Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[dheltzel]

over one hundred more than last year! And I thought it was crazy that I went from 15 to 28! Lol.

Doesn't it make us feel better to know someone else is even crazier. I wonder if the normal people around you will think you're less crazy if you tell them about people like me?

On the topic of incubators, Jeffers has an incubator on sale for $35. Still air and no turner, but it's digital and those seem to have more powerful heaters than the ones with wafers. It is super easy to add a computer fan for free and I prefer a separate, low-power fan for use as a hatcher because I think air flow worsens shrink wrapping, so I unplug the fan when the chicks are starting to hatch, and only turn it on again if the humidity spikes above 90%.

If you want to try an incubator and need it to be cheap, or if you are thinking about adding a separate hatcher, you might want to go look at it.
Little Giant Digital Incubator

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Doesn't it make us feel better to know someone else is even crazier. I wonder if the normal people around you will think you're less crazy if you tell them about people like me? On the topic of incubators, Jeffers has an incubator on sale for $35. Still air and no turner, but it's digital and those seem to have more powerful heaters than the ones with wafers. It is super easy to add a computer fan for free and I prefer a separate, low-power fan for use as a hatcher because I think air flow worsens shrink wrapping, so I unplug the fan when the chicks are starting to hatch, and only turn it on again if the humidity spikes above 90%. If you want to try an incubator and need it to be cheap, or if you are thinking about adding a separate hatcher, you might want to go look at it.
Little Giant Digital Incubator

That's a petty good deal. I actually have my hovabator that I'm dying to try out this spring I still need to get a turner for it though. I already told hubby that I'll be hatching chicks like crazy lol. He didn't even try to argue, I think he gave up on that. Just rolled his eyes and walked away lol

 

[dheltzel]

That's a petty good deal. I actually have my hovabator that I'm dying to try out this spring

I still need to get a turner for it though. I already told hubby that I'll be hatching chicks like crazy lol. He didn't even try to argue, I think he gave up on that. Just rolled his eyes and walked away lol

You're gonna want a separate hatcher so you can do staggered hatches. You don't need a turner for the hatcher of course.

 

[dheltzel]

I haven't tried these, but for $45, if you can spare it, seems like a good deal. It's rowdy out there. My neighbor texted me to let me know her hubby saw the fox creeping last night. She also said her friend about 20 minutes away had her flock wiped out (10+ chickens) the night before. My mailman said today his friend in the next town over put out a trap and caught 6 foxes (in pretty developed suburbia). Glad my girls are locked up until I let them out.

Do you guys manually close your doors every night?

I ordered a 4 pack. Good thing I was quick about it, they sold out the 100 they had at that price in less than 20 minutes.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

I'm very close to WC and could pick him up, wanna PM me info? I'm done getting birds processed, but I have a local friend who would probably make dinner of him.

@LMP, what does the note on front of the ACV say?
Sorry it has taken me so long to get back on here..we have been very busy, to say the least

The note: it has the date i started the concoction, when to stir it , & when it should be "done"..it is looking very good, I have to stir it today. There are nice sized "things" in there

...& it smells really good, but then i guess you have to enjoy that perticular smell to begin with..haha

I haven't tried these, but for $45, if you can spare it, seems like a good deal. It's rowdy out there. My neighbor texted me to let me know her hubby saw the fox creeping last night. She also said her friend about 20 minutes away had her flock wiped out (10+ chickens) the night before. My mailman said today his friend in the next town over put out a trap and caught 6 foxes (in pretty developed suburbia). Glad my girls are locked up until I let them out.

Do you guys manually close your doors every night?

we have to manually lock everything up & turn on a "motion" light right @ the coop.
The other night the large barn motion sensor light popped on, there was a HUGE possum walking around the run area...i think it was more interested in the pumpkin bits still in the run..it meandered around the garden and then left the yard completely..didn't enjoy the spot lights!

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

I manually close my doors each night. And collect the water containers so they don't freeze, and put the food away so we don't get rats.

So my son broke his arm playing hockey. We are having the oddest year medically, I really don't believe in 'bad luck' or bad ju ju. But I could use a break from all this negative stuff. My son seems fine, smiling away as they wrapped him up, no tears. He's quite a trooper.

