Maine

[buckabucka]

Hello all! 

It has been a while since I popped in. Lots going on. We are selling our house and moving out the sticks north of Farmington! Please let me know if any of you would like to buy a nice split ranch on 3 acres in Cumberland, 15 min from Portland. 

Bucka: I am very happy to report that I was able to hatch 3 lovely hens from the birds I got from you. Two lav and one black. 

The other very exciting news is that after years and years of efforts we are expecting our own human hatch next summer!  

Hope everyone is well and enjoying this lack of snow! 

Congratulations MustardTiger!
And glad to hear you got some eggs to hatch.
I am definitely enjoying this lack of snow! I do like winter, and snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc., but it always seems like it lasts a little too long. It is nice to have the chickens out and about during this extended fall.

Good luck on your move!

 

[diana507]

Just officially moved "Wheezy" to the roost with the rest of the girls. Of all chickens the empty spots were near was the chicken that has always been referred to as B*tch face. She's the most dominant chicken in the flock. We shall see how it goes. I hope the fighting is all over by the time I open the coop in the morning. My DH is going to check on them before he leaves for work. Keeping my fingers crossed. I think I am more nervous where it's my first chicken I've had to integrate back.

 

[woods79]

Hi everyone, one more Maine family to add to this place we are in the Farmington area, a little town East on Rt 2.

Going to build our first coop in the spring looking for some info on what I have planned. We are thinking of getting 6 - 8 of the Orpington breed.

Here is a link to the my post in the Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance thread would love some local input.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1064942/building-our-first-coop-in-the-spring

 

[superchemicalgirl]

It was only a matter of time. My rats are back.

 

[buckabucka]

 

[buckabucka]

(I think that's propane that guy is breathing)
Be careful. DH singed off hand hair and a part of an eyebrow this week!

I'm hoping to find a dead chicken this morning. Yesterday, she suddenly couldn't walk, but was alert. I caged her. DH had to move her food right next to her head, as she couldn't seem to push herself (turn around) to the dish. He said her comb wasn't looking so good by day's end. If she has not miraculously improved (or died), DH will have to do her in (which he is not thrilled about). It almost seems like a stroke, but she's younger than many of the hen's in there.

 

[diana507]

@buckabucka sorry about your girl. Wonder what happened.

Wheezy is doing great with the other girls thank god! Still has a slight wheeze but running around acting like the others. The girls aren't too happy with me today. Their run is covered with a thin sheet of ice so they are shut in the coop.

 

[LadyCluck77]

Hi everyone, one more Maine family to add to this place we are in the Farmington area, a little town East on Rt 2.

Going to build our first coop in the spring looking for some info on what I have planned. We are thinking of getting 6 - 8 of the Orpington breed.

Here is a link to the my post in the Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance thread would love some local input.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1064942/building-our-first-coop-in-the-spring

Welcome to BYC!

Personally, I found the most daunting fear for raising chickens in Maine to be winter.
Do you know where you'll be getting your Orpingtons from?

 

[woods79]

Welcome to BYC!

Personally, I found the most daunting fear for raising chickens in Maine to be winter.
Do you know where you'll be getting your Orpingtons from

Thank you for the welcome. I worry about the winter as well, I have no tree cover or natural barriers to block wind and snow drifts. I do not know where I am going to get the Orpingtons from, If my friend decides to hatch from some of his than I will talk to him about selling me some. I am going to find out from him where he got his, I do know he gets his feed and supplies from Farmers union so I am thinking he ordered them through there.

 

[lazy gardener]

(I think that's propane that guy is breathing)
Be careful. DH singed off hand hair and a part of an eyebrow this week!

I'm hoping to find a dead chicken this morning. Yesterday, she suddenly couldn't walk, but was alert. I caged her. DH had to move her food right next to her head, as she couldn't seem to push herself (turn around) to the dish. He said her comb wasn't looking so good by day's end. If she has not miraculously improved (or died), DH will have to do her in (which he is not thrilled about). It almost seems like a stroke, but she's younger than many of the hen's in there.

What guy is breathing propane? Sorry you've got an ailing bird. Does it fit the profile of Mareks?

Hi everyone, one more Maine family to add to this place we are in the Farmington area, a little town East on Rt 2.

Going to build our first coop in the spring looking for some info on what I have planned. We are thinking of getting 6 - 8 of the Orpington breed.

Here is a link to the my post in the Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance thread would love some local input.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1064942/building-our-first-coop-in-the-spring

Welcome to the Maine thread! Always happy to have a new person on board. Gets kind of quiet here sometimes. I wish you the best with your build. You can be assured that your build will take longer than expected. If you think it will take 3 hours, it will take 3 days. If you expect it will take 3 days, expect it to take 3 weeks. I thought ours would be done in 2 weekends. It took us 10 weeks. And I still have yet to cut in the egg door. Just put in the pop door a few weeks ago. Clean out door is a very helpful thing. Be sure to locate it, if possible so that you can roll a wheel barrow up to it for easy removal of bedding. I did that, but find it to be easier to just scoop the litter straight out into the run. I'm working on building up deep litter in the run. The stuff that was there through last season broke down very well. Make your coop bigger than you think it will need to be. If you have storage in it, design it so the chickens can't get into that area. I put a closet in mine, but never used it, have ripped most of it out, and need to finish tearing out the studs.

It was only a matter of time. My rats are back.

So So So sorry!