Colorado

[Percheron chick]

No. It just means it got below 32* last night.

 

[suncatcher]

Is fine to eat frozen eggs, sometimes I give them to the dog. No is not to cold, as chickens keep warm with all their feathers, their eggs, not so much!

Wow, did we have wind again last night, hoping for some calmer, warmer weather over the next few days!

I hope to add a Heritage type turkey this coming year... maybe we can make a list of who will have poults for sale this coming spring?

 

[oshun55555]

I did read the thread where the OP posted the slander against Ideal Hatchery and caused the ensuing panic. Here's the thing I've learned trying to use this site to help keep me better informed to take care of my accidental flock: People act like a flock of panicked chickens pretty easily, especially on message boards where a lot of things are treated as absolutes when they are not. I mean, in that thread alone, people were *still* arguing on whether or not the OP had lied even *after* someone contacted the state and Ideal and proved that the OP had lied. The thread had to be closed because of the circles the arguing was going in. I've seen people here getting cutthroat about whether or not pumpkin seeds have any beneficial effect on chickens. Flipping pumpkin seeds. The peafowl section is really condescending and rude to outsiders and newbies to peafowl because god knows the only people who know anything about peafowl would be posting on this site and anyone else is a filthy liar selling under false pretenses. I may still be a little salty about that encounter. Or, hey, how about the user who accused me of being a terrible owner who would end up killing all her birds because my brother's puppy broke into my chick brooder and ate my blue phoenix chick? Because, on here, everyone is a saint and full of magic and can foresee any troubles and stop anything bad or unwanted from ever happening except for me and you, right?

What I'm trying to say, and I should really take my own advice on this also, is that take what people post here with a grain of salt. Just because posters here are throwing a walleyed fit about a disease that, according to vets and a majority of research, is the most common mycoplasma birds can get doesn't mean anything other than that's the hill they want to die on and can't see any other outcome other than doom. ALL those people claiming their flocks are healthy and are angry that people could have flocks with MG don't know 100% for sure that they don't already have MG in their flocks because birds can be carriers of the disease and never show symptoms of it. The *only* sure fire way they could know not a single chicken they own has MG is to have a vet test their entire flock every 90 days. My pullet chickens and my cockerel and my 5 1 year-old hens and the peacock and the other peahen haven't once shown symptoms. They all have MG, that's just a fact of life with how contagious MG is, but if Richmond hadn't shown symptoms a couple months ago I would have also worked under the assumption my flock didn't have MG and I wouldn't have ever known about MG. Reality check for me.

Can MG kill some birds? Yes, it can. Does it devastate flocks like AF or Marek's? In my extremely limited knowledge, no. If it did, vaccinating for it would be mandatory for large scale hatcheries and NPIP certification. Is it okay to have a meltdown when you find out that your flock does have MG? Totally, and I'm saying that because I'm biased and had one of my own. But then I had to think about the same thing I have had to think about since I was 10 and became responsible for the wellbeing of horses and dogs and rabbits and so on: Is this life threatening? Will this negatively affect their quality of life? Am I thinking more about how their death would affect me and euthanasia really is the best option? Talk to the people at the lab again and work out your questions with them. Talk to some vets about it. It made me feel a lot better having my vet explain MG to me and the realities of it because my imagination is vivid and wild and likes to jump to conclusions when allowed to.

At the end of the day, you have to do what's right for you and your flock because only you know what that is in a case like this. Do not let people here tell you what is best for you because they're in a panic. If you want to create a breeding stock, I think you should keep what you've worked on building and do that as long as the birds aren't suffering. Be honest when you sell, unlike this dude you were dealing with was. I have to think that with exhibitions being as unbiosecure as you can get, not a single bird being shown isn't already a carrier for MG as it is. I mean, every time I went to the Stock Show or a comic book or video game convention, I *always* came home with a serious cold! It's so prevalent, it's called Con Crud. I can't imagine that animals wouldn't have the exact same thing happen in that type of environment.

I would seriously love to see the level of biosecurity those people have if they think they can avoid MG or all diseases and infections in their flocks. Those chickens must be like that bubble boy movie John Travolta was in.

Amen

 

[oshun55555]

No it is not too cold for you birds.

 

[uzisuzuki]

Thanks for the responses everyone!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Been busy lately as I am sure so many others are as well.

COOL birds Uzi! I love seeing them and hearing about the adventures in keeping Peacocks. I don't blame the chickens for not coming out in the snow at all. It is not so deep on the bigger birds but the seabrights OH MY they would need a guide and a gnome with a shovel. So glad they are feeling better.

