NY chicken lover!!!!

[Cydney83]

So sorry! BUT did you say the big winner! Good for you! Wait I assume that was $! Enjoy your day!

Good Morning All; I know I'm very new to this group but I just have to say that I love coming on and reading every ones posts.Does make me feel good.I love all the photos I went over to the Foxwoods casino yesterday. I met my son there. He came down from Boston. I took the ferry from Orient point. I went over early so I could spend the day. When I went to the desk to check-in the woman agent was so rude to me that it really was a terrible way to start my day. What Is wrong with people??? I did nothing wrong to warrant that response from her.Yes I was the BIG winner of the day; I got to see my son for a few hours.Thanks for letting me be a little part of your group.

 

[greymane]

NovaRidge and queenchick16, so glad to have you in the group!!

 

[featherz]

I have a few chickens from Meyer and I love most of them. Wasn't overly thrilled with their australorp (very broody and kinda scruffy) and the SLW (VERY scruffy), but the easter eggers are awesome. I also have meyer leghorns and reds, all of which are great chickens. With fellow BYC'er eggs, have hatched out a ton of other breeds so now I have one of almost everything! =) Still need a few types, but working on that.
I haven't vaccinated any of my chicks except the ones from the hatchery that had marek's. Worming is kind of a personal choice - I'd read up here on the forums and decide what works for you. I rarely worm my chickens unless I sense a problem, but when I do I use Eprinex - no egg withdrawal and kills external critters as well.

Hello,
I am a soon to be chicken owner (hopefully) about 5 miles east of Rochester, NY. I am looking for any input or information on breeds and coops from people around my area. I have looked at Many hatcheries and narrowed it down to Meyer in OH. I found a local hatchery in Macedon, but the timing for the breeds I am interested in won't work.
I plan to construct a chicken tractor for 8 or so pullets/ hens. We have 70 acres, but a Lot of predators, so I am not comfortable with free range (yet). We have registered pygmy goats and miniature donkeys and barn cats.
I am looking for good layers with the possibility of meat. Not crazy broody, cold hardy and docile/ friendly are pluses. I have narrowed it down to Americaunas/ Easter Eggers, Black Australorps, Speckled Sussex and Barred Plymouth Rocks. Would 2 of each be a good plan?
What vaccines should the chicks have or should get in the future? What about deworming and any other treatments?
Any more info, links, suggestions and possible local chicks would be great!
Thanks a bunch and can't wait to join in the love of these critters!
Sarah

 

[Nambroth]

Hello,
I am a soon to be chicken owner (hopefully) about 5 miles east of Rochester, NY. I am looking for any input or information on breeds and coops from people around my area. I have looked at Many hatcheries and narrowed it down to Meyer in OH. I found a local hatchery in Macedon, but the timing for the breeds I am interested in won't work.
I plan to construct a chicken tractor for 8 or so pullets/ hens. We have 70 acres, but a Lot of predators, so I am not comfortable with free range (yet). We have registered pygmy goats and miniature donkeys and barn cats.
I am looking for good layers with the possibility of meat. Not crazy broody, cold hardy and docile/ friendly are pluses. I have narrowed it down to Americaunas/ Easter Eggers, Black Australorps, Speckled Sussex and Barred Plymouth Rocks. Would 2 of each be a good plan?
What vaccines should the chicks have or should get in the future? What about deworming and any other treatments?
Any more info, links, suggestions and possible local chicks would be great!
Thanks a bunch and can't wait to join in the love of these critters!
Sarah

Hi Sarah! I'm down south of you and encountered the same thing. I found a place to get chicks near you, actually, but then I found out that they just shipped them in from a hatchery anyway (this was true last year, I don't know if it still is) and I wouldn't be saving any money after paying for gas (plus the chicks get exposed to twice the biohazard risk). Here's their site if you are interested: http://www.natureberryfarm.com/ Since you are close, it may be worth it to go and pick out your own, rather than just get the luck of the draw.

