Maine

[gracejr]

It looks like we're already changing over here Supposed to be nasty later and pretty windy, so I'm keeping them shut in the coop today. We still don't have a pop door installed, so all the weather likes to blow inside the coop when the big door is open. Since they rarely venture out in crappy weather, may as well just leave it closed. I've done cracked corn, sunflower seed, and table scraps, there are only a handful of the flock that will venture into the snow for it. This is all the first winter for them, so maybe they'll get used to it as time goes on?

 

[hoppy]

I had a fisher around the coop this morning, thankfully he couldn't get in. and I kept the kids home from school today, no sense in having some crazy person thinking the world is ending and taking more kids with them. and the roads would be slippery. good enough reason to keep them home.

 

[ashandvine]

loaded the incubator (again)
hopefully will have lots of paint silkie chicks for new years and the week after. then I will have to start thinking about hatching LF for spring swaps.

LF Silkies??

I had a fisher around the coop this morning, thankfully he couldn't get in. and I kept the kids home from school today, no sense in having some crazy person thinking the world is ending and taking more kids with them. and the roads would be slippery. good enough reason to keep them home.

Oooh, how did you know? Tracks? Wow. They are amazing animals, second only to Wolverines in my admiration. Glad they didn't take your birds though.

 

[lazy gardener]

Hoppy, I'm a newbie.... just doing homework until I can get started with chicks in the spring... Tell me about the swaps: location, attendance, how much poultry will likely be available for sale (or eggs). Currently planning to order chicks, but would be delighted to buy locally if i could get chicks or eggs of specific breeds. (Ameraucana, Australorpe, Dominique)

 

[hoppy]

we have swaps all over the state.current locations (and they are added each yr) are:
at tractor supply stores
augusta
waterville
lewiston
sanford
wilton
occasionally skowhegan, brunswick and scarbourgh

heard they will start in bangor in the spring.
also swaps are at farmington aubucon hardware
maine potato growers in houlton
(someone chime in if you think of places I'm missing)
and the local poultry shows -different rules apply since that's more private.
basically we set up in the parking lot, drop the tail gate and start selling. people need to clean up their space when they leave and the seller is responable to make sure what they are selling is legal to be sold.(some game birds require permits, chicks under 6 weeks have to be sold in lots of 6).
some locations have better turn outs then others and some weekends are better then others depending on outside factors (weather, holidays, other events etc). there usually is alot for sale the early swaps and as it gets closer to fall, less. Chicks are usually available, hatching eggs occasionally. there are usually threads on here for each swap location and people will post what they are bringing or what they are looking for. ( it gives the seller/buyer time to plan in advance so they can get those eggs/items to the swap presold).
swaps generally start april but can start earlier if it's warm enough to be standing outside for hours and time wise- 8:30-9:00 to 1-2 in the afternoon.
items people bring: all kinds of poultry, equipment, eggs, crafts, piglets, goats, honey, milk products (soaps, cheeses), seedlings. basically anything from the farm.
so if you are planning to attend a certain swap and want a certain kind of bird, post that you are looking for that and maybe someone can point you in the right direction or meet up with you.

Hoppy, I'm a newbie.... just doing homework until I can get started with chicks in the spring... Tell me about the swaps: location, attendance, how much poultry will likely be available for sale (or eggs). Currently planning to order chicks, but would be delighted to buy locally if i could get chicks or eggs of specific breeds. (Ameraucana, Australorpe, Dominique)

 

[hoppy]

I'm sure at some of the swaps you will be able to find those over sized silkies but I don't have them.

LF Silkies??

 

[lazy gardener]

thank you for the info re swaps. will be looking for one in my area.

 

[CoopChick719]

To get my birds out of the coop I put good food for them out in a rubber bucket. I put a couple cups of their pellets, some corn, flax seeds and sun flower seeds, and then add (hot) water to make it moist. They get whatever leftovers we don't want, too. Fridge clean out day is always an epic breakfast for them. Most are excited to get up and go outside and eat. It might work for some of you to get them out of the coop.

Also, I find that just shoveling the snow isn't enough, I put down a small bit of hay (and sometimes sprinkle scratch in it) right outside the pop door, and sometimes throw shavings out from the coop if it's really icy/snowy. That also helps soak up some of the water/mud when spring thaw hits.

Just a thought.

I do have some chickens that refuse to come out of the coop all winter, and that's ok. But most do come out.

Thanks for the advice SCG! Mine love people food as well.My family already thinks I'm nuts so when I've stopped them from scraping the dinner plates into the garbage disposal to scraping them into a bowl by the sink for the chickens, they just rolled their eyes!!

They said I need to post a list of what goes where--chicken bucket, redworm bin, or definitely the compost pile.

I have a covered run under some big pines but I swear the snow & rain are blowing in sideways. I have a low spot right near the door that is now a mini-pool--had to dig it down to level the pen. Funny, I don't remember that area being wet until we put the pen there!!

Told the DH that we are tarping the North side of the pen now I'm thinking maybe the West side (where door is) as well. Are you throwing fresh shavings into the run or used stuff from the coop?

I had a fisher around the coop this morning, thankfully he couldn't get in. and I kept the kids home from school today, no sense in having some crazy person thinking the world is ending and taking more kids with them. and the roads would be slippery. good enough reason to keep them home.

Oh no, Hoppy, a fisher?! Glad your flock was safe!!

The only tracks I've seen around my pen have been deer & my dogs. I hope that's all I see this winter but we live near the power lines which is like I-95 for the wildlife. I'm pretty sure I've heard a few coyotes in the fields across the road. That makes me nervous for all my animals.

 

[ashandvine]

Hoppy, I'm a newbie.... just doing homework until I can get started with chicks in the spring... Tell me about the swaps: location, attendance, how much poultry will likely be available for sale (or eggs). Currently planning to order chicks, but would be delighted to buy locally if i could get chicks or eggs of specific breeds. (Ameraucana, Australorpe, Dominique)

I would be interested to know what your Dominque hatchery birds look like. Don't buy Ams from hatchery. They won't be true. They will be AmerIcauna. Not the same.

 

[ashandvine]

I'm sure at some of the swaps you will be able to find those over sized silkies but I don't have them.

Was your nose in the air when you said that? LOL I could hear it! I know, I keep asking and you keep denying. Come on. If I can say that a used Kleenex that lays eggs is cute then you can admit that large Silkies are useful and cool. (nudge nudge)