Love hearing everyone's experiences and learning along with you all. There is always something new to learn even though I had chickens years ago and now for over 5 years here.

My chickens are finally over the fear of snow and coming out of the coop too. I did have to clear some so they could see the dirt a bit. Bunch of spoiled gals they are.

My 8 month old Iowa Blue pullet is molting for certain now. I guess I got mine a little to early in the spring to avoid a fall molt. (place heavy sigh here)
I am getting more eggs now that I have put a lock on the coop. No one captured on the game cam so still not sure if it is the molting, the length of the days, a thief or squirrels causing the shortage of eggs. I only left the game cam up for 2 days though. As soon as it snowed I figured there would be more eggs.
I got 6 yesterday and 5 the day today.

I found one dig attempt at the run base as well. I know we have a fox in the area so the run has the apron and no actual entry was possible. The little wild bunny went running through the yard at top speed yesterday morning. I went looking and found fox tracks in the snow. Glad the little bunny is FAST.

LOL all that typing to say nothing new here.

Have a great day ya'll.

 

[uzisuzuki]

Been busy lately as I am sure so many others are as well.

COOL birds Uzi! I love seeing them and hearing about the adventures in keeping Peacocks. I don't blame the chickens for not coming out in the snow at all. It is not so deep on the bigger birds but the seabrights OH MY they would need a guide and a gnome with a shovel. So glad they are feeling better.

Love hearing everyone's experiences and learning along with you all. There is always something new to learn even though I had chickens years ago and now for over 5 years here.

My chickens are finally over the fear of snow and coming out of the coop too. I did have to clear some so they could see the dirt a bit. Bunch of spoiled gals they are.

My 8 month old Iowa Blue pullet is molting for certain now. I guess I got mine a little to early in the spring to avoid a fall molt. (place heavy sigh here)
I am getting more eggs now that I have put a lock on the coop. No one captured on the game cam so still not sure if it is the molting, the length of the days, a thief or squirrels causing the shortage of eggs. I only left the game cam up for 2 days though. As soon as it snowed I figured there would be more eggs.
I got 6 yesterday and 5 the day today.

I found one dig attempt at the run base as well. I know we have a fox in the area so the run has the apron and no actual entry was possible. The little wild bunny went running through the yard at top speed yesterday morning. I went looking and found fox tracks in the snow. Glad the little bunny is FAST.

LOL all that typing to say nothing new here.

Have a great day ya'll.

They are an adventure, that's for sure! The tiny d'Anver has been the funniest to watch because she *loves* to go off & explore with the peacock. She's been trying to fly to spots or things not covered in snow to get around. Usually, that's my head/face. LOL Her & the Sebright have figured out that they can use me as a chauffeur when it snows.

I had a few small mouse holes dug from the outside of the main pen going into the pen & the wild birds have been using it to get into the pen! I couldn't figure out how an entire flock of barn swallows kept getting in there until I saw all the tiny bird feet prints in the snow around the mouse holes! Thought I was going more nuts than I already am for a minute.

I hope you don't have an egg theif. That's kinda scary to think someone would just come onto your property like that. Geez.

 

[samsr]

Been busy lately as I am sure so many others are as well.

COOL birds Uzi! I love seeing them and hearing about the adventures in keeping Peacocks. I don't blame the chickens for not coming out in the snow at all. It is not so deep on the bigger birds but the seabrights OH MY they would need a guide and a gnome with a shovel. So glad they are feeling better.

Love hearing everyone's experiences and learning along with you all. There is always something new to learn even though I had chickens years ago and now for over 5 years here.

My chickens are finally over the fear of snow and coming out of the coop too. I did have to clear some so they could see the dirt a bit. Bunch of spoiled gals they are.

My 8 month old Iowa Blue pullet is molting for certain now. I guess I got mine a little to early in the spring to avoid a fall molt. (place heavy sigh here)
I am getting more eggs now that I have put a lock on the coop. No one captured on the game cam so still not sure if it is the molting, the length of the days, a thief or squirrels causing the shortage of eggs. I only left the game cam up for 2 days though. As soon as it snowed I figured there would be more eggs.
I got 6 yesterday and 5 the day today.

I found one dig attempt at the run base as well. I know we have a fox in the area so the run has the apron and no actual entry was possible. The little wild bunny went running through the yard at top speed yesterday morning. I went looking and found fox tracks in the snow. Glad the little bunny is FAST.