Wish I was here:

hey, give a hug to your guy there..geesh, sounds like a real trooper for sure! Probably thinks the cast is cool

..hahaha....
That pic right there is very inviting! I have just as many issue with the SUN as I do with the cold..haha, i know i am gonna her it after this, but I love the winter! ...the dun isn't as strong and therefore I can be a little more adventurous..if it's not too cold..hahahahaha

UGH, having coyote problems. Twice in the past 2 weeks they have tried breaking into the coop. The coop suffered some damage but everyone inside is ok. We've put a second layer of fencing around and over the run. Of course, the days we have to do repairs it has been raining and freezing. Hubby is putting his game camera outside to try and see how many are showing up. I just order some leg traps on Amazon. We hear them every night and I've seen them during the day in our lower field. I've started carrying a pistol when I go out to feed and water during the day. I'm at a loss for what else to do, any ideas?
.

we had coyotes here also..took out 20 of the neighbors birds and two-ducks., even attacked a dog...haven't had an issue for awhile now..maybe someone got it?..
I like to have protect no matter what the issue..we have way to many big animals here..bears,coyotes, mountain lions, bob cats...dogs....Be safe!!

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

over one hundred more than last year! And I thought it was crazy that I went from 15 to 28! Lol.
Speaking of which, I haven't posted any pics in a while

Cloud and her crew. They're almost as big as she is!


Shackles and Honey, coming to see what's up.


Lucky is looking very much like a pure Blue copper Marans

I'm really excited about that though she's 1/4 brahma.


I'm really loving Pebbles' coloring. She's a SLW/BCM mix so I'm not sure how that happened lol. She must've got that wheaten gene from my roo.


Midnight and her babies, Wynter, Flurry, and Fria.

great looking birds!! Love the pics

A pretty Cubalaya rooster and hen.

Auro:

I've seen this too...everything changes in a flock every day...your midnight may regain her dominant status after the brood or others my claim the space....midnight may be comfortable being a mid level girl or may exert her dominance...may take months to know....

Chicka..the overly picked on Marans is now the flock bully...never know what is going to happen with these birds...She even pushes the biggest girl around, until the biggin' decides she has had enough..

..it is always changing with them, on any given day someone steps up & gives 'chicka' a smack-down...

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

This is the third day of hot pepper seeds..they are eating like mad-birds..but still no eggs...i am a very patient person ..sometimes..they will have the rest of the week for hot seeds..then I will have to start squeezing them!!

Hope everyone made out okay with the "snow storm"...we are very fortunate, didn't get a thing here in central PA.

 

[hendricks115]

This is the third day of hot pepper seeds..they are eating like mad-birds..but still no eggs...i am a very patient person ..sometimes..they will have the rest of the week for hot seeds..then I will have to start squeezing them!!

Hope everyone made out okay with the "snow storm"...we are very fortunate, didn't get a thing here in central PA.

The snow storm that didn't happen has made my little lady one unhappy girl (except for this pic, it was her 5th birthday last week). She has even taken to bad mouthing Tom Clark (he knows nothing and fibs and Santa will not be stopping at his house!) Out of the mouth of babes!


I'm going to start trying the hot pepper seeds today. Our egg count has been terrible. I'm thinking we may be at a spot where our old girls are stopping and the new ones haven't started but not sure. I actually had to buy eggs at the store.

As far as the coyotes, they are very brazen. We've had one on the porch. I won't let my daughter go out with me to feed right now and the dog is escorted at night when he goes out. I'm calling my nephew and his buddies and going to organize a hunt.

 

[dheltzel]

We've had some interest from hunters to go for foxes and coyotes at night with lights. We had only one "maybe" coyote sighting, but a lot of foxes. I hope the hunters and trappers get 'em all.

I was thinking about getting some of those Dog-Proof coon traps to see if the coons are still around. We haven't seen any since one got in a box trap last summer, but maybe they are just not bothering to try to get into the pens and only eating free ranging birds we don't notice as being gone. Are coons active in cold weather? Are their pelts valuable now?