to them? :) |
grownut
Clarkson, KY
November 24, 2009
10:21 AM Post #7305572
| {{That'd be my guess Loon. Hay's a closet softie}} |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
01:50 AM Post #7310839
| I finally have some pics of my new seramas. These are the babies of Dot, Cinnamon, and Cocoa. The babiez of Booker, Joy and Murphy have not hatched and I am begining to wonder if they are going to hatch at all. Cocoa and cinnamon had eight eggs under them and only three hatched, I checked the other five and all were fertile but failed in the later stage. :o( So anyway all total we have hatched nine beauties plus the six from ZZ's makes fifteen. Yeah!!
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
01:52 AM Post #7310845
| pic# 2 This is Booker, Joy, and Murph
This message was edited Nov 25, 2009 10:00 PM
This message was edited Nov 25, 2009 10:00 PM
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Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
01:54 AM Post #7310847
| #3
This message was edited Nov 25, 2009 9:56 PM
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Catscan
Lodi
United States
November 26, 2009
01:56 AM Post #7310851
| Is that Dot? You know he is just about perfect...
I had seven shipped Serama eggs being brooded by Emily and Laura the Serama Sisters and only one developed...I moved it into the incubator with some RIR and it will hatch, or not, by Friday.
Serama eggs are just difficult--partly it is supposed to be because of a lethal gene inherited from their Japanese Bantam ancestors...in Japanese one in four chicks die in the egg after developing normally for most of the incubation.
Bummer. |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
01:58 AM Post #7310855
| #4 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
02:04 AM Post #7310869
| This is cocoa, and cinnamon setting. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
02:07 AM Post #7310873
| Five unhatched eggs and some babiez 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
02:09 AM Post #7310877
| Mom's and babiez 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
02:15 AM Post #7310881
| Last pic of babiez and moms. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
04:16 AM Post #7311044
| Hi Cat! I wish you luck my dear on the hatching of your one serama this friday. I must say I was a little ticked when I saw that all five eggs that did not hatch were fertile. Each one just about filled the egg so It was in the very last stage that development stopped. Now I will always wonder if they would have hatched better in the incubator? Booker's girls, Murph and Joy laid their eggs the same day as the others and I have seen no sign of life but Murph doesn't want to get off of the eggs, Tomorrow I will remove her and if none of them hatch I will candle to see if they were fertile. However I know he was mating as I saw them a couple times during feeding and caring for them. I sure hope at least one or two hatch. Happy Thanksgiving to a great gal. Haystack |
MissJestr
Kingman, AZ
(Zone 7a)
November 26, 2009
10:19 AM Post #7311346
| Baby's Haystack those are so cool... Oh and you are a facebook convert?? hummmm there are plenty of Pictures of Billy on there if you care to gander in your spare time... LOL Wait what spare time...
Happy Thanksgiving. |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 26, 2009
02:53 PM Post #7311860
| Happy Thanksgiving to you also sweetie, and I surely will take a look at those pic's of Billy and I hope you also on facebook. That is also a possibility if you want some serama eggs. You think about what you want and let me know. It will probably take about three weeks to get fertile eggs and get them to you. When ever you are ready. Just remember to dmail your address when you decide. My best to you and Billy during these Holidays and remember Christ is Lord. Hay 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
ZZsBabiez
Lodi, CA
(Zone 9b)
November 28, 2009
01:35 PM Post #7316563
| Oh Haystack!!! Do you even know how exciting it is to see these pics???!!! Happy Thanksgiving! That pic of Dot makes him look soooo good. He is a perfect bird..(I used to tell him that all the time) He knows it too.
I love seeing the babiez...
Catscan, we want pics!!!
MsJestr, I love seeing the pics of Billy too! Hugz to you all. |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 29, 2009
10:34 PM Post #7320184
|
WOW!!! I put an ad on Craigslist to sell four of my serama babiez, and would you believe it!!! I sold all four to one guy for two hundred and forty bucks. When he called I thought he only wanted one for his son, but as soon as he came over and saw them the never batted an eye he just asked if he could have all four and handed over the money. They were three days old and he will pick them up tomorrow. So I still have the original six plus five, to work with. The ones (under Murph and Joy) not one of them hatched and both girls are in mourning and just sitting on the floor sulking. I will start handling them tomorrow and assure them that things will get better in the near future. Hay. |
Catscan
Lodi
United States
November 29, 2009
10:51 PM Post #7320243
| None of my incubator Seramas hatched--but my broody Silkie cross has hatched two outside--I will have to take them away from her--which breaks my heart cause she is clearly a good momma--but something in that pen killed on of the other pullet's chick...
