NY chicken lover!!!!

[mderby48]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and prayers. Sadly she passed away 5 min. Before we got there My husband spent the entire day with her yesterday tho and said his goodbyes. He's just relieved she doesn't have to suffer anymore. She is now in heaven playing cards with her twin sister. Again thank you everyone.

 

[stonykill]

This brings me to a recurring thought / concern..... I keep reading how big a threat wild birds are as a bio-hazard to your flock (avian flu, etc.) and wonder how free rangers deal with this issue, if at all? Even though my coop will be completely enclosed with small diameter (opening) wire, there will be some parts where birds will likely perch on the fence or near it, and I'm sure there will be some cross contamination. I was also thinking I am going to have to move my bird feeders. Right now they are about 30-40' from my coop.

TOB

if I worried about this I would sell my birds. That is something that just can't be stopped. Even in my breeding pens crows will hang out outside the fence and doves and songbirds go in to eat and hang out.
I tend to not pay attention to much in print. With just all of the WRONG info out there from hatcheries about Sumatra's, I mean REALLY wrong information.... I just make a mental note of things I read and just monitor my flock. That really is the main key to raising birds. Monitor.

I have around 100 birds. So I can't even imaging being concerned about song birds and such. My .02 anyway and for 9.5 years it has worked fine

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

bread

 

[ChickPrincess]

Hi All!
Trapped a mink 4 weeks ago after it killed my one and only rooster, Henry. (beautiful lavender ameraucana from mugsmagee)
Hen sitting on eggs and crossing fingers that they hatch. Awfully cold out there. She started with 12 eggs and has kicked
out six so far. We will know for sure in one week. BTW...minks smell awful!

Sorry. I recently lost a rooster name Henry also. Glad you got that mink! We got a weasel the other day that killed 7 of my hens.

Question for all of you with ducks and those who recently bought ducklings...What are you feeding them? I've been doing some reading online and am getting all sorts of different answers. Some say they feed the chick feed, then some say not to. Then some say its ok to feed that but you have to supplement the vitamin B/niacin?? So I'm just curious, what is the best thing to feed them? Also, they will be kept separate and not housed with the chickens.

I do know the threat of "angel wing" is true. One of our ducklings had angel wing last spring. This of course, was before I learned it was from food issues. I can't remember exactly, but it was either protein or vitamins that was the problem. The more natural green stuff they can eat on their own, the better.

I'm off to the barn to feed horses then to the coop to feed chickens. Unfortunately everyone has to stay locked up today because we won't be home. My husbands gramma isn't expected to make it through the day so we will be over there with her. She has been battling cancer for 2 years and she said she is done fighting

It's gonna be a rough few days. I'm just glad she won't have to suffer much longer.

I'm sorry for your loss.

This brings me to a recurring thought / concern..... I keep reading how big a threat wild birds are as a bio-hazard to your flock (avian flu, etc.) and wonder how free rangers deal with this issue, if at all? Even though my coop will be completely enclosed with small diameter (opening) wire, there will be some parts where birds will likely perch on the fence or near it, and I'm sure there will be some cross contamination. I was also thinking I am going to have to move my bird feeders. Right now they are about 30-40' from my coop.

TOB

My flock is in a run but get out sometimes to free range. I have had issues with both lice and roundworms. They can pick up things from a mouse or chipmunk. I wouldn't fret so much. Take it as it comes!

I went to let my flock out to spend the day outside this morning, and no sooner had I opened the door, I saw one hawk up above the run. I quickly had to shoo them back in. I let them out this afternoon while I could stand guard. They took their dust baths and I put them back in. I fed them and watered them in the coop. I came out, and sure enough, there it sat.
Will be stringing up fishing line tomorrow after school. Got a few thousand extra yards? (Attaching it to the tops of the fence and stringing across).

 

[stonykill]

bread

and butter pickles ....mmmmmm salivating......

 

[happycountryhens]

Thank you, Rancher! I may take you up on that. We will see what happens with this batch. Nothing so far....

 

[happycountryhens]

Sorry to hear of her passing.

@ Tabs: I haven't been on in a while, but I know the struggle and support your brother had. I am sorry to hear of his passing.

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and prayers. Sadly she passed away 5 min. Before we got there

My husband spent the entire day with her yesterday tho and said his goodbyes. He's just relieved she doesn't have to suffer anymore. She is now in heaven playing cards with her twin sister. Again thank you everyone.

So sorry...but her suffering is over and she is at peace now, I'm sure. God Bless...

TOB

 

[Tough Old Bird]

if I worried about this I would sell my birds. That is something that just can't be stopped. Even in my breeding pens crows will hang out outside the fence and doves and songbirds go in to eat and hang out.
I tend to not pay attention to much in print. With just all of the WRONG info out there from hatcheries about Sumatra's, I mean REALLY wrong information.... I just make a mental note of things I read and just monitor my flock. That really is the main key to raising birds. Monitor.

I have around 100 birds. So I can't even imaging being concerned about song birds and such. My .02 anyway and for 9.5 years it has worked fine

Thx for the reply, Stony. I'm kind of catching on to some of these points.

Safety and health threats can really drive you batty. I am very familiar with my dogs' and horse's appearance, and check them over for potential issues, so I'm sure this will be necessary with my birds, hence your "monitor" comment.

My flock is in a run but get out sometimes to free range. I have had issues with both lice and roundworms. They can pick up things from a mouse or chipmunk. I wouldn't fret so much. Take it as it comes!

Hi ChickPrincess,

Do you worm your flock on a routine basis, or is this something you do after symptoms appear? Thx.


TOB

 

[vmdanielsen]

Just saw this in the news

http://www.news10.com/story/21731969/rensselaer-county-farmer-convicted-of-fraud

Stories like this really upset me!! People pay more for meat because it is free range to encourage ethical raising of our meat . Then this.......greedy jerk, makes the consumers doubt what is free range because we can not trust what is on the label. He deserves more than probation and community service. Ok, I deleted lot of my rant, I think you guys get my drift.....