NY chicken lover!!!!

[wny egger]

This can happen when they realize the "order" has been changed.

I've been moving Shorty and Cottonball to a half hoop with three younger chicks. Shorty gets attacked each morning by Godzilla and poor Cottnball is so picked on, I'm tempted to just give her away.

I don't know why she gets picked on. She's nearly bald.

In other news. I had a EE hen sitting on one lone egg for what seemed like forever. Last evening I found it had a still born chick in it. Can't say what happened. It was a maran egg.

Well rain in the forecast and miles to go before I sleep. Have a good day.

Rancher, I hope I get it all done, Hicks.

i figured changing of the pecking order would throw them all for a loop..lol..

i noticed my older girls are taking charge of everyone ..levon my roo is the only male for 21 females, i see him go in to the coop and put his head in the corner.its like hes saying "i give up"...

my wellies just started laying the other day ..small but nice looking eggs.i've gotten 3 eggs 2 real nice but small and one with a very thin shell on the floor...when i went out last nite i seen that 2 of the older girls roosting in with the new birds and 3 new girls in with the old girls coop..i just let them be..


thats to bad about your maran egg..i am hoping by spring to be hatching some eggs..my wifes against me getting anymore birds but if they hatch their own ..lol


i bet those are some nice dark eggs...

well have a good one..

 

[Framac]

It has been a while since I posted so I thought I'd do so today. I have read off and on.

Things have been going very well for us this year. We got 15 lambs from 7 ewes. The Garden is doing amazing this year. All but the "Windex" hatch has gone well for me in comparison to last year. (Last year 50%, This year 75%) in the Brinsea 40. I just don't have the time to tinker with settings in the 1588 to get good hatches. I have sold all but the first batch as chicks, so I keep hatching. I got rid of half of the breeds, and am now down to Giants, and Amers. I am still in Negotiations for a second coop, so Some day soon.

A question for all you people who hatch. Normally, this year and previous, I have had a 48 hour or less window on my hatches from first to last. The Hatch I am currently on, started Sunday night, and there was a new pip this morning. What is causing a 5 day hatch window? 21 days was Monday.

Any Ideas are appreciated.

Framac

 

[Lynzi777]

It has been a while since I posted so I thought I'd do so today. I have read off and on.

Things have been going very well for us this year. We got 15 lambs from 7 ewes. The Garden is doing amazing this year. All but the "Windex" hatch has gone well for me in comparison to last year. (Last year 50%, This year 75%) in the Brinsea 40. I just don't have the time to tinker with settings in the 1588 to get good hatches. I have sold all but the first batch as chicks, so I keep hatching. I got rid of half of the breeds, and am now down to Giants, and Amers. I am still in Negotiations for a second coop, so Some day soon.

A question for all you people who hatch. Normally, this year and previous, I have had a 48 hour or less window on my hatches from first to last. The Hatch I am currently on, started Sunday night, and there was a new pip this morning. What is causing a 5 day hatch window? 21 days was Monday.

Any Ideas are appreciated.

Framac

I probably won't be able to help much but my hatches have always started/pipped on day 20 and finished by day 21. When I brought it up on here I believe someone said it could be because my temps are maybe a degree higher. I've successfully hatched my last few batches by doing dry hatches so I don't think it has much to do with humidity. I always kept my temps in the Binsea Minis at 99.5/99.6 degrees. They were kept in a pretty warm room this summer too so maybe that's why they hatched sooner for me? Are your temps lower? Is the room cooler? Maybe if your temps are the same but the room is cooler maybe that could be it? I'm really not sure, this is just what was recommended to me. I would say maybe there's a difference between LF and Bantams, but I hatched Orps too and they were all right on time.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Worked at the Fair today. I was planning on taking a quick look in the poultry building, but when I got done I was in a hurry to get back to my car to make sure that I didn't get towed so I didn't get a chance to walk through. They have a bunch of changes in security. Not sure that everyone would see them being that most people don't get to the fair at 5:30am.

Anyway...The manager of the poultry building brings us all the eggs that the chickens lay..He brought us 2 dozen eggs this morning..I told everyone that I was going to take all the eggs and put them in an incubator to see what hatches..but knowing my luck, nothing would be fertile..So instead we scrambled them up.

Had to open up the coops before I left. The Ducks were so funny. They stuck their heads out to check things out, came out to get a better look, then they all ran back in. I guess they didn't want to come out in the dark. All the chickens were asleep except one of my Roos that started to crow.(I felt at home when I got to the fair with all the Rosters crowing in the poultry building)

 

[Glasshen]

I am hoping to go to the Fair tomorrow. Will insist on going to the Poultry Building, and since it is early in the schedule, I hope it won't be such a disappointment as last year. I will be with a non chicken person, or perhaps bunch, so we shall see how all that goes. They do like the barns...

