NY chicken lover!!!!

[Deanner03]

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Hey Deanner, I have a Blue Copper Roo in with a Blue Copper and Black Copper Hen. He also has a beautiful Welsummer hen with him. They have just started laying...I've gotten 6 eggs so far this week. If you want some BCM's with a chance of a mixed Chocolate Egger I can hook you up.

the temptation...it BURNS...dh just found a breeder not too far from us (in Granby, QC actually) who has what BOTH of us are looking for (some dark egg layers for me, and chanteclers for him, lol) THANK you, though. Share away....it seems that you have interest!

 

[Deanner03]

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yep I'm cleaning Saturday

Yes! Cleaning inside tomorrow (brooders) and going to town outside over the weekend. Premature spring cleaning.

We're doing the same thing. THe brooders are all cleaned out...our last hatch was in November. The chicken coops are both all cleaned out now. We don't get these chances in Dec/Jan very often.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

I had a hatch around Halloween that resulted in 3 chicks and I got 3 blue maran chicks from Sue. Of the 6 I have 2 roos an EE and a blue maran. The EE has been doing his garbled version of a crow for a couple weeks now. And just in the past 2 days the maran must feel he has to compete and started to do the same. They really do sound quite funny and it makes me laugh. We have to cover the brooder with a blanket in the morning so they don't wake the girls because they're still in the house.

 

[rancher hicks]

If all goes well , I expect to make a trip to PA for some orps. I do like them and they are friendly enough. I've got chicks of course, but I've mentioned that before. I'm sure I'll be posting on CL as I can't keep them all.

I do have an older Ee I just don't like her color. I'll post a pic and I'm fairly certain it's a pullet. EE's are trickier than straight combs, males don't redden up faster than females.

 

[marquisella]

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Yes! Cleaning inside tomorrow (brooders) and going to town outside over the weekend. Premature spring cleaning.

We're doing the same thing. THe brooders are all cleaned out...our last hatch was in November. The chicken coops are both all cleaned out now. We don't get these chances in Dec/Jan very often.

I already did 5 this week, have 1 more to do.

I've had the incubator going since November, and wanted to turn it off until February, but suddenly eggs are coming and I can't resist.....LOL

Sue

 

[Aria]

Interesting reads. We are NEW to Silkie Chickens. We were concerned about the Winter.
It is now working out fine. My husband covered a run. The run has small pebbles with dirt under. They have a place to exercise and DIG.

He installed automatic door. During the day they go in and out. In the Barn there is water and food with nexting boxes. Door from run to Barn closes at dusk.

Water was our concern. We purchased a magnetic heater and attached it to the Waterer.
Works fine. Chickens usually layed 8 to 10 eggs daily. During the Cold they are laying 4 to 5 daily. Almost cut in half. FINE for us. We have enough for family and when we have too many we sell $1.00 a dozen to associates.

We had Call Ducks for 15 years.....prefer our Silkie Chickens. We have some of them named
Rooster Ruscello Hens Aria Violeta Julielette Armida Fun. Aria

 

[magsrags]

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Silkies are a lot of fun! I love them myself.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

I went out to check the girls before work. We put hay down in the run last night, and now they are happily scratching around in it enjoying the warmer weather. They wouldn't step foot in the snow.

 

[rancher hicks]

I use straw for the run, it stays warmer I think than hay and I used hay in the next boxes and I don't want them to confuse the two. When I throw scratch they spend all day digging and scratching. Sometimes when it gets worked up I'll rake it into a pile and let them work it again. It's great when cleaning day comes and I just put it into the garden beds. I usually just untie the bale and let them tear it apart. They spread it out all over the place. It's amazing.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

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The hay we used was stuff that's been in the hay loft since we bought the house 6yrs ago and I want the rest of it cleared out without wasting it. We carpeted our nesting boxes because we first used hay and they kept eating it and kicking it out of the box. It's always fun to watch how the birds do things, different birds different personalities.