NY chicken lover!!!!

[Lapeerian]

Absolutely get local help if you can!! Local beekeepers are worth their weight in gold for info & ideas, perhaps he could join up with a bee keeping club?  Because I have top bars, I sometimes feel a bit 'out on a limb' - there aren't too many top bar keepers around here.  I also forgot to mention that goldstarhoneybees has several videos on youtube which might be helpful. Although the hive set-up is a bit different, the same basic ideas & principles apply.
   You will have to start thinking seriously about it soon tho' - most bee suppliers have their orders filled out by late April if not earlier...

Good thing he has a birthday early March
I know the one local lost his equipment in a garage fire a few years back, but still has the roadside honey stand, so obviously rebuilt.
I know bees have some predators. In our neighbors delapitated coop, there was a giant paper wasp nest. Think some sort of European Wasps? The things are huge! Over 2" big. Need to get a ladder and knock it down one of these bitter cold days and burn it.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Evening all. Well the storm was a big bust here which is fine by me. The cold had come back with a vengence along with the wind so the windchills are nasty. Very glad I put plastic on the sides of my silkie runs. I think they are too. Gave everyone some scratch tonight before bed to warm them up. Rooster was trying to take advantage and jump some of the girls but The Duke wasnt having it and neither was I. Got 9 eggs today. Hoping it will pick up some in a bit. I do have one sexlink hen that has a blueish comb. Not sure whats up with her but I will check her out tomorrow before I leave for work. Might have to bring her in for a bit. I have been giving everyone poultry cell in their water to boost them up with vitamins and minerals. I think is has helped them through this cold.

Lap--I dont keep bees as there is not enough food around here for them. I do see the occasional wild honey bee but we live in the woods and there arent many flowering plants around here. I hope to do so some day in the future though, probably after we move south.

Grandma--mine were mad that they could see my garden right in front of their run but couldnt get to it after I put up some lattice to keep them from pulling the tomato plant leaves through the wire and eating them. I had deer fencing around the front and fixed up like fort knox so they couldnt get into it when they were freeranging. Trust me, they went over every inch of that fence looking for a spot to possibly break in every time I let them out! Best day of their life was when the fence came down and I opened the run door. In less than 20 minutes that garden was stripped and tilled over! You could say its ready for spring planting!

So are there any plans for a chickenstock this year yet? I would like to go if its not too far away. Tabs place was about as far as I would want to drive (3 hours or so). Too bad we dont have star trek technology yet or we could all just beam in and beam out!

Okay--off to a local seed site to see what they have and make plans. Ta for now.

 

[Pyxis]

Evening all.  Well the storm was a big bust here which is fine by me.  The cold had come back with a vengence along with the wind so the windchills are nasty.  Very glad I put plastic on the sides of my silkie runs.  I think they are too.  Gave everyone some scratch tonight before bed to warm them up.  Rooster was trying to take advantage and jump some of the girls but The Duke wasnt having it and neither was I.  Got 9 eggs today.  Hoping it will pick up some in a bit.   I do have one sexlink hen that has a blueish comb.  Not sure whats up with her but I will check her out tomorrow before I leave for work.  Might have to bring her in for a bit.  I have been giving everyone poultry cell in their water to boost them up with vitamins and minerals.  I think is has helped them through this cold.  

Lap--I dont keep bees as there is not enough food around here for them.  I do see the occasional wild honey bee but we live in the woods and there arent many flowering plants around here.  I hope to do so some day in the future though, probably after we move south.

Grandma--mine were mad that they could see my garden right in front of their run but couldnt get to it after I put up some lattice to keep them from pulling the tomato plant leaves through the wire and eating them.  I had deer fencing around the front and fixed up like fort knox so they couldnt get into it when they were freeranging.  Trust me, they went over every inch of that fence looking for a spot to possibly break in every time I let them out!  Best day of their life was when the fence came down and I opened the run door.  In less than 20 minutes that garden was stripped and tilled over!  You could say its ready for spring planting!

So are there any plans for a chickenstock this year yet?  I would like to go if its not too far away.  Tabs place was about as far as I would want to drive (3 hours or so).  Too bad we dont have star trek technology yet or we could all just beam in and beam out!

Okay--off to a local seed site to see what they have and make plans.  Ta for now.

There are plans for Chickenstock - Nutty is hosting The thread is here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/948030/2015-new-york-chickenstock

 

[rancher hicks]

Oh okay ....I thought you meant during the growing season...as they would be like the Tazmanian devil then too ..

I learned the first year. I figured "Okay the can have the tomatoes on the bottom, I'll get the ones up top". That was until I witnessed them JUMPING up to eat the ones at the top. Then I fenced it in. Who knew Chickens jump. Bouncing freaking yo yo's they were.

