NY chicken lover!!!!

[Breella]

Had my first chicken fly up onto my shoulder! One of the White Leg Horns, which is odd because they have never been social towards me, even as chicks.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Went out to the upper coop which we use for youngstock. The light had blown out over night on the youngest batch and we lost 3. One of them was a blue OE pullet with pretty eyes I was excited about.

They were fully feathered and we had turned the light back on for the cold weather that we've had this weekend.

 

[Glasshen]

Sorry to hear of the losses to predators, and to the cold. I have a BR broody who was on 7 eggs I had marked. The other hens kept getting in, so yesterday I tied some gauzy material to keep the extra hens out, but came in and found one of her sisters had barged in, and there were empty egg shells. This morning she only had three eggs. Very soon I will move her to a dog traveling crate, and hope she herself has not developed a taste for sprouted eggs. If it doesn't work out, I'll have less problems with over crowding...and chicken math.

This is the first time I've had a broody on eggs. Last year Mama raised two sets of day old chicks for me, so these eggs are a new experience.

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

Grammachick, I know it would be safer to keep them cooped up til I'm home. I choose to let them free range, my neighbors enjoy seeing them, I like that they act like chickens and eat what they are supposed to eat. To me that is the benefit of having them, that deep orange yolk I get is what I'm looking for. I would really like for them to be pretty well self sufficient, similar to how stoney raises his. They have a good solid coop for night time, and plenty of places to hide during the day. Darwin was just at work Friday.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Morning all. Glad to see sunshine this morning. Dh had to bring the tots in as Betty was being really mean to them. She may have to go. She always was a pain in the you know what and she is low hen in the group but she was just plain mean to the tots last night. They are back in the puppy pen out in the sun today. The others pecked at them when they got too close but never chased them or really tried to hurt them. Betty is also guilty of other crimes, including eating her own eggs she was hatching so I wont be sorry to see her go. I dont think she is laying either.

Cheeps are enjoying the sun although the wind is till cold. They are eating more with this cold and it was just miserable yesterday with the wind and rain. I expected to see some snow it was so raw.

Rancher---silkies are not an invasive species, just cuteness overload! And yes, in answer to your question about heritage breeds. I have no room for hogs otherwise I would get some. I got my heritage rir from a breeder and am hoping to replace my current hatchery stock with heritage rir;s. I am trying to talk dh into letting me get javas as well. The auburn ones are just gorgeous! I have to say that the difference between the heritage and hatchery reds is like night and day. We shall see what happens when the heritage start laying.

Off to have some fun with my daughters. We all work so much its hard to see each other so this will be a good day.

 

[featherz]

I really really love my poultry netting. FWIW - I accidentally bought the 42 inch stuff instead of the 48' stuff when getting an 80' piece for one of my small coops and while I occasionally get a fly out, they pretty much stay inside the shorter netting (have never had a flyout on the 48" except for a few leghorns after a hawk attack). So someone with bantams or fat chickens that don't fly much might be able to save a few cents and buy the shorter stuff.

I just ordered another 82' piece and I'm going to attach it to my growout coop so I can let the county boy chicks out more unsupervised.

It's going to be HOT later in the week. It's so weird to have these cold temps and next week it's supposed to be in the 90's! Yuk. My chicks in the growout coop aren't fazed by the cold weather, but they are ecoglow babies and got used to cold early.

 

[AQHAchick22]

Good afternoon all! Sorry to hear about everyone's losses, I was worried about the 27 young ones I have in the new coop, I was going to put a light on them last night but decided against it. They are about 6 weeks old.

I didnt want to clean the coop out in bad weather but this morning I gave in and did it anyway. It was actually great, the rain kept the dust down. I just need to wait for a nice day to spray some sevin in the corners...

I'm also up to 2 broodies now...ugh a silkie and the same americauna that was a little while ago and hatched one baby that was killed...I don't know if I want to give her another go at it. Though the is a lady with olive egger and welsummer hatching eggs nearby...that might just be the convincing I need to give them both some eggs

 

[rancher hicks]

gotcha, well I'll have to see how these sit in there with and without. But as far as is I use cartons - the eggs don't HAVE to be resting on their sides?

I cut the cartons down so there is just enough to hold the egg upright as it did in my turner. I do cut a hole in the bottom so they're not sitting in water. The don't HAVE to be resting on their sides or upright for that matter, but they should be inclines a bit which is hard with out something to hold them in position. I just prefer the cartons.

 

[rancher hicks]

This is an old picture but it shows a way to protect it from your birds. 2' chicken wire is behind the sticks and works to keep large rabbits out. This little white plastic fencing goes around my lettuce and swiss chard. It seems to work so far.

 

[rancher hicks]

I start saving my milk jugs in early winter so I have them when I need them. They break down before the year is up so I can't same them from year to year. They can be used even BEFORE fear of frost is about. I add the cans when plants get high enough and just put the jug on top of the can til I can keep it off.