NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

Hi folks. I'm still kicking just not so high. Been a long time since my last visit. Hope all is well with everyone. It's hard these days since my wife passed. I'm still working at Wegmans and that leave little time to do the things I'd like around here.
Downsized the chickens a bit, the large hoop empty, About 20 plus chicks that hatched. Two roosters only a Barred EE and the Lavender Amer. Gave the rest away.
Still I get to many eggs. I'm too tired to wash them up right away. Just not motivated. Working to many hours.
Concord grapes near picking time. They've done well. Vines growing even on the chicken run. Will call a friend to come get some so she can make jelly. Last year, I tossed a whole recipe of juice, as it got moldy before I could get to it.
Been to the Fair but not seen the chickens. Hope to go tomorrow and look up Sam from Deryter. See if she'd like some chickens or chicks. Only going to keep two or three of those hatched. Stupid hens have not hatched all eggs and some chicks not cared for died. One has to be out there regularly to check often enough.
Amazingly Frenchy is still with me. She'll be 11 in Feb if she makes it. Thing is chickens can be fine one day and dead the next.
Got a new grandson and one on the way. Been to TX to see the two there. Nice visit. Spent time at the beach and at Galveston. Hope to go again.
Son and his being transferred to Idaho at the end of the year so I expect to see another state. I would like to visit Alaska one more time, but he and I don't get on.
Well as I said I hope everyone is well. Don't get the alerts so can't see when someone posts. Not a great deal of time these days.
Oh lord look at the time. off to work. No rest for the wicked I always say.
TTFN,

Rancher

 

[Purple Iris]

Hi folks. I'm still kicking just not so high. Been a long time since my last visit. Hope all is well with everyone. It's hard these days since my wife passed. I'm still working at Wegmans and that leave little time to do the things I'd like around here.
Downsized the chickens a bit, the large hoop empty, About 20 plus chicks that hatched. Two roosters only a Barred EE and the Lavender Amer. Gave the rest away.
Still I get to many eggs. I'm too tired to wash them up right away. Just not motivated. Working to many hours.
Concord grapes near picking time. They've done well. Vines growing even on the chicken run. Will call a friend to come get some so she can make jelly. Last year, I tossed a whole recipe of juice, as it got moldy before I could get to it.
Been to the Fair but not seen the chickens. Hope to go tomorrow and look up Sam from Deryter. See if she'd like some chickens or chicks. Only going to keep two or three of those hatched. Stupid hens have not hatched all eggs and some chicks not cared for died. One has to be out there regularly to check often enough.
Amazingly Frenchy is still with me. She'll be 11 in Feb if she makes it. Thing is chickens can be fine one day and dead the next.
Got a new grandson and one on the way. Been to TX to see the two there. Nice visit. Spent time at the beach and at Galveston. Hope to go again.
Son and his being transferred to Idaho at the end of the year so I expect to see another state. I would like to visit Alaska one more time, but he and I don't get on.
Well as I said I hope everyone is well. Don't get the alerts so can't see when someone posts. Not a great deal of time these days.
Oh lord look at the time. off to work. No rest for the wicked I always say.
TTFN,

Rancher

Hi Rancher, nice to see you on here, and thanks for the update - amazing that Frenchy is still going strong! Sorry life feels like too much work, and not enough chicken time, nice you got some Texas beach time though.

I don't get the alerts anymore either, just pop in when I remember.

Current chicken numbers down to 4, I'd be fine with a few more, but husband seems determined 5 is OK, and 6 would be too many, and I'm not sure how fair it would be to try and add a single bird, think it would be stressful for them being alone while initially in a quarantine pen....

After several rainy days last week the girls got out and about in the garden for some free range time, they got a little damp, but all enjoyed digging in the dirt!

 

[Purple Iris]

SUPER idea. My lavender plant is old and not as large. Need to
get a new plant. Thanks for the idea for the coop. Aria

No problem - I just copied / extended 'Gramma' leaf saving idea...
how is your new mini flock getting along together after the racoon attack? Found muddy prints on our coop last week, showed pics to a DEC employee friend - he says it's a racoon or possum. Luckily didn't manage to get to the chickens, but the chicken tractor is in a garden area with 5 strand electric wire fence perimeter, which we always assumed was good enough predator protection - guess not! Have been looking into electrified netting style fence, but not sure which to get - if anyone out there uses it and has recommendations, feel free to pass them on.

In the meantime have strimmed again under the lowest electrified wire, watered the soil around the ground rod, and added a double 'wrap' of garden netting on step in posts around the chicken tractor, and glad to say no more signs of disturbance seen.

 

[Aria]

Purple Iris: We now have 5 chickens. One Rhode Island Red and
4 ????? We have a neighbor who DOES NOT know what breed they are gave them to us. Some lay blue eggs and one lays cream colored. And we really just love Chickens ....regardless of the breed.

Rancher: Glad you are back posting. And I still remember(when
we first started with chickens that Silkies were not chickens...they were aliens. Since we lost all our Silkies we do UNDERSTAND. But they are beautiful. Eggs: NO.

My son and my husband reinforced the wire around the Chicken Run. And we have kept the chickens in the Coop and in the run.
We cannot afford to keep losing them.

 

[rancher hicks]

While I do understand limits, it is nice to keep a flock of birds of different ages. So while two may be waning with age, two or more are coming into lay.
Just pulled eggs from under Frenchy and Buckwheat, but 9 and 10. They sit together and each hatched out one chick this past early summer. I love them and neither lays as far as I know but i'm not up to more chicks. I just tossed a bunch of eggs having realized there is not rooster in that coop. I'm afraid to let a new guy in for fear it will set off a domino effect of sick hens. Stress causes all kinds of problems. I'm pretty sure one of the new chicks is a roo so I let things go for now.
TTFN,

Rancher

 

[cutipatooti]

Nice to hear from you rancher! So sorry to hear your wife passed. Try not to work to hard if you can help it. I’m glad you like to travel and get to see different places when you visit family. It’s amazing about Frenchy is still going. It’s amazing what chickens are capable of sometimes.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Nice to hear from you rancher! So sorry to hear your wife passed. Try not to work to hard if you can help it. I’m glad you like to travel and get to see different places when you visit family. It’s amazing about Frenchy is still going. It’s amazing what chickens are capable of sometimes.

Us oldies all remember you ..Glad you finally settled ...

I dont always get notifications either ..I solve that by having a tab in my browser open to the post I last read in this thread

 

[Gramma Chick]

Caution Everyone ! Remember Fall is the time Hawks Migrate and you may have more Hawk Sightings or attack s

 

[Aria]

Caution Everyone ! Remember Fall is the time Hawks Migrate and you may have more Hawk Sightings or attack s

Gramma Chick, THANKS for reminding us. We have or 5 chickens
in the Coop and the run. Regards, Aria

 

[Gramma Chick]

Gramma Chick, THANKS for reminding us. We have or 5 chickens
in the Coop and the run. Regards, Aria

Your welcome.. these last 3 days I have seen a Hawk every day ..I fear for my baby chicks
they are easier prey than the adults ..I thought I lost one yesterday ..it was just hiding