 

[Lynzi777]

We're heading to the Woodstock Fair next weekend. I'll have to let you guys know how the poultry part of it is compared to NY. The last time I was at the Woodstock Fair I was probably 5! LOL

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I am hoping to go to the Fair tomorrow. Will insist on going to the Poultry Building, and since it is early in the schedule, I hope it won't be such a disappointment as last year. I will be with a non chicken person, or perhaps bunch, so we shall see how all that goes. They do like the barns...

If you get there before 11ish stop by and say Hi!

Have some breakfast

This is where I work at the fair...I hope the link works.
http://blog.syracuse.com/statefair/2014/08/grange_ye_olde_roast_beef_poultry-dairy_row_review.html

 

[Cass]

I did find that file online and read thru it. Also found another article stating that depending on where the land is, it could go for $40/acre-$100+/acre. And again I don't even a whole acre but if someone was willing to rent to me for $40-$50 acre, I would take the whole acre if there weren't too many limitations as to what I could add. I think that would be better that limiting myself to a half or less. This way if I want to get breeding pens set up again or get back into the Orps or other breeds I could. I need to touch base with that realtor today. I haven't heard back as to whether or not she was able to contact anyone.

IF the land is fallow....they might let you use it for free eggs. Worth a thought. By allowing you to keep your chickens there they keep their "agriculture" status on the tax rolls.

I know my brother had to rent his land to someone to keep his farm status or risk paying 10x the amount in taxes. He rented it for $1 to an old High school friend who has to drive over 3 miles with his equipment to farm it. But it was worth it to both parties. Farmer gets "free" space, land owner gets waaaaaaaaaaaaay lower taxes on 45 acres plus "improvements" (meaning the 2 houses, 2 barns, 2 sheds and garage on the property)

 

[Lynzi777]

IF the land is fallow....they might let you use it for free eggs. Worth a thought. By allowing you to keep your chickens there they keep their "agriculture" status on the tax rolls.

I know my brother had to rent his land to someone to keep his farm status or risk paying 10x the amount in taxes. He rented it for $1 to an old High school friend who has to drive over 3 miles with his equipment to farm it. But it was worth it to both parties. Farmer gets "free" space, land owner gets waaaaaaaaaaaaay lower taxes on 45 acres plus "improvements" (meaning the 2 houses, 2 barns, 2 sheds and garage on the property)

I was reading a lot about that today on this website:
http://landforgood.org/resources/toolbox/toolbox-farm-seekers/?gclid=CN-87pPZpcACFc1_MgodLlkA3w

It sounds good an all, problem is I only have the 6 silkies/sizzles, they're not the best layers. However, if I could get an acre and do whatever with it - add LF flocks, maybe a pair of goats? I would give them whatever they wanted from that livestock! I'll keep that in mind though. Maybe shoot an email to this realtor and see if she knows of anyone looking to the lower the tax price on their land they have because they are not already "farming" on it.

 

[rancher hicks]

Just be careful - I know you are missing them now - but I can see it being like boarding a horse ...

The first few weeks or even months - excitement is carrying you ... then the travel is a real burden, especially in bad weather. Even a 5 (yes FIVE) minute drive is a burden when done twice a day and it would take you more than the 20 minutes on the road - you have prep, carry things often, forget and run back ....

with my horse owners - they always start out strong and then rarely come to visit their horses. Now I have no boards because I can't trust any owners to keep up with their part of the bargain.

SO --- really beware when not setting up walking distance from your back door....... Also - you will be at the mercy of he landlowner - and things always start out the best and .....

I don't mean to burst your bubble - but give yourself time to settle in and get caught up in first days of school - then decide.

Glad you are still coming here !!!!

Ain't that the truth?

Some days I just go out and do the basics. In the winter it's out make sure they have food, bring water, let them out, come in, go out check for eggs and see if all is okay, and back in. Finally it's go out and close things up. I purposely didn't get larger waterers cuz it might give me reason not to bring them fresh water. With gallon waterers you've got to fill them every day.

Some day's I think, I'll cut my loses and just get rid of them all. Then I think what would I do if I didn't have chickens. Sleep late, lay around and get fatter?

Right now I'm filling all my garden beds with chicken cleanings and whatever, covering them with newspapers, staple black garden cloth over them and leaving them empty.

Point being you're right. When it becomes more work to go see them and you're tired.....................................

Maybe I've said to much.