I ordered from Meyer, myself, and got them on the second day.
It's important to know that each chicken is different in terms of personality and egg laying, and that it's a bit of a lottery when ordering from a hatchery. That said, my experiences:
I have a black australorp from there. She lays regularly but is not friendly. A real drama queen. (medium egg)
I have two barred rocks. One is my dearheart-- sweet, friendly, smart, and lays nearly every day (medium egg). I love her very much. The other is sort of dumpy, panics easily, and lays infrequently (small egg).
I have a Golden comet-- this is Meyer's red sex link. She is an egg powerhouse of large eggs, every day, without fail. She is friendly and inquisitive. I understand that this is the breed used to lay commercial brown eggs, so I am worried for her long term, as 'egg machines' tend to develop the most reproductive problems over time.
I wanted to get some speckled sussex from them but they were sold out for months when I had to place my order.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Hello,
I am a soon to be chicken owner (hopefully) about 5 miles east of Rochester, NY. I am looking for any input or information on breeds and coops from people around my area. I have looked at Many hatcheries and narrowed it down to Meyer in OH. I found a local hatchery in Macedon, but the timing for the breeds I am interested in won't work.
I plan to construct a chicken tractor for 8 or so pullets/ hens. We have 70 acres, but a Lot of predators, so I am not comfortable with free range (yet). We have registered pygmy goats and miniature donkeys and barn cats.
I am looking for good layers with the possibility of meat. Not crazy broody, cold hardy and docile/ friendly are pluses. I have narrowed it down to Americaunas/ Easter Eggers, Black Australorps, Speckled Sussex and Barred Plymouth Rocks. Would 2 of each be a good plan?
What vaccines should the chicks have or should get in the future? What about deworming and any other treatments?
Any more info, links, suggestions and possible local chicks would be great!
Thanks a bunch and can't wait to join in the love of these critters!
Sarah

The fingerlakes feather club is having a chicken swap April 21st at the Auburn TSC. There will be plenty of birds, chicks, eggs, etc. available there. DH and I have OE, EE, mixed breed layers,marans, ameracauna, and wyandottes. I'm sure there are plenty of BYC people that you could get birds from.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Both my girls are napping! Peace and quiet is sooo nice. Now to decide what to do with my few minutes to myself.

 

[Glasshen]

Nova, I only got my chicks last spring, so I still have lots to learn, but. It is such fun, and this is a great site with friendly, helpful people. I got barred rock and rhode island reds from a feed store, and there are lots of those around, both those breeds are very winter hardy. My husband built our coop, and he insulated it, but we thought it would be cold out there for our chickens, so I got a heat lamp and heated dog bowl for their water. The girls drank water like it was the last on earth, and all got very loose poops....they were too hot and were drinking water to cool off. So no more heat lamp, but I still love the dog bowl.

Just Monday I went to a small hatchery in Fayette, just west of Seneca Falls, I think it is AJ Farms Domani Ranch, they have a web site, and it is chick days there. Many of the birds are hatched in Penn Yan, so they have more than one location, which might be smart incase of a problem. They are all organic, the chicks are not vaccinated the way my feed store chicks had been, and they are very peppy and healthy at less than a week old. Their facility is certified. I don't have a wealth of knowledge, but it looked good to me, the people were nice, and the pens of chicks were right there, very clean and peppy, and they had lots of variety. They even had some Russian Ortloff...but I got buff orpingtons!

It is a little hard to find unmedicated chick starter right now. I wound up with wild game bird starter crumbles...but the broody hen is in raptures about it, so it must be good.

Good luck and enjoy. And WELCOME!

 

[NovaRidge]

Wow, Thanks So much guys! I can't believe the feedback I've gotten so far, it has been so helpful. I will hopefully be going to AJ Farms Domani Ranch within the week! I'm waiting to hear back from them and will keep you updated. Thanks So So much!

 

[Cass]

5 eggs a day. Spring can't be far away, right?

My silkie hatched on chick. It seems to be a bantam, which is fine....however it is showing signs of BLUE feathers. Now I don't know much about genetics, but I am totally stumped on having BLUE show up with the flock I have. Black and Lav roos and assorted hens...NONE of them blue, but a couple are black. I can't wait until it molts in the fall to see what color it is gonna be.

 

[Cass]

To all the new people. This is a great place with wonderful helpful people. Be sure to build a BIG coop, cuz they are all enablers.