NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

OH NO!!! I've seen that glow coming from the Silkie coop. Every one of my Silkie's are mixes; 2 are Sizzles, 1 doesn't lay eggs or crow, 1 looks and walks like a duck and 1 looks a lot like a loofah sponge. The 3 little ones are up in the air. Can't come up with a good reason why I even have them unless it's because every time I step in their run most of them squat. Makes me feel a little superior.

I like to keep the odd balls for a couple of reasons. 1. they look fun running around the yard. B. they still lay eggs and serve the purpose. Kinda like the punks in the chicken yard.

To bad I couldn't get them to wear little spiked collars.

 

[marquisella]

I saw this on facebook today, and though it isn't about chickens, its pretty funny & moral is probably true...

A little lesson to start your day with.

SHE WALKED UP AND TIED HER OLD MULE TO THE HITCHING POST. AS SHE STOOD THERE, BRUSHING SOME OF THE DUST FROM HER FACE AND CLOTHES, A YOUNG GUNSLINGER STEPPED OUT OF THE SALOON WITH A GUN IN ONE HAND AND A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY IN THE OTHER.THE YOUNG GUNSLINGER LOOKED AT THE OLD WOMAN AND LAUGHED,

"HEY OLD WOMAN, HAVE YOU EVER DANCED?"

THE OLD WOMAN LOOKED UP AT THE GUNSLINGER AND SAID, "NO, I NEVER DID DANCE... NEVER REALLY WANTED TO."

A CROWD HAD GATHERED AS THE GUNSLINGER GRINNED AND SAID, "WELL, YOU OLD BAG, YOU'RE GONNA DANCE NOW," AND STARTED SHOOTING AT THE OLD WOMAN'S FEET.

THE OLD WOMAN PROSPECTOR -- NOT WANTING TO GET HER TOE BLOWN OFF -- STARTED HOPPING AROUND. EVERYBODY WAS LAUGHING. WHEN HIS LAST BULLET HAD BEEN FIRED, THE YOUNG GUNSLINGER, STILL LAUGHING, HOLSTERED HIS GUN AND TURNED AROUND TO GO BACK INTO THE SALOON.

THE OLD WOMAN TURNED TO HER PACK MULE, PULLED OUT A DOUBLE-BARRELED SHOTGUN, AND COCKED BOTH HAMMERS.

THE LOUD CLICKS CARRIED CLEARLY THROUGH THE DESERT AIR. THE CROWD STOPPED LAUGHING IMMEDIATELY.

THE YOUNG GