Well, it looks like Mr Charlie here needs himself a good forever home! He's 7.5 weeks old now, and he first met the world at Ideal Poultry.
He's a very sweet boy and I believe would make a great addition to anyone's flock. He isn't 'by the book' perfect, I'll admit, but he's perfect in his quirky personality to be sure. He isn't overly aggressive, and not quite crowing- well, not yet and not great anyway! Ha. I'll include his video again.
If you have any other ?s please feel free to hit me up.
Me and Charlie would be willing to drive 2-3 hours for the right person, and we live at the VA/TN border. Otherwise Charlie can be free to a healthy and loving home! I know it's asking a lot but I would rather keep him than send him someplace I'll never see a single pic or hear a peep on how he does. Nothing much, just a word each spring or something, I wouldn't bother anyone. So- here's Charlie!
Sometimes I look back at how I'd just hit the road, no map type hitting the road and end up at my destination.
It sounds like you need a murder of crows hanging out around your place. They are very effective on keeping hawks away. As long as I had crows hanging at our place in TN I had few problems with hawks. As to shooting, to protect your won, do it. Almost all states have laws that allow for dispatching of predators that are threatening our livestock.
Yes, our chickens are livestock even though we don't think of them that way.
Yes, they are indeed livestock under the law. The Trumbull County Ag Commissioner used to remind me that if my Emus ever got a disease, the State would be obligated to destroy them. Which was always why I was so picky about their health.
With the Emus, the concern was being able to handle them without getting injured. They wouldn't have been able to move them easily. We used to move them with a horse trailer when we had to and it was always an adventure and never any fun.
I didn't think about their size being an issue. It certainly could be a challenge if one had to be treated everyday. I guess Emu squeeze shoots would be helpful.
This is my main serama rooster who normally stands tall.
Personality is also a trait I think is very important. With my first serama chicks, some were downright mean. One in particular would fly straight at my face, talons out, the minute the cage door was opened. He went down the road in a hurry. Personality is definitely a trait I look for in a potential breeder-docile, friendly, and outgoing. Pablo is much like a tame parrot in that he will hop on my shoulder or lap the lower his head to get it scratched and rubbed. It took about two generations to get rid of meaness in my birds. Some of my chicks are skittish but most are almost naturally tame requiring very little handling to bring out their friendly, outgoing personality.
Personality is also a trait I think is very important. With my first serama chicks, some were downright mean. One in particular would fly straight at my face, talons out, the minute the cage door was opened. He went down the road in a hurry. Personality is definitely a trait I look for in a potential breeder-docile, friendly, and outgoing. Pablo is much like a tame parrot in that he will hop on my shoulder or lap the lower his head to get it scratched and rubbed. It took about two generations to get rid of meaness in my birds. Some of my chicks are skittish but most are almost naturally tame requiring very little handling to bring out their friendly, outgoing personality.
Those were always the ones that dug deep into my heart. Show no fear, come right up and start chatting about their day. Wait, I can't see you well enough, I'm coming up into your lap.
Very pretty boy. If I ever forgot why I got out of them Seramas would be a good fit for me.
Y'all, I have some sad news. Chip got too close to Quack today.... close enough Quack took off the front spike of his comb altogether! [emoji24][emoji24][emoji24]
I feel so bad- I was watching more for hawks and the little snit apparently ran right over when my back was, literally, turned. I heard a tiny squall, not big but he didn't even leave, so I thought he just startled him. Nope, it took us a bit to see something specifically wrong on him and then he just let me pick him up. Maybe 5-10 mins had passed. We cleaned it with silver and added blue kote on the tip and put them both back away. Poor guy!
Pic to come. It could've been worse. It didn't rip, it is pretty much just GONE.
Dang it I forgot my thought- I'm still in the yard lol.
They're all so adorable!! The pics all just came thru for me too! I love the Seramas, they might just have to join my flock someday.... when I either don't have a giant rooster also, or definitely more secure in the new two coop-coop we are building. ASAP, we hope over the next couple weeks, weather permitting. Anyway, I do think they're adorable, and I'm with you, personality trumps so many other things. To me, it's not nearly as fun if I can't love on them once in a while. Or every day. [emoji6]
Puppies are so so sweet. And yours appear particularly cuddly! We have a chocolate Lab, altho maybe not much more time w her, as she is 13.5, and not in super health these days.
If you like my style of serama, let me know when "...someday..." comes and eggs will be in the mail. OR maybe a few chicks can come your way when Charlie...
