NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

copying from the vermont forum in case anyone can help

Hi all,

Thought I'd post this here, in case anyone can help out!

The Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) is a raptor rehabilitation center in Quechee, VT. They take in hawks, eagles, owls, falcons, etc. that have been injured (usually through interactions with humans, like car accidents or gunshot wounds) and take care of them until they are able to return to the wild. The few that are too badly injured to be released again become permanent residents at VINS. As you can imagine, feeding the raptors can be expensive. VINS relies partly on donations of live animals like chickens and rabbits from community farmers and breeders in order to feed the raptors. I often take my extra roosters to VINS as donations for the raptors. The donated animals die a humane death (they are euthanized in a CO2 chamber - they do NOT get fed to the raptors while still alive) and you get a form that declares the animals a charitable donation, if you would like to deduct it on your taxes.

Well, Sara at VINS emailed me today to ask if I had any chickens available because they are desperately low on food for the raptors right now. I will be taking her whatever extra I have, but I also offered to post here on BYC about their need, in case anyone else would like to help. Personally, I find it very helpful sometimes to be able to take my extra birds to VINS. I know that many of you would never dream of eating your chickens, but I also know many of you are breeders like me, and you probably are all too familiar with having too many extra roosters around, or old hens that should be retired. Yes, I can always process extra roosters myself, and I do when I can. But sometimes it's just easier to take them to VINS, and I know the raptors always need to eat! If you have any extra birds (or rabbits - I know many of you breed rabbits as well!) that you could share with VINS, Sara would love to hear from you right away.

Here are their only requirements:
No sick birds, no internal/external parasites
No medicated birds (including medicated feed like chick starter)

If you can help, or if you have any questions, please email Sara at [email protected] and she can arrange a time for you to drop of donations! Thanks!

Well Lord have mercy if they were closer to me that would be great. I don't drive to the auction since it's to far away and could supply them with more than a few roosters. No one wants my extra EE's, Dels or B. Marans. I hatch a couple of batches and have broodies on eggs now.

I used to sell my extra Cavies to a lab, but I don't think there is such a place for chickens here in Syracuse.

 

[rancher hicks]

My chickens love the mini woodpile - they are enjoying the fairly nice weather..

With all due respect. If that is a plastic tarp I'd pull it up asap. I noticed that the cheaper tarps break down in the sun and shred. I am always picking up pieces of blue that got left behind from past years. I hope to convert all my hoops to corrugated plastic or something more weather resistant.

We really have to be careful what is laying around the farm. I once saw an Xray of a chicken that had eaten a 1" screw.

 

[rancher hicks]

I have to go to the Syracuse airport Sunday morning 11ish.....Lynzi can you meet there for the silkies?

If I had known and could have met you I'd have had you bring me half dozen Light Sussex eggs. I noticed an EE in the nest box this afternoon and I suspect she's broody. I keep commenting on how nice the hen I got from you is. And she's very friendly too.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: Well, theres still time. Meeting around 11is. My husband is coming in at 11, so maybe meet before? 10:45? I have to confirm time with Lynzie yet.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Does anyone give their chicks ...chick feed until they get on layer ?
I dont remember switching to flock grower last year ..in between ...but I may have ..

 

[Lynzi777]

Does anyone give their chicks ...chick feed until they get on layer ?
I dont remember switching to flock grower last year ..in between ...but I may have ..

I buy a small bag of chick starter/grower and when that's done I give them the Flock Raiser. Everyone is on that now until they start laying. The birds who are laying get the layer pellets.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Does anyone give their chicks ...chick feed until they get on layer ?
I dont remember switching to flock grower last year ..in between ...but I may have ..

OOOOH, ME!!! I didn't even know there was an "Grower", lol! So mine stayed on Starter until 20 weeks and then I switched them to layer. They didn't start laying for a couple of months after that.

 

[featherz]

With all due respect. If that is a plastic tarp I'd pull it up asap. I noticed that the cheaper tarps break down in the sun and shred. I am always picking up pieces of blue that got left behind from past years. I hope to convert all my hoops to corrugated plastic or something more weather resistant.

We really have to be careful what is laying around the farm. I once saw an Xray of a chicken that had eaten a 1" screw.

It's actually an old pool cover, so it's pretty durable - we're planning on pulling all that up next week anyways..

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Evening all. Been reading your posts in between working crazy shifts. Dh put the brats out into the portable run today and then it started to rain so we had to bring them back in. They are pretty tired. I was hoping to get them into the coop tomorrow but its supposed to rain all week coming up and be cold so I will keep them in. The person who is getting 13 from me is getting antzy about getting them. He is so excited about getting chickens and is anxious to get them right away. Dh and I have to go down to his place and check out his coop for him and answer all the questions he has next weekend. I told him I have to harden them off yet as they are just over 5 weeks old. I am not above enabling another into the world of chickens!

The little littles are tearing up their brooder box. They race around it then collapse into a big pile and sleep for a bit then start all over again. Too cute they are. My silkie eggs lock down tonight and I am hopeful of a decent hatch. I looked in the nestbox of Legolas coop when the girls ran out to do their thing and I see that Eowyn has stolen at least 6 of her daughters eggs and is sitting on them. She and her daughter are sharing the same nest box and are sitting together on their eggs. It will be interesting to see what happens.

We have an egg eater in the terrorist coop. Have found broken eggs and eggs pecked open and the insides eaten out. Not sure who is doing it but when I find out, they are dinner. I am not sure why its happening as they get good feed with protein and I give them extra protein as well as freeranging time to eat bugs and stuff. I suspect the sexlinks but wont know until I catch the culprit. or culprits. Time to stock up on canning jars.

Ta for now.

 

[rancher hicks]

Does anyone give their chicks ...chick feed until they get on layer ?
I dont remember switching to flock grower last year ..in between ...but I may have ..

As a rule I give the chick starter/grower right up til that first egg. If I have chicks in with the flock I give them all grower/starter too. Non med of course.

Brooded by me they get medicated for at least the first 50# bag then over to non med.

Of course it's up to each his/her own.