I need to get hard core with selling my Serama--I had people beating down the door for my roos--but I was only asking $15 per roo...they were the ones I didn't want to use for breeding.
Wait! I hear peeping from my incubator! There is one pipping! I can't believe it. I thought they were due Friday--but the outdoor ones didn't hatch until yesterday and these are exactly the same age of incubation--maybe because I kept the temp a little low so as not to lose any pullets? |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 30, 2009
01:06 AM Post #7320619
|
Catsy don't just leave me hanging, what's happening darling? Talk to me Catsy! I'm not joking Catsy, whats going on. Please let me know. Hay |
Catscan
Lodi
United States
November 30, 2009
01:15 AM Post #7320639
| The incubator peeping has stopped--but it may just be resting. Out of about 7 shipped eggs I gave her, the Silkie cross has hatched 3 so far. I went out and took them from her this evening, although she does not seem to be the flibbertygibbet the Dutch Bantam was...There is one dark one, and two light ones. So tiny. About a quarter the size of the three day old RIRs. |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
November 30, 2009
01:40 AM Post #7320685
| Catscan i'm so happy for you, the one in the inc is probably just as you said (resting) They are so tiny and so delicate, I love watching them for the first day, stumbling around and going from some prehistoric bird to a sweet and fluffy chicken. ZZ's was right about you! Your a genuine princess. Hay. Sure would love to see pic's. |
MissJestr
Kingman, AZ
(Zone 7a)
November 30, 2009
06:19 PM Post #7322910
| Thats it I want to do that too... |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 04, 2009
03:39 PM Post #7335301
|
Hey can you believe it, I told you none of Bookers eggs hatched so after 23day's I pitched them. Well I went in to feed them this morning and there were two baby chicks in there and I'm in shock. I don't know what could account for that unless there were some eggs I did not see that were hidden in the shavings. This is just to crazy but I love it. Haystack. I must be the luckiest man alive to have hatching chicks and not know it...LOL |
LoreenH
Portland, OR
(Zone 8b)
December 04, 2009
05:59 PM Post #7335622
| Maybe you have a new strain of chicken that gives live birth...lol! |
Loon
AuGres, MI
(Zone 5b)
December 04, 2009
07:05 PM Post #7335769
| Congrats Hay. I guess those chicks took longer to gestate. |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 04, 2009
10:36 PM Post #7336544
|
I feel like I'm operating in la, la, land. I just hatched three manans, and on day twelve we lost power due to a windstorm, Power was out ten and a half hours. I used my generator to keep my serama babies alive but knew I was going to loose my marans eggs. After power was restored I thought about throwing the eggs out and starting over. I changed my mind and when day 21 had come and gone I decided they were doomed, then I got to thinking, well the loss of heat could delay the hatch so decided to give them one more day, the next day my hot water tank sprang a leak so I and a friend were installing a new tank late at night, when I came in to write him a check I noticed all three eggs had hatched. I wanted to clean the incubator so I put the new chicks in with the one month old seramas and they were only two hours old and I noticed they were larger at two hours old than the one month old seramas. My wife and I were both amazed at our good luck and how big the new chicks were. Then we find these new baby serama chicks and I am floating on air. I can't believe how crazy lucky I have been with all of this. Boy I can tell you there is no skill here, just pure luck. It seems like when things are going your way theres no way to explain to anyone the success your having. Maybe it's true...Ignorance is bliss. Hay |
Melissa_Ohio
Southwestern, OH
(Zone 6b)
December 04, 2009
10:42 PM Post #7336568
| Those marans are probably all females! LOL
I'm gonna start sending you my eggs to hatch! |
Jayryunen
Sapello, NM
(Zone 5b)
December 04, 2009
11:47 PM Post #7336792
| Nice to see you getting in touch with your feminine side, Hay. =0)
You're clearly a great egg-daddy! All those little embryos just can't wait to meet you. |
MissJestr
Kingman, AZ
(Zone 7a)
December 05, 2009
12:31 AM Post #7336887
| Congrats Hay... Ok we are getting an incubator, and would like to barter for eggs |
grownut
Clarkson, KY
December 05, 2009
01:21 AM Post #7337024
| Methinks Haystack has extra-special Fabby Chick-an-hatching Juju!!
|
Catscan
Lodi
United States
December 05, 2009
01:27 AM Post #7337032
| Hay's got his mojo working... |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 05, 2009
01:37 AM Post #7337060
|
You don't have to barter miss Jester, you and Billy just tell me what and when.
