NY chicken lover!!!!

[Tab's chicken obsession]

My DH and I go down to Ithaca at least once a year for his family reunion. It is a pretty area.

 

[rancher hicks]

Speaking of frizzles. I have some eggs out of the frizzle I got from you rancher in the incubator now. I believe she is buckwheat's daughter. What are the chances the babies will be frizzle? 50/50?

I think that's about right. I like frizzles so I just keep the hens and let them do what they do. Right now I'd like to stick one with my orps. I'm about to sell the lav orp roo so he's out of the running but perhaps the black or buff or the lav amer roo.

 

[rancher hicks]

Queen - I'm old and I do have a sweat shirt that says, "Everyone seems normal until you get to know them"..

DW says we have a strange and wonderful relationship. I'm strange and she's wonderful.

You' re not strange. What I find strange is folks who walk their dogs and then pull out a bag and pick the poop up. That's strange to me. Wonder what the dog thinks when they see them scooping up the poop and putting it in a bag ?

 

[happyhensny]

 

[happyhensny]

Did anyone see this in Conservationist magazine? What do you think?

The application period for DEC's Day-old Pheasant Chick Program is open from now until March 15th. The program provides pheasant hunting opportunities through a partnership between DEC, hunters, 4-H youth, and landowners. Chicks are available at no cost to participants who are able to monitor the birds' health, provide daily care, a brooding facility, a covered outdoor rearing pen, and an adequate release site. Approved applicants receive chicks in April, May or June. Cooperators bear the cost of raising the chicks to adulthood, and release them before December 1st on DEC-approved sites on lands open to public hunting, before the season opens. In 2011, DEC distributed more than 46,000 day-old pheasant chicks to qualified 4-H and sportsmen applicants. Anyone interested in raising and releasing pheasants to expand next year's hunting opportunities should contact DEC's Reynolds Game Farm at 607-273-2768.

 

[Cass]

Did anyone see this in Conservationist magazine? What do you think?

The application period for DEC's Day-old Pheasant Chick Program is open from now until March 15th. The program provides pheasant hunting opportunities through a partnership between DEC, hunters, 4-H youth, and landowners. Chicks are available at no cost to participants who are able to monitor the birds' health, provide daily care, a brooding facility, a covered outdoor rearing pen, and an adequate release site. Approved applicants receive chicks in April, May or June. Cooperators bear the cost of raising the chicks to adulthood, and release them before December 1st on DEC-approved sites on lands open to public hunting, before the season opens. In 2011, DEC distributed more than 46,000 day-old pheasant chicks to qualified 4-H and sportsmen applicants. Anyone interested in raising and releasing pheasants to expand next year's hunting opportunities should contact DEC's Reynolds Game Farm at 607-273-2768.

I was with the program and seriously considering it until they said I had to release them where they could be HUNTED. I am NOT going to raise a bird that is gonna die in a horrible way. (Bird shot isn't pretty)

I have to wonder if I can claim that several "died" and keep them tho. LOL

 

[happyhensny]

I know, that is the part that is holding me back. Not like I don't have enough to do already. There is a place to release them that there aren't many hunters at all. A state land up the road that is a bit close to the village. Hmm.... Have to think about it.

 

[Henicillin]

Queen - I'm old and I do have a sweat shirt that says, "Everyone seems normal until you get to know them"..

DW says we have a strange and wonderful relationship. I'm strange and she's wonderful.

You' re not strange. What I find strange is folks who walk their dogs and then pull out a bag and pick the poop up. That's strange to me. Wonder what the dog thinks when they see them scooping up the poop and putting it in a bag ?

The dog probably thinks, "hey, check that out! I must be the boss!"

DH started a new job today (more pay and full benefits - NICE!). Their painter (he's an auto body tech) is a fellow chicken keeper who is looking for a rooster for his large fowl girls. Conveniently, we just happen to have an extra rooster. Three guys to 21 girls is proving to be a bit out of whack, as both my more gentle and my more *ahem* willing girls are showing feather loss on their backs. You can tell who just says no - those girls remain essentially unruffled. We were going to send one of the roos across the Great Road In the Sky at long last, but it looks like we'll just end up rehoming him instead. Then, everyone will be happy.

I had a mouse scare the life out of me yesterday evening when I locked up the birds - it ran like mad and hid from me under the water bowl. The thing needs to get out for its own good, as otherwise it'll become chicken feed!

 

[Nambroth]

I know, that is the part that is holding me back. Not like I don't have enough to do already. There is a place to release them that there aren't many hunters at all. A state land up the road that is a bit close to the village. Hmm.... Have to think about it.

I used to intern with the DEC and I helped release stocked pheasants many times. A few things of note:
-- Most places that raise these birds do so in conditions that don't allow for the pheasants to gain much survival education. Because of this, many succumb to predation, starvation, and other mishap. I know raising pheasants isn't the same as raising chickens, but if you want your birds to make it anything you can do to make them self-sufficient during the raising process will increase their odds. You want to distance yourself from them as much as possible so that they don't get too friendly with people. Sadly nearly all the birds I helped release were completely clueless. Smart birds are far more likely to survive the season and then the winter afterward! Some regions of NY are far more like pheasant habitat than others.
-- The DEC generally announces the location and date of release of birds so that hunters know where they have been stocked. When we did it, it was a day or two before the season opened, but I think that some areas also stock during open season?? I'd have to double check on that! We actually busted a few hunters trying to get on to the newly released, confused birds, before they legally could hunt them.
-- Usually the DEC distributes the pheasants via ECOs and biologists (and .. interns like me) for release-- I am not at all certain that you'd be able to request where your birds were released or not. When we did it, we went to a central location where all the pheasants for the WMU were distributed to us, and then we traveled all day to various locations to release them.

An important note: This was a few years ago and the way that the program works may well have changed. If you have questions I'm sure they'd be happy to answer them for you!

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Morning all!

Little Man is outside proclaiming to the world that he here and he is the man. Being a silkie, he sounds bigger than he is but it is not an unpleasant crow and he only does it for a short period of time. So far only one pullet egg from the silkie girls. Hoping for more soon. Now my LF hens seem to be ramping up production! I got 4 eggs yesterday from my 8 girls. After 2 months of nothing, they are finally starting to lay. They made quite a ruckous yesterday morning with all the eggs songs and squabbling over the favorite nesting box. They are eating me out of house and home as well. My egg customers will be happy when they are back to full production!

Hopefully we will be dropping a massive oak soon so we can start on the woods openair coop that we laid the footings for this fall. Since it split during Irene, we decided that it was too unstable for it to stay as a shade tree where we are building the coop. Going to be an interesting drop.

Loving not having snow but this cold kills me when I am out taking care of everyone. I can only imagine how you must feel Rancher. I suppose things could be worse. In europe they are sending out troops in Italy and Serbia to dig people out of their houses because they have had so much snow. One town was buried under 33 feet of snow. I cannot even imagine that and I grew up on the tug hill plateau and have seen heavy snow!

Everyones talk of hatching eggs is killing me. I so very badly want to order eggs and hatch some chickies but must be patient. Gotta have a house for them first!!!

Have a fab day everyone!

Amy