NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

I found my very first egg today! in the nest box to boot! it has to be from Wilma, a Barred Rock, she's the noisiest squatter of the gang, and I have believed for weeks that she would be the first to lay. Betty, another BR and Rose, a RIR will be next... I'm way too excited... it's "just" an egg... but... I've been waiting and waiting...! the gang will be 23 weeks old on Friday

Congrats and many more. I always get excited when a young hen starts to lay.

 

[cheeka]

thanks everyone, I'm still celebrating...! I have to, it's so special, and my gang are so wonderful, really... lovely, tame, fluffy... It's been really therapeutic, raising them from chicks, it's ridiculous how much I adore them. it's so worth the wait! I am still waiting on 3 other brown egg layers and 3 EE's (2 LF, 1 banty) could be blue, could be green... so cool!

 

[Cass]

Cass it could be over crowding in your run. I don't know how big your run is, but one of the many problems with a small run for a lot of birds is low egg count. FYI my newbies this year are slow starters. They will pick up.

I did think of that, actually....which wouldn't be a problem if the Sumantras would roost outside of the coop. LOL

Since I thought it might be a problem a couple of weeks ago, I started letting them out every morning to free range, instead of keeping them cooped up all day. Still no more eggs. With that said, I got 8 eggs today, an all time high for this YEAR....however the extras were from the small side of the coop (banties) and that doesn't help with egg customers.

*crossing fingers* I have had no losses to predators since I started letting them out daily....it didn't jump start the eggs laying tho.

 

[stonykill]

I did think of that, actually....which wouldn't be a problem if the Sumantras would roost outside of the coop. LOL

Since I thought it might be a problem a couple of weeks ago, I started letting them out every morning to free range, instead of keeping them cooped up all day. Still no more eggs. With that said, I got 8 eggs today, an all time high for this YEAR....however the extras were from the small side of the coop (banties) and that doesn't help with egg customers.

*crossing fingers* I have had no losses to predators since I started letting them out daily....it didn't jump start the eggs laying tho.

they are probably hiding them on you. Outside under a bush or something....somewhere.....

 

[Cass]

Answers contained within the quote box.

Well let me ask you some questions if I may.

1. Where did you get your birds? Some breeds or lines of breeds are inbred and have problems.

A. None are hatchery birds. All are from Featherz, Happyhensny and a breeder in New Rochelle, NY

2. What breeds do you have?

A. Shorter to say what breeds i don't have. LOL I have Ameruacanas, Olive Eggers, Maran, RIR, D'uccles, and a few "barnyard, who's your momma" birds.

3. What and how much are you feeding them? Chickens need a balanced diet. To many treats or non feed things can throw things off. I have BR's that don't lay well but also aren't eating the commericial feed as much since they are free ranged and not in the coop.

A.They have access to Grower/Finisher 24/7 and calcium on the side (I have babies in both coops. grrr) Will put them back on layer when the babies are 8 weeks (young for the babies, but I don't see them helping themselves to the oyster shell that much)

4. Any stressors? Like me, chickens don't produce well when they are upset. I've found some breeds don't get along. I gave away my Aussies and GLW's cuz they were picked bald. My birds do NOT like strangers. This includes family members who are not around them alot. DW got flogged by a rooster who lets me reach down and touch him. Never let the kids chase your birds or stress them by grabbing them. Mine freak out when the neighbors cat walks through the area. They now have two yippie dogs. Very annoying.

A.Not much stress....very very occational young girls who like to pet them, but basically they are their own stressor. Crowded conditions in run, so I let them out daily for the past 2 weeks, all day from 7 am til they lock the coop door at night. (hehe....I wish they would lock up when they go inside.)

5. Free ranged or confined? Some breeds don't like to be confined. How much space they have to roam does make a difference.

A.Ironically, the small side is cooped all day and I am getting more eggs from those 6 hens than the 11 in the large side that are out all day. Go figure.

