NY chicken lover!!!!

[stonykill]

as usual I start something not meaning too..........

. My opinion has that affect on people. I kinda was born 40 years too late. Or was it 100?

 

[Tough Old Bird]

I don't use light. Here is why. I feel the chickens need their natural break. I compare it to a bulb needing to winter over before reflowering. My feeling is adding light is simply going to shorten the number of years a chicken lays eggs.

This is such a great analogy and subsequent point. Yet another topic in chicken care that I'm trying to weigh in on.......

 

[Tough Old Bird]

My chickens are pets "with benefits", so I let them take a break, too. They are already 'programmed' through our selective breeding to lay far more eggs in a year than would be normal for a wild bird, and I feel that letting them have a break will lead to longer-lived birds. Again, mine are pets, though-- I must make that clear... I'm not trying to knock anyone that needs better winter production. I just want mine to be around as long as possible. I don't mind if they slow down in the winter or as they age, as we only need a few eggs a week for the two of us that live here.

This is exactly the way I'm thinking. "Pets with perks." If there's a health benefit for the hen to incorporate additional "daylight" time, then I'd like to know and might consider it. But if it's purely to enhance winter egg production, then I think I'll let my girls have a winter vacation!


TOB

 

[marquisella]

Quote: Actually, 3 weeks is the usual time for things like respiratory diseases. Thinks like Mycoplasmas & Mereks, you can't really quarantine for because they take a longer time to show up, Chickens aren't that hardy. Sometimes they just up & die for no apparent reason. It comes with the territory.

 

[Lapeerian]

I went up early afternoon to gather, break ice and give some treats. Got 4 eggs and the one Ancona was busy talking and checking out nest boxes. I waited a while and watched everyone else. Girls all look good, couple boys got just a couple tips of the comb with frost. The EE roo that insists on living in the rafters has the worst, half his comb is grey. Dopey bird. And a couple wattle dipping spots on the Orp and one GLW roo. I started freezing, so head back to the house. Ancona did lay an egg! First white egg in 2 months and it freezes and breaks.

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Actually, 3 weeks is the usual time for things like respiratory diseases. Thinks like Mycoplasmas & Mereks, you can't really quarantine for because they take a longer time to show up, Chickens aren't that hardy. Sometimes they just up & die for no apparent reason. It comes with the territory.

Thanks for the added info, marquisella...I was recently telling Rancher how I tend to get very attached to anything in my care. The more I read, the more I realize just how much can kill a chicken!!!

But as with most animals I've rubbed elbows with, the pleasure they bring to our lives makes the sad times worthwhile.

TOB

 

[vmdanielsen]

Hello All,
Been a while since I posted. The flock seems to be doing well in this brisk weather. I dont mind going out there in the cold as long the wind stays away. I've been switching out their water daily rather than bringing waterers in to defrost and refill. I went out to the shed today to check on the three silkie chicks who have been doing quite well out there without a heat lamp and they were still doing ok. Or at least I thought so until I noticed they were walking around funny. Picked one up and it's feet were frozen stiff! Got the heat lamp out there in a jiffy and they all got under it to warm up. Had to run an extension wire from the porch up the drive way to the shed to power the lamp, best I can do to get power up there.

Went to JJ Feed the other day to stock up on chicken and rabbit feed. Bought one of the tin cans to store the rabbit pellets in right next to their cages instead of in the shed. Guess I'm getting lazy with having to walk back and forth to the shed every day for hay and pellets, but really it's the mice I had problems with getting into the feed that made me want to try the can out. I was wondering if i should do the same with the chicken feed?? Does anyone store their chicken feed in these? I think they come in 10 gal, 14 and 16 gal size tin "garbage like"cans? Mice had gotten into my last bag of feed, leaving a big hole in the bottom and all the feed poured out onto the shed floor. I was able to save most if not all of it but I'd like to get something more sturdy to store this stuff in rather than the bags it comes in.

I store all my grain(horse and chicken) in garbage cans. I did have old metal ones but they were about as old as I am and they rusted out. One of the new plastic ones has already been eaten though the cover because some varmint was hungry. I can not leave grains in bags as I don't want to feed the wildlife(husband and son excepted!)

 

[Lynzi777]

I store all my grain(horse and chicken) in garbage cans.  I did have old metal ones but they were about as old as I am and they rusted out.  One of the new plastic ones has already been eaten though the cover because some varmint was hungry.  I can not leave grains in bags as I don't want to feed the wildlife(husband and son excepted!)

This is why I figured I'd purchase a couple more of the metal cans. Seeing all the problems we've had with mice I think if they are hungry enough, they will chew thru a plastic can!

 

[stonykill]

This is why I figured I'd purchase a couple more of the metal cans. Seeing all the problems we've had with mice I think if they are hungry enough, they will chew thru a plastic can!

with feed around it is only a matter of time before rats are around. Rats quickly chew through plastic to get to food.

 

[Cass]

Thanks for the added info, marquisella...I was recently telling Rancher how I tend to get very attached to anything in my care. The more I read, the more I realize just how much can kill a chicken!!!

But as with most animals I've rubbed elbows with, the pleasure they bring to our lives makes the sad times worthwhile.

TOB

Many many things can cause death in a chicken. But usually they live on and on and on. Right folks? IF your coop and run are predator proof and you supply food and water they will be fine. Please don't let us scare you. I guess we are all trying to give you a peek into the things that we found challenging or "what the heck" moments.

I LOVE my birds. BUT they are birds. They can't hug me or kiss me or even bring me a gift on Mother's Day. I save that love for people. IF one of my birds dies, I get 2 more. (cuz you should never add just one bird to the flock. Now do you see how I got from a planned flock of 6 to a high of 37 and now 27) Now we have talked about the risks of adding adult birds....sooooo I add chicks. Of course I have to raise them in the house if I don't hatch them myself. There is very little risk to your flock if you bring home day old chicks and raise them to fully feathered and then add them to the flock. (better yet, have a hen hatch them for you so you don't have to deal with integration)

Now don't get me wrong, I cried the first time I had to kill a chick that just wasn't going to make it and couldn't get to the food and water. I kept saying "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry", crying as I killed it, wrapped it in a bag and dug a hole to bury it. (I don't bury them any more....they go to the dump. So I guess you do get used to the loss) The first time I found a chick squished by a non-mother hen I cried and kept it in my hand hoping it wasn't really dead. The last time I found a dead chick I put it in the egg basket and threw it in the basket when I got to the house. You get to where it bothers you, but only until it is out of sight.

A wise old farmer told someone that "if you're gonna keep livestock, you're gonna have dead stock". (One of my birds ran across the yard and dropped dead. Heart attack. And he looked so healthy. LOL)

I don't think you will find anyone on here that hasn't lost their favorite bird, their only rooster or had birds just dissappear off the face of the planet. The kids usually handle it better than the adults, cuz kids just think "we'll get another one"....so take that attitude....we'll get another one or two or three....and the pain of loss goes away pretty quickly. (did we meantion "Build BIG"?? LOL)