NY chicken lover!!!!

[brahmapapa]

set the leg traps on surfaces that the dogs can't get to, coons can climb anywhere they are enticed to.

I've been *trying* to get these coons for like a year now? They will NOT go in the freaking box trap (Unless someone has a bait coons can't resist?) The Silkie pen it pried up the wire run fencing and got in their pen. This was the center section that I thought was safe, I think it may have climbed up the door? (There is a gap at the top) I have the box trap set with bait, but the coons appear to prefer LIVE bait, I'd set up some leg traps but I'm afaid of catching my dog!

I'll have to run and get some antibiotic ointment, I don't seem to have any on hand. She also appears to be slightly dragging one leg when she walks, I don't see any injury to the leg, but its possible it got messed up when it tried to carry it off.

We replaced the pen fencing on the Ameraucana pen with a heavier gauge wire and laid a skirting around that, that pen is also roofed. We just have not done the back coop yet, plus there are a lot of weak spots (IMO) too, I'd rather rip the thing down and just go buy a new one with electric netting around it, but yeah, no moola here either! I feel it is pretty secure against Fox/Coons, but I doubt it would have kept out those GP that killed a bunch of stuff earlier this year. (We shot at those, missed. They have not been back yet)

Last years plan was to put up electric fencing and get a LGD, but I had a baby instead. That really put a financial crimp in most of my plans, plus my husband is super resistant to spending any sort of money on the livestock stuff, so I have to pay for it all myself out of sales (Kinda hard when stuff gets eaten to make any money!) I can shore up the coop with stuff I have on hand, and hopefully will be able to scrape up enough for the poultry netting to go around the chicken coops for now, until I can pay for the main electric and LGD. Sacha was out last night and she def knew there had been a coon in the coop, I really don't want to add a vet bill to my troubles though!

And in hindsight, running into an enclosed coop to take on a 20 pound coon armed with only a dull rusty pitchfork, probably not one of the better ideas I've had lately! :O

 

[Cass]

I couldn't GIVE away my organic-fed eggs for a long time, then my mom posted on the bulletin board at the school that she works at that she would sell fresh brown eggs. Now I can't keep up with the orders (I only have 6 hens). I was previously posting on Craig's list and Eggzy and everywhere else, but the moment my mom put up a notice for fresh 'farm' brown eggs people went nuts. Just an idea, try local businesses that are welcoming of that sort of thing if you're having trouble. The words 'farm' and 'brown egg' seemed to be the magic trick, at least they were for me.

Won't work for me. My eggs aren't brown. They are blue and pink and tan...LOL

 

[stonykill]

"mama" is about to bring her new babies out, and we need to make a table delivery to Manhattan. PPPPPHHHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT on Manhattan. how I loathe thee

. Maybe Mama will still have them out and about when we get back. Otherwise there is always tomorrow.....

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Morning all! Sounds like everyone is having eggscellent sales now. We were slow to start off as well and now have a waiting list. Hence the expansion of a new coop and new chicks. My 8 hens right now are giving me between 4 and 7 eggs a day so we have lots of eggs. My silkies are laying as well so I get 2 from them. Sassy is showing broody so she isnt laying I dont think. All puffed up with her wings out bawking at me but not sitting on a nest. I will give her some more time. If she settles on the nest for a few days then I will let her have eggs. She can be so witchy for being the littlest hen.

Java--I signed up for the hatchalong. Hatching out my own silkie eggs this time. Hopefully its a good one.

Sachasmom- I hope you get that coon. Never underestimate their wileyness. Lead poisoning is the best way to go if you can. Hopefully you can sell enough stuff to get a good dog that can also take care of the problem. Only thing we have had so far is a weasel (who got lead poisoning) and a hawk attempt (unsuccessful). No losses.

The terrorists (aka 26 br, rir and red sexlinks) are quite the party animals. Their brooder box has been noisy with cheeping and flying and running, Crazy babies act like they are on crack or something. I know they are up to something because when I go down to talk to them they all shut up and look at me with the "we werent doing anything" expression. I tell them that I raised 3 kids and I know when they are up to something. My tiny silkie babys are soo cute. One is very fiesty and will peck at me and jump at me with its feet to try and keep me from picking it up. Thats a real napoleon complex there!

Oh, so dummy me forgot to shut the skirt last night on the run. When I let the divas out, they were out the other side in a flash. I was filling their feeder at the time and suddenly it dawned on me that I heard them walking on grass. Great. So here I am, chasing 8 chickens around my yard with my little rake trying to get them back into their run in my nightgown and slippers. Lordy I hope the neighbors were still asleep! Ran around the house twice. Went inside to inform dh that I needed his help then back out to go around the house 2 more times. I grabbed the red coffeecan of scratch and threw some in their run but only 3 went in. dh finally came out and he opened the door on the other side while I chased the majority in. Psychotic Betty ran around the house 2 more times before getting tired,(as was I) and finally went into the run. I was running behind her telling her she would be the first to be eaten because she was making me mad! I was even more mad because i hadnt had my coffee yet and now i was all hot and sweaty. Anyways, finally got them all back in, got a workout in from doing so and finally got my coffee. All of this before 7am. Now i am off to work.

 

[vmdanielsen]

Morning all! Sounds like everyone is having eggscellent sales now. We were slow to start off as well and now have a waiting list. Hence the expansion of a new coop and new chicks. My 8 hens right now are giving me between 4 and 7 eggs a day so we have lots of eggs. My silkies are laying as well so I get 2 from them. Sassy is showing broody so she isnt laying I dont think. All puffed up with her wings out bawking at me but not sitting on a nest. I will give her some more time. If she settles on the nest for a few days then I will let her have eggs. She can be so witchy for being the littlest hen.

