Chattanooga, TN (surrounding areas) CHICKEN LOVERS

[cherbear56]

Well, we'll see how this goes but I would like to start a thread here for everyone in & around the Chattanooga, TN area.

I find it's nice to know others in the more immediate area for numerous reasons:  staying up-to-date on issues in the area, getting to know area breeders, selling/buying, upcoming local events, sharing knowledge etc. etc. etc.

A little about me personally (well at least when it comes to chickens/poultry etc.):

I live in Ooltewah, but actually it's more like north Harrison area.  I'm actually closer to Birchwood, off HWY.58, than I am in the hub of Ooltewah.
I bought my first chickens just last summer, June.  We set out just wanting a few "cute" chickens for pets and then maybe a few hens to supply us eggs.  Well, 6 months later at one point we had some 54 but we are currently down to 29 BUT my plans are come late Feb.  to start either letting a broody hen hatch some of our eggs or use the incubator. 

Hope to get some local members to join the thread, so pass it along.
Thanks

Hi
I am in Cleveland TN. and just now in the process of building our coop. Hope to have it finished next weekend. We hope to get 4 young Branhams from a coworker. Tried chickens a couple of years ago and something got in and got all but 1. This new coop is "critter proof"....hopefully.

 

[StacyTN]

I was born and raised in Rossville, GA. right over the state line!
I'm in Nashville now, but never will forget my roots.
Can I join your forum? You guys are awesome and I'm in the Chattanooga area quite a bit since most of my family still lives there.

Of course you can join the group. Glad to have you.
Welcome welcome welcome

 

[StacyTN]

Hi
I am in Cleveland TN. and just now in the process of building our coop. Hope to have it finished next weekend. We hope to get 4 young Branhams from a coworker. Tried chickens a couple of years ago and something got in and got all but 1. This new coop is "critter proof"....hopefully.

Welcome -

nice to have you join us.
Post pics of coop & chicks when you get them.
Yes, critter proofing is a must.

 

[StacyTN]

don't know if anyone has posted it or not but there is a show in Newport this Saturday. I think its called Something to Crow About and its at the fairgrounds. I went to the one last Fall and it is not a huge show but it was nice. Just thought I wold throw it out there in case anyone is interested.

Thanks for the show info. I so want to go but with the granddaughter in ball my weekends are booked up. Of course, probably no game tomorrow with the expected rains/storms but wouldn't want to drive it on anyways.
Thanks for sharing, maybe others can make it.

 

[RedRidge]

Just now found this group.
Thought I'd introduce myself...
I live about halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga and have had chickens for years.
I have a wide variety of laying hens... Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpintons, Gold Laced Wyandottes, Red Stars.
I raise Mille Fleur D'uccles to use for my live incubators - love these little useful things.
And I have a flock of Heritage Rhode Island Reds (Underwood line), and a flock of Rhodebars.

Nice to find other local chicken folks.
www.red-ridge-farm.com

 

[Jim H]

Welcome Redridge, do you keep all your breeds together and if so, how do they get along......thanks

 

[RedRidge]

Welcome Redridge, do you keep all your breeds together and if so, how do they get along......thanks

I keep several groups. My heritage and rare in one coop, my heavy layer production birds in another, and my live incubators in another.
I have an old rabbit hutch (that was here when we moved here) that I have converted to brooders and an area for hens with babies.
Everyone free ranges during the day once they are old enough (I raise Italian Maremma livestock guardians also for lgd's for my chickens and my sheep), except my d'uccles... they are not only smaller, but seem to always be broody so they don't care if they go out.
We also have a portable chicken tractor... usually that is for breeding groups that have a rooster so I can track who is breeding who.

So... everyone gets along fine but I don't keep a lot of roosters. As a matter of fact, I am now down to only one mature rooster - Buzz the Buff.
Rodney the RIR came after me more than once... we still have him, but he's a bit on the chilly side right now in the deep freezer.

I have a lot of chicks right now though, so will have RIR and Rhodebar cockerels I'm sure.
And Muccle, one of my D'uccles, has been sitting on 7 Buff Orpington eggs for 20 days.

 

[rockinrandall]

Hello all - so glad I found this thread. I was an active user of the East TN thread that Bairo started until it got shot down. Not sure why it did, but I'm glad there's one closer to me. I see some familar names on here!

I live in Ooltewah and have been a 'chicken farmer' (as I've been called by my friends) for about 10 months. I have an assortment of chickens ranging from Cuckoo Marans, French Black Copper Marans, Welsommer, and Welsummer over EE. Been enjoying quite the colorful egg basket!

I haven't had any drama since getting my flock up and running so I haven't been posting in the forums recently. Now I have a question and hope to gain some insight from you guys. I've got two hens that have gone broody at the same time. ALL the hens lay in the same nesting box even though there are 5 available. The two broody hens are squabbling over sitting on the eggs that are in the communal box. Should I separate these two hens from the rest of the flock, just one, or let them duke it out for the rights to sit on the eggs. There's 10 eggs that were layed and are being set on.

The othe issue is I'm starting to find eggs in the yard now that the favorite laying box is occupied. Is there any way to make the other laying boxes 'more desireable' so they lay in those?

Thanks!

 

[StacyTN]

Hello all - so glad I found this thread. I was an active user of the East TN thread that Bairo started until it got shot down. Not sure why it did, but I'm glad there's one closer to me. I see some familar names on here!

I live in Ooltewah and have been a 'chicken farmer' (as I've been called by my friends) for about 10 months. I have an assortment of chickens ranging from Cuckoo Marans, French Black Copper Marans, Welsommer, and Welsummer over EE. Been enjoying quite the colorful egg basket!

I haven't had any drama since getting my flock up and running so I haven't been posting in the forums recently. Now I have a question and hope to gain some insight from you guys. I've got two hens that have gone broody at the same time. ALL the hens lay in the same nesting box even though there are 5 available. The two broody hens are squabbling over sitting on the eggs that are in the communal box. Should I separate these two hens from the rest of the flock, just one, or let them duke it out for the rights to sit on the eggs. There's 10 eggs that were layed and are being set on.

The othe issue is I'm starting to find eggs in the yard now that the favorite laying box is occupied. Is there any way to make the other laying boxes 'more desireable' so they lay in those?

Thanks!

Welcome back to BYC & now to this thread.

I know exactly what you are going through. I currently have 5 broody hens laying on a total of 60 eggs. You may want to try and seperate the eggs and see if each hen will sit on them individually. I was lucky that all of mine picked individual boxes.
As for the eggs in the yard, you may try placing an egg or two in another box and taking the laying hen/hens and placing them in the box with the egg, maybe they will get the idea.

I've got one (LF cochin) that went broody a coupe of days ago, so I put 18 bantam cochin eggs under her. She is being contrary though, i put the eggs in the box she was laying in, but the next day she was in another box (no eggs). I move the eggs under her and then I come in today and she's moved back to the original box that I took the eggs out of - ugh, mabe she'll decide to settle dow!

 

[StacyTN]

NPIP # 63-472 woohooooooooooooooooooooo