Michigan

[Hillbilly Hen]

Hi iluvcks, Chickenstock is a meet and greet for us chicken lovers. There is more info in the link in my siggy. The chicken we ate at last years chickenstock was some smoked chicken Opa brought and it was the best tasting chicken ever. You can also arrange to buy or sell or trade eggs, chicks, chickens or other fowl. We had a great time and are looking forward the next one. I hope you can be there!

 

[Opa]

You will love Chickenstock. Nice people who won't look at you like you're nuts when you want to talk about chickens. Last year was our first and almost no one knew anyone else yet we all had a great time and came away with many new found friends. We had a pot luck lunch and the amount and variety of delicious food was amazing. Good food and nice people, how could you find anything better?

 

[Opa]

Good morning people, the chickens are up so where are all of you?

 

[shelleyb1969]

Morning, everyone!

Breakfast is done, coffee's brewing, animals are tended...now it's time to relax for a few.

It took me about 2 hours to get the snow moved from around the coop and tractors yesterday.

It wasn't toooo bad...I just shoveled it all out a fair distance and then took the plow and pushed it all away.

With the wind deceased today, all my chooks can roam around and enjoy the day...like me!


Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Sam and Rose...behave yourselves today and stay out of trouble. And by that I mean...try not to cause too many folks "laughter distress".

 

[vicki2x2]

Good morning all!

Welcome back Produck!

I am jealous, 24 acres sounds wonderful! We used to have 22 acres when we lived up north, boy do I miss it! Have fun expanding your addiction, that sounds like a dream come true!!

Welcome Iluvcks!

This is an awesome group, you will love it here!

 

[MrsChickendad]

Hello all,
I haven't posted here in a while, had surgery on my foot and have 4 weeks to go with this stupid cast. ChickenDad is stuck doing all the chores and I MISS MY CHICKENS! I have some 4 week old bantams inside and a bunch due to hatch TOMORROW! This is hatch #2 for the year and I am doing dry incubation for the first time. Any advice? They are in a Hovabator in an egg carton. I was told to wait for the first pip, then add hot water and spray the carton and eggs with water and leave it alone. Seeing as how I have a tendency to drown chicks with too much humidity, that sounds like a lot of water to me. Anybody have success (or not) with this?

 

[shelleyb1969]

MrsChickenDad...I tried dry incubation one time last year. It worked wonderful for me...I definitely give it a thumbs up.

But success with it has a lot to do with the conditions where you live, too. I always use an egg carton during hatch...it keeps the new peep from playing egg-bowling with the remaining eggs!

As for the water you were told to add...I've never heard of wetting the egg carton. Seems like that could be a mess, plus add too much humidity. If you get too much humidity, you can always open the vent plugs and let some out.

Good luck! I've got chicks hatching the 19th..and the 26th...and the...

I seem to have a pattern forming.

 

[wyliefarms]

Good Morning!

Welcome new folks and welcome back to the others!

I have a question about hawks for you all.

We have the red tail hawks that are getting our chickens

I am figuring it was a red tail that got Rachel's bantam in December and Rachel found one eating a Large Fowl chicken a few days ago. So we are on the hunt! One HUGE problem is these hawks are protected by law!

This is what we have done so far.

1. No free ranging, they don't like the snow anyways.

2. The front coop (we have 2 coops) doesn't have a cover on the outside run. Never has in 13 years and never had a problem. So Rachel strung fishing line across it as a temperary fix.

Any other thoughts?

I am really hoping that spring comes soon and they can find some food other than the chickens! We have no wild rabbits, so something happened to them. My dad is figuring disease or something like that.

Thanks for the imput!
Sarah

 

[YakLady]

Hi, friends!

Just wanted to drop in to say hello real quick. I updated the Chicken Stock food thread to reflect what everyone has volunteered to bring so far. If you have time, please take a look and let me know if I forgot anyone. I also posted a request that was made by someone via email.

Hope everyone is well and warm! Miss you guys!

 

[zephyrcreek]

Produck - Welcome Back! Moving is tough work.

iluvchks - Welcome to the board.

Mrs. Chickendad - Nice to see you again. I wish I could start incubating already.

ShellyB - Did Logan have fun playing in the snow?

My birds love to be out in everything except the really high winds. Our place is very open and very windy and I have even benn blown on my bum a few times. Today they are sure enjoying this sunshine.

I have a question for those of you already incubating eggs. Are your chickens in a heated coop? I still find frozen eggs in my coops occasionally. Plus 99% of my hens were late hatches and have not started laying yet. I am starting to get a few starter eggs here and there though. Hmmmmm. I just can't wait for all those fuzzy butts.

PS. If anyone out there is looking for lumber for projects keep checking in with your local Lowes, HD, etc. This is the time of year they are really going through and putting together "cull" lumber packages. I picked up about $400 worth of lumber last night for less than $100. 90% of it is usable for what I am working on.