NY chicken lover!!!!

[myfivegirls]

Quote: You're welcome! It's always good to know what to do when someone has already "been there, done that".
Experience is a great teacher, but it's a lot easier when someone gives you the "short-cut"!
Thanks to BYC, I've learned lots of helpful tips along the way, and always glad when I can return the favor.

I hope your broody hen is successful and raises a nice batch of chicks.

 

[Pyxis]

I have no idea why they told me the SPCA. I was shocked. I will not send any animal there to sit in a tiny cage and possibly never find a home or die. So now it's looking for the next best option. My son is not happy with me at all for trying to find it a home since we all have already fell in love!

Yeah, it was just bad advice and you'd think they'd know better, lol. Is there a wildlife rehabber near you that you could contact if you don't manage to find a home for the little guy? They should know what they're doing and could probably even get it back into the wild when it's older.

 

[Beer can]

@myfivegirls
I was bored on your site, looking good! I love your "return the rooster" setup. Process the rooster for you while you wait with free DIY instructions $3, process rooster for our own use no wait and free, Lol! That is definitely a cool thing for you to do IMHO.

 

[Beer can]

@mdmcare Mallards, even 'flying mallards' are available at most hatcheries. If you just keep it I doubt anyone would notice. Ducks do much better with others though, whoever ends up with it or if you keep it should probably find some more around the same age any breed to keep it company.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Thanks guys! Her timing is pretty rotten. But he didn't say the hens couldn't hatch any for me!

Broodys ! I now have another one . 4 currently in the hen house I only have 6 stalls total ..only 2 stalls free ...for laying hens ..Maybe I will try putting 2 of them in the baby coop

 

[Gramma Chick]

. I know this is no chicken but I had to share her we just had her, Serenity Hope Gleason

Sweet ! It looks like a Cute Chick To Me ! Congratulations to the New Mamma & Papa

 

[mdmcare]

@mdmcare Mallards, even 'flying mallards' are available at most hatcheries. If you just keep it I doubt anyone would notice. Ducks do much better with others though, whoever ends up with it or if you keep it should probably find some more around the same age any breed to keep it company.

Although this little one seems to be loving it's humans I do hope to find a home where it has other ducks to play with. As long as those ducks let it cuddle because this little one loves to do that most!

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
You could keep it ...it will bond with you ...just carefully introduce it to the dogs under supervison ..I would have them leashed for control

 

[myfivegirls]

@myfivegirls
I was bored on your site, looking good! I love your "return the rooster" setup. Process the rooster for you while you wait with free DIY instructions $3, process rooster for our own use no wait and free, Lol! That is definitely a cool thing for you to do IMHO.

Thanks! Haven't written blog update in awhile - been on here too much!! By the time I get done catching up with recent posts, I have other things that need to be done.
Yes, so far this year no one's taken me up on that "return the rooster" offer - but then again most chicks I've sold are young enough they'd not be ready quite yet.
Hey, if someone doesn't want to process their own rooster or old laying hen - I'm willing to sacrifice some of my time for a little more meat in the freezer.
That's how I learned years ago - someone gave me their old hens & I used them for raw meat to feed the dogs.
Although I did it kind of "backwards" and froze them whole, without gutting; then later on, had to defrost them & finish processing them.
I quickly realized it was easier to do it all at once before freezing them!

I did have someone come over two weeks ago and taught him how to process, as I had four roosters that I'd been waiting to go for awhile.
Now, it's more peaceful in the bachelor pen, and this week took two more roosters out & put with hens.
Of course with all the hatching this year, I have at least 20 little cockerels running around the chicken yard already,
with the potential for quite a few more in the brooder & incubator. Chicken math at it's finest!

Quote:
I think I might have another broody, "Ellie" - repeat from last year - she was "ticking/clucking" yesterday morning.
So, I added more hay & fake eggs to the nesting boxes, as I wanted to "help her go broody". I found her in the nesting box last night.
Now I just have to decide if she proves to be serious whether I should give her chicks or set more eggs under her.
I had thought of raising more Cornish via a broody, but they can't be in with the "main flock", as they'll trample any smaller chicks once they get big.
And I hear you - finding space for hens & chicks is always a challenge.

My "dream" is to have a separate "broody hen coop/condo", where multiple hens could brood all
at the same time, yet have the option to separated for those who don't like to "share".
Never got to that this year, before the hens went broody.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Yep, now I have TWO broodies...lol. I'll probably just shuffle an egg or two from the first hen and stick it under the new broody hen.