Luvachicken Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Awww, I hope they feel better soon. They do make it very hard to know what is wrong when they just feel a bit low with not many symptoms. Glad your weather is a bit better now. I think we know how you have been feeling when storm Imogen paid us a visit yesterday. HORRIBLE and scary weather but today is so much nicer and some sunshine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 11, 2016 Author Share Posted February 11, 2016 Luvachicken weather has been lovely up here as the storms stayed down south but know you guys aren't used to them......or your chooks! Normal up here this winter and chooks used to storms and heavy rain but have to say it was nice to see the sun and the chooks perched all over the garden or stretching a wing out in the gravel lying down (hardly Marbella) but to a hebridean chook?...... Still have two in sick bay. They seem ok but keeping them there until the weekend with extra food, warmth etc to be sure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 The two in sick bay back out! the lavender Araucana and the little thuringian. They seem to have formed a wee bond as sunbathing together today after two days cooped up! Sadly a lot of my boys are going next week or two. Have tried to rehome but can't keep them all. Sad to see lovely buf, a lav orp, wellsummer and speck Sussex go but Spring is coming and don't want to see them fight. They have had a lovely 8 months. Joys of hatching your own I guess, still sucks tho!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 18, 2016 Author Share Posted February 18, 2016 Downside.....lavender Araucana didn't make it, but the little chamois thuringian is just fine. Am very sadly putting down a lot of boys this weekend. Have tried very hard in adverts to rehome but .. Going through 2 large buckets of pellets a day but that's ok. Upside...have 6/6 hatch of cuckoo maran (eBay eggs) 3 lavender leghorn, and 2 white leghorn. People have booked about 8 pullets plus 3 cockerels. Plus another group of cross Brahmas (always broody) Now can the rain please stop for a while to allow my poor garden (well the chooks garden) dry out! Even my bit of garden, double dug down, rows of drainage 15 tons of topsoil and new turf......has water lying?....sheesh! Oh and the rare breed poultry auction next month.......ill just be looking as usual of course...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Shame about the lavender but very good that the thuringian is doing so well. It is raining here a little bit too and quite chilly but we have had a lovely couple of days of beautiful sunshine. I hope the rain stops for you soon. Was just thinking if you didn't take any money to the rare breed auction you wouldn't be able to buy anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Hi Redsunset! where is auction being held? Might be tempted to have a wee peek myself Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 The auction is North Scotland in Dingwall. They have a rare breeds poultry auction twice a year. I'm actually taking my silver and gold Fayoumi to the bantam section. Can't part with my little Thuringians tho!....... It will be weather permitting as always have to go day before as auction starts at 10am and all birds must be caged before then. Fingers crossed for no storms in a couple of weeks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 20, 2016 Author Share Posted February 20, 2016 Had 11 boys put down tonight, am so upset! It's just the horrible side to hatching and hate it! I know they had a good life for the last 8 months but still. I do have homes for 3 next week and keeping 3. Yes, I know I had to many boys and they were not aggressive but come spring it would be to much for my ladies.......just feeling so sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Oh dear redsunset, I have no words....how very very sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 20, 2016 Author Share Posted February 20, 2016 It was,I did try hard to rehome but lots of ppl have excess cockerels so I was lucky to find the few I did. If I was on mainland I'm sure I would have had more success esp with the buff orp, and lavender Araucana......we may not have any foxes but wish I'd had, had access to more chook ppl this week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 I am afraid if you had foxes you probably wouldn't need to rehome them As they would have a field day with your set up! They have had a lovely free range life. Sadly many of their brothers/sisters can't say the same:( I am not so sure you would have had more luck on the mainland with the school hatching projects many rehoming centres are also over run with these poor little guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 21, 2016 Author Share Posted February 21, 2016 I forgot about those school hatching projects! I think they have been done here as well. A local supplied the eggs and took the chicks back afterwards. I will still have five boys with me, tho still may have some younger unsexed ones yet. I kept my original big SLW Wyandotte, a Vorwerk, a lav Orpington, a speckled Sussex and a lav leghorn. Still feel rubbish today after letting