Thanks for all the comments & info! I'll look to the vet texts for
better info. Should've thought of that! Especially with my science
background.
To answer a few questions about our flock here's the break down—
3 gold laced wyndottes
3 red sex-linked (I think gold comets? they are red & white, this group
includes the newly named "Dora the Explorer," she has "escaped" several
times, but pulling an over-nighter deserves a name)
2 black sex-linked? (with beautiful gold highlights on their necks)
5 araucanas (Hillary, Madison, Sam, Abe, ...?)
4 australorps (3F & 1M-Rocky)
3 buff orpingtons
3 barred rocks
2 speckled sussex (1F & 1M-Trouble, he was an explorer for awhile and
tore up a lot of the flower beds last spring)
3 white "somethings"
6 new hampshire reds
We didn't want any males but ended up with 2 in the youngest group of
chicks. We seriously considered putting the australorp in the pot, he is
quite large and somewhat aggressive. He made the mistake of flying at my
face once when I bent down to pet one of the girls doing her "take me,
I'm yours" dance. I back-handed him without even thinking and sent him
tumbling (literally) and, while he still postures & makes a bit of a
ruckus, he hasn't tried that again. The girls no longer "dance" for me,
so glad they got that figured out. :-) I wonder if they would continue
"dancing" for us if the boys weren't here? And, well, I'm just not able
to handle butchering yet. Guess I'll need to get past that if we get
some meat birds next year. Our girls look great, have all their neck &
back feathers, and our customers like that. Many comment on how healthy
& happy they look. And they are. Even when the hen house was getting
insulated and additional roosts & boxes built (a 2 day project) they
continued laying and even gave us our record 29 one day.
Is there a membership list available? I'd like to see if anyone out my
way.
Thanks for the "welcomes" and the advice. I'm glad to be here.
Donna
Happy Hens
Cortez, Colorado
CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
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