If anything the configuration of birds changes more regularly than I would like. First I have all adults, then the Sumantras move in as juvies, then a coon wounds one of the D'uccles, so she is put in a rabbit coop on top of the broody area, then the eggs hatch and the babies run around. All since April. I left out moving the D'uccles out of that coop to a coop of their own when a second set of Juvies when outside.

Hope this helps.

 

[Cass]

they are probably hiding them on you. Outside under a bush or something....somewhere.....

Then they win the "hide and seek" award of the year, cuz I have walked the entire area they habitually go to. Of course I am assuming that they go the same places on week days as I see them go to on Weekends. Who knows what is going on....all I know is that feed is killing my budget. I am gonna have to quit smoking to afford to feed the birds this winter.

 

[Glasshen]

Cass, your last sentence sounds like a win-win solution. Seriously, the lack of laying is puzzling, but it sounds like you have had a lot of changes in the coop, and I think it takes a couple of weeks for change to become the norm, so maybe some of that? I have ten girls, and get 5-7 eggs a day. 3 are original RIR, 1 original BR, who has started to moult, 3 spring BR who diligently occupy the boxes, but don't always leave an egg, those two who were supposed to be BO but are red sex link, according to Tab, and I don't think the SS is laying yet, but as the hatch mate to the two accidental roosters, she could be the cause of some love triangle problems...the SS roo only just found his voice, the other one has been crowing since he was 10 weeks. Maybe just keeping things calm and predictable...always the goal, so rarely realized. LIFE.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Morning all. All this rain and work is hampering my efforts to gather acorns. Hard to find them in the dark! Hoping that sunday will be nice so I can spend the day gathering more. Adorava---I have white oaks on my property and they have less tannin than red oaks but I would have your kids gather some, crush them open with a heavy hammer and feed them to your chickens to see if they eat them. Thats what I did.

Cass--I am thinking the same thing as stony. Either they are hiding them or someone is eating them. Might also be late layers, meaning they havent started yet. I think my wyandottes were late layers compared to my barred rocks. Maybe they are just holding out so you have to stop smoking to afford to feed them. Sort of their way of making you healthier so they can live a long and pampered life under your care!!!! lol

My new silkie pen is not integrating as well as I had hoped. The boys can be overbearing and I have been locking them into the dog kennel so the girls can have some peace and quiet. They seem to be okay for the evening lockup in the coop and in the early morning opening but daytime is a different story. I hope they gel soon. Maybe its the young age.

Made some homemade soup with the carcasses of the roosters we processed and boy was it good! Have enough for leftovers tonight. Rir make good eating. I remind the boys of that from time to time when they give me the stink eye. Olaf has been on his best behavior since my foot connected with him pretty good after the one and only flogging he gave me.

Off to work a long three days. Means dh is on chicken duty as I leave early and return late. Have a good day all!

 

[Arty]

Hello Fellow New Yorkers - I was talking with a co-worker this morning about chicken raising etc. He was interested in raising quail. He mentioned hearing about permit/license needed issued by the DEC. I went to the website to look, and to my surprise I see ducks and geese are on the list of species that need a permit.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/25010.html

One license is $200 for 5 years and the other is $40 for 5 years. And a yearly report must be mailed in. Yet another reason to detest our state government. More fees and licenses and regulations.

Do duck and geese owners in NY actually get a permit? Is there something I am missing?

 

[vmdanielsen]

Hello Fellow New Yorkers - I was talking with a co-worker this morning about chicken raising etc. He was interested in raising quail. He mentioned hearing about permit/license needed issued by the DEC. I went to the website to look, and to my surprise I see ducks and geese are on the list of species that need a permit.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/25010.html

One license is $200 for 5 years and the other is $40 for 5 years. And a yearly report must be mailed in. Yet another reason to detest our state government. More fees and licenses and regulations.

Do duck and geese owners in NY actually get a permit? Is there something I am missing?

Welcome Arty. I don't have ducks or or quail, so I don't know, but I am sure someone will chime in!!!