LOL all that typing to say nothing new here.

Have a great day ya'll.

I wouls auspect that if you do have an egg thief, that they will hold off trying to steel eggs while there is snow on the ground, si as not to give them selves away. After the snow melts will be the time when they would try again. I would watch for tracks in the dirt. I hope that you dont have an egg thief though.

 

[COChix]

here is a pic of 7 of 10 ladys 2 cochin babys 2 rir's 1 gold laced wyondot 1 buff and an aracana/marran

Love the shot of the girl in the window well...lol

@21hens-incharge suppose to be warmer the next couple days, maybe good time to put the trail cams up, like Samr said no tracks once the snow melts.

We got 1 egg yesterday, from a pullet. Our older girls haven't laid since the move. Suppose to be nice today, gonna let the gang out into their new backyard for some free range time.

 

[coop410silkies]

They are an adventure, that's for sure! The tiny d'Anver has been the funniest to watch because she *loves* to go off & explore with the peacock. She's been trying to fly to spots or things not covered in snow to get around. Usually, that's my head/face. LOL Her & the Sebright have figured out that they can use me as a chauffeur when it snows.

I had a few small mouse holes dug from the outside of the main pen going into the pen & the wild birds have been using it to get into the pen! I couldn't figure out how an entire flock of barn swallows kept getting in there until I saw all the tiny bird feet prints in the snow around the mouse holes! Thought I was going more nuts than I already am for a minute.

I hope you don't have an egg theif. That's kinda scary to think someone would just come onto your property like that. Geez.

Yes, that IS scary. Bad news, too. It would be much better if the thief weren't human, and better yet if there were no thief at all. Uzi, your birds are lucky to have you as their provider and caregiver. My guess is that you are a FlockMistress.

@21hens: I suspected "visitors" to my basement apartment, once, and I considered all manner of things to trap them; my paranoia muscle got a real work out - for nothing, as it turned out. En lieu of a lot of expense and work, you could always just spread something in front of the coop door - like sawdust, ashes, sand, flour, or some such thing - that a thief would have to track through to get into the coop. If nothing else, you might be able to find out enough to relieve the stress of wondering and worrying. I forget: do you have your coop door padlocked?

Just think, in less than 3 weeks, the daylight hours will be getting longer. This day is starting to look nice.

My Sussex and mutt pullets are still laying - some - as are the Silkies, and they don't seem to mind the snow and the cold. One of my friends brought a friend over to pick up a big LS cockerel - for dinner, I think

- and he ended up buying one of the LS pullets. I hope she will do well for him and he will spread the word.

I worry about my some of my big LS cockerels. They don't like being cooped up and stay out in the snow and cold all day long, looking almost miserable. Their appetites seem OK, but they no longer will huddle or roost together at night. Each one is committed to having his own separate little shelter, which was not my plan at all.

This past summer one of my BA crosses flew off to brood a half dozen wild chicks. She weaned them early, I think, and they became an independent baby flock of their own; I have 2 acres of field over which they could roam, but of course they preferred my neighbor's property where they were most unwelcome. He called both the Sheriff and Animal Control and visited me a couple of times himself. FWIW, the Sheriff and Animal Control were not as interested in this old man's complaints as I was. I needed to find the chicks, catch them, and confine them - more than a few times.

So this fall a friend helped me set up a somewhat large (15' x 15') hoop coop with just a heavy duty white tarp, electrical PVC conduit, rebar stakes, screws and washers, and three sheets of free thin plywood. It took less than a whole day to put it up (he's fast), it stood up to the high winds, and it was cheap. Most amazing thing about it, though, is how warm and light it is! This coop is where most of the laying happens, and I like it a lot for all its lo-tech ugliness. AND I got all my wayward birds confined at last.

A few days ago I purchased a couple of clear tarps to make some more coops next spring, with a view toward using them to grow veggies in the (extended) growing season and housing chickens in the winter. I think it's a Plan, and I am excited about this. I set up some smaller similar shelters a couple of years ago, and have since been working on design and materials so that even a poor old lady can construct and manage them. The PVC frames have proven durable, and some Brands of the tarps still look as though I purchased them yesterday. I will post pictures if the project still looks good over time - and if anyone is interested in benefitting from my experience. Admittedly, they are not for most backyard chickens, but they have made it possible for me to pursue my dream of raising a Heritage breed to the best it can be.