Java--I signed up for the hatchalong. Hatching out my own silkie eggs this time. Hopefully its a good one.

Sachasmom- I hope you get that coon. Never underestimate their wileyness. Lead poisoning is the best way to go if you can. Hopefully you can sell enough stuff to get a good dog that can also take care of the problem. Only thing we have had so far is a weasel (who got lead poisoning) and a hawk attempt (unsuccessful). No losses.

The terrorists (aka 26 br, rir and red sexlinks) are quite the party animals. Their brooder box has been noisy with cheeping and flying and running, Crazy babies act like they are on crack or something. I know they are up to something because when I go down to talk to them they all shut up and look at me with the "we werent doing anything" expression. I tell them that I raised 3 kids and I know when they are up to something. My tiny silkie babys are soo cute. One is very fiesty and will peck at me and jump at me with its feet to try and keep me from picking it up. Thats a real napoleon complex there!

Oh, so dummy me forgot to shut the skirt last night on the run. When I let the divas out, they were out the other side in a flash. I was filling their feeder at the time and suddenly it dawned on me that I heard them walking on grass. Great. So here I am, chasing 8 chickens around my yard with my little rake trying to get them back into their run in my nightgown and slippers. Lordy I hope the neighbors were still asleep! Ran around the house twice. Went inside to inform dh that I needed his help then back out to go around the house 2 more times. I grabbed the red coffeecan of scratch and threw some in their run but only 3 went in. dh finally came out and he opened the door on the other side while I chased the majority in. Psychotic Betty ran around the house 2 more times before getting tired,(as was I) and finally went into the run. I was running behind her telling her she would be the first to be eaten because she was making me mad! I was even more mad because i hadnt had my coffee yet and now i was all hot and sweaty. Anyways, finally got them all back in, got a workout in from doing so and finally got my coffee. All of this before 7am. Now i am off to work.

What I like is chasing 1 chicken back in when 8 will run out when you blink!!!! Have a good day everybody!! Should be hot!!!!

 

[Glasshen]

Pharm, I love your description of the morning! Now that they're in and after all that work, you can feel virtuous.

I have been selling eggs at various activities, gym and yoga for quite a while. I used to have 6 hens, but am down to 4 now, so it takes a while to get a dozen. I bring a little cooler and sell by the half dozen for a dollar each. That is not expensive for my friends, and it gives me a little bit of money toward my hobby and pets. And everyone loves the girls eggs.

 

[rancher hicks]

So from page 1005 - I've been sick and can't keep up. Allergies kicking my butt big time but life goes on.

Anyhow. Eggs? I raised my price to $2.25 but one customer said it was to LOW so for him $2.50 Now I have to tell you folks. I got some Birchen Marans chicks in Jan. Which I'm not sure when but even if it was the !st they'd only be 14 wks old at best. Well one of the hens is laying already. Not a big egg nor dark as I'd like but an egg just the same.

Now I will say that they are all on non med grower still and will remain so for a few more weeks. I will also say that one of the roosters crowed at 5 weeks. I suppose this is not strange for everyone but it is for me.

I should also say they are not as nice as GF pics , but I didn't get them from GF.

Back to the eggs, what I like to do for the smalls is to use the 18 cartons folks give me and just add some extra small eggs to make up for the difference. You folks do understand that eggs are sold by "weight" and not size? A grade A large is 2 ounces, so it seems to me if you weigh a carton with some smalls and it weighs 24oz. or better your good.

Of course folks will say how much heavier my cartons are because many eggs are over the 2oz's. and it shows.

Next page

 

[rancher hicks]

page 1006 - I always give away literature on the healthiness of farm fresh eggs as opposed to store/commercial eggs. I even give it to fellow chicken people that I meet if they come for chicks or chickens.

The average person doesn't know what they are buying when they buy commercial eggs. I think the most damaging page is on Antibiotics and it's use and the fight to stop farmers from using them. I tell folks eat as healthy as you can afford.

Just do your reading and get the poultry newsletter and print out the information that applies to eggs.

I also have some pages on how to cook eggs in the microwave and recipes.

 

[rancher hicks]

page 1007 Sash - you be careful with the coons. Now I'm going to send you a pm and hope you don't get upset about how to deal with those critters.

 

[Cydney83]

Morning everyone!

Ok I am doing something wrong...I have 10 doz in the fridge! I am nervous about putting an ad on CL...my youngest would run right out and jump right in the car! I need to sell more eggs!

Stonykill; Who is the momma? Table in Manhattan...that will buy a few bags of feed..drive safe. I never asked did your wife like the runners? Did you say 4 bucks a doz? My mother has duck egg customers..she sells them for the same 2 her eggs go for..

HappyhensNY: The new bator has the BA in and they are due tomorrow and I have 4 pips! Dorkings...none...
The second incubator came all ok and in only 3 days as 6 days the broken one..

My eggs from Featherz hatched over the weekend..lots of cute chicks...

I would like to get more eggs from Featherz....so if anyone is coming from Eastern NY to the Utica/vernon/Syracuse location and is willing to bring along some eggs I would be so thankful...Thanks!
Pharm: That sounds like my normal morning just getting the 4 out of 5 kids moving in the morning...nothing to say about the chickens...I would be so over the edge!

Have a wonderful day!