my other boys go, but knew I would, and have been putting it off for months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 Sending you lots of hugs Redsunset xxxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 Thank you. Not a lot of people I know, know what it's like, but you do. Never nice to put a healthy animal down but I know it's an evil necessity it in the chook world of cockerels. Only folks on here who have been through it. Not to get depressing I have to move on so......did get my first ever blue egg yesterday! Beautiful! All current chooks are well and delivering two cockerels a few miles away on Saturday that I found a home for. And have a home for a big buff orp boy too. Chook auction next week. Taking two Fayoumis, see how they do........ill fret and want to follow the buyers/credit reports, CBT checks on homes.....ok, kidding but do hope they go to a lovely home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Hi Redsunset Have fun at the auction! And keep your hands firmly in your pockets! Wont be able to bid then. Would love to go but hubby says no Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 Sparkysmum.......have you tried advertising your hubby on the poultry pages? I'm sure if you put in a good write up you'd get some takers lol Took two boys to a new home on Saturday, beautiful day and much kerfuffle getting them into a large box. Once they were opened out and they saw a huge grassy croft, 12 ladies.....I didn't get so much as a backward glance as they rushed over to make their acquaintance lol! I'm slowly getting over losing a lot of boys and the beautiful weather over the last few days has helped and seeing the chooks sunbathing all over the place stretching a wing out and perching on various branches. Taking two Fayomi to auction next week. They are cute little birds and very flighty so hope they go to a lovely home. Have one silver pencilled and one gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I'm glad you've managed to find lovely homes for some of your boys. I think you're doing a great job Two of mine were sunbathing with outstretched wings today too. Never fails to make me smile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 I know, it's just lovely to see them enjoying the few nice days instead of ducking and diving through rain and hail! Have a home for my big buff orp boy too Think I may have a few boys yet in the accidental hatches but will wait and see, let them develop properly and enjoy life first..... Kept my Vorwerk and waiting to see if the younger one is a girl/boy but am suspicious that I have another boy..... Have the lavender orp boy and tho younger than my buffs is huge! Kept a speckled Sussex too and my old boy the SLW Wyandotte just because!.....oh and a lavender leghorn boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Awwww, lovely boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 Love my wee and big boys too! The wee thurungian chooks, well no idea if boys or girls but think one little is a boy and half thought he was going to do a wee crow yesterday but he/ she changed its mind! No matter as they are staying anyway as so cute! Fluffy cheeks and total pint sized wee things! The little cream one follows me everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 29, 2016 Author Share Posted February 29, 2016 P.s. Sparkysmum, that last comment re your beloved hubby was a joke and hope you took it as so......just my daft humour! Would hate to offend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 ' Course it was! Looking forward to auction? Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted February 29, 2016 Author Share Posted February 29, 2016 course I'm looking forward to auction! I have huge fun looking at 600 plus cages of all the different chooks.......paradise lol! Love looking at all the different chooks big and small. And as for hands in pockets or away from bidding card well...........ill be good....... As usual...cough.... Picking up a new car on way home and no doubt will need to line the boot with plastic incase of any incidental chooks that happen to fall in....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 Came back from auction tonight, and have to say despite 600 lots I was pretty restrained as turned down bidding on several as prices were crazy. Large fowl were lots of £70 plus for two pullets in maran, Sussex etc......even warrens went for big money. Did buy 4 bluebells for a sort of ok price and sold two lovely little Fayoumis. My cousin kindly drove up a newish car I'd bought and loved the drive all the way to Ullapool through the snow covered mountains in the sun to the ferry, with my new smelly chooks in the back!!! New bluebells in the big shed and could see my last girls from auction (only in November) sidling along their perches ready to take umbrage, lol! Put lots of greens and cabbages out for the am and have whole meal bread to keep them sweet as I find a few extra treats means the newbies are quickly accepted as no competition for food! All in all had a lovely two days and as usual loved looking at all the diff chooks big and small for sale, a fab day out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
