Arkansas folks speak up.........

[Darrell72223]

Good to hear from you Arkies! I'll be getting my coop soon then I'll be ready for some chickens! Anticipating that, may I throw out some questions to you?

I want to start with 4 started pullets. I've been searching around about breeds. Two that catch my eye are Deleware and White Wyandottes. I'm not limiting myself to those, but I would like your opinions on 1) the breeds themselves, and 2) their availability locally. Would they be easy to find?

I dont want to brood chicks yet. Maybe that will be next Spring's project. I'd like some well on their way to being layers.

Thanks in advance!

Darrell

 

[FreedomLover]

Well, it's been a while since I've posted, let alone on this thread! Things have been kinda weird for us here on the old homestead.

I noticed the post for the seminar/meet & greet that evening which was a bummer, would have liked to have been able to go since we live just north of Little Rock. I really do need to start keeping track of this forum a bit better!!

Our chickens (12 left) are doing good, they've stopped laying though. Well, except one lol. We go out every morning and get our one lone little egg.

All this rain we've been getting has been horrid. Their run is nothing but mud and their coop bedding is pretty wet from water running in under the edges of the bottom of the shed. I'm going to have to get out there and get that mucked out and add some fresh dry bedding for them. "After" figuring out a way to stop that water leak. Hubby won't let me put down fresh until that's done

But, now that we have everything paid for, we can start slowing down a bit and be home more often. Don't need to drive as many miles for as much money now! Being debt free is great!

Anyway, sorry I missed the "event" and maybe I'll be able to catch the next one.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Debt free sounds really great. That is nothing but a new start on life.

You might try adding clay dirt to the bottom of the coop before you put in any bedding. It will take it a while to dry out if it's wet now, but if you can build it up high enough where water can't run in you have a much better chance of keeping it dry. I did that with mine when I built it and I'm convinced it helped. I also dug a swale on the uphill side to help keep water from running in. That helped too.

Good luck with it.

 

[jenjscott]

We got several hours of sleet up here, It didn't stick to the ground, but all steps and posts and cars are covered in ice. I was glad I swapped stuff up yesterday to get some guys better protected from the weather. We got a new set of twin lambs, and another ewe looks like she could pop at any time. I got everything fed and watered and hayed, etc and now I think I'll just snuggle down with a book. Tomorrow looks like more of the same.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Can I post chickens to sell on here or is that against the rules? I must thin out my backyard flock. Getting rid of 5 laying hens. I'm over the city limit & I want to keep the neighbors happy.

First of all

and to the Arkansa thread. The is also an Arkansas swap thread that is the best place to post for local stuff.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/616818/arkansas-chicken-or-eggs-swap

Hope that helps.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Its nasty down here!




Weather in Monticello

Today​

Tuesday

Ice Pellets
36°/27°​

Ice Pellets
36°/27°​

 

[Arkansas81]

Good to hear from you Arkies! I'll be getting my coop soon then I'll be ready for some chickens! Anticipating that, may I throw out some questions to you?

I want to start with 4 started pullets. I've been searching around about breeds. Two that catch my eye are Deleware and White Wyandottes. I'm not limiting myself to those, but I would like your opinions on 1) the breeds themselves, and 2) their availability locally. Would they be easy to find?

I dont want to brood chicks yet. Maybe that will be next Spring's project. I'd like some well on their way to being layers.

Thanks in advance!

Darrell

Darrell, hello from NE!! I personally don't have those breeds but I do hear nice things about them. I also will be perfectly honest that you will be hard up to find started pullets. So be prepared to search long and wide, but I do understand your logic! Brooding is hard and time consuming, but very rewarding!!! I have red productions, which are some of the best egg layers available. Now some questions you need to ask yourself...what are you wanting from these birds? eggs to eat/to sell, do you want them for meat, do you want fancy chickens, do you want ones that are weather appropiate...some do better in other climates, but if you have a draft-critter-weather proof run/coop then I'm sure most will be fine.

Now one the availability part well as said started pullets will be hard to find but not impossible. If you live close enough to Beebe I hear there is a fabulous open air market that people sell birds at, I am dying to go-maybe in April? Or you can search Arkansas Swap or the buy/sell forum here or craigslist/ebay. You can always ask around for who has what that is close to you. Now like said you REALLY need to decide what you want the birds for so you can make your coop/run to suit their/your needs. Certain breeds service different needs so need to know what you want before you buy. So do LOTS of research on what you want, You will be a happy chicken owner!!! HAPPY HUNTING

 

[202roosterlane]

Oh wow!!!

to all the newbies!!!! I do want to let you know we have a Arkansas Backyard Poultry group that a lot of us are members of. Here is the web site. We just got together for an awesome seminar and hope to get together much more often this year. It's free to join. http://www.meetup.com/ArkansasBackyardPoultry/

We also have another Arkansas Chicken or egg swap Page here on BYC. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/616818/arkansas-chicken-or-eggs-swap/600_20#post_10268778

Hey freedomlover, we have a motorcycle ride coming to your area Feb 9th !! Your probably used to all the biker around Valentines day.

Yup my chicken runs are MUDDY! I am going to the coop and checking out the prices of rices hulls too. I feel so bad for my poor chickens. I am ready for spring and want to skip winter.
Well peeps I leave Sunday on a Turner Classic Movie cruise to Grand Caymen and Cozumel. Got a nephew staying at my house to take care of my chickens and keep an eye on the place.
But I won't be on her for 6-7 days. Gonna go through serious BYC withdrawls. For those of you who are old movie buffs. This is some of the special guests:

Robert Osborne, Ben Mankiewicz, Debbie Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, Arlene Dahl, Sally Ann Howes, Norman Lloyd, Alloy Orchestra, Sue Cameron, Bruce Goldstein, Casey LaLonde, David Leopold

I personally am just looking forward to sitting on deck having a cold one under the hot sun. This cold weather bites. Sure wish I could take some of y'all with me but I hope to find chicken goodies for the "what ya got to swap" thread here on BYC.

 

[arkansaschicks]

Hey Darrell it won't be impossible to find some started pullets. When I first started I got 6 from the Arkansas State Fair. They were about 5-6 months old. I bought mine from different 4-H kids and different breeders that were willing to sell. It just means you will have to wait till October. I got production reds, Buff Orpingtons, silver laced and golden laced wynadottes.

 

[PSK20126]

Here is SE AR the weather is cold. The wind is zooming across the prairie and my poor dogs are freezing. I got hay put it in their houses and both of them have pulled it all out. So, I have put them both up against the house since the wind is howling and the yard is flooded. A good high spot but man the rest of my yard is soggy soggy. Hopefully we wont get much more of this rain. I have started gathering up my wood to begin building my Chicken coop, but it may be a while if this weather keeps up.