NY chicken lover!!!!

[Adoravachick]

Well, you can go with the modern and beautiful name of "India"...or go really old-fashioned with Irene or Imogene! Or simply "Ivy" ...

I can't wait to name our new hens in the spring. My son gets to name most, but I will try to keep a couple for myself.

TOB

Thanks for the suggestions, I like them! India and Ivy are very nice. Naming our silkies is kind of a big deal around our home. Silkies take so long to be able to sex, so its great to get to know them and finally give them a name that fits their personality. We don't really think of them as chickens, we treat them more like dogs that lay eggs. We LOVE each of our birds. I don't know how old your son is, but kids do give the chickens the best names. Like Cotton Ball, Earwig, and Twinkle just to name a few. When the times comes, I am interested to know the names that you choose.

 

[Adoravachick]

Hi I'm Mallory! I'm about 25 minutes south from Syracuse, and I need to add some broody hens to my flock.. I want some chicks this spring and apparently my hens aren't particularly broody breeds. So I'm looking to buy some cochins or silkies (I already have a silkie rooster.) If anyone has any suggestions, they'd be much appreciated!

Welcome Mallory! This is a fun group, glad to have you. Ahhh silkies, I've got them coming out of my ears. I am quite a ways from you though.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Is anyone here showing at Delmarva?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/743107/delmarva-march-2013-anyone-in#post_10433175

 

[Cass]

I love Mutts ..I have hatchery birds (hens ) sex links & a RiR .my roos a full austalorp from a private owner / breeder .non - hatchery .
Colored eggs sounds fun . Keep us updated on the hatching ...if theres no broody here ..I would love some chicks ...
My son says my neighbor has a incubator ..she would let us borrow it ..dont know how old it is ..though ..
Or maybe a school near us could hatch some chicks for us ..Do they already have a incubator or do you have to provide it ? DEborah

The teachers do this every year, so I assume they have the 'bators. I don't own one and don't think it would be a good idea for me TO own one. I'd be hip deep in chicks if I did.

If you want your school children to do the work for you, now is the time to contact them because they are already thinking of where to get eggs for April. Of course they may already have a supplier of eggs....I got lucky in that this school's supplier is hard for the coordinator to get ahold of so they are going to try me this year. (Also, I am not charging them for the eggs, but they were willing to pay.)

 

[vmdanielsen]

Thanks Rancher for making my dh's day with your comments about silkies. He shares your same opinion about them. Too bad cause I am going to be hatching out more! Sorry to hear you are on your own about dels. Perhaps someone will pick it up with you. TOB seems pretty enthusiastic about it. Now about those brs....I know mine were pretty slow to start laying. Once they started they laid nice eggs. Each molt saw them slow down and stop and then begin again. The br in the terrorist coop didnt start laying till after all my rir and sexlinks were laying. In the hens coop, I think only Mean Marge is laying right now and they will be 3 this april. Br lay nice eggs but they do tend to go off and on about laying. Not really sure why. Takes them longer to start laying as well. Of course, this is just my experience with the birds I have (they are hatchery stock).

Ginny--where can I find out about fermenting? I would like to try it.

Dh made it home before me and had to pull the sexlink out of the terrorist group again as they had pecked her back raw again. Not sure why. I doctored it up and put her back in the cage downstairs. I noticed her picking at the roos feathers before I left for work this morning. I wonder if thats why all their feathers look clipped. I checked the boys and there are no signs of any parasites but their feathers look like they have been clipped, giving them a raggedy appearance. None of the girls look like that. I checked them out too. They are on a 21 percent feed so protein isnt an issue. Any thoughts from any of you? I will try to take pics and post them, if the boys cooperate.

Anyone have any good patterns for saddles or know where I can get one for rir girls? The favs are getting pretty thin on their backs from the boys so I need to make some for them.

Supposed to get a foot or two of snow tomorrow depending on which way this storm tracks. Good think I bought some greens to keep the cheeps busy in their coops. Of course this will mean lots of shoveling for dh and I. Might even get some whiteouts and blizzard conditions if we get the winds. Hoping not to of course. Please be safe everyone.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds/4520#post_10428915 Amy, I used the information here for my fermenting. I think that it is a really good thing to do to add probiotics to the chickens diet. Ginny

 

[vmdanielsen]

Pharm,
I made one last week and found a pattern on a thread here. Do a search for hen saddles. It was one of the first posts. I used elastic for around the wings, but they suggested 4 1/2" long. I would go with 5". Let me know if you can't find it.

