BYC members in Massachusetts?

[Arielle]

As we are on the topic, A.Arena Bros in Hopkington Ma also handles birds.

 

[keesmom]

As we are on the topic, A.Arena Bros in Hopkington Ma also handles birds.

They do? Do they have a website? Do you know what the cost is per bird, and do they process seasonally or year-round?

 

[Arielle]

You can try googling for a website-- they seem a bit old fashioned so I wouldn't expect a fancy website IF they have one at all. THey are in the phone book.

$5 /chicken discount for large numbers
$10/ turkey

Expect to repackage them.

I don't know seasonally or not. THey do book up fast though at this time of year. I sent all mine in the fall last year. You could call and ask JoAnn. Fall is the busy season. THey handle deer too.

 

[liljunie]

Is anyone interested in starting a swap in SE MA/RI area. I started a thread in the meet/show area and thought I would see if there is interest. Thinking Tractor Supply in Swansea MA (great foot traffic, with large parking lot). May be great area to get retail customers as well as fellow swappers.

 

[dkosh]

I'm in south eastern MA, I have about 250 chickens. I usually get 12-15 dozen a day. Just recently they came to almost a total halt in egg laying, down to 5 dozen a day. No change in diet or routine. What the heck is happening????? Anyone else in the area experiencing a decrease in egg production? Any thoughts???

 

[kannna]

I'm in south eastern MA, I have about 250 chickens. I usually get 12-15 dozen a day. Just recently they came to almost a total halt in egg laying, down to 5 dozen a day. No change in diet or routine. What the heck is happening????? Anyone else in the area experiencing a decrease in egg production? Any thoughts???

They usually slow down a bit in the late summer. Could also be they are beginning their molt. Are they all the same age?

 

[Arielle]

I'm in south eastern MA, I have about 250 chickens. I usually get 12-15 dozen a day. Just recently they came to almost a total halt in egg laying, down to 5 dozen a day. No change in diet or routine. What the heck is happening????? Anyone else in the area experiencing a decrease in egg production? Any thoughts???

I have often wondered if the number of hours of light has decreased enough by this poiint in the year to cause the egg production to drop so they can molt.

When do you usually experience molt? ANd are your girls under lights??

 

[welly]

I have 14 girls and I have noticed a decrease in egg production as well.

 

[dkosh]

I started a thread in the egg laying forum also. They informed me that if I am having a predator problem they may be stressed from feeling hunted and stop producing. I am having a fox and hawk problem. Over the last 3 weeks I've lost at least a dozen. We've been able to shoot 1 fox while it was eating a chicken. We think there are at least 3 more. My brother-in-law caught a hawk with one in the driveway. So I'm wondering if this may be the reason. I rotate my ages they are (2yo-8mos). I haven't noticed any illness or the beginning of a molt. So I'm wondering if stress is the issue. I'm trying to fortify my current fencing. One chicken got pulled through a section of fence. I'm going to double that section. I've already found some areas that look like something could squeeze under. rocked up those areas. The problem is with 250-300 chickens at any time I have a very large outside area for them. As far as the hawks I'm putting up fishing line zigzagged across the top. That has worked in the past but this spring I took it down because the lines were starting to break and I never got around to putting it back up. The game cam is going up today and the gun is ready. I'm hoping that once they feel safe they will start producing again for me.

 

[Arielle]

My understanding is that this is the time that the young are starting to hunt as well- and lots of meat is needed. This seems to be when the predator season begins.

We manage this by deterents. Dogs are helpful. Electric fencing is helpful. .Wwe put up woven wire, it helped push the coyotes off a bit, so they can still follow their trail. THey don't stop anymore, just keep moving usually. We had one fox that we chased and yelled at it making this place too scary to come back to. Hawks grab one now and then. Usually kill a hen and cannot take off with it and we come running out so it can't feed on it, and it will sit int he tree watching then evenrually leave because we are not going to let it be rewarded with a meal. I am grateful that we abutt state land so these creatures do have other areas to meet their needs.

THere are other methods that you have mentioned, but I have no personal experience. I wonder if one of those owls on a post will work to keep the other raptors away.A territory thing.


Glad to see you will persue deterents first. We have never needed to kill a predator here and never intend to. That is just our preferred method as I have worked at wildlife parks and raised young fox and racoons that lost their parents. We expect to lose a few.

Good luck-- buy lots of fishing line!!