Hudson Valley NY *chat thread*

[jzervas92]

Yes that was me I'm 21 so sometimes looking like a kid is helpful, and sometimes it's not. I actually stayed for a little while after the talk to see if anyone would come with chickens, I wish I stayed to say hi! Maybe the next chicken event in the hudson valley we'll bump into each other again!

 

[charlie14]

Things I don't discuss with friends: religion, politics, and common core.
I have two girls one in 5th and one in 1st, my 1st grader has more homework than the older one and I don't understand the work sometimes.

 

[LSzajko]

Yes that was me I'm 21 so sometimes looking like a kid is helpful, and sometimes it's not. I actually stayed for a little while after the talk to see if anyone would come with chickens, I wish I stayed to say hi! Maybe the next chicken event in the hudson valley we'll bump into each other again!

LOL You do look young but that's always a good thing!
A couple of years ago I went to the bar at a Dave Matthews Band show...waited in line for 30 minutes and then the guy at the register asked for my ID. I had to go ALL the way back to our seats to get my license. I was annoyed because clearly he wasn't old enough to sell alcohol but secretly, I was really happy he asked because I was definitely old enough to be his mom. Are you in college? Working f/t? Overrun with chickens like the rest of us? lol

We walked around for a little while after the lecture but knowing there were eggs hatching in the incubator and a bunch of other things to do, we headed home. JerseyHen told me about a local (*ish) chicken event on May 17th. Maybe we can all get together at that one. I'm almost glad there wasn't a chicken swap today. I'm irresponsible around chickens (and peanut butter).

 

[LSzajko]

Things I don't discuss with friends: religion, politics, and common core.
I have two girls one in 5th and one in 1st, my 1st grader has more homework than the older one and I don't understand the work sometimes.

I can relate.
I have trouble w/my son's homework all the time. I'm really, really bad at math to begin with so homework time is not pleasant. It's not fair to the kids at all.

 

[jzervas92]

LOL You do look young but that's always a good thing!
A couple of years ago I went to the bar at a Dave Matthews Band show...waited in line for 30 minutes and then the guy at the register asked for my ID. I had to go ALL the way back to our seats to get my license. I was annoyed because clearly he wasn't old enough to sell alcohol but secretly, I was really happy he asked because I was definitely old enough to be his mom. Are you in college? Working f/t? Overrun with chickens like the rest of us? lol

We walked around for a little while after the lecture but knowing there were eggs hatching in the incubator and a bunch of other things to do, we headed home. JerseyHen told me about a local (*ish) chicken event on May 17th. Maybe we can all get together at that one. I'm almost glad there wasn't a chicken swap today. I'm irresponsible around chickens (and peanut butter).

Just finished getting my associates degree in early education and I'm currently substituting right now waiting for jobs to open up. I also have a chicken addiction on the side haha.

 

[JerseyHen]

We walked around for a little while after the lecture but knowing there were eggs hatching in the incubator and a bunch of other things to do, we headed home. JerseyHen told me about a local (*ish) chicken event on May 17th. Maybe we can all get together at that one. I'm almost glad there wasn't a chicken swap today. I'm irresponsible around chickens (and peanut butter).

And peanut butter? Kind of begs the question, don't you think?

The sussex county poultry fanciers show its in Augusta nj on may 17. Great show, silent auction, sales cage area, vendors, etc.

 

[Coupe]

Ugh just lost one silkie to a fox attack other Silkie is badly hurt..huge hole in the back of her neck..but I have her inside and cleaned her up.. the BF was outside when it happend. **** fox are getting braver!
I heard the chicke s freakin out and let the dogs out instantly. ..Coupe went running into the swamp and found my hurt silkie...the other is MIA..most likely gone

 

[jzervas92]

Sorry to hear that Coupe, hopefully you can stop that thing before it comes back. I'm sure it gave the other predators some good ideas too,so I would be prepared. Last summer is when all my attacks started I had a flock of 16. The first attack left me with 8 and no bodies to be found, so it had to be coyotes or foxes. I stopped free ranging them, and made a new run out of chain link. Then over the months I slowly lost more to possibly raccoons, owls, or opossums. By November I had 4 left, and decided to pick up 2 slikies and one Ameraucana hen about 3 months old. I waited till we re did everything again, and then put them in the coop. A few weeks later I lost one slikie. During all of these attacks I keep setting traps and only kept catching raccoons. So about 5 months later I find out the last slikie is a rooster, he got killed a few weeks later. Then I got a free bantam rooster mix he got killed too. FINALLY a couple months ago the last and worst attack, something got into my coop and killed all of my chickens for fun. It fit into the smallest hole that I never saw before, so my conclusion was that it had to be a mink even with a few of the previous killings. I lined the inside of the coop with wire mesh, they also had a very large run so I downsized a lot. I'm still using the chain link but I want to line it with wire mesh, and I also have a covered run now and a new huge gate lined with wire mesh. I have a big fat Rhode Island Red Rooster now, and my 17 babies. We have way to much woods by us, so I have an obnoxious amount of predators in the area. On a lighter note, JerseyHen I don't really have a peanut butter obsession, but I do have a realllllly bad cheese obsession. You cannot trust me alone with chickens or cheese for sale!

 

[JerseyHen]

Ha! Cheese and peanut butter obsessions. Anyone else want to confess? Hmmmm? I have been known to horde local honey that comes up for sale around here.

 

[JerseyHen]

Ugh just lost one silkie to a fox attack

other Silkie is badly hurt..huge hole in the back of her neck..but I have her inside and cleaned her up.. the BF was outside when it happend. **** fox are getting braver!
I heard the chicke s freakin out and let the dogs out instantly. ..Coupe went running into the swamp and found my hurt silkie...the other is MIA..most likely gone

The fox are kitting right now, so they will be brazen. They will sometimes hunt in a pair at this time of year as well. We lost 8 to a fox attack several years ago at this time of year. One would come in from one side and the other would grab one in the chaos that ensued. I would chase one off into the woods and the other would come in from the other side. It took me an hour, a shovel, a dog, and sheer determination to get them chased off.

BTW, just a safety warning. If you have a fox or raccoon or unknown predator attack your chickens and find carcasses or live, but injured chickens, do not handle those chickens without gloves until all possible saliva has completely dried (preferably in the sun). Rabies is transmitted via saliva and you may not know if the animal that attacked them is healthy or not. Thankfully the rabies virus is readily destroyed when the saliva dries and by a good solid hand washing. I am not bringing this up to freak anyone out, but since it is that time of year when predation is heavy, I thought I would mention it. I had to go to the emergency room and have a chat about potentially needing the rabies vaccine after helping 2 of the birds injured in the attack. I had not thought about rabies until someone mentioned it, it was a rainy day so there was viable saliva, and I had cuts all over my hands (always do from gardening and projects). They had to call the state DH to determine if I met the criteria for the vaccine. They decided the risk was very low, so I opted not to have it. Plus, these looked like two extremely healthy fox.