Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[chippysmom327]

Here's the little brood that this week's hatch ended with

4 of them have different mothers but the same father. The last one had the same mother as another but a different daddy lol. Here they are, side by side. Mamma to both of them is my white silkie Cloud. Daddy to the black one was my lavender ameraucana and daddy to the white one was my bbr oegb roo lol. I'm curious to see how the whitish one feathers out.

ETA: I need a new camera :/

Very sweet! Congrats!

 
I don't know why I didn't think of peppermint oil! We use EOs on ourselves all the time, but I always forget about using them on our animals. Peppermint is really strong to put right on the skin, when I use it on us I dilute in olive oil or coconut oil so it doesn't burn... I would think you would want to do the same for animals. I wish I would have thought of this before I bought the poultry dust at TSC... maybe I'll try the EOs first and see how they do. The nest boxes are big problem areas for us (I assume, since only the hens seem to be really affected), I think I'll clean them out today and spray down with peppermint/TTO in some water or alcohol. One of my big concerns about using chemicals was leaving a film/dusting on the eggs and the EOs will alleviate that problem.

I have lots of peppermint plants that need to be cut back soon. I think I will put the cuttings into the nest boxes and let them dry and give off their fragrances.

Yes, please let us know how it works! I always try holistic before anything.

My nest boxes are constantly stocked with fresh herbs. I have spearmint taking over my garden, and always put a few stalks in the nest boxes to deter bugs. If I have extra, I'll throw some lemon balm in there too as bugs don't like that either. I also take big bunches of mint/lemon balm and tie them to the wire where the windows are. I find the amount of flies in the coop is reduced dramatically.

 

[barbiegirl]

I throw in my nesting boxes lemon balm, chocolate mint and marigold flowers I grow to keep the bugs out.

 

[LadyBehir]

Re the wee peafowl....didn't Hera have an affinity with peafowl? That might be a good name if it is a girl.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Sorry for being a thread hog! . But check out that broody defending her babies in the first pic...

@dheltzel Am I wearing your name out yet? Here are some pics of the new peeps.

I will try to get clearer pictures tomorrow.

 

[dheltzel]

I found another broody hen with new chicks today. I actually saw her yesterday but she had them 7 feet up off the barn floor and was trying to figure out how to get them down. She somehow got them to jump and today I caught her and her 8 chicks and put them into a safe cage where I can see that they get feed and water and are safe from predators. There are 2 of these hens that are very fierce mothers, they are "super blue egg layers" that I made last year from commercial white leghorns crossed to a lavender ameraucana. Neither breed is know for broodiness (especially leghorns), but something in that combo makes them determined mothers. They really are good layers, when they aren't broody.

Oh, and did you know that peas have well developed feathers on their wings from the moment they hatch? This chick, less than a day old, has about as much feather development as the chicken chicks that hatched a week ago! I guess they are serious about flying soon. I've had 10 day old quail that are flying out of their brooders, I think peachicks might be the same way.

 

[BullChick]

The flock is enjoying a free range session, and I'm not sure if they will go back to the coop. They are usually in bed long before the sun goes down.
I'm sure that they will head for the coop soon... If they find it. Scratch holds no appeal, so it is up to them.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

The flock is enjoying a free range session, and I'm not sure if they will go back to the coop. They are usually in bed long before the sun goes down.
I'm sure that they will head for the coop soon... If they find it. Scratch holds no appeal, so it is up to them.

they're probably just enjoying some time outside I've noticed that mine teens to stay out later when they get to free range.

Mine are rather upset right now. They haven't been allowed to free range for a while. We need to finish fencing in the garden and just don't have the cash yet to finish it. Hopefully soon.

 

[mrrr0809]

Hey folks, my wife and I ordered chicks through chickensforbackyards.com. They are now five weeks old and doing excellent. We would like to downsize on the layers a little bit, so we're selling 2 bantam barred rock and 3 others of your choosing. The other breeds for sale are standard barred rocks or buff orpingtons. They were vaccinated from the hatchery with Marek's vaccination and have been on medicated feed. We're in Kempton, which is midway between Allentown and Hamburg off of 78. I have a friend who might be interested, and I figured I would put them on here instead of Craigslist for now- hoping to bring more normal traffic in. Thanks all.

 

[BullChick]

I lied. I am not able to free range comfortably. The neighbors are too close (and complain about sick or dead birds all the time) and the road is also close. The big issue without that, is that they can never figure out where the run door is. They go all around the run, and back again, never coming out of behind the door (it just now occurred to me to switch the door). In hopes of them at least looking at me, I shook the scratch can, and they actually came running! There was an issue with a happy dog running with them, but once I moved him, they came back. A little guiding, and they were inside.

 

[fisherlady]

I lied. I am not able to free range comfortably. The neighbors are too close (and complain about sick or dead birds all the time) and the road is also close. The big issue without that, is that they can never figure out where the run door is. They go all around the run, and back again, never coming out of behind the door (it just now occurred to me to switch the door). In hopes of them at least looking at me, I shook the scratch can, and they actually came running! There was an issue with a happy dog running with them, but once I moved him, they came back. A little guiding, and they were inside.

Glad they are back in for you.... they were good about getting themselves back in when here, but always left it till the very last bit of daylight.

Our older birds head in by 6 or 7, so I know they outgrow it but it is still frustrating/worrying when they do it.