NY chicken lover!!!!

[Gramma Chick]

I wouldn't. You might introduce things/germs they're too young to handle. Lord only knows what's growing in there. Their immune systems needs to develop slowly, is the way I see it.

that is how their immune system develops ...by introducing them to a little dirt ...that is how we all get immunity to our environment . children not allowed to play in dirt are more sick than those who do play in it . There is alot that isnt in books ..my chickens have always been given dirt to play in when babies
Heres a clip of my twins ...they are in a bin with newspaper ...I put dirt in the bottom for them .
I call this one chickie sliders

 

[Metella]

Baking in the Rain has always said she pulls up a big clod of sod and puts it in with hers and those are the most healthy of her batches.

I haven't - but I kick mine outside as soon as I can if I get them elsewhere ....

Right now I have my first batch from under the hens - and they are out in the wild world scratching and running from day one !!! I give them a little bought feed in the morning and the rest of the day is up to them They are dashing all over - then run to momma for a nap. Then dash all over .... very energetic and all fluffed and doing well - almost a week old today. They even walked out of the coop in a light rain and explored and then headed back to mom ... no issues ...


it is a risk to add the dirt and a risk not to add it - so you have to decide if you are every going to breed them and want them acclimated and immune to your area - or if you know you will always buy new chicks so you don't have to .... I plan to have all my breed here - so I want only the ones who are ok with my local bugs to live and breed .... No wrong answer - just figure what works best for you.

 

[boskelli1571]

Had a weird thing happen to me last night . My son closed up the ducks & chickens ..so when I got home ...I made them all go where they are supposed to .
Made the ducks leave the chicken coop , said " Go to bed boys..." they left & when in their cage
Closing up the doors on the coop ...something small flies over my head ..to the coop door ..almost hit me
Im thinking nighttime ...what ? a Bat ?
I hear more wings ...and impact with my shoulder ..I look down ...one of the baby house wrens is perched there .
We have a motion light there on the coop ..I guess two of them decided to make a 11:00pm fly by / first fly ?
I caught one & put it back in the nest ..the 2nd I couldnt catch ..it went in the coop..I chased it out ...
Or it would have been chicken delight this morning ..no sign of it .
Does anyone elses chickens chase / eat smaller birds ?


this is momma or papa

My chickens couldn't care less about other birds unless they are stealing food! We have had a wren nesting in the barn every year, she always says 'goodnight' to me! This year no swallows, but a Phoebe took up residence right over the inside run! Nice pic of mama wren..

 

[boskelli1571]

I last evening took all the green eggs from under two broodies and move them to another two. I did miss a couple but got them today. I candled and any not working got tossed. I did leave them two Maran eggs.

In other egg news , BUCKWHEAT LAID AND EGG! It was broke and I don't know why but still she laid and egg!!

I haven't moved her back to the coop, I might in a few days if she lays another. For those who don't remember she had a swollen stomach. I wasn't sure what was wrong but she recovered apparently. I won't deny praying for her. I do believe in miracles.

Hurrah for Buckwheat!! Glad to hear she's healing

 

[boskelli1571]

Hey everyone,
Part 1 of moving went well! Those guys hauled a** this morning and got everything on that truck in 3 hours! I couldn't beleive it! It went by so fast I feel like I blinked and everything was on the truck. And everything JUST fit! I couldn't have added another item if I wanted to. Stayed behind for another hour or so and vacuumed and cleaned up and then headed to CT. Got here this evening around 7 and met that woman I knew from long ago and she took all my mini satin bunnies! Including the babies. That was a load off my shoulder. Funniest part was one of the rabbits hopped right outta the carrier and got loose in this back parking lot we were in of this restaurant. He had us running all over trying to catch him. I finally managed to grab him and looked up and of course I see two families in their SUVs facing us getting a good laugh at all the running we did after this rabbit. I am so beat after today. I'm ready for bed. Oooh and an old friend of mine from RI reached out to me today, I told him how we moved and he asked if I had to get rid of my "farm". I told him I did except for one small flock and it turns out he knows people in Woodstock who also raise chickens so he's going to ask them if they would care if I housed my chickens there. Fingers crossed!

Glad it went well for you - would have loved to see the 'rabbit chase' tho'!! Good luck with the chicks new home

 

[Deckgirls]

Hello new girl here!! From Cattaraugus county!

 

[boskelli1571]

Hello new girl here!! From Cattaraugus county!

Hello and welcome to the psychotherapy page for chicken obsessed people!!

You will find lots of neat people here, oodles of useful advice and hopefully some close by folks, enjoy

 

[Deckgirls]

Thanks so much!! I hope so!!!! not too many people where I live have chickens i believe I am the ONLY one (well maybe second) in my entire town with chickens!

 

[dragonlord483]

Hello new girl here!! From Cattaraugus county!

Welcome I'm in Catt co too!!!

 

[ke5hde]

Tried to get a good picture of my duckers today, but they decided that they didn't want to look at the camera... I was just happy that they all stayed in one place together long enough to take a decent picture!. Ke5hde..make sure that you show your DW..They have gotten so big! I can't thank you enough for helping me get them! The 3 girls (peking & 2 magpies) are in the front and the boys are in the back. The one on the right is the crested one (Lynzi). She is finally getting her poof back after the runner drake pulled them all out. Funny how they stood that way. What you don't see is that they are looking at the chickens eating the blackberries on the top of the wall behind them.. I have to get the rest of them picked before the chickens eat them all. The drake on the upper left is for sale if anyone wants him..

Wow. They have gotten big and you're welcome