They are not sick or anything, but this past year I just haven't had good luck with birds! We had a big predator attack this summer when my dad left the coop open while I was away at an internship. We lost about half our flock. All the flooding from these storms we've had has washed out both coops pretty badly and has rusted a lot of the chicken wire around the pens. A wonderful BYCer helped me find some easter eggers from a lady who was looking to rehome her flock and for some reason, they just won't really lay (they are about 4 years old, but my older birds still lay every now and again). Recently, a predator got one of my few bantams I have left while they were free ranging. I only have two roosters left and my oldest roo who is about 10 years old is not doing well. The other birds have been picking on him (we separated him), but he is very thin and I think we will probably lose him in the next few days. All in all, I have about 20 birds left and we hardly get ANY eggs. It is just so frustrating!
Just not a good year for chickens. Now I'm home from college for a couple years and I think it's time to knock down these two old coops and build something new. I also need to separate my geese from the chickens. They have been great for protection, but they eat a lot of the eggs from the chickens in that coop. I'm looking forward to getting some new birds and possibly rehoming some of the older birds I have now who aren't producing much to homes that will keep them as pets. I would also like to try raising some meat birds this Spring, but I have to start my research on that one and I need to find a butcher.
Ah well, just figured I'd actually start posting about my chickens again since I'm getting back into them after 4 1/2 years of college! I would also like to try hatching some this spring, since I haven't done that in many years.
Just not a good year for chickens. Now I'm home from college for a couple years and I think it's time to knock down these two old coops and build something new. I also need to separate my geese from the chickens. They have been great for protection, but they eat a lot of the eggs from the chickens in that coop. I'm looking forward to getting some new birds and possibly rehoming some of the older birds I have now who aren't producing much to homes that will keep them as pets. I would also like to try raising some meat birds this Spring, but I have to start my research on that one and I need to find a butcher.
Ah well, just figured I'd actually start posting about my chickens again since I'm getting back into them after 4 1/2 years of college! I would also like to try hatching some this spring, since I haven't done that in many years.