Jay, You always manage to put to put a smile on my face, My feminine side. Good Lord, have you been listening to my wife???
Mel: I sure do miss talking with you. When we lost power I immediately thought about you. It is so crazy, I just can't explain the run of good fortune but I am just loving these Seramas. I feel so torn between my love for the b/c's and seramas. Very glad I don't have to choose. Are you doing any winter hatching at all? Please keep me posted. Hay |
Melissa_Ohio
Southwestern, OH
(Zone 6b)
December 05, 2009
01:46 AM Post #7337079
| Am I winter hatching??? Hay, you know my girls are laying now... these will be my Christmas babies. :) 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 05, 2009
02:20 AM Post #7337134
|
Mel, Your my new hero. WOW!!! Are all twenty four going into the bator??? When??? I want to watch and count down with you. Just can't wait to see the results of hatching your own as opposed to shipped eggs. I sell fertile eggs but only locally where I can account for their success. Let me know when they go into the bator. I love watching the success of others. Hay |
Melissa_Ohio
Southwestern, OH
(Zone 6b)
December 05, 2009
02:24 AM Post #7337138
| They're in there already... 35 of them. 24 of mine and 11 shipped overnight. They should start around the 18th or so of this month. :) I'm excited to see what my own babies do too. |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 05, 2009
09:44 AM Post #7337493
| Mel: I had a dream last night, in my dream I stopped over to see how your hatch went and when I opened the door you had baby chicks all over you, on your head, shoulders and lap. I don't know if it's a good omen or not but It woke me up laughing. Best of luck to you and I'll be watching. Hay |
Melissa_Ohio
Southwestern, OH
(Zone 6b)
December 05, 2009
09:58 AM Post #7337530
| Hopefully it's a good omen Hay... I told my husband the same thing... "Watch, every one of these will hatch." LOL
It's going to be a good experiment too, one of the folks I bought from offered to ship me new eggs overnight, all I had to pay was the postage. She didn't put anything on the box about "eggs" so we'll see. It was her contention that things shipped express were handled by hand, so less rough handling, and less chance of Xray... I'd still like to try some shipped fed ex or UPS and see how those do.
After this hatch, my incubator is going to school. One of our Science teachers is going to hatch some for me in class. She's doing a life unit, and thought this would be fun for them. I just hope they hatch during the week so the kids will be able to watch! I figured I'd have her start them on a Monday, so they'd likely hatch during the week. We'll just have to hope we don't get a big snow when they're due! |
Jayryunen
Sapello, NM
(Zone 5b)
December 05, 2009
10:57 AM Post #7337692
| Hay, I know perfectly well all that facial hair is really a cover-up for a sensitive New Age kinda guy...
Just remember... a vacuum cleaner IS a power tool. =0) So's a frying pan. LOL Sorta the original power tool, methinks. |
Loon
AuGres, MI
(Zone 5b)
December 05, 2009
12:48 PM Post #7338073
| What are you all going to do with so many chickens? |
MissJestr
Kingman, AZ
(Zone 7a)
December 05, 2009
12:54 PM Post #7338103
| There can never be too many chickens... Atleast in my mind. |
Melissa_Ohio
Southwestern, OH
(Zone 6b)
December 05, 2009
01:30 PM Post #7338210
| Not in my mind either... I'm breeding mine to try to get a uniform look in all my chickens, as well as breeding for the darkest egg I can. We have a base of folks who buy eggs from us, and they like dark eggs. Black Copper Marans are still rare in these parts, so if i get too many, I won't have any problem selling my culls.
