NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

I have a rooster for free. Either an EE/Amer lavender or an OE, but he's up for grabs.

I'll be keeping the Lavender/EE to breed back to the hens this summer.

Their father is a nice size and a split so I keep him around. For now. If I get a Lavender as nice as him I may give him up. EE's are big time crowers though.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Okay. I have a lot to figure out.
1. I want a few new breeds in my flock... orpingtons, marans, ameracaunas. With that being said, not sure if I should get young hens or if I should do chicks.
2. If i do chicks I'm not sure if I want to incubate or have a brood sit. Or if I should find chicks.
Chicks are work but so much fun. My kids love it. I love and hate it.
3. I'm getting a rooster next week and also thought of getting hens of my specific breeds then doing chicks with my ladies and rooster later this spring.

Help me out. So many thoughts. I'd like to hear some advice from you pros out there.

there are Pros and Cons
Chicks - More work but they imprint on you ...if you incubate and raise .
If they are brooded by a hen not so much .
Depending on where you got the hens they may never go broody ...you may have to incubate
Hens can bring disease to a flock if you are not careful who you get them from .
Shipped eggs not all hatch ....
I personally like getting chicks from my broody hens and my mixed flock ...with a few hens purchased for Eye Candy

 

[Gramma Chick]

Blondie is Molting..She looks Rough..Mine dont usually do a full molt with fermented food ..
But I am doing a 1/2 ferment now...Mix it with 1/2 dry for the winter so it isnt so moist it freezes

Cutie my spitz is Looking Handsome ...Candy seems to prefer Cowboy as she grew up with him .
but I see them staring at each other sometimes ..Like Maybe

 

[Gramma Chick]

I think that was a pic of someone that had both a kitten and a pet rat ..LOL

 

[rancher hicks]

I think that was a pic of someone that had both a kitten and a pet rat ..LOL

Or maybe he/she was holding on to his/her midnight snack. LOL

 

[boskelli1571]

Well, speaking of predators, our neighbor down the road found some interesting tracks.

DEC says mountain lion......

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Well, speaking of predators, our neighbor down the road found some interesting tracks. DEC says mountain lion......

they are beautiful but one of the reasons I have dogs.

 

[boskelli1571]

they are beautiful but one of the reasons I have dogs.

Yes, thankful we have a couple of Beagles. They have been quite vocal and nervous these past couple of weeks.

 

[Gramma Chick]

DEC says mountain lion......

Wow ...Is the guy down the road that has pens that doesnt live there ?
Could it be a Lynx ?
The track pattern and print size (greater than 3.5" long and wide) are similar to those of mountain lion; however, for lynx the straddle (measured between parallel lines along outside edges of two successive prints) is generally smaller (less than 9")
http://www.wildthingsultd.org/publications/tracking-identification-guide/
Could be a Mountain Lion ...you are in quite a wilderness / wooded area

 

[cutipatooti]

Wow, mountain lion
I love rats as pets.
I prefer to raise chickens from

but that's because it's fun, hopefully less chance for disease, and I know how they were raised. And of coarse because you can bond with them.