NY chicken lover!!!!

[aalissa]

Yeah - the oil in cedar is supposed to be bad for chickens ..

so pine shavings - old leaves raked up and dried - pine needles - dried mowed lawn grass ... any natural bedding should work just fine.

but you have to stir it up - you don't want it so deep and hot you start a fire ! I've never heard of that - but mentioning the compost heap - made me think - you don't want to take this to that extreme.

Yeah I didn't think to bake the chickens inside their coup.

I think a compost heap gets so hot because of the mixture of dry and fresh (wet) materials and the practice of adding water to the heap after its turned to accelerate the decomposition.
I think my plan of action will be to do the deep litter and have the coup on the dirt floor with either a concrete or cinder block foundation (without the floor) to protect the wood from rotting.

I have read good and bad about pine and cedar, the affects on the delicate respiratory system of the birds However I think that I will go with pine as so many chicken keepers have pine bedding. This I think is the problem with researching a planned project... too much conflicting information.
I cant wait to get going I think I am driving my husband crazy.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Yes the white rocks look pretty close.

nice to see them again.
And yes I do miss taking care of something.lol I have empty nest syndrome as my kids (5) are all grown up. Although this isn't a fly by night thought. My husband thought it was but I have been pestering him for chicks for over 4 years. Maybe he as hoping it was a passing faze, its not.
I find life rather boring now that I am retired early... I need something to do with all my time. Something to research, talk about, care about.
At this point I think found my starter chicken... I think Wyandottes are going to be the bird. At least in the beginning.

Wyandottes are beautiful and good natured. They are my favorite besides my olive eggers. I have blue laced red and crazy4chicks has silver laced and blue laced red.

My wyandottes slow down over winter and lay most when it warms up in spring. All my birds slow down when its colder and the days are shorter.

 

[rancher hicks]

Just wanted to pop this in here so that if anyone wanted to use it to pass it on, they could, since Easter is right around the corner.

This is so true. Many folks get upset that they have to buy six, but don't realize the trouble in keeping them. I suspect many lose them to predators, like my nephews. I can't believe those folks who without research get them and just shake off that they've been wiped out in a single night.

Though I am concerned about it being spring. I have to make frequent trips to the yard during the day. Making sure predators who may be lurking know I am out there and they'd better move on.

I've not seen any foot prints from that boxer of late. I suspect his owner realized he was visiting here.

 

[rancher hicks]

Yeah I didn't think to bake the chickens inside their coup.

I think a compost heap gets so hot because of the mixture of dry and fresh (wet) materials and the practice of adding water to the heap after its turned to accelerate the decomposition.
I think my plan of action will be to do the deep litter and have the coup on the dirt floor with either a concrete or cinder block foundation (without the floor) to protect the wood from rotting.

I have read good and bad about pine and cedar, the affects on the delicate respiratory system of the birds However I think that I will go with pine as so many chicken keepers have pine bedding. This I think is the problem with researching a planned project... too much conflicting information.
I cant wait to get going I think I am driving my husband crazy.

I notice that my waterers sitting directly on the ground tend not to get as frozen as those not. I prefer to use these tubs as they sometimes require less lugging of water to the runs. I've considered dirt floors for the coops but that would mean more hardware cloth and changing everything around.

Though a covered run keeps dry pretty much.

I've also considered downsizing in a big way but I have Dels and C. Rocks and Marans and EE's. All good breeds. If I downsize too much I could lose an entire breed if I run into problems. It takes time to raise a chick to laying size.

 

[rancher hicks]

Wyandottes are beautiful and good natured. They are my favorite besides my olive eggers. I have blue laced red and crazy4chicks has silver laced and blue laced red.

My wyandottes slow down over winter and lay most when it warms up in spring. All my birds slow down when its colder and the days are shorter.

One thing I find funny is I've never noticed my birds go into a full molt. Perhaps it's the high protein feed. My Dels have a lull but not as long as some.

Easter eggers seem to be good cold weather layers.

One thing I've noticed too, is the more closed up they are the worse layers they are. Fresh air and sunshine make a difference. Even in a run they're affected.

The year I had the marans in this coop they'd go out on the snow but they laid really well. Door wide open all day long but they seemed fine.



My SLW's were nice looking but not great layers and the eggs were smaller. They've been gone for some time now. I do miss them just the same, but hens gotta earn her keep or she's soup.

 

[aalissa]

I notice that my waterers sitting directly on the ground tend not to get as frozen as those not. I prefer to use these tubs as they sometimes require less lugging of water to the runs. I've considered dirt floors for the coops but that would mean more hardware cloth and changing everything around.

Though a covered run keeps dry pretty much.

I've also considered downsizing in a big way but I have Dels and C. Rocks and Marans and EE's. All good breeds. If I downsize too much I could lose an entire breed if I run into problems. It takes time to raise a chick to laying size.

