NY chicken lover!!!!

[Lynzi777]

So excited.

I just went out to close up the coop for the night and encourage the ducks to go in the duck hut. And to my surprise the ducks were already snuggled into the hut. I was so proud of them that they went to bed without me having to make them. I think about not closing the door, but I'm always worried.

Do those of you that have ducks lock them up at night. This is my first time with ducks as an adult. I had them growing up when I was really young. At that time the only thing that I did was pour their food over the fence once a day when my dad let me. I'm kinda learning on the go. I have the big wall of the hut insulated. The one that is tin is the big wall. I wanted to make sure that it stayed somewhat warm. I have also added a nice bed of straw thanks to the farmer down the road. I traded a dozen eggs for some straw. Will that be enough for winter? I don't want them to freeze. I figured that if there was a night that was super cold I could put them in the coop with the girls. The coop is well insulated. What else do you all do to get ready for winter. I am going to get the coop scrubbed clean next time I clean it out, but it isn't that bad since it is new this spring. This will be my first winter with chickens and ducks and I'm worried. I have a feeling that it is going to be a bad winter and I want to make sure that I'm as ready as possible if it is going to be bad. So any advice on what else I should be doing or should have ready.

My ducks (as well as those ducks when I had them) went into a "hut" but it was surrounded by a run that was locked. So I did/do lock them up at night but as far as having a "door" on their house, they do not have one. I am having a new chicken coop made and when that arrives I plan on moving the ducks into the bigger girls' coop. That won't have a run but it will be locked up at night. I would be worried about predators getting to them at night. Although I dont have many at night apparently because "Ferb" was left out on night and was fine all night.

 

[miquwid]

My husband has a camera and we can view the Silkies
on our TV set. FUN Regards, Aria

hee hee I can only imagine!

Hi there peeps!  I am just joining (officially) and wanted to say hi!  I wondered if there were other people with chickens in my area.  I am on the Great Sacandaga Lake in the Adirondack Mountains.  I have 18 chickens of various breeds.  Once I figure out how to add them at the bottom I will!  lol  I have always relied on forums for great information on many many subjects & I look forward to being a part of this one!  ..and yes, chickens ARE addictive! :-D

Welcome it's great to have you here.

Finally done with school!!! Back to chickens!! =) =)



I love my electric netting. Get the 48" for regular chickens - my biggies fly out of the 42, but not the 48. 

Glad your done! I got a little bit longer. Chickens are great I hope to see a lot of pictures from you.

I stopped and asked the guy down the road about the roo. It wasn't his, he has Orps.

As for the cameras, I have a laptop in the garage with a webcam hooked to it. I take time lapse video during the day now. 1 pic every 10 seconds. It works pretty good.

Now I want a camera, I will get one with my holiday money lots of overtime!

Mquid great job !!!

I spent all morning in the garden pulling plants that's aren't producing. We had a frost last night but my garbage bags over the tomatoes kept them safe. The girls spent most of the day with me in the veggie garden. About 930 2 red tailed hawks flew over and circled. Girls played statute and ran into the coop. The one hawk was squeaking away. They left finally but we could hear them off and on throughout the day. Few weeks ago I had 5 circling above the girls area. I've never seen them come down to grab a hen tho. Guess all the hidey spots I have work. But my girls freeze at a robin. They always have eyes peeled to the sky

Thought I would share a funny pic.

Stella decided to taste test the tomatoes. Then I realized the girls tasted about a half dozen on the vines. Apparently ones on ground were no good.

I think I a, going to change Stella's name to stinker. She is always the one doing things she shouldn't. She was on the pile of landscape bricks next to the fence later. I quickly herded them all in the coop by shaking e meal worm container

Thanks I'm so proud of myself, and they have a fresh layer of straw they are super happy. Tomorrow they will have a huge layer of weeds and grass.

I got my solar spot light to put up. I want to build different hanging feeders.

We'll gotta finish some homework! Good evenings

 

[Lynzi777]

Evening All,
Ordered my netting yesterday, should be here Wednesday. Funny how something could be shipped for free and get here that quickly however I'm still waiting for my first pay stub on severence from my old job for my Aug 30th paycheck! I can't stand that place, so glad I'm done with it!

Anywho....The cheeps found the apples up in my woods today and brought some into the yard. I was wondering what they were running around with in their mouths but when I got a closer look I realized it was those apples. Almost got upset and thought they had grabbed the only 3 apples off my apple trees that I planted last year. But they didn't. Those are still safe. Not getting much bigger so I'm thinking they're done growing.

Still no eggs from my lavender silkie hen, she's 5 months old this week. Hope I get something soon. The khaki campbells will be 20wks around the 27th this month. What's the chance she'll start laying this fall? Or will she actually wait until spring to start laying?

Off to pay more parking tickets!

Hope everyone has a wonderful night!