|
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 06, 2009
08:55 PM Post #7342965
|
Loon there are lots of people who want chickens only for eggs. The market is huge. So I hatch and raise them til they are laying age then sell them to those who only want them for eggs. I go through at least five hundred chickens a year. Therefore I have to have lots of babies that are comming up right behind the bunch I just sold. When one group is two months old, I start another group and just try to keep the cycle going. Also I keep a flock of about forty to fifty of my own just for eggs to sell. Plus I raise marans for dark eggs and seramas for those who love special birds for pets. Small pet chickens are much more fun than parakeets are, and I sell the small eggs for great hatching projects. Hay. Here in the Northwest chickens sell year round due to mild climate. Hay. |
MissJestr
Kingman, AZ
(Zone 7a)
December 07, 2009
01:03 AM Post #7343771
| Wow Hay that is a labor of love... How is your little helper doing? I am sure he is having a blast... |
Loon
AuGres, MI
(Zone 5b)
December 07, 2009
11:29 AM Post #7344609
| Hay, sounds like you have a very organized operation going. I never thought of raising chickens to sell. Between selling the chickens and the eggs you probably more than break even on the feed cost. |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 08, 2009
03:46 AM Post #7347814
|
Loon, I'm working hard right now to regulate the amount of food comsumption by the birds so that just the egg sales cover the total cost of the food bill. I sell a lot of chickens and make a very decent profit from that. However that profit has to pay for the equipment, electricity and housing expenses. That doesn't leave me rich by not means, and I don't dare figure my hours of labor into it or it would really scare me off. I love what I'm doing and that is my paycheck. Because I deal with so many babies I always have at least two or three heat lamps going 24/7 especially this time of the year. If I wasn't so picky I could probably make some decent money but my reputation is my down fall. LOL I refuse to let money become my goal. Happy customers and treating people good is more important to me. My poor wife tells me I'm no business man. She's right. LOL |
Loon
AuGres, MI
(Zone 5b)
December 08, 2009
10:53 AM Post #7348303
| Hay, maybe you can cut your feed bill some by tilling up some land (if you have the room ) and growing some of the food yourself. We put in a big veggie garden each year and we shared a lot of the produce with the chickens. Since they seem absolutely wild about pumpkins I plan to grow some just for them next year. I've even thought about tilling up a bunch of land right behind their coop and letting it be their own personal garden just to scratch around in. Maybe it will keep them from walking all the way up to the house to dig around in my flower bed. I'll call it my "distraction" garden. :) They love cabbage so I'll put that in there along with other favorites. I'll fence it off till the plants get up big enough to fend for themselves then put a little opening I'll let them find on their own.
Do you ever recycle your egg shells into their feed for calcium? I save my egg shells and grind them up and put them into my dogfood recipe. It is an excellent source of calcium and it's a way to recycle the shells and save me money from buying a calcium supplement. |
Catscan
Lodi
United States
December 08, 2009
10:58 AM Post #7348319
| Mine loved chard--which is nice because you can grow it year round in milder winter climates. And if you wait until it is really big, almost ready to bolt, it takes them a while to eat the whole thing. And you can grow it in a big pot and give it to them when you like. |
Jayryunen
Sapello, NM
(Zone 5b)
December 08, 2009
11:00 AM Post #7348323
| I had a friend that used to raise chickens for egg production in Alaska... she'd plant a pasture of rape seed (I think that was it) for them to graze in the summer. Any of the leafy brassicas such as rape, kale, mustard greens, pakchoi would work and be faster growing than the cabbage. She divided the pasture into panels and let the hens strip a section while the other panels grew. |
Loon
AuGres, MI
(Zone 5b)
December 08, 2009
02:52 PM Post #7349086
| Thanks for your suggestions. I'm taking notes. Won't be long before it's time to order seed. We do have a perennial plot of asparagus and I did share a lot of that with them. They love the ferny foliage. I also let some of my broccoli go to seed and flower and they'd eat the whole plant except for the tough stalks. I grow most of my veggies from seed so it's not that expensive to grow a lot of plants. We have a lot of apple trees and grapes that they like to get into. They even like the crabapples that hit the ground. I haven't found too much that they won't eat given the opportunity. |
Jayryunen
Sapello, NM
(Zone 5b)
December 08, 2009
03:44 PM Post #7349240
| I'd suggest checking with the farm suppliers, like Peaceful Valley, to get the seed in bulk so you could just broadcast it as pasture. I know they have the rape seed... |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 08, 2009
08:48 PM Post #7350163
|
Jay, rape seed is a very big product and seller around these parts, Most of Canada that used to hay their sections, now grow rape seed, and yes the girls love it. I have seven apple trees and they love apples , I also grow and harvest around four hundred quarts of raspberries, logan berries, boysenberries, and strawberries. They love most fruit, watermellon, cantaloupe, along with vegies. I have a garden space of forty x forty and grow corn pole beans, and lettuce every year. I am getting the cost down and and think I will be able to cut it in half by spring. I have just spoiled them. What can I say. I am guilty. Hay. Btw Loon, yes I do grind up all my egg shells, the problem is that we don't eat that many eggs. They all go to the customers. I sold seventeen doz eggs yesterday, and have buyers enough to sell that many today but can't produce them fast enough.
