Looking for like minded people for online community. Support, encourage, offer advice for homesteaders everywhere, but also particularly in the NE area as we challenge the elements, predators and other obstacles. Everyone welcome to share!
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Just picked up my new chicks at The Poultry Hatchery in Fayette NY. Awesome facility and staff. They are a "no kill" facility which means they do not just discard their unwanted chicks. They will process unwanted birds and donate the meat to churches and food pantries. Can't say enough about...
I am using the deep litter method in my coop again this year, but am finding the dust terrible. I have dusted the coop a few times already and can't wait to completely clean it out and put in fresh hay. Has anyone experienced this before? Is it the hay? Just the natural breakdown of the hay? I...
Looking for NY state hatcheries. Has anyone used The Poultry Hatchery in the Finger Lakes? I ordered chicks from them this year and they have been awesome to work with so far. They answered email promptly and assured me they would work with me "every step of the way." And so far, they have. I...
I "retire" my layers until their days are done on my homestead. I can not find anything on the nutritional needs of older chickens. Mine are about 5-6 years old and appear to still be healthy. Does anyone have any insight into any additional needs of non layers?
I bought 3 pullets and it turns out they are 3 roosters so...I have re-homed 2. The last one was the runt and so far very docile. He is about 6 months old. If I need to due to aggression etc. can I separate him within the coop? He would have his own pen and access to the outdoors in good...
I have hens from 1 1/2 years old to 3 years and just acquired 2 Light Brahma pullets and a rooster (who was supposed be another pullet!) So far he is not mean and he and the 2 LB are still separated from the flock. They are about 5-6 months old. They can see eachother but are not in direct...
I have 3 new chicks born just before Memorial Day. They will be 7 months old in December, will they lay in the winter when the days are so much shorter? Will I have to wait til spring???
So my 4 week old BOs and EE are just learning to be outside in an enclosed, secure, supervised setting. They are in my fenced garden where i can see them and so can my free rangers who are about 2 1/2 years old. The adults approach the chicks with curiosity but Vivian was doing this "stare down"...
I had 5 RIR mixes. I am attending a workshop this weekend and may be getting more chickens. She has Wyandottes but I am hearing they tend to bully. Any one have any experience?
I have a RIR/Leghorn cross who went through a molt early spring. She is just getting her blood feathers on her neck but her breast and butt are basically bare. The other girls are REALLY picking on her and she is stressed and has lost weight. Her breast bone has a scab where she roosts due to...
I had a great experience with a vet today, I just had to share. One of my girls is ill. She has been lethargic, pale, poor appetite. After treating her as best I knew how, I decided to take her to a vet. I drove an hour away to a country vet who really took the time to try to help me and Sadie...
My 2 year old RIR/Leghorn cross had been acting ill for a bit now. The rest of the flock had a respiratory infection treated with Tylan and appear to be much better. One girl, Sadie has been going around puffed up (but has a habit of doing that most winter) lethargic, not as interested in food...
Today I let my girls out because it is the first warm day in 2 weeks. It had been near 0F or just above. She is eating well, acting fine and just got over a moult. Anything I should be concerned with??? I checked her for parasites and have not found any.
I got my 5 hens from a local farm. They are RIR/leghorn cross. They are happy and healthy and lay regularly. My question is they were in among 160-170 other hens and their plumage was never full, missing feathers especially tail feathers. I have had them 6 months and I have seen some improvement...
OK, so does anyone have the experience of your girls laying less before/during/after a large storm? We recently had a large storm come through and our girls production was down and now is back to their norm. The co-op was out of eggs for 2 weeks after the storm because the girls stopped laying.
Hi. I have a question on Blue Kote (after the fact), I have one hen who gets her neck feathers pecked by one of my more aggressive hens. I sprayed it on her neck, covering her face first, as not to get any on her face. Her neck is now purple. They first seemed fascinated with this and I am...