My chickens have been FEASTING!!! I love having a new principal at school who believes in recycling. I have a 1 gallon bucket. Yesterday it was filled with french toast (not my first choice, but beggers can't be choosers!), apples, bananas and half eaten PBJ sandwiches.
Today it was wedding soup (pasta and lots of spinach), broccoli, cauliflower, peaches, PBJ's and a few odds and ends. PBJ's are on whole wheat, too.
LOVING this! They get it after school, so they go to bed on a full tummy.

There's plenty of food, so I'm also sharing with the teacher next door who also has chickens. The kids like the idea that they are composting.

I think the peeps will hunt me down on the weekends... no food bucket!

Chick, the only thing I would be careful of is feeding to much salt to your chickens. Salt can be toxic to chickens. I would still do it, but I may eliminate the saltier foods.........



I am leaving for work soon and plan on spending the night there. Batten down the hatches, thars a storm a comin"!!! Be well everyone. (we'll probably only get 3 inches and some wind.......)

 

[Lapeerian]

Well, incubator is a go! Time for some fuzzy butts, I guess. Anyone want some buff orpington chicks around March 1st? I may well have extras.

I know hubby would like some buff orps, that was his favorite girl in the Amish coop. But I think distance is a problem for us - you were near Vermont, right? I'm between Cortland and Binghamton.

Hope everyone posts pics of their little fuzzy chicks, Little Girl loves seeing the baby chick pics!

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Thanks for the suggestions, I like them! India and Ivy are very nice. Naming our silkies is kind of a big deal around our home. Silkies take so long to be able to sex, so its great to get to know them and finally give them a name that fits their personality. We don't really think of them as chickens, we treat them more like dogs that lay eggs. We LOVE each of our birds. I don't know how old your son is, but kids do give the chickens the best names. Like Cotton Ball, Earwig, and Twinkle just to name a few. When the times comes, I am interested to know the names that you choose.

My youngest son is 11 and my older son 15. The older one wanted to name one of the hens "Richard", but I believe our protests got thru. My younger son tosses names around already, but as you said, some times it's nice to see what the personality of the hen is before you christen it! I told him the possibilities were endless, so give them some thought. Half the fun...

I LOVE the unique names your kids selected! Earwig!

TOB

 

[Tough Old Bird]

1:25 p.m. and still no snow flying here. Wind is horrible, though, and I hear snow is falling around us in different areas.

Had the horses out this morning, but they're in now, enjoying some hay, out of this brutal wind.

Be safe out there, whatever the weather brings your area of the state!


TOB


WELL, IT'S COMING DOWN NOW -- GUESS I JINXED THINGS!

 

[rancher hicks]

Pharm,
I made one last week and found a pattern on a thread here. Do a search for hen saddles. It was one of the first posts. I used elastic for around the wings, but they suggested 4 1/2" long. I would go with 5". Let me know if you can't find it.

My chickens have been FEASTING!!! I love having a new principal at school who believes in recycling. I have a 1 gallon bucket. Yesterday it was filled with french toast (not my first choice, but beggers can't be choosers!), apples, bananas and half eaten PBJ sandwiches.
Today it was wedding soup (pasta and lots of spinach), broccoli, cauliflower, peaches, PBJ's and a few odds and ends. PBJ's are on whole wheat, too.
LOVING this! They get it after school, so they go to bed on a full tummy.

There's plenty of food, so I'm also sharing with the teacher next door who also has chickens. The kids like the idea that they are composting.

I think the peeps will hunt me down on the weekends... no food bucket!

I can get lots of stuff at the school too, but am leary of feeding them stuff the kids have eaten. What with flu season and all. Bro. Roy does save me uneaten apples and I get the outdated milk. The women save me the outter leaves of the lettuce and other veggies. I dump it on the compost and last night there was a big rabbit out there eating. Today they got some leftover pasta. Without sauce.

If I'm unsure it's safe I dump it on the compost and it they eat it they eat it. Such is life.

Sister Mary has been saving the pickle buckets for me to use. I've got one being washed out to make a new nest box out of. I got the idea from Travis and Tabs. I started with one for the BM's and they seem to like it ok. Though I think it's to small for the Sussex hen. She lays hers in the corner in a pile of straw I put there for her.