Some of our customers go through eggs so fast, I don't know how they can eat that many but they do. One customer buys six doz every week. I can't understand what they do with them, as there is only three in the family. If I don't have eggs for them they give me that look like, You'd better get my eggs...LOL. Hay |
Loon
AuGres, MI
(Zone 5b)
December 08, 2009
09:36 PM Post #7350288
| LOL. I only have two egg customes that pay me and then I have one person I give them to. We go through six eggs at breakfast for the three of us. Sometimes I'll make flaxseed muffins at night that uses up two more eggs. I like to make a batch of egg salad for lunch ever week. Somehow they get used. When I make dog food once a month my recipe calls for 10 eggs. |
MissJestr
Kingman, AZ
(Zone 7a)
December 08, 2009
09:45 PM Post #7350313
| Haystack you have a spare house?? cause by the sounds of it Billy and I are moving up there... LOL
I would just love to see your place in the spring... |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 11, 2009
09:01 PM Post #7360270
|
When ZZ's sent the seramas up she also sent eight bantam game birds, Well not that anyone cares especially but I finally got my first egg from the game birds today and they are almost exactly the same size as the seramas eggs are, they are so close I had to mark them to keep track. Also my seramas are already laying again just one day after I took the chicks from them. Pretty incredible little birds. Heres wishing all who read this a very Merry Christmas and Wishing all a happy and prosperous New Year!!!. |
MissJestr
Kingman, AZ
(Zone 7a)
December 11, 2009
09:44 PM Post #7360396
| Here is wishing you a VERY MERRY CHIRSTMAS Haystack. I have a question for you. What are game birds? like pheasants? what do you use the eggs for? or do you raise more game birds? |
LoreenH
Portland, OR
(Zone 8b)
December 11, 2009
10:13 PM Post #7360467
| Congrats Haystack! I was going to ask about game birds but MissJestr already did. When I think of game birds I think of the Cornsih game hens I've gotten at the store. I know the bantam ones would be tiny; are they related?
How are the serama babies doing? I had no idea an adult chicken could be so small, can't imagine how tiny those chicks are.
Merry Christmas to you too! |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 12, 2009
02:10 AM Post #7360978
|
Miss Jestr & Loreen!! The bantam gamebirds are a minature version of the standard gamebird. They are exceptionally friendly, they just thrive on being all over you. During feeding time they swarm you like bee's. They are darling small bodied long legged, and very long necked little buggers. They are for show and make extremely good 4H projects as they love being handled. They are way to small to eat. It would take probably five mature birds to equal the size of one regular chicken. I once saw a very slender six foot woman wearing four inch stilleto heals. She looked ten foot tall, well thats what these gamebirds look like. Just tall, tall, tall. and no body, but, they are so adorable. I will post some pic's for you tomorrow. I can't raise everything so I am planning on selling the ones I have. I talked with ZZ's about it and she was fine with it. I am planning on having at least thirty seramas by the end of spring and I need the pen that the gamebirds are using at this time. Thats a hint, especially to you Loreen, since your so close to us...LOL P.S. You can eat the eggs, or hatch them but again as I said I can't raise everything, so they have to go. Hay |
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 13, 2009
03:19 AM Post #7363828
|
Bantam gamebird pic's
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
Haystack
Ferndale, WA
December 13, 2009
03:23 AM Post #7363832
| another gamebird pic??I hope. Sorry wrong pic, these are seramas. These pic's are so small I can hardly make them out.
This message was edited Dec 12, 2009 11:26 PM
Click the image for an enlarged view.
|
MissJestr
Kingman, AZ
(Zone 7a)
December 13, 2009
10:56 AM Post #7364278
| Thanks Haystack, and you are right, them are some LONG leggs... |
ZZsBabiez
Lodi, CA
(Zone 9b)
December 14, 2009
02:06 PM Post #7368005
| Modern Game Bantams Hay!!! They are ultra Modern!! LOL
Sure miss you all..
Christmas will have to live in my heart this year.. No traditional Christmas for me.. but you can bet my heart will be full of good cheer and blessings.
I wish the best to you, everyone. :) |