I think I am lucky because I am starting from scratch. Even if the cabin we buy has out buildings I wont be using them for the chickens. I have plans for goats, rabbits & such. l want a hobby farm. The waterers may be the electric kind. Still I know for all my plans somethings will still go afoul. I am hoping for the best outcomes, of course and doing as much research as possible. Locating a farm vet and breeders, now and not expecting that I be able to breed chickens right away.
My next question is how many chicken do you think would be reasonable for a newbie to start with. I was thinking a bakers dozen or so.

 

[rancher hicks]

I think I am lucky because I am starting from scratch. Even if the cabin we buy has out buildings I wont be using them for the chickens. I have plans for goats, rabbits & such. l want a hobby farm. The waterers may be the electric kind. Still I know for all my plans somethings will still go afoul. I am hoping for the best outcomes, of course and doing as much research as possible. Locating a farm vet and breeders, now and not expecting that I be able to breed chickens right away.
My next question is how many chicken do you think would be reasonable for a newbie to start with. I was thinking a bakers dozen or so.

Hoops make excellent houses for other animals too.

You may not "breed" chickens but you'll be hatching soon I'm sure. It's part of the addiction.

 

[Beer can]

Just be prepared to be overrun with eggs. Or sell them. My first batch was a minimum order through our local feed store, 15 Rhode island red pullets. 15 eggs a day almost every day. Around 400 eggs a month and I didn't want to sell eggs. Gave a lot away, and the dogs ate lots of them. I'm sure if you get pigs they would love them.

 

[aalissa]

Just be prepared to be overrun with eggs. Or sell them. My first batch was a minimum order through our local feed store, 15 Rh ode island red pullets. 15 eggs a day almost every day. Around 400 eggs a month and I didn't want to sell eggs. Gave a lot away, and the dogs ate lots of them. I'm sure if you get pigs they would love them.

Just be prepared to be overrun with eggs. Or sell them. My first batch was a minimum order through our local feed store, 15 Rhode island red pullets. 15 eggs a day almost every day. Around 400 eggs a month and I didn't want to sell eggs. Gave a lot away, and the dogs ate lots of them. I'm sure if you get pigs they would love them.

Hoops make excellent houses for other animals too.

You may not "breed" chickens but you'll be hatching soon I'm sure. It's part of the addiction.

I am just so impatient to get this thing going. I want my cabin, my farm my garden and my life back!!!
I own a house and was doing the urban garden thing. Then because originally my husbands new job require that we live on site I'm in an apartment building. I hate it. Somewhere along the way the company decided that we could move off site so that they can rent out this apartment... however, we are renting out my house at a profit so it seems ridiculous to go back there especially since we want to live in the country anyway.UGH...
the last cabin we looked at was a dry cabin with an out house and although we want to live more naturally... that's a bit much, besides no idea if there was any water to be had on that property even if we drilled. No stream or pond either. GAH!!! Tried to get them to come down on price to cover part of the drilling and septic however, that was a no go. Looking to obtain 5-10 acres of mixed land (forest and grass)

Yes I will be raising chicks. I know I will. I will probably be the local chicken lady... I just need to get my feet wet and some confidence with the real thing. I'll probably end up with a endangered specimen to raise breed and sell. At least that has been my thought since the beginning of my chicken obsession. I want to start with a easier breed to start with I think.
I am pretty sure I will also have lots of takers for the eggs as I have children, friends and family.

 

[rancher hicks]

I am just so impatient to get this thing going. I want my cabin, my farm my garden and my life back!!!
I own a house and was doing the urban garden thing. Then because originally my husbands new job require that we live on site I'm in an apartment building. I hate it. Somewhere along the way the company decided that we could move off site so that they can rent out this apartment... however, we are renting out my house at a profit so it seems ridiculous to go back there especially since we want to live in the country anyway.UGH...
the last cabin we looked at was a dry cabin with an out house and although we want to live more naturally... that's a bit much, besides no idea if there was any water to be had on that property even if we drilled. No stream or pond either. GAH!!! Tried to get them to come down on price to cover part of the drilling and septic however, that was a no go. Looking to obtain 5-10 acres of mixed land (forest and grass)

Yes I will be raising chicks. I know I will. I will probably be the local chicken lady... I just need to get my feet wet and some confidence with the real thing. I'll probably end up with a endangered specimen to raise breed and sell. At least that has been my thought since the beginning of my chicken obsession. I want to start with a easier breed to start with I think.
I am pretty sure I will also have lots of takers for the eggs as I have children, friends and family.

There are some great books on homesteading you might want to check out. I've got a new one called, "Cold Antler farm" you might like. Check your local public library.

If you keep chickens for personal eggs or plan to sell some extras it can work. Maybe hang a sign you have extras or develop a following of customers.

I scored a small college sized fridge for mine. It's full now so I may need to make some calls. Start getting friends to save cartons.

I'm not sure if there is a way to get a tax deduction for egg donations to food pantries or not.

Get yourself a notebook and start a plan. It doesn't have to be hard and fast but an outline can help.