NY chicken lover!!!!

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
This made me think of the song " Lions , Tigers & Bears Oh My " my poor chickens does anyone remember this one ?
I would add
" Lions , Tigers & Bears , Racoons , Foxes , Dogs , Weasels , Oh My " my poor chickens

 

[Tough Old Bird]

So...... when you do get the inevitable messy (feed) spills, how long is it OK to let the food sit around until it needs to be cleaned up and disposed? Funny, I thought the chickies would pick through it until there wasn't much left in waste.

My birds will not be free-ranged, but will have access to a large pen area. It may initially have some natural forage, but over time, it will be stamped down and the grass will be killed off. Don't the birds go back and pick through the scattered bits of feed?


TOB

 

[stonykill]

So...... when you do get the inevitable messy (feed) spills, how long is it OK to let the food sit around until it needs to be cleaned up and disposed? Funny, I thought the chickies would pick through it until there wasn't much left in waste.

My birds will not be free-ranged, but will have access to a large pen area. It may initially have some natural forage, but over time, it will be stamped down and the grass will be killed off. Don't the birds go back and pick through the scattered bits of feed?


TOB

I read of other peoples feed that the chickens don't eat. I don't have that problem. All spilled food gets eaten. There isn't any waste

 

[Tough Old Bird]

I read of other peoples feed that the chickens don't eat. I don't have that problem. All spilled food gets eaten. There isn't any waste

Hi Stony.

That's what I would suspect, given mine won't have the opportunity to wander past the confines of their pen.

I finally got up the nerve to tell my neighbor we're getting a few chickens. Can't say I felt the love, but she seemed relieved to hear there would be no rooster.

TOB

 

[Cass]

So...... when you do get the inevitable messy (feed) spills, how long is it OK to let the food sit around until it needs to be cleaned up and disposed? Funny, I thought the chickies would pick through it until there wasn't much left in waste.

My birds will not be free-ranged, but will have access to a large pen area. It may initially have some natural forage, but over time, it will be stamped down and the grass will be killed off. Don't the birds go back and pick through the scattered bits of feed?


TOB

Because of my set up (pan in a pan) I have some poop in my feed, sometimes. About once a week I let them eat it down to nothing left, then I dump the "dregs" out in the yard. Then I add a little water to the top of the "mess". They eat it all up (except the poop).

Yes, they DO go back and peck and scratch at anything. Even if it isn't ediable. Throw fresh grass clippings into their run. And weeds. The core of your head of lettuce? Necture of the gods, if you are a chicken. Broccoli leaves? Ambrosia. Do you have a garden? If you do, plant swiss chard, spinach or other leafy veggie (esp if your family doesn't eat it) and throw it in the run a little at a time.

Now here is an idea to keep grass or other greens growing in your run, if your chickens can't free range. (It's not my idea, but I DO like it and would use it it if I couldn't range my birds) Take a cinder block, turn it on it's side, so the openings are on the top, fill with potting soil, plant grass or other seed and wrap the block in chicken wire so they can only eat what gets higher than the chicken wire. Now chickens have long beaks, so don't fill the block to full of soil or they will eat the grass down to the roots or it will die.

 

[ChickPrincess]

Anyone from West Nyack NY area? Private message me I am new to this and getting ready to have chickens this late spring 2013. I would love to meet likeminded people in my area. I could use a few pointers too.
Thanks!

Welcome 2b!

1. Are you talking about a regular, old sheet baking pan as a liner?

2. I wonder if hanging the waterer / feeder several inches off the ground helps with the messiness? I've seen that mentioned as a way to help.

Thx.


TOB

I feed crumble in a hanging plastic feeder. No leftover or spillage at all.

So...... when you do get the inevitable messy (feed) spills, how long is it OK to let the food sit around until it needs to be cleaned up and disposed? Funny, I thought the chickies would pick through it until there wasn't much left in waste.

My birds will not be free-ranged, but will have access to a large pen area. It may initially have some natural forage, but over time, it will be stamped down and the grass will be killed off. Don't the birds go back and pick through the scattered bits of feed?


TOB

My chickens leave NOTHING behind. lol

Hi Stony.

That's what I would suspect, given mine won't have the opportunity to wander past the confines of their pen.

I finally got up the nerve to tell my neighbor we're getting a few chickens. Can't say I felt the love, but she seemed relieved to hear there would be no rooster.

TOB

Our neighbor loves hearing our chickens. They don't hear the roosters in the coop. Only outside during the day, and they don't crow a huge amount. They actually enjoy what they do hear from my chickens. The egg song from the hens can be loud, but it's quite cute.

More blood in the coop today. The first two (bloody combs) are healing nicely. My one poor hen who had the lack of feathers (from being the favorite mate) had her back/side ripped open. I'm assuming by a roo during mating. It's quite bad, but I discovered it before it has turned infected. All the wound looks fresh. About a 3" x 4" area has the skin ripped right off. I took Stony's advice, thankfully, and my Nustock just came in from Amazon yesterday. Perfect timing. I slathered her with it and she's resting in the kennel in the garage. She is eating and drinking fine.
I'm banking on her healing up fine. I will look in to clipping nails on the roos tomorrow.

 

[cheeka]

I haven't had a chance to spend much time on byc lately... and have some 355 posts to catch up on! thought I would pop in to say hi! and that all is well, the chicks are doing great, and getting big, and the older gang is also doing very well, the girls are laying like crazy, and the 3 boys have worked out their order and all is peaceful in the dome. I remember you asked for pics rancher... I will get some this weekend to show how I plan to build come Spring... life's been crazy of late... my MIL passed away on Jan 6, at age 85, bless her... she had a good life, and this past year was difficult with Alzheimer's... and my workload was so crazy I couldn't even get one day off to mourn. the family will all come together sometime in April or May for a Memorial in Massachusetts.

I'm so tired, the heck with cooking tonight! I'm calling for Chinese food! our little restaurant downtown is so good... I want them to teach me how they make egg drop soup, my experiments have turned out pretty good, but I can't quite get the consistency of theirs! wonder if they will share their recipe?

 

[vmdanielsen]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/534036/southern-ny-dutchess-county-and-below there is the link to the Southern NY thread. Wish you luck 2b.

Thanks Cass....

 

[rancher hicks]

I closed up tonight and it seems one of the young EE pullets is missing. They were squawking after I got home and I went out to check but didn't see anything. I looked around for tracks but nothing.

I'll check tomorrow in the day light.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Evening all. Boy it was cold when I got home from work. Took just enough time to eat lunch before running out and giving everyone fresh water and food and scratch. Had to break the ice off the silkies waterers and refill them. All the outside waterers were frozen and I had to break them out and refill them. Demands for scratch were incessant so I gave in and gave some to all 4 coops. Opened the door on the silkie boys coop and they came out and played for a while in their larger run. They always want my attention when I am around. Silly boys!

Speaking of boys, Hane and Olaf are minding their manners since I pinned them down again a few days ago. They are still looking a bit raggedy as they are molting. I expect their beautiful red coloring will be back soon. I have been researching Javas and RIR and can see in my boys the Java influence.

Stony---sounds like you have a freezer full of good eats by now! I am hoping to hatch some out myself this spring.

Aria--I like the agway 21 % for my silkies. They are doing well on it.

TOB---I have a hanging 5 gallon bucket feeder in the terrorist coop and a pvc feeder in the hens coop and open dog dish feeders in the silkie coops. Cant say as I have ever had any spilled feed left for very long. My cheeps eat everything, then go back and look to see what they missed before. Sometimes just getting out of the coop or run in one piece after giving them food is a challenge!!!

Have a good evening everyone!