 

[ke5hde]

So excited.  I just went out to close up the coop for the night and encourage the ducks to go in the duck hut. And to my surprise the ducks were already snuggled into the hut. I was so proud of them that they went to bed without me having to make them. I think about not closing the door, but I'm always worried.

Do those of you that have ducks lock them up at night. This is my first time with ducks as an adult. I had them growing up when I was really young. At that time the only thing that I did was pour their food over the fence once a day when my dad let me. I'm kinda learning on the go. I have the big wall of the hut insulated. The one that is tin is the big wall. I wanted to make sure that it stayed somewhat warm. I have also added a nice bed of straw thanks to the farmer down the road. I traded a dozen eggs for some straw. Will that be enough for winter? I don't want them to freeze. I figured that if there was a night that was super cold I could put them in the coop with the girls. The coop is well insulated. What else do you all do to get ready for winter. I am going to get the coop scrubbed clean next time I clean it out, but it isn't that bad since it is new this spring. This will be my first winter with chickens and ducks and I'm worried. I have a feeling that it is going to be a bad winter and I want to make sure that I'm as ready as possible if it is going to be bad. So any advice on what else I should be doing or should have ready.

Our ducks could care less about the weather. They don't have heat or insulation in their new house or old one. I usually find them in their pond at night or sitting in the snow during the day.

 

[AQHAchick22]

Went to see the property I want, someone has been escavateing there! I am so angry. I called the town and they say that there is no permit on file. Not sure what to do about that. Hoping to find out about land use agreements soon. The trailer needs some serious work, but it can be managed.

Too bad you're not closer to albany...we are looking to sell a house and 10+ acres of land shortly...

 

[AQHAchick22]

My Stewie was like your Stella. The first to figure things out and experiment. She gave me fits, and the other girls didn't like her much cause she was always doing weird different things, things they would do about four days later. I'm worried this year it is Eunice, she keeps going over the fence, even though I cut the trumpet vine. She doesn't like to go back in though, I have to go through all sorts of things to get her on the proper side of the fence.

My red sex links are the trouble makers. They will find any way possible to escape. My teenagers as I call them will fly over the fence to escape. They are pretty easy to get back into the run with the bucket of scratch at least.

 

[Breella]

How do I know when a hen has officially given up on her chicks? Today I came home from work to find the two chicks with Pearl screaming at her. I moved her and she had stolen six eggs from the others and was trying to incubate them. Should I just take the chicks away from her? should I give her a chance? After I removed the eggs she let the chicks back under her but I can hear them peeping over the monitor again.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

My ducks (as well as those ducks when I had them) went into a "hut" but it was surrounded by a run that was locked. So I did/do lock them up at night but as far as having a "door" on their house, they do not have one. I am having a new chicken coop made and when that arrives I plan on moving the ducks into the bigger girls' coop. That won't have a run but it will be locked up at night. I would be worried about predators getting to them at night. Although I dont have many at night apparently because "Ferb" was left out on night and was fine all night.

Does your current duck run have a top to it? I'm finding that my idea of a run is different then others. I see lots that are totally enclosed attached to the coops. My run is just a big fenced in area with no top. It is just welded wire fence with a 1inch hex around the bottom. Some day I'd love to have a 3 layer chicken area. The large shed type coop with an enclosed large attached run that opens to a larger fenced in yard. That is still many years off. I like my little area for now, but my coop is maxed out. I need to get another next year. I'll post pictures of my Duck Hut tomorrow. That is just what I call it for the kids. The chickens live in the coop and the ducks have the hut. It kinda rhymes and they think that it sounds cool.

 

[Lynzi777]

Does your current duck run have a top to it?  I'm finding that my idea of a run is different then others. I see lots that are totally enclosed attached to the coops. My run is just a big fenced in area with no top. It is just welded wire fence with a 1inch hex around the bottom.  Some day I'd love to have a 3 layer chicken area. The large shed type coop with an enclosed large attached run that opens to a larger fenced in yard. That is still many years off. I like my little area for now, but my coop is maxed out. I need to get another next year. I'll post pictures of my Duck Hut tomorrow. That is just what I call it for the kids. The chickens live in the coop and the ducks have the hut. It kinda rhymes and they think that it sounds cool.

Yea it is covered but it's just for night time sleeping quarters. They are out free ranging during the day. I would say yours is ok during the night as long as no raccoons or other predators can get in it??

 

[Gramma Chick]

How do I know when a hen has officially given up on her chicks? Today I came home from work to find the two chicks with Pearl screaming at her. I moved her and she had stolen six eggs from the others and was trying to incubate them. Should I just take the chicks away from her? should I give her a chance? After I removed the eggs she let the chicks back under her but I can hear them peeping over the monitor again.

How old are the chicks ? it sounds like she is still hormonal ...& confused ..Can you collect the eggs so she has none to set on ...? so she remembers she has chicks ?