Wehner Homestead

[Wehner Homestead]

We told the kids. They took it okay. There are 22 other chicks so we won’t be replacing them at this time. I don’t want to take a chance of introducing an illness from another farm store that may have gotten their shipment from another location.

The worst part about the kids is that they bring up animals that died 3 years ago and we have to talk about what happened to them and Heaven. The discussion also involves their mommies missing them, the kids missing them, and sometimes tears.

In a way they are used to death. It’s a farm. We have lots of animals so end up with several deaths each year and send animals to freezer camp too. I think the kids are just trying to make sense of it all.

We’ve let them help bury pets that have passed and they help us care for anything that’s safe for them to be around.

I’m still sad. We prayed for her and I always wish I could do more.

Anyway, @Bruce I think the 3 Ameracauna chicks (that I can identify) have green tinted legs. It’s hard to tell due to the heat lamp light and the garage lighting but it’s definitely not yellow like my BO chicks.

One of the Ameracaunas appears to have muffs! I’m assuming that means that she will as an adult?? @Bruce any insight here??

 

[MiniSilkys]

One of the Ameracaunas appears to have muffs! I’m assuming that means that she will as an adult?? @Bruce any insight here

Mine did, if that helps. But be sure to dust their beard and muffs b/c lice love to lay eggs there.

 

[Bruce]

If they were true Ameraucana, they would have muffs and beards. It is a requirement of the breed.
EEs usually have muffs and beards and yes if they have muffs as chicks they will as adults.

 

[MiniSilkys]

I want to get a true arucana but only a few hatcheries sell them. They are what amerucaunas are breed from. They look like little turtles without their tail feathers.

 

[Bruce]

NO hatchery sells APA Araucana. You need to find a private breeder.
APA Ameraucanas were NOT bred from APA Araucana. The two were separately developed in the 1970's from birds called Araucana and/or Easter Eggers. They were a mutt bird with origins in Chilean birds brought to the USA and cross bred with many existing chicken breeds.

"Araucanas have a most interesting and controversial history, having originated in a remote area of Chile ruled by fierce Araucana Indians who resisted European domination until the 1880’s. The distinctive traits of blue egg, tufts and rumplessness originally were found in two distinct breeds from this region. The first breed, named “Collonocas”, laid blue eggs and was rumpless. The second breed, called “Quetros”, had unusual tufts, but was tailed and laid brown eggs."
http://www.araucana.net/history/

 

[MiniSilkys]

They are sold by mypetchicken.com which may not exactly be considered a hatchery but they sell many mail order chicks. They are also sold by Awesome Araucana Chicken Hatchery, which is a hatcery that specializes in Araucanas.

 

[MiniSilkys]

Speaking of chicken breeds, if anyone is interested in buying crested polish chicks make sure you have them in a pen with netting over it unless you are outside with them when they are out. Lost too many of them to hawks because they could not see past their crest. But they are so cute.

 

[Bruce]

They are sold by mypetchicken.com which may not exactly be considered a hatchery but they sell many mail order chicks. They are also sold by Awesome Araucana Chicken Hatchery, which is a hatcery that specializes in Araucanas.

I don't find Araucanas when I search on MPC and right, they aren't a hatchery but a "supplier".

AACH looks like what I would call a private breeder. I don't know that there is a concrete definition of that term but *I* would say someone that has a few APA breeds and sells maybe a few hundred chicks a year max.

Sorry you've lost birds to hawks. Hawks also kill birds that can see well but I imagine being under an "umbrella" makes it quite a bit harder to know when there is danger.

 

[MiniSilkys]

Sorry you've lost birds to hawks. Hawks also kill birds that can see well but I imagine being under an "umbrella" makes it quite a bit harder to know when there is danger.

Yeah, it does. Everyone else ran to the shed but she was still looking around to see what every one was running from. She was my favorite hen. I have lost many to raccoons too.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Yesterday was awesome! Two new baby calves that came without a hitch, dry, up nursing, and moving around. Pics on the Calving thread.

Today has been bittersweet. Our beloved Lana has become increasingly concerning around visitors. Nipping has become a problem. She’d stuck to men (not good either) but nipped the lady that has her daughter at the house frequently to work with the 4-H calves that are boarded. For us that was the final straw. We thought it was a fear of men with loud, booming voices but now that it has been a woman too, we felt like she couldn’t be trusted at all. We wanted to remember her as the amazing dog that she was instead of a horrible situation playing a part. I took her to the vet to be euthanized today. She will be buried in the cattle pasture, on the hillside, right next to her buddy, Logan, our first Pyr.

The neat part of today is that we are on our way home with a polled Nigerian Dwarf buck! He’s proven and his daughters have great confirmation. The first ones will freshen in the next month. I’m excited to see pics of their udders. He should bring some dairy look to a few of our girls. I’ll try to get and post some pics of him tomorrow.