NY chicken lover!!!!

[Tough Old Bird]

Pharmchick,

I am also really sorry to hear about the unexpected loss of some of your birds. I hope this is just an isolated incident and that the rest of your flock is A-OK!

I got a scare this a.m. when none of the girls were out 1st thing, as they usually are, and the auto door was open. When I looked closer I saw that their largest window screen was lying on the ground. It seemed too quiet in the coop as I opened the door, and I held my breath expecting the worst, but there they all were looking fine. I think the big screen lying on the ground spooked them and they wouldn't venture out. It must have blown out in a t-storm, or perhaps was loosened and fell out overnight. No sign of predators at all and the pen was secure. It was a bad feeling, opening up that door and not sure what kind of carnage might be on the other side!

I truly wish this humidity would break. I worry about the girls, and I feel my worst in it, as well.

Everyone take care!


TOB

 

[rancher hicks]

sweaty

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

TOB which automatic door did you get?
I have been looking at them for a while but need to sell my 1st coop before I can afford one.

General question for everyone, which would you rather invest in, electric portable fencing or automatic door?

So glad I'm sitting in AC today. I feel bad for the girls today, at least the coop is in the shade.

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

sweaty

Brow

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
Sorry about the deceased chickens ...Heat may be a factor ..
I was thinking the chicks may have suffocated also ...was that their momma ? coz also they all could have ate something .
Any sign of a fight with the other hen that is acting strange ?

 

[Tough Old Bird]

TOB which automatic door did you get?
I have been looking at them for a while but need to sell my 1st coop before I can afford one.

General question for everyone, which would you rather invest in, electric portable fencing or automatic door?

So glad I'm sitting in AC today. I feel bad for the girls today, at least the coop is in the shade.

We splurged on the Pullet Shut and it has been working like a charm. We do go away for long weekends and such, and I had read such good reviews (and also good reports from chicken folks) that it was worth the peace of mind. We love it and the girls caught on to it the very first day. They let themselves in within an hour of it shutting every night. So far, so good!

This heat is just awful. I hate it so much.


TOB

 

[Lynzi777]

OMG is it nasty out there! Just got done cleaning coops and rearranging them once again. I wanted the silkies to have a larger run so attached the run from the bigger coop to it so they can out a little more while I'm away. The bigger girls don's need it since they free range every day. I had it moved it to the silkie coop once before but moved it back for some reason I can no longer remember. Anywho, everyone should be all set for when I leave this Thursday. Only ones I'm worried about is Stella and her chicks. All she does in there is scratch around for food. I'm assuming she's showing the babies how to scratch for food but man, she is making a mess! I have one of the little waterers in there for them and it's clogged up with shavings in five minutes with the damage she does. So now I'm worried that is my husband is working all day and he cleans out/waters them in the morning, an hour later it'll be clogged again. It's not like I can hang it higher either cuz the chicks wont be able to reach it. I really need to remove half the amount of shavings that are in there. That may help a little but not much. I'm thinking of calling my friend and seeing if she can stop by around noon or so each day to make sure their water is clean. I wonder if would help if I put up some kind of "wall" in front of the water, and left it open on one side only (where the shavings can fly into it) if that would help. Anyone else ever have this problem??

 

[Glasshen]

Never found a good solution to keeping chick water clean. When they are a bit more mobile I have put it up on a little platform. And less shavings helps. I have used straw because it solved the problem of shavings flying out of the dog crate and all over my basement. But straw is not as cozy...

I find that I have wild parsnip rash. It is blisters from the sap of those tall weeds that look like yellow Queen Ann's Lace. I was using a grass whip on the weeds...apparently that was a bad choice. I have pulled lots of them, and that is the preferred method, wearing gloves, long sleeves, long pants, socks, boots...So now I have two plant enemies to skirmish with. Buckthorn and Wild Parsnip. Luckily poison ivy doesn't grow here.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

I don't like the heat either, glad we bought another AC saturday. Spent the weekend rearranging furniture in the girls rooms and bringing out stored baby things. I wanted to get ready while I was still able to move some what. The girls and I even picked strawberries yesterday morning. My oldest had kindergarten screening today. Doctor appointment Wednesday. It's looking to be another busy week this week. Hope everyone stays cool.

 

[Pyxis]

I was up until 6 am with a shrinkwrapped chick. Finally got it out and cleaned it up. I told it after all it put me through it should have the decency to be a pullet. She's a beautiful blue copper marans and she hatched from a very dark egg, so if she is a she, she gets to stick around.

Pharm, so sorry to hear about the hen and chicks. Had you considered maybe it was heat stroke? What with the heat we've been having that might be what happened, especially if they were perfectly fine yesterday. The eggs you sent me are all settled in and I'll be doing the first candling soon. Last night when I candled really quick to find an air cell I spotted some veins in one.