They still get in occasionally but I chase them out. I have to maintain the fencing. Rustic fencing gets old and dry.



In other news. MY LORD IS IT COLD OUT!

It's so cold Roosters were running into Kentucky Fried Chicken and begging to use the pressure cooker.

It's so cold the squirrels were throwing themselves at the electric fence.

It's so cold my teeth were chattering.....in the glass!

It's so cold Levi's started making electric jeans.

It's so cold when we milked the cows we got ice cream.

Okay I'll stop. But only because it's so cold, I can only annoy people indoors with dumb jokes.

 

[rancher hicks]

If I do bees, and I think I will in the future, I'd probably go with a top bar hive. I still have lots to learn before I would even attempt bees though - I don't even know how to collect the honey!

I'm still thinking of it, but only because at my age thinking takes a long time. I did get a book from the library. It had questions newbies ask, one of which is "will I get stung?" The answer was yes. I figure how bad can it be? I got stung pretty good by my ex wife and survived that!

 

[Gramma Chick]

Did anyone hear of the Fulton couple who was charged in connection with abandoned dog and dead cat ? Stupid Idiots ..."We didnt know what to do with them "


http://www.localsyr.com/story/d/sto...n-with-abandoned/13656/pPgfI3k160KvKEc27U3OEw

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

Ok I am dyeing to hatch here and my freeloaders are giving me just barely enough to bake with let alone hatch anyone have any hatching eggs? Don't matter what they are but would love more easter eggers, olive eggers, and orpingtons but like I said don't matter can even be mixes that's ok will just throw them in with the egg layers eventually.

 

[Nuttyfrom6kids]

I know this was posted in the chickenstock thread but not here so this is the new updated feed list including the Blue Seal and Poulin Grain and the prices from Country Farm and Hardware.


Blue Seal Feeds in 50lbs.
Main Menu Texture Horse Feed $12.99
Egg Extra Layer Crumbles $14.50
Hog Grower Pellet $13.99
All Stock 14% $14.50
Game Starter / Grower Crumbles $17.99

25lb Bags
Chick Starter Meal Medicated $10.00

20LB Bags
Ultra Clean Black Sunflower Seeds $11.99
Song Maker Bird Feed $10.99

Poulin Grains
50 lb Bags
Egg Production Crumbles $16.99
Layer Pellets $15.99
Turkey –N- Game Starter Crumbles $17.99
18% Rabbit Feed $17.99
Pig Starter Crumbles $16.99
Pig Grower Pellets $14.99
Chick Starter Crumbles Nonmedicated $16.99
Black Oill Sunflower Seeds $23.99
Lamb N Kids Starter Pellets $15.99
Sweet Goat 18% $15.99
Sheep Complete Pellets $14.99
Stock NCA 16% $13.99
Scratch $13.99
Local Feed Mill Feed
100lb Bags
Chicken Layer Mash $17.00
Pig Hog Feed Mash $16.00
Goat Sheep Feed $15.50
Corn Meal $13.00
Oats $17.50
Whole Corn $13.00

50 lb. Bags
Soy Bean Mash $14.50
Cracked Corn $7.50

Other Items that are available
Plain Salt Blocks 50lbs. $8.19
Farm Flock Block 25lbs $16.99

Wood Shavings / Bedding Compressed 3.25 Cu Ft Loose 9.75 cu Ft. $5.25 each
Homemade All natural Flock Treats
Small that come with a string for Hanging $1.00 each
Larger Small Loaf size (String Included) $1.50 each
Homemade all Natural Dog Biscuits
Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Bacon, Chicken, and Chicken Bacon.
Small 2” long are $0.50 each
Medium 3.5 “are $0.75 each
Large 6” are $1.25 each

Handmade Fleece Tied Dog and Cat Beds
Small Cat / Dog size are $7

 

[boskelli1571]

Did anyone hear of the Fulton couple who was charged in connection with abandoned dog and dead cat ? Stupid Idiots ..."We didnt know what to do with them "


http://www.localsyr.com/story/d/sto...n-with-abandoned/13656/pPgfI3k160KvKEc27U3OEw

Hope they don't have kids...............

 

[rancher hicks]

Did anyone hear of the Fulton couple who was charged in connection with abandoned dog and dead cat ? Stupid Idiots ..."We didnt know what to do with them "


http://www.localsyr.com/story/d/sto...n-with-abandoned/13656/pPgfI3k160KvKEc27U3OEw

No but on one hand the SPCA is never taking in cats and hardly dogs. This is why the CNY Cat Coalition is so important to support. They spend their own time and many times their own money to work toward the spaying/neutering of cats. The operate a trap and release program for feral cats. They also will help pay part of your expense to spay/neuter your cats.

I suspect we can all afford a $5 donation now and then. They work out of Pet Smart I think.

It would be nice if there were such an organization for dogs.