Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[just me]

Quote: Everytime I come to catch up on this thread, I feel like I am among friends!!

This past Saturday, my aunt and I made the first "old timey' stew since my mom passed. We've made stews in the "wash pot" together before, but this time, we did it the "real' way (using wood instead propane). MAN, I had forgotten how much better a stew tastes with that smokey flaver. That experience really made me miss how things used to be, and also made me realize how much my kids missed out on because we tried to make things "better" for them growing up.

And now here comes Bobby Basham, making me miss the old days even more!!

Thanks for the post, Bobby!!

 

[armorfirelady]

Wow I was gone for 5 days for EMS deployment to Long Island after the hurricane & come home to find out I am 40+ pages behind......finally caught up on this thread tho.

My mom was critter sitting while I was gone. Hens have done great in the cold temps we have had while I was gone. 3 roost together on lower roost now with the Biggest hen by herself on the highest roost. I closed one of the vents at the top so no cold cross breezes with the storm. And when I checked on them last night when I got home from Long Island the Biggest hen was toasty warm on the roost by herself. I had to make a new batch of FF last night. Smelled foul with green mold on it. With it sitting on hearth the water evaporates quicker & I forgot to remind my Mom to add water to it, Thankfully it was almost gone. But the backwash of Mother & water that was in the bucket smelled fine so I left it for the new batch & just added fresh feed & water & mother.

After being gone for 5 days I am happy to report that the coop still smelled fine. No strong amonia smell. My mom threw out some boss/cracked corn to get the hens in at night and they did a great job of stirring up the litter. And the hens were in most of the day because she leaves so early for work she didnt want to open the pop door due to predators. So they didnt get let out till after 2 or 3pm. Of course they had quite a lot to say to her when she freed them in the afternoon

Tonight after work I will be doing a better stir of the litter and add some shavings. Those hens def did a number to the open hay bale I had in there. Almost 24 inches of hay in there now in the wooden run. I had opened the bale before I left so I could put hay down in the soggy/muddy areas they walk in due to all the rain. I never thought they would take apart the 3/4 bale left in the run. Now I know next time to tie it back up.

And the heated dog bowl kicked on last night since the temps were in the 20s. So this morning one was warmed up for the FF. The 2nd one was not warm to touch so I will have to investigate further. Bu the hens were up when I left for work this morning voicing their pleasure of being let out 1st thing in the am again. (thank goodness for the time change)

ALL THIS GREAT NEWS OF MY HENS WAS DO THE GREAT OT's ON HERE WHO WITH THEIR WONDERFUL KNOWLEDGE THEY SHARED ENSURED MY HENS WILL THRIVE & GROW & I HAVE NO QUALMS THEY WILL SURVIVE THEIR 1ST WINTER.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

 

[just me]

Wow I was gone for 5 days for EMS deployment to Long Island after the hurricane & come home to find out I am 40+ pages behind......finally caught up on this thread tho.

My mom was critter sitting while I was gone. Hens have done great in the cold temps we have had while I was gone. 3 roost together on lower roost now with the Biggest hen by herself on the highest roost. I closed one of the vents at the top so no cold cross breezes with the storm. And when I checked on them last night when I got home from Long Island the Biggest hen was toasty warm on the roost by herself. I had to make a new batch of FF last night. Smelled foul with green mold on it. With it sitting on hearth the water evaporates quicker & I forgot to remind my Mom to add water to it, Thankfully it was almost gone. But the backwash of Mother & water that was in the bucket smelled fine so I left it for the new batch & just added fresh feed & water & mother.

After being gone for 5 days I am happy to report that the coop still smelled fine. No strong amonia smell. My mom threw out some boss/cracked corn to get the hens in at night and they did a great job of stirring up the litter. And the hens were in most of the day because she leaves so early for work she didnt want to open the pop door due to predators. So they didnt get let out till after 2 or 3pm. Of course they had quite a lot to say to her when she freed them in the afternoon

Tonight after work I will be doing a better stir of the litter and add some shavings. Those hens def did a number to the open hay bale I had in there. Almost 24 inches of hay in there now in the wooden run. I had opened the bale before I left so I could put hay down in the soggy/muddy areas they walk in due to all the rain. I never thought they would take apart the 3/4 bale left in the run. Now I know next time to tie it back up.

And the heated dog bowl kicked on last night since the temps were in the 20s. So this morning one was warmed up for the FF. The 2nd one was not warm to touch so I will have to investigate further. Bu the hens were up when I left for work this morning voicing their pleasure of being let out 1st thing in the am again. (thank goodness for the time change)

ALL THIS GREAT NEWS OF MY HENS WAS DO THE GREAT OT's ON HERE WHO WITH THEIR WONDERFUL KNOWLEDGE THEY SHARED ENSURED MY HENS WILL THRIVE & GROW & I HAVE NO QUALMS THEY WILL SURVIVE THEIR 1ST WINTER.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

THANK YOU for going to Long Island!!

Glad your chickens faired well in your absence.

 

[chickencowranch]

All the info I found stated these birds do not have problems when laying. My hen had two problems...she had poor conformation to begin with, was collecting too much fat around her vent that could obstruct eggs as well, and put the twisted pelvis on top of that and there becomes more of a problem. Another thing to consider is one genetic deformity can indicate there may be others...upon exploring this hen's ovaries I found that she had a very underdeveloped ovary, even for a slow down time. She might have eventually laid eggs but she is over 2 yrs old...I'd say she was ready for culling.

Here's the other pics I didn't show...too much fat (she was a big eater, not a good forager) and underdeveloped ovary:

So Bee what are those gel like things in the bottm picture?

 

[Mskayladog]

I threw a bunch of winter wheat seed in the back run Sunday . If it doesn't germinate in the next week or so will the seeds harm the chickens? Right now I have the pullets fenced off from that run if the seed does not show signs of growth I would like to open that run back up.

 

[thedragonlady]

I threw a bunch of winter wheat seed in the back run Sunday . If it doesn't germinate in the next week or so will the seeds harm the chickens? Right now I have the pullets fenced off from that run if the seed does not show signs of growth I would like to open that run back up.

Your birds will love that seed. Some may have sprouted too, and they'll eat it roots and all.

 

[JeffOeuf]

Only problem would be if it was treated seed. If not, it's just wheat!

 

[Mskayladog]

Only problem would be if it was treated seed. If not, it's just wheat!

Thanks dragonlady and Jeff. Called the feed store it has not been treated.

 

[Beekissed]

So Bee what are those gel like things in the bottm picture?

Those are eggs...well...tiny, potential eggs. In all different sizes of development. In a good layer, that mass would be twice that size and you'd see a lot more of the pale yellow eggs and actual big, orange yolks of various sizes there as well. That's the ovary of the chicken.

 

[JeffOeuf]

Jeff's Newbie Question of the Day (I'm going to try to limit myself to just one).

One of my eggs today had some hard material on the shell. Like a couple little bits of shell welded to the surface of the otherwise smooth shell. Is that a sign of anything? Should I be concerned? I'm guessing it is just a fluke, but thought I would confirm.