Maine

[Cknldy]

TSC in this area get their chicks from Mt Healthy. Last year Mt Healthy had salmonella problems again- it was on the cdc website. I guess this could happen with any hatchery but the "assorted bantams" looked like white silkie chicks-I bought some for the kids and this is what we ended up with: standard size single comb chickens that resembled silkies in that the feathers were silkie feathers and the skin was black. The single comb cockerel was as mean as the RIR roo I had at the time! Before selling them I had collected a few eggs and hatched them. Yeah, not a good idea...now have small standard size pullet, walnut comb standard size cockerel with the double "beak" toe and a toe that has been 'funky' since hatching. The single comb cockerel also has huge feet. I'd use caution but I guess getting production layers may be alright. I used Welp Hatchery back in October and highly recommend them. Very happy with the breeds ordered and health if the chicks. Not to mention I ordered about 40 but received over 50

 

[Branch Chickens]

Just popping in for a moment to say hi and ask a few questions.
We're heading out this afternoon to check out a used coop in the next town over. It's about 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 feet and looks perfect for our small flock. Still have to see about getting it loaded onto a trailer and moved in this snow. That may be interesting.
Once we get it back to the house, we have a few choices for where to put it.
We live in an old farmhouse with a big barn, and we were originally planning to put our hens somewhere in there, but sadly, the entire building is a lead paint nightmare. Our oldest son was poisoned when he was just a year old, so there are too many what-ifs in my mind about keeping chickens in the barn or fencing them around the perimeter of the house.
So, we're looking at placing the chickens on either east or west side of our house. The eastern side would be fenced-in field, with a small elm tree that really doesn't offer much shade, but there is varying vegetation and a maple tree that will begin providing shade in the next couple of years.
On the western side, there is a slope with a maple tree, rose bushes, and several coniferous trees. Here, we will have plenty of shade but also more to think about in terms of fencing and keeping predators from getting into the trees and eyeing the flock.
If it were you, would you go with the more open, easier to fence area or the shaded, more susceptible to predators area?
My other question is, what feed do you buy your chickens and where do you purchase it? I usually turn to my mother for this kind of chicken advice, but she had been feeding organic feed, and I don't think that is going to be the way we go.

 

[87jmchugh]

I have no idea how good this place is, but they list Doms. Go to the Albany Craigslist and search for Doms. The place is called Poultry Kingdom. Good luck.

Is this Albany, Maine?

J&M

 

[hoppy]

So Benedict, my rooster, seems to be picking on Chewbacca (my silkie). She's about the size of his leg, and he's been spending a lot of time jumping on her and pinning her down, sometimes grabbing her head feathers with his beak. Is this typical rooster behavior to females? I haven't noticed him doing it to the others, but she's the only girl who's completely mature (the others are only just beginning to lay). She's also my only bantam-- I didn't plan it that way, but the other silkie I had died a few months back. Is he just "practicing" with her? Is this an indicator that he'll become more aggressive? I've been feeling bad for my little girl. She hides in the corner from him, tucked between her old nest box (one of those ones that you buy at the store, but she uses it as a roost now) and the wall.

 

[kebby]

Hi! Just wanted to introduce myself. (Hopefully I have this in the right place...) I am in Auburn Maine, and since the ordinance passed for having backyard chickens a few years back, I am very much enjoying having them.

I love BYC. I have learned a ton and used the various posts and photos in the designing and building of our coop and brooders. I just ordered an incubator and thus can start trying out hatching. Yay!

 

[buckabucka]

Welcome, kebby! Hatching is a lot of fun.

Branch Chickens, I had a fenced in area that included both open lawn and woods, and the chickens always headed into the wooded area. They seem to love digging in the leaves, and the canopy helps to protect from aerial predators.

 

[lazy gardener]

Welcome back Hoppy. Long time, no see! I'm looking for: Rose combed brown leghorns, Silver laced Wyandottes, and also some (Red Rangers or Pioneers, or Dixie... meat birds.) Will be getting replacement Doms from Aubuchon. Can hatch or start day old pullets on the RCBL and SLW, preferably start pullets.

Welcome also to the new folks. Lots of good information here.

Thanks all for the recommendations of where you've had success getting chicks in the past. I'd love to hear from others, particulary with included details about:
What month did you order? Direct from hatchery or via hdw. store or feed store?
What breeds of chicks, how was their health, disposition, conformity to SOP, Good laying history?
Did you get what you ordered? Correct gender? Extra chicks/packing peanuts?

I'm aware of the Mt. Healthy issues in the past. That's certainly a yellow flag. I'm wondering if they have more of a watch dog situation over them b/c of the past. Also thinking that there are probably other hatcheries with similar problems that just never made it to the news. So, if I have options, I'll certainly exercise them, but not completely closed to using Mt Healthy, if that seems to be the only option.

Edit: After an extensive search, I found that Privett also was listed with CDC for Salmonella infections.

 

[striperon]

Is this Albany, Maine?

J&M

Sorry, Albany, NY. The hatchery is located in Cobleskill, NY. It would be a full day trip there and back. Maybe they ship.

 

[Widget]

to all the new peeps. Seems like everyone is from central and more northern Maine. Or the southern folks are just quiet.


As to the question on ordering. Order now for best selection. You can request when you want them so if you will not be ready until the end of April then that is when they will be sent. I have ordered directly from Ideal, Cackle and Holderreads (ducks) with great results with all three. I lost some from Cackle and they were replaced a month later due to the breed availability. I now tend to order from my local feed store since I do not have to be around to pick up day olds at the post office. Overall good health and non aggressive. SOP conformity not so much but I do not show so that is not that important to me. No mistakes with gender so far. And depending on the order size I have always had one or two extras in the box when I ordered directly from the hatcheries.

 

[Branch Chickens]

We have a coop! At least we've bought it. We still need to get hold of a tractor to move it where it needs to be, but the coop was in great shape and just a little bigger than we need it to be. 5 sq. ft. per hen, and that's if all chicks make it to henhood. Roosts are great, 4 nest boxes with access outside the coop, 2 storm windows with screens. It's pretty much exactly what we would have built, and my husband won't have to give up his weekends to build it!