NY chicken lover!!!!

[ChickPrincess]

I go through phases with feeding mine eggs. Whenever I have an egg that is not quite up to par to sell, I either use it myself, have been giving them to the soup kitchen, or I scramble them and feed them back to the chickens... it's a healthy meal for them! I also save all my shells, crush them up and feed them back to them along with oyster shell. They dig for the egg shell. I have one production hen that lays an egg with the shell VERY wrinkled... I save those for them. My young girls are laying very small eggs right now. Too small to sell, so I either donate those or give to the chickens. Sometimes I crack an egg by accident bringing it into the house. That goes to the chickens. It depends on the day/week how much egg they get.

 

[ke5hde]

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Now you would think with all the broodies I've had I've be up to my ears in chicks but no, they've moved around so much and others getting in to lay eggs only two so far.

I'm only half heartedly disappointed. Many repairs to do on roofs as the tarps or plastic have broken down and there is quite the mess. Bought the final panels of tin for one roof and DD says friend has six or so for another.

Also went to Ollies for a tarp for another hoop coop. Corrugated panels would be good for hoop coops too, but expensive right now. $120 as opposed to $10. I'm reluctant to do anymore work or spend more money, as I get tired and may have bit off more than I'm willing to chew. Perhaps it's time to downsize, though I'm wrestling with what to give up.

Has anyone else found them in this place of to many chickens? When did you decide you'd gotten in over your head and what did you do about it?

Garden beds will be covered and left un-planted next year for sure. Scored some heavy boxes from new chairs at work that will be good for that. Plus other weed blocking areas.

Saw a new bunny yesterday. She must have had a second litter but why only one bunny? I would expect to see more in a litter. I am in the process of blocking the path under the coop, so next year there will be no more in the yard at least. They will have to find new quarters.

For those who are feeding egg back to their chickens, I wonder why? Why keep chickens to only feed the eggs back to them? Wouldn't it make more sense to keep fewer chickens?

Cool nights resulted in turning off the fans in the coop, but they are not good for the tomatoes. So far I've only gotten cukes and some peppers. I'll be yanking out mints and replanting them near the coop. Chickens don't seem to bother them.

Anyone else got a garden going?

I have definitely had/have too many. Most of our layer flock will be sold off in the fall so we can concentrate on the Barnevelders. Of the 12 layers I am only keeping 4. I already know who gets to stay and who gets to leave. I've never fed eggs back to the girls for fear of creating egg eaters. They get plenty of other treats anyway. As for a garden, we've tried but with so many black walnut and butternut trees, we lost more than we grew. I do still grow pumpkins for the chickens, they don't seem to mind the poison from the trees. If we were to have another garden it would have to be in the middle of the yard and I don't want that. We do have a big flower bed out front full of hostas that don't seem to mind the trees but I have to get out there and weed it eventually. The work around here is never done. Chris

 

[Sally8]

I have almost twice as many chickens as I'd like to have. Not only because of the time it takes me but the cost also. Who knew they ate so much. They have about 1/2 acre that I allow them to range on freely and then there's the neighbors huge back yard. I try keeping them home.

I have a garden, so far I've kept it pretty weed free. I need to rehill the potatoes and pick the beans and yellow squash. Probably the chickens will get some of both. I have many kinds of berries that need to be picked TODAY! I've been picking what I have time for, cleaning and freezing them until I can make jams. Yum. My mother has cancer so most recently I've not been home as much as I'd like. (I had to put a fence around the garden because the chickens were eating the little plants)

I have 7 turkeys (are they still poults at 4 months old?) and I need to sell or freeze 4 or 5. They're the big eaters. My son is in the process of building a feather plucker with a blue 55 gal barrel and little fingers. Anxious to see how that works. I mostly skin the chickens.

I guess this has prompted me to sell some of this springs pullets. Craigslist, here I come.