It was a long labor/time before the puppies started to be born; the first came at 7:05 this morning and it took several hours for the last to be born. Kimmi had to help with a couple that were a bit too large.
Ohhh you are too kind! I wish I could- and I am reasonably sure I will eventually- take you up on that! Thank you. We have to get our 'real' coop built so everyone has their happy home first!
Also, to return to the subject- ha!! I think one day next week just might work. I'm working on that, but possibly next Friday? I'll let you know for sure. Charlie is excited. [emoji6]
Ohhh you are too kind! I wish I could- and I am reasonably sure I will eventually- take you up on that! Thank you. We have to get our 'real' coop built so everyone has their happy home first!
Also, to return to the subject- ha!! I think one day next week just might work. I'm working on that, but possibly next Friday? I'll let you know for sure. Charlie is excited. [emoji6]
I certainly am. The 1st weekend of the month and each Monday Kimmi cooks for the people at the auction house-goats on Friday-poultry on Saturday-cattle on Mondays.
This was a "coop" that we used a few years ago. These two were extremely tiny so they spent the winter indoors. This rooster was the dad to Pablo.
Thank you for the advice with the hawks. That does make me feel much less alone and cruel! I have the double barrel out here tonight... just in case.
Ugh. I’m so sad for Chip! He seems to be just fine, I’m more upset than he is for sure! And I’m not mad that Q got him either- he does get too close sometimes and should know better by now. Well now he does.
Ten grams/the size of a quarter at hatch. Ten grams is my smallest to date. Most hatch at 12-16 grams. I'm looking forward to getting chicks even smaller than the ten g. It might not be too long either as I have a tiny (8 ounce) silkied serama pullet just start to lay.
Most, but not all, pullets that were sterile did not lay eggs. Time will tell. As soon as I have 3 eggs from her they will be put in the incubator. Her sister started laying a while back and her eggs hatched; she's a bit bigger but still a good sign.
I expect the eggs will be fertile as she is one of the gradual size reduction birds.
There were Silkies that with all the specific breeding that never laid or all of their eggs were infertile. I had one where her eggs stopped being fertile by the time she was 3. Big disappointment since she was a stunner.
This is Cream Puff as she was a couple months ago. Not the best picture of her as she stands tall with her tail a bit forward from vertical. She will soon have her first chicks hatching.
As for looks in a breeder, I look for serama that stand upright at a 45 degree angle, wings that touch the ground, also at a 45 degree angle, a short back, tail held vertical and a bit forward, a cute face where the head is smallish and dainty looking, and short legs where the bird has a jaunty walk, and a sleek body.
Normally, I do not keep serama for more than a year; replacing them with a younger bird with more desirable traits. I absolutely detest it when people sell their old birds as younger ones. When I sell my "older" birds they are still young and will produce many eggs and chicks. Cali is an exception to being sold only because every time it's flock reduction time she is brooding eggs or has chicks. Sometimes the eggs are hers, or someone elses, or a turkey egg, or even quail eggs (below). She is a great mother to whatever hatches.
Cali started life as a calico but as the years (3) have gone by she has become a splash with a lot more white.
She's a good example of what I like in serama other than I think her body a bit to bulky giving her a pin headed look and her wings could hand down more at a better angle. In the first picture she is STANDING on my arm to give an idea just how short the legs are.
I depend on people falling in love with my serama, it is not unusual for people to leave here with serama when they came for something else.
"trouble"-I almost always have chicks to sell or will have some soon. If you do cave I recommend started chicks or young stock. Serama eggs can be touchy and disappointing when shipped. Full adult birds are a risk too as there are those that sell old birds as young. Far too many people do this with all the breeds After all, it is impossible to determine a healthy bird's age once it is mature.
Luckily I've been doing this long enough I can spot an old bird.
I won't cave though. It nearly broke my heart when I sold out my breeding flock. As I watch my Guinea flock in the front yard. But I got off track there for a moment, I don't need the extra work. It's the reason I sold out in the first place.
Luckily I've been doing this long enough I can spot an old bird.
I won't cave though. It nearly broke my heart when I sold out my breeding flock. As I watch my Guinea flock in the front yard. But I got off track there for a moment, I don't need the extra work. It's the reason I sold out in the first place.
I have had many chickens that were closing in on ten years; sleek, well-feathered, clean legged that did not look any older than a year old. I have been raising poultry since I was 14 and now I'm 66. Only birds that have not been well taken care of look old. If you know a way, clue me in.
An instinct I don't have or trust. Long ago I stopped buying mature birds unless I knew the seller very well.
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