MARYLAND THREAD!

[Firefoot]

I wish I could free range, but we have too many hawks ... and they're brazen. I was outside with my youngsters and ran inside to grab the ringing portable phone. I came straight back out, phone in hand (what, maybe 90 seconds?) and that quick, I lost a young pullet to a redtail. It must have been watching us from the Mulberry tree, the nasty bugger!
So mine all live in a converted wooden playhouse. The cabin is the coop and the sandbox is fenced in as a run. It's rather unique, but it works!

Wow, that's awful! We have some hawks around here but mostly the small Cooper's hawks. Last fall I had one spending the day in our trees by the chicken house but luckily nothing happened. Our biggest issue is probably fox -- there is a den in the neighbors field and last summer they counted 13! They shot a lot of them, though, and I have seen fewer this summer. Though we're set back a bit, we are right on a very busy road and I think that helps keep wildlife traffic down. A raccoon got hit in front of our driveway so now I know those are around, too ...

Your coop sounds really cute! And at least the chickens are safe. I'd rather have them locked up in a big run for years than free range for 5 minutes and get taken

 

[Eggs2chicks]

In st Mary’s county myself. New to forum

 

[MROO]

In st Mary’s county myself. New to forum

Welcome aboard! What type of chickens does everybody have?

I'm in the far northeastern corner of Maryland - Cecil County. We have limited space, so we only have bantams, mostly Nankins. They're critically endangered, according to the Livestock Conservancy, so DD is hoping to cultivate some interest in the 4H community to help save the breed. She's done pretty well, so far. Two roosters and a hen from her starter clutch (last year's hatch) went to the County Fair, this summer and did really, really well. One of her roos took Best in Show over several hundred other birds - DD was over the moon! Of course, everyone went into a hard molt as soon as we got back, six roosters ... one tail feather ... One! Needless to elaborate on, but we missed the State Fair. But we'll try again, next year!

We have a serial-broody Nankin, named Pepper, who is currently setting nine eggs that are due to hatch any day. I don't expect all to be viable, but I'm hoping for at least a few, if only to keep her from wanting to start all over again! Again ... fingers crossed!

This was our first year hatching our own stock. Out of three attempts by two super-young hens, we ended up with seven new babies. Two went out as a potential breeding pair to another 4H family. Our littlest cockerel, a solo hatch, is headed to a local Ag Education program next week. We're hoping that "Cecil" will be an ambassador for Heritage Breed Conservation in general and the Nankin Bantam specifically.


The rest of our biddies are a mix of other purebreds - 6 Laced Sebrights (both golden and silver varieties,) a pair of Porcelain D-uccles that are hopefully going to my mother's house this weekend to serve as eye-candy lawn ornaments (they're SO pretty!) a handsome little Red Pyle OEGB cockerel who I REALLY should get rid of, but can't bear to unless I can find him a true pet home. Yukon rides on my shoulder and walks on a leash. Yukon serves as our official Social Director. He goes to Tractor Supply regularly and will go to the "Blessing of the Animals" at church, next weekend! Then there's Herman the House Rooster. He's about the homeliest Blue Splash Silkie around ... but we love him!

 

[Eggs2chicks]

Wow. I am definitely going to want to talk to you more before I purchase my chicks!! In Ridge MD. Don’t have any yet. Learning and finding and planning to build or buy the coop this winter for March pre order for April ???

 

[iluvsedward]

Everyone come to the MD Poultry Swap!! I will be bringing A few call ducks, pet quality and a few show quality too!!

http://www.moosemanorfarms.com/poultry-swap.html

 

[Geena]

Howdy neighbors! We are in Frederick County.
I know it's a long shot, but does anyone have one or two less than two week old chicks or poults or keets that they would be willing to part with?
I tried doing an experimental late turkey hatch this year and darn it, only one hatched. He/she is so lonely, peep, peep, peep, all day long

 

[Dville Chix]

Hi--
Does anyone know of a chicken processor near Anne Arundel County? I have a few roosters to harvest and lack the time or equipment to process them myself. My daughter wants to keep the feathers if she can. I imagine that somebody who processes waterfowl could do it, or somebody who processes their own chickens. Any help would be appreciated.
--Dville Chix

 

[Amber3113]

Does npip look into your property county laws for testing?

 

[Dville Chix]

I don't know what you mean exactly. I registered my flock with MDA, but my flock is not NPIP. Does that affect whether I can find someone to process my birds?

 

[Amber3113]

I have no idea. My county law says I need 2 acres to have chickens but I only have one acre. So if I were to hey npip tested would my county know about the chickens.