I did feed eggs back that were either cracked or I occasionally ave a ver dirty one and most recently I find new layer, laying eggs on the floor. So, I would just crumble the egg in my hand and throw it down on the ground. Now I have egg peckers. Ugh! Last night I put a wooden egg in each nest hoping they get a bruised beak by pecking it.

 

[JLaw]

Has anyone else found them in this place of to many chickens? When did you decide you'd gotten in over your head and what did you do about it?

For those who are feeding egg back to their chickens, I wonder why? Why keep chickens to only feed the eggs back to them? Wouldn't it make more sense to keep fewer chickens?

I don't feel too many chickens but not really wanting some of the ones I have rather replace them with different breeds.

As for feeding the eggs back to chickens. I think its some added protein. That's what was recommended to me since my egg eater might not be getting enough protein.

Well it's official my leg horn is a hen. She laid her first egg!!!. So far 3 eggs but the light Sussex don't lay until at least noon. I still want to know who laid the darker egg the other day. Unless one of my reds desided the first egg would be darker than the following eggs.

 

[ChickPrincess]

I don't feel too many chickens but not really wanting some of the ones I have rather replace them with different breeds.

As for feeding the eggs back to chickens. I think its some added protein. That's what was recommended to me since my egg eater might not be getting enough protein.

Well it's official my leg horn is a hen. She laid her first egg!!!. So far 3 eggs but the light Sussex don't lay until at least noon. I still want to know who laid the darker egg the other day. Unless one of my reds desided the first egg would be darker than the following eggs.

My chickens mostly lay in the mid morning, but I have several Black Australorps that don't lay until LATE afternoon, sometimes even 5 or 6 pm!

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

Thank you Armor and Pyxis, I guess she is a bit manly. She has no other male traits, comb just turned red here at 19 weeks. So happy to hear of other masculine hens. Talked with hubby this morning about it, I guess a small number of wild turkey hens will also grow beards.
I'm really hoping this girl goes broody for me next spring, I wonder if she has a little too much testosterone to do so...lol.
I better get another orpington just in case.

Chickprincess it was nice to see you yesterday!

 

[JLaw]

My chickens mostly lay in the mid morning, but I have several Black Australorps that don't lay until LATE afternoon, sometimes even 5 or 6 pm!

My light Sussex started around that time now she lays 12-4 i'd say. Just got another egg 4 so far. I watched the chicken this time cause I think it was my egg eater. I kicked her out of nest box as soon as we saw the egg. She is the one laying a darker egg. on this scale about a 3 where the others are a 2 or little lower and light Sussex is almost a pinkish its so light.

 

[Glasshen]

Just picked cucumbers and zukes swiss chard and tiny broccoli heads yesterday. And Garlic is ready!!! The garlic and SC are the best, they are in the established raised beds. The others are in a new garden, and things don't do well here in first year gardens. Im having to use a lot of that garden tone fertilizer, and the tomatoes get tomato tone. That company's products are safe for animals, my son tells me since his dog ate a lot of it one year and he contacted the company to find out what to do.

I had a gross experience yesterday. Grabbed a plastic rain coat I hadn't worn for ages, and didn't put it on until I went to pick blueberries at a farm. The berries are near the barn and I was thinking the manure was a bit strong, but kept picking. The smell didn't go away when I drove away wearing my jacket. When I got home I opened the pocket because there was a stain near it....that bad habit of putting eggs in your pocket...yeah.

 

[ChickPrincess]

Thank you Armor and Pyxis, I guess she is a bit manly. She has no other male traits, comb just turned red here at 19 weeks. So happy to hear of other masculine hens. Talked with hubby this morning about it, I guess a small number of wild turkey hens will also grow beards.
I'm really hoping this girl goes broody for me next spring, I wonder if she has a little too much testosterone to do so...lol.
I better get another orpington just in case.

Chickprincess it was nice to see you yesterday!

It was great! We'll do it again soon.

We could always make a stop at Nature Berry!

 

[ChickPrincess]

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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggghhhh!