NY chicken lover!!!!

[miquwid]

Good morning mini vacation is over, did my 340am run with the dogs. I always see the most interesting this at that hour, love that two guys holla'd at me "hey mama". I politely said hey back and ran faster thanks to my two dogs who have no interest in protecting my lol! Anywho time start work lots of dogs and cats need bath and haircuts!

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Good morning mini vacation is over, did my 340am run with the dogs. I always see the most interesting this at that hour, love that two guys holla'd at me "hey mama". I politely said hey back and ran faster thanks to my two dogs who have no interest in protecting my lol!

I can just picture this...

3:40 A.M. ?! You are a dedicated runner!

TOB

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Question Chicken Gurus -

I am still seeing some random diarrhea in (some) of the flock's poop. It is brown-orange in color (sorry to gross anyone out!) which doesn't particularly surprise me on account of the crumbles they eat. No blood or anything, but it is definitely not formed like the other poops I see.

Should I be doing something and should I be concerned?

Thanks.


TOB

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Morning all. Really cool storm last night. The lightning was fantastic. The rain was very hard, washing dirt away. Thank goodness it didnt last that long. The game cam showed a coon walking by around 3 am the other night. First time something has showed up on the game cam in a while. We make sure that there is no success in finding anything to eat around here. It also helps that all the city folks summer houses down the road have easy pickings garbage cans out next to the road. Saw them all turned over and garbage scattered yesterday morning on my way to work. Of course that mess wont be cleaned up till they all come back up this weekend. Our resident bears havent wandered by either but everyone else has been seeing them so perhaps they are also hitting the buffet barrels next to the road.

My last two silkie babies are going to their new home tomorrow. That will be a relief and one more cage out of my basement. Next is getting the rir tots into the diva coop, then my basement will be free! I was handling some of the divas the other day and I bet some of these girls are 9 pounds. No wonder they sound like they are going to go through the floor of the coop when they jump down.

Rancher---I would love some dels but I only have so much room! I need about 20 acres to have all the different chickens I want and then I would have to win the lottery to be able to stay home and take care of them all! Right now I am focusing on heritage rir;s. I am hoping to replace my hatchery stock with heritage over the next couple of years (although we all know chicken math will probably make it sooner!). My freezer is almost empty and when we defrost it there will be plenty of space available for freezer camp.

I have a sign up sheet in the terrorist coop.

Olafs name is first on the list. He just doesnt know it yet.

Stony--love the picks of the baby ducks with their chicken momma. I am thinking, however, she will not want to go in the pool with her babies!

Going to be a hot one today. Instead of drugs, I will be serving drinks today. Nonalcoholic. Some days I wish they were! Stay cool everyone and may your cheeps be well.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Question Chicken Gurus -

I am still seeing some random diarrhea in (some) of the flock's poop. It is brown-orange in color (sorry to gross anyone out!) which doesn't particularly surprise me on account of the crumbles they eat. No blood or anything, but it is definitely not formed like the other poops I see.

Should I be doing something and should I be concerned?

Thanks.


TOB

There is a poop page that has all the different pics of normal poop of chickens. http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=17568

This is a really good reference page and it explains why the poop looks like it does. Hope this helps.

 

[armorfirelady]

Question Chicken Gurus -

I am still seeing some random diarrhea in (some) of the flock's poop. It is brown-orange in color (sorry to gross anyone out!) which doesn't particularly surprise me on account of the crumbles they eat. No blood or anything, but it is definitely not formed like the other poops I see.

Should I be doing something and should I be concerned?

Thanks.


TOB

I found this link helpful when I found different poops and was concerned
http://chat.allotment.org/index.php?topic=17568.0

I'm still a newbie as well.....I have learned not to get worried about poop lol

** edited to add Pharm chick & I must of been posting at the same time

 

[armorfirelady]

I have a friend & fellow BYCer who is looking for a couple silkie chicks. She lives in the Hornby/Watkins Glen area. Does anyone know anyone who has any available?

Even if they were closer to me, Buffalo, I can get them to her.

Thanks !!

 

[Lynzi777]

Morning All,
Went to let the ladies out this morning, checked on Stella to see if she was still sitting that one egg and she was. I was also surprised and now realize how she came to sitting on 9 eggs! (Especially when I was out there the day before she went broody to collect eggs) It seems as tho they all laid day, she went broody, and they all continued to lay.......in that same nest box! LOL




Also, Rancher, You will never believe this but when I checked on my Silkies this morning I heard cheeps that I've never heard before. So I had to open the door to find out what it was. These four were in there hogging the feed bowl and cheeping "Ran-Cher, Ran-Cher, Ran-Cher" I should have video taped it, but I was so scared I quickly took a picture from my phone (sorry it's blury, my hand was shaking):

 

[rancher hicks]

I briefly mingled the big and little sisters today, under supervision of course. Rancher is right in that as far as I've been watching, the Del pullet is the only one who has not pecked the youngsters. The Maran is mostly curiosity pecking at the facial feather puffs on the Brabanter, but I haven't seen her peck too hard. However, the Columbian Rocks are being rather nasty. They both have given some very aggressive pecks and for no apparent reason (not near food). There is no way I'd leave them alone yet. But I figure I'll keep allowing them to mix a little to help ease into the transition. Boy, will it be a happy day when I can just run them together. It's a huge pain to keep them apart and still try to get everyone outside time, etc.

Here is Helen, the Maran, checking out Gertie (Brabanter), Cracker (Coronation Sussex) and Chumley (Lavender Orp). As you can see, they look a little bit unsure!




TOB

I do have a Del on eggs and in the future if things don't work out we can make a switch to Dels. They're an easy going breed. I do have CR with orps and the RIR and they seem to get along.

 

[rancher hicks]

You should see what chicks from Greenfire Farm go for. It seems crazy, but when you think about it, if you turn around and work on the breed yourself you can get the same amount on your eggs as what you first paid most times. Still, very expensive to get started.

Editing to add: If you're willing to take the risk, you can get eggs cheaper on eBay. So far my eBay egg experience has been good bu it's dicey.

The price of something is only as good as what folks are willing to pay. As I've said before GF wants $49 a chick for Birchen marans and from what I've seen out there few are as nice as the ones GF posts. That said no one around here will pay even half of what GF charges for a Birchen chick, which is why I give/trade/sell chicks and hatching eggs for what I can get.

Things I like about the breed are they lay a nice sized egg, 2.0 + and that they mature fast. Chicks can be sexed at about 3-4 weeks and they laid very well through the cold months. IMO egg color don't mean a thing if you're only getting a few eggs per year. They do go broody but are good mothers. They don't brood for too long after though.

Speaking of which it looks like the EE's and BR hens have stopped brooding their chicks already. The BR is laying again as are the EE's. Chicks are about 3 weeks or so. Which is good cuz I'm getting 6 - 8 eggs a day from the 8 birds.

Marq's Sussex makes a good broody mom too. She will brood chicks from any hen, but does take a long time before she quits and starts laying again though.