Michigan

[KrisRose]

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Those are beautiful hens!!! Are you hatching them in spring?

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

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Those are beautiful hens!!! Are you hatching them in spring?

Thank you! Yes I do plan on hatching some. The cockeral and other pullet are in the middle of the other pic in the same post. The other pullet, Myrtle, is mottled.

 

[NovaAman]

OMG Hillbilly, THAT looks like my steps the minute I go out to go to work and the minute I step out of my jeep to go in the house! They come running and IF the cat food dish is there, they'll clear it out! I have to take a snow pusher shovel to the driveway, steps, and garage floor, cuz the little buggers sneak in there and hang about and poop all over EVERY SQUARE FOOT! and try, or do STEAL, yes STEAL the cat food for the out door cat, well cats now. And that pullet does not look like she's going to lay soon! LOL. OOPS

I finally had someone come to look at the stray and see if it was hers... No such luck. I told her she could take the sweety home, but she said she already has another 5 cats at home, cuz she's a crazy cat lady. LOL. Oh, well. She said she totally loved all my chickens running around and complimented how beautiful they all were! She's the first person to actually say that that was not there to pick up a chicken(rooster). Most people look at them like, what the heck?!

I was delivering in Zeeland this afternoon, and I see this bird, butt up in the air just going to town eating something in the bush, and I think, "Wow, look at that hawk!" SO I whip out my phone to get a picture to show my son, and lo and behold its a HEN! In a neighborhood that isn't supposed to have chickens! I immediately start looking around for a stealth coop. I think I found it too! I wish I could have gotten a pic of it to show everyone, so I will describe it.

It looked like it was a kids play house up on stilts, with a slide coming down from the door. In the "Door" was a little pop door, and it looked like it had strips on the slide but it could have just been the way I was seeing it... those slip grip strips. It was so cool Windows and all with curtains. I think she was an escapee from the yard thou. I have been delivering to that area for a year now, and have NEVER seen them. And yes, she had hawkish colors. IF I hadn't stopped to take a pic, I would have went on my merry way, thinking I had just seen the biggest hawk ever. She was very very pretty. "GO STEALTH COOP!" If it wasn't a stealth coop, Well now there's an idea for one!

 

[babigyrl22]

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Allllright....now your just teasing.

I can't WAIT until you say there are hatching eggs available.

 

[babigyrl22]

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I have a few bantees not paying the rent and they are at 28 weeks. Actually, none of my bantees are laying eggs....not a single one. Blueberry is the only one that has an excuse....oh and my silkie with the one tail feather but everyone else?....freeloaders.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

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Allllright....now your just teasing.

I can't WAIT until you say there are hatching eggs available.

I may have some sooner than spring. I was thinking about seperating the Icelandics so I can get some eggs for Farmerboy. I just have to get the fencing done and covered first. Just not enough time and to make things worse... I saw snowflakes this morning

Nova, as soon as the chickens hear me open the feed can on the porch they come running from all directions.

 

[RaZ]

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The canister or professional masks that people suggested are a good idea.
Also, you might want to put a fan in. Position it so it draws the dust away from you. If you run an extension cord, you can plug it in a few minutes before you go into the coop for your chores. This time of year you can find box fans for cheap.

The other advice about letting them out during the winter is sound advice as well. A wind break is a necessity but easily made from hay bales or re-purposed lumber.

 

[M.sue]

What a beautiful afternoon it was to outside working. My DH and I spread out limestone gravel into the foundation base he made for my new shed that is coming on Monday. It is 10 x16.....I can't wait. It'll be so nice the have my own shed/granary. We will store my DH's antique lawn tractor in there along with the kids bikes but that is about it. It's purpose is to be a granary and storage place for all my chicken necessities. What nice too is that it will serve as a wind blocker for my coop! Yayyyy, my girls won't freeze to death.

Hillbilly Hen.......Black Jack is one handsome dude!! If he shows up missing, don't come looking around my place.....I'd tell ya I haven't seen him even though he'd be hiding in my new shed!! lol

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

M.sue :

Hillbilly Hen.......Black Jack is one handsome dude!! If he shows up missing, don't come looking around my place.....I'd tell ya I haven't seen him even though he'd be hiding in my new shed!! lol

He is a sweetie too!

Congrats on the new shed. It has been too cold here for me today.

 

[snowflake]

Hillbilly Hen, your hen's and roo's are absolutely beautiful!!! I don't see any rooster backs on any of your hens. Mine took a beating this yr. Love the icelandics. and your BR. prettiest I have ever see.
Chicken grandma, there was an article in Backyard Poultry and that guy leaves his door open all the time. Your run is secure, it would most likely not hurt to leave the coop open. If you have poop boards under the roosts, I put hay on them and you can role the mess up real fast and the floor needs very little cleaning.with deep litter.
Got an extra 12'x14' covered area up inside the run, Just in time I guess. I heard you had snow in the Grant area.