Hudson Valley NY *chat thread*

[Coupe]

I have 8 nesting boxes for my 7 girls...but thats only because i got an old large metal 12 hole for free! It was really rotted on the one half, so we just cut off the 4 that where damaged
My girls only use about 4 of the boxes.
In my other coop with the hamburgs i have a milk crate and they share it.
Terry, glad your roof finally got done!! It has been raining here on and off for the past day or to..iv been hopeing for a really good thunderstorm, but they all seem to miss my house! I enjoy a good storm..but havnt gotten any this year!

 

[LSzajko]

Quote:
LOL Thank you! I may have to alert the press! They're only about 16-17 weeks. I check the nesting boxes everyday for a surprise just in case! We have 2 brown leghorns (great layers from what I've heard), a SLW, an EE (the X-beaked girl), a black & a blue orpington but we think the blue one is a rooster; a barred rock, a buff silkie, an australorp, a RIR and 3 Tractor Supply mysteries...they're rust and white so they're probably red sex links (??) or some other mix. Not the friendliest birds at all. It really IS hard to narrow it down to just a few choices. This is probably why people wind up with 100 chickens! Everytime I look at chicken pictures or research breeds I create a wish list in my head. I definitely want a Welsummer and a speckled sussex, more EE's, and a salmon favorelle next time we get chickens. Right now there's absolutely no room for even 1 more. We've been throwing several ideas around. We can either expand our current coop, build a bigger one OR modify the goat house and add it to the other side of the run and have 2 coops. Another option is to convert the goat house, sell it and use the $ for materials for the new/bigger coop. If we decide on building a bigger coop it'll be a nice winter project for DH & our 7 yr. old son. Stay cool today!

 

[mountaindog66]

LOL Thank you! I may have to alert the press! They're only about 16-17 weeks. I check the nesting boxes everyday for a surprise just in case! We have 2 brown leghorns (great layers from what I've heard), a SLW, an EE (the X-beaked girl), a black & a blue orpington but we think the blue one is a rooster; a barred rock, a buff silkie, an australorp, a RIR and 3 Tractor Supply mysteries...they're rust and white so they're probably red sex links (??) or some other mix.

Wow, you have a great selection! If they are all the same age, it will be really interesting to see which ones lay first, and how big each egg is. I hear so much about Australorps and Barred Rocks having lots of large eggs (as far as the dual-purpose heritage breeds, I'm not counting layer-breeds like leghorns or the hybrid crosses like the red sex-links), so it will be good to see if that happens for you. On the other hand, you do have a lot of other strong layers with the leghorns and RIR so they may lay first anyhow. It will still be interesting to compare them all.

I'm thinking that some EEs would be really fun to have, seems like everyone gets lots of very large, colorful eggs from them, and many of them are very cute-looking with the muffs. I just know I want something different than buff orpingtons since my big sister has lots of those already.

Lexi, I'm surprised that your 7 girls actually use at least 4 nest boxes! I guess I'd better build at least 4. Winter project....

 

[Joanmcm]

We have meat chickens and egg chickens. The meat chickens are getting close to processing time. Does anyone know a reputable mobile processor in the HV? I have one that is interested but want to see if anyone had recommendations.

 

[LSzajko]

Quote:
From what I read here, the comb and waddles get brighter red as they get closer to laying. So far only the RIR's comb & waddles are bright so my bet is on her but I'm as inexperienced as one can get so I'm not betting much lol. All the other girls' combs are still pinkish. We shall see! And you're right about the EEs. The different colored eggs will be fun. I definitely want to get a few more. I also read that a crossbeak is pretty common in EEs. I hadn't noticed how much trouble Daphne was having eating so after we trimmed her beak I gave her a plate of turkey baby food, applesauce and a banana. She ate the entire plate by herself. The poor thing was starving. Ever since that day, she has become a sweet lap chicken. We have 4 nesting boxes but I was using 2 of them to store food and scratch. My husband closed off the other 2 to keep the girls out until laying time got closer...they were making a big mess and I didn't want them to make a habit of hanging out in them. Then I started thinking maybe the girls will fight if there's only 2 so I bought one of those deck boxes to keep in the run to store food, etc. Once my husband removes the wood blocking off the other 2 boxes, all 4 will be available. IF THEY EVER START LAYING!!!!!!!

 

[LSzajko]

Quote:
I think if you go back a few pages somebody mentioned a mobile processor but said it was expensive. Terry was that you?? Lexi maybe? Edited for my own dorkiness. Never mind...! It was you! LOL Sorry! Lexi will probably know.

 

[Coupe]

Iv seen some adds on craigslist before for chicken processing..but i dont know of any personaly.

 

[Joanmcm]

OK. Thanks.

 

[brooklyndiane]

Hi all, I'm not up in Hudson valley I'm in NYC.... I'm looking for a place to get a coop ASAP. A Local rescue that I had chatted with about getting a few hens called me because someone had abandoned 3. So I need a coop ASAP. I was planning on building my own and then getting the chickens, but things didn't work out that way. Any leads would be very much appreciated.

 

[LSzajko]

Hi all, I'm not up in Hudson valley I'm in NYC.... I'm looking for a place to get a coop ASAP. A Local rescue that I had chatted with about getting a few hens called me because someone had abandoned 3. So I need a coop ASAP. I was planning on building my own and then getting the chickens, but things didn't work out that way. Any leads would be very much appreciated.

Hi~

Which comes first the chicken or the coop? Most of the time, it's the coop!
There's a couple of coops for sale in the Hudson Valley section of craigslist.

Good Luck!