NY chicken lover!!!!

[ChickPrincess]

Pharm,
I made one last week and found a pattern on a thread here. Do a search for hen saddles. It was one of the first posts. I used elastic for around the wings, but they suggested 4 1/2" long. I would go with 5". Let me know if you can't find it.

My chickens have been FEASTING!!! I love having a new principal at school who believes in recycling. I have a 1 gallon bucket. Yesterday it was filled with french toast (not my first choice, but beggers can't be choosers!), apples, bananas and half eaten PBJ sandwiches.
Today it was wedding soup (pasta and lots of spinach), broccoli, cauliflower, peaches, PBJ's and a few odds and ends. PBJ's are on whole wheat, too.
LOVING this! They get it after school, so they go to bed on a full tummy.

There's plenty of food, so I'm also sharing with the teacher next door who also has chickens. The kids like the idea that they are composting.

I think the peeps will hunt me down on the weekends... no food bucket!

 

[Tough Old Bird]

I was right about the eggs starting to hatch as one has a pip. I think it's a Del egg. I marked the others. Tomorrow is day 20. That I'm sure of.

Well, regardless of who has or hasn't lost interest in Delawares, I think this is very eggciting!

(to show you I mean it!)

Did you see any new (fox?) prints, Rancher? New snow on the way; it might be easier to tell.


TOB

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Hi I'm Mallory! I'm about 25 minutes south from Syracuse, and I need to add some broody hens to my flock.. I want some chicks this spring and apparently my hens aren't particularly broody breeds. So I'm looking to buy some cochins or silkies (I already have a silkie rooster.) If anyone has any suggestions, they'd be much appreciated!

You and I must be very close to each other. I'm not far from Otisco Lake.

Welcome to the NY coop!


TOB

 

[Tough Old Bird]

The Broody Bunch!!!????

My favorite!!!

Me, too -- this one's PERFECT!

I once had a cracked EE egg. I took a white candle and ran it back and forth to seal the egg. It hatched just fine. It was broody hatched too.

Amazing. I never would have thought a cracked egg (embryo) could make it successfully to hatching. Great thinking with the wax to seal it up.

TOB

 

[Snob Doctor]

You and I must be very close to each other.  I'm not far from Otisco Lake.

Welcome to the NY coop!


TOB

I am! Tully/otisco area

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
How about Iddah or Ida or idaho or Ishia

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
Welcome from the Jordan / Jacks Reef area !

 

[Gramma Chick]

Thanks Rancher for making my dh's day with your comments about silkies. He shares your same opinion about them. Too bad cause I am going to be hatching out more! Sorry to hear you are on your own about dels. Perhaps someone will pick it up with you. TOB seems pretty enthusiastic about it. Now about those brs....I know mine were pretty slow to start laying. Once they started they laid nice eggs. Each molt saw them slow down and stop and then begin again. The br in the terrorist coop didnt start laying till after all my rir and sexlinks were laying. In the hens coop, I think only Mean Marge is laying right now and they will be 3 this april. Br lay nice eggs but they do tend to go off and on about laying. Not really sure why. Takes them longer to start laying as well. Of course, this is just my experience with the birds I have (they are hatchery stock).

Ginny--where can I find out about fermenting? I would like to try it.

Dh made it home before me and had to pull the sexlink out of the terrorist group again as they had pecked her back raw again. Not sure why. I doctored it up and put her back in the cage downstairs. I noticed her picking at the roos feathers before I left for work this morning. I wonder if thats why all their feathers look clipped. I checked the boys and there are no signs of any parasites but their feathers look like they have been clipped, giving them a raggedy appearance. None of the girls look like that. I checked them out too. They are on a 21 percent feed so protein isnt an issue. Any thoughts from any of you? I will try to take pics and post them, if the boys cooperate.

Anyone have any good patterns for saddles or know where I can get one for rir girls? The favs are getting pretty thin on their backs from the boys so I need to make some for them.

Supposed to get a foot or two of snow tomorrow depending on which way this storm tracks. Good think I bought some greens to keep the cheeps busy in their coops. Of course this will mean lots of shoveling for dh and I. Might even get some whiteouts and blizzard conditions if we get the winds. Hoping not to of course. Please be safe everyone.

Pharm - it is super easy ..You start with pellets or crumble or scratch ( it can be a mix of all if you like ) add some apple cider vinegar with mother in it ..( 1-2 tablespoons ) Cover the feed with water . let it set in a warm place ..leave the lid a little off ..in a couple of days it should be ready ..to eat .
as longs as you keep some liquid in it you dont need to add more vinegar ..You just add more water & feed as needed .
I use the one bucket method . The food will rise to the top ..of the thinner liquid below .You can either serve it as is or strain it . I strain it ..the liguid that drains goes back into the original bucket
to continue the fermentation ..you just basically skim the thicker stuff that has risen to the top ..Deborah

Heres a link also
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/p/fermented-feed.html

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
I love Mutts ..I have hatchery birds (hens ) sex links & a RiR .my roos a full austalorp from a private owner / breeder .non - hatchery .
Colored eggs sounds fun . Keep us updated on the hatching ...if theres no broody here ..I would love some chicks ...
My son says my neighbor has a incubator ..she would let us borrow it ..dont know how old it is ..though ..
Or maybe a school near us could hatch some chicks for us ..Do they already have a incubator or do you have to provide it ? DEborah

 

[Tough Old Bird]

I am! Tully/otisco area

Well, we can't get much closer than that! Looking forward to talking everything chicken with you!

TOB