NY chicken lover!!!!

[Child of Noah]

Hog sty...oh wait, that's pig sty. Hmm..Hog, pig, same thing right?

Stony, you bored tonight? Love the pictures tho.

Both grade schools have checked in after candling the eggs and say "they are still going strong" ... Sounds like they were shocked that they would survive lack of power. Personally I am shocked they survived their repeated candling. I DO need to take some food to the school that is going to hatch starting next Tuesday. As long as I am out there, I might as well stop at the second school too. They are only 7 miles apart.

Took my mom out to my cousin's tavern in Cherry Valley for Prime Rib tonight. 87 miles each way. Now that's a LONG way for dinner. It was a wonderful meal, and it got her out of the house, but really 87 miles? Each way? What WAS I thinking?

Sorry for everyone's losses, bees, chicks, sanity....you know the stuff we care about.

I am tired. Very tired. And I just remembered that I have a private client tomorrow night for 6 - 7 hours. Sigh.

Insulation in a chicken coop is like putting a robe on over your down jacket. Totally unnecessary. I read a thread or story (sorry to tired to really remember which it was) about Islandic chickens that free range in the winter in Iceland. They are out walking on the ice and snow and wind. Remember chickens are wearing a down coat. Not only isn't my wonderful coop not insulated I never closed the pop door all winter. They roost up high, so I didn't see the need. I will admit that I did have a few eggs freeze, but that was my fault for not increasing my collecting to twice a day during the cold weather.

Night. Type more when I wake up. I figure that'll be about Sunday afternoon.

OMG YAY I am so glad they are going through with the hatch!! That is great news, Cass!!!
I WISH I could sleep until Sunday. Lucky.

Well I went out to check on the chickens this morning and they killed the baby

I don't know what happened...I had them separated away from the rest of the flock in the coop with chicken wire around them and somehow they tore the wire down and this morning Gracie (my now unbroody mama) was sitting up n a perch like nothing had happened and all was well....ugh happy Friday to me....I should have taken them out of the coop like I had originally planned.

here is my take on it. Chickens live outside. They need to acclimate to the weather naturally. Doing anything to add unnatural warmth for them is only going to weaken them. Pets or not strong healthy chickens are the goal. Not weak birds who are not naturally acclimated to the weather changes and then find themselves huddled up in a corner of a cop for 6 months of the year to keep warm. That just isn't good for them.
No matter the weather my birds go outside. If they want to eat they WILL go outside. I never put food in the coop. So they are conditioned no matter the weather to go out to eat and drink. Water is never in my coops either

Yes, I agree. My chicks went out when they were fully feathered, just shy of 6 weeks old. They had several nights that got below freezing since then, and they are fluffy and fine. My chicks are a lot fluffier and more "sturdy looking" than many 8 week old chicks I see, and I think this is in part because they have been naturally acclimated to the weather. I love my chickens very much, and I was fretting over them every night for the first week... but I loved them enough to let them stay outside and grow like nature intended them to do.

 

[happyhensny]

Once again I am missing out on all the great chatting! Trying to get some land cleared to build a house this year. 3 acres all darn red pine/scrub pine. We had a man come from a animal bedding company in Kingsbury that is interested in BUYING the trees. Cutting them down and hauling them out. Then we would be left with the tops and branches which he said someone else that makes mulch in Troy may want. If all goes well the lot may be cleared with little or no money out if pocket. That would be great if they can do it soon. We are also waiting on pricing for building the house. Already got a quote from a modular builder, now waiting on a local stick builder. Also waiting on the surveyor. She plotted the property, needs to be divided from another parcel, but she is now on vacation. Gosh! I wish something would get rolling here!

On to chickens- flock is great but I am going to sell our Melanistic Pheasant trio and possinlbly the Khaki Campbell ducks i just got (month ago?) if anyone is interested PM me. The house thing is making me crazy forcing me to downsize a bit.

Goats - no new ones since baby April. She is going great, lively and spunky! Goat poop is "little raisins" like deer. They really do not have a lot of waste and it blends right in with the grass. As for them eating stuff, they eat brambles like berry bushes, roses, poison ivy, pine. They do not like grass. If allowed they will chew on trailer wiring harnesses, potted plants, papers, etc. Ours are escape artists too. We have 6' tall no-climb horse fence and works perfectly. No escapes lately. .

Hope everyone is having great spring days!

 

[Child of Noah]

I might be able to convince my husband that we should get goats!

 

[Lynzi777]

My inlaws are coming up tomorrow and I'm thinking about asking my FIL if he'd be interested in helping me build a bigger coop or at least get it started if I went out today and bought all the supplies. Not sure how much I'll be able to fit in my truck but I could always make another back tomorrow morning before starting this project. He loves doing stuff like this however I don't know if he'll be up for it or he's looking to relax and just hang with the kids while he's here.

The problem is, I don't have any plans because they're in my head. LOL I have this vision of exactly what I want and if I were handy I would attempt at putting it together myself but I'm not handy especially when it comes to making sure everything is measured right, cut right etc, so that would be an epic fail. If I can get him to help me get a good base structure going I can finish it off from there.

 

[stonykill]

OMG YAY I am so glad they are going through with the hatch!! That is great news, Cass!!!
I WISH I could sleep until Sunday. Lucky.

Yes, I agree. My chicks went out when they were fully feathered, just shy of 6 weeks old. They had several nights that got below freezing since then, and they are fluffy and fine. My chicks are a lot fluffier and more "sturdy looking" than many 8 week old chicks I see, and I think this is in part because they have been naturally acclimated to the weather. I love my chickens very much, and I was fretting over them every night for the first week... but I loved them enough to let them stay outside and grow like nature intended them to do.

 

[Lynzi777]

Just scored 3 large wooden apple bins from one of the orchards up the road from me for $15 a piece! Time to get creative!!!

 

[JLaw]

Ok those with the hoop coop set ups how often to you have to replace the tarps? Do you just have enclosed area for nest boxes mainly or a roosting area in there? I like the idea of them I just thought would be too cold or have to replace tarps every wind storm.

Jlaw

 

[armorfirelady]

Ok those with the hoop coop set ups how often to you have to replace the tarps? Do you just have enclosed area for nest boxes mainly or a roosting area in there? I like the idea of them I just thought would be too cold or have to replace tarps every wind storm.

Jlaw

If you click under my avatar on *my coop* there is a detailed expression of how I did mine.

I am trying to find billboard canvas to replace the tarps but so far in the 2 months it has been up they are holding up well. I also got heavy duty ones that were uv protection, waterproofing, mildew & artic proof

 

[AQHAchick22]

Thanks for all the support guys...I keep kicking myself for not seperating them but I guess there was really nothing I could do...she wasn't a great mother from the beginning anyway. At least I have 27 chicks in the brooder to concentrate on...

I'm sorry Rancher to hear of the troubles with moving...where in Canada would your son be moving? I'm actually originally from Ottawa Canada (getting my US Citizenship next Friday!!!). I know it's tough...my parents went through the same thing about 15 years ago only in reverse. My dad moved to Florida while my mom was back in Canada with my sister and I trying to sell the house. It's not easy but prayers coming your way!!

 

[AQHAchick22]

Anyone going to the Town of Nassau Tailgate Sale? Thought I might go look around.

I think I will...I'm thinking of bringing some of my 2 week old chicks. I have 27 in the brooder right now and it's a little overwhelming. I just have to decide who to sell...the problem is I feel if I go I'll be tempted to bring some home as well which is not okay.