NY chicken lover!!!!

[AmberKnits]

@Pyxis, we need to chat a bit about that rooster you sold me. He's looking quite handsome, but as it turns out he isn't going INTO the coop at night. He's learned how to get ON the coop. Fun trick that he taught ALL the other teenagers. He stays out all night partying. In fact, the last two nights his party got a bit wild. He was crowing from 2-3am. Both nights I jumped out of bed, rushed outside to figure out what kind if shenanigans were going on. Just Sambal, telling the whole world he's a boy.

 

[Pyxis]

View attachment 1131093 @Pyxis, we need to chat a bit about that rooster you sold me. He's looking quite handsome, but as it turns out he isn't going INTO the coop at night. He's learned how to get ON the coop. Fun trick that he taught ALL the other teenagers. He stays out all night partying. In fact, the last two nights his party got a bit wild. He was crowing from 2-3am. Both nights I jumped out of bed, rushed outside to figure out what kind if shenanigans were going on. Just Sambal, telling the whole world he's a boy.


View attachment 1131097

He is absolutely gorgeous. Really surprises me still that a cull turned out that nice

And yeah, they will tree roost if they can. They like to get up as high as possible. My rooster just went through a phase of getting out of his run and onto another coop beside his run. Worse, he taught some of the hens to do it. I clipped his wings so he can't get up there anymore. You may need to do that for your boy.

 

[AmberKnits]

He ended up with a hint of mulberry, and he's attempting to mate everything that moves. I could have sworn the chicken he mated tonight (twice) was a rooster, now I'm not sure.

I just snuck out to shut up the coop and managed to get a shot of him on the roof. I don't really mind if they sleep in the trees, as long as they end up in the run in the morning. We watched them use a low hanging branch in the run to go up the tree and onto the roof. The tree is at least contained in the run, so as long as they don't jump off the roof they can keep their habit as long as they like.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Why does the chicken cross the road? Lol!

So anyone live near Downsville ? He would like to adopt them out

 

[Gramma Chick]

My tomatoes are starting to rot my potatoes died weeks ago cabbage moths ate my cabbage,broccoli and cauliflower my beets got sun blocked out by the tomatoes and died next year im prolly not even gonna do a garden as its cheaper to buy veggys and fruits at the amish

It may be easier too ..
Is this your 1st year with a garden ?
Some years are better than others ...I didnt get very many tomatoes ..
But on the bright side ..I wont have to can them this year .
I wonder if cabbage moths like garlic ? Some bugs dont ...
I am thinking of using some poultry / garden dust on those little squash bugs / borers ..
But then it wouldnt be organic ..so I may not ..
I know they dont like coffee so I may just spray that on them

 

[Poultrybonkers]

It may be easier too ..
Is this your 1st year with a garden ?
Some years are better than others ...I didnt get very many tomatoes ..
But on the bright side ..I wont have to can them this year .
I wonder if cabbage moths like garlic ? Some bugs dont ...
I am thinking of using some poultry / garden dust on those little squash bugs / borers ..
But then it wouldnt be organic ..so I may not ..
I know they dont like coffee so I may just spray that on them

Ive had a garden for a few years i moved two years ago and my garden just sucks at my old place my garden was amazing its not really worth it anymore

 

[NNYchick]

My tomatoes are starting to rot my potatoes died weeks ago cabbage moths ate my cabbage,broccoli and cauliflower my beets got sun blocked out by the tomatoes and died next year im prolly not even gonna do a garden as its cheaper to buy veggys and fruits at the amish

I am right there with you. I have a large perennial bed but I just do not have time to maintain veggies. I have on at least 3 veggie stands between my house and work plus friends and family always looking to give stuff away, I decided for now that's where I'm getting my veggies. Maybe when my kids are older and I am retired I can retry a veggie garden.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I am right there with you. I have a large perennial bed but I just do not have time to maintain veggies. I have on at least 3 veggie stands between my house and work plus friends and family always looking to give stuff away, I decided for now that's where I'm getting my veggies. Maybe when my kids are older and I am retired I can retry a veggie garden.

My job is youtube I get paid thats just enough to feed my birds so where my garden is I wanna start seperating my chickens by breeds to have pure breeds

 

[rancher hicks]

I really miss the old format. It's harder to keep up on this one. I have it mostly figured out, but I only check on this board once in a while.

My coop improvements didn't happen this year. I was going to try to keep out more mice, but it's an old barn so it needs repointing on the stone and patches on the concrete floor and so many other little repairs.

I was ready to get rid of my chickens. Two years of big losses and few gains were frustrating. I'm glad I didn't. I like them. I like having a mini-farm and the work involved. I just need to be better at limiting expenses. If I even think about purchasing eggs for hatching in the spring, I hope someone whacks me in the head.

My garden is struggling because I wasn't able to weed it or build tomato trellises this year. We're getting some harvest, just not as much as we should have. Next year....

1. Let me offer some advice and help?
2. Make a list of jobs need doing and number them one by one.
3. Google help for things need doing. I did for ground hornets and could have saved my self about $15 for Black Flag that doensn't work. Used Dawn dish soap. See videos.
4. Lets start with those mice. There is a liquid cement that can be squeezed into those cracks. Do that one crack at a time.

DAP 37584 Liquid Cement Crack Filler - 32 fl oz bottle
from Walmart

5. Repoint those stones. Google the how to and tackle one area at a time. If necessary take some white spray paint and mark off each area you can easily handle.
6. You don't say what losses, but if it's birds to predators google ideas to stop them. If it's illness decide the best way to prevent those. Right now Lowes has shrubs marked down. Just dig a hole and hope for the best. These can provide shelter and hiding places. Butterfly bushes hang over so birds can hide underneath. Nine barks are another hang over shrub.
7. Mice? traps are cheap enough $1.19 for Victor is best. Don't waste money on cheapo's. They're a pain. Buy them every time you go to the feed store and keep them handy. Keep feed up off the floor and elimnate places mice can home up.
8. Cardboard, cardboard cardboard. It's free at most stores. BJ's and others. This can hold back the weeds and offer shelter for worms and other critters to "work" the soil. I've got a trunk full right now. CM, has lots and I load up when I go. They give me all I want. If you don't have raised beds just lay between the rows. Newspapers are another good mulch to use. It breaks down so save it in a bin for next years use.

9. Budget your time like money. Figure you've got 1 -2 or 3 hours to devote to chicken car, gardening etc. etc. I use cans around my plants to save watering time. See the large cans at the base of these pepper plants. Just take the hose, fill each and move on. No spraying or wasting water. This works with tomatoes, Okra or many other plants. Got five gallon buckets? cut those in half and put those at the base of plants. My egg plants do best in pots. Can't find my pic of those. Five gallon buckets in the corner of my garden are good for beans on poles. Can't go out, go up. Pole beans are as good as bush.

10. Map our your property and tackle each "room" as you. Can. Use food plants for landscaping. I've got two blue berry bushes on either side of my blue gazing ball in the front yard.
11. Don't plant things you won't use. No one here likes Okra or Kale. except the chickens. Could plant for those though and freeze it I suppose, for use during the winter.
12. Don't get too big. Only do what you can. If 25 chickens is all you can easily care for keep it at that. Keep some for eggs and some for pets or one breed you like. I give a way chicks every year. Mixes some other cuz you can't predict how many will hatch. A mutt hen lays just as well as pure. My darned Del rooster got to my lavender EE hens and I got more than enough of those. Got chicks to give away now. LET YOUR HENS HATCH FOR YOU! Incubators are nice but an expense you don't need. Also time spent that could go to better use. My hens don't hatch every egg but enough to supply me with replacements.

13. I hope some of these ideas help. Remember winter is the time to plan next years garden, etc. etc. If the good Lord gives us next year. Plan how much you need to get your through the year. Plant more than you think and see #14.

14 Lastly share you abundance. Learn to barter. I've got more than enough concord grapes right now. Gotta come and get them though. God loves a cheerful giver.

 

[rancher hicks]

FYI, Lowes has dog eared fence panels. $1.42. Wide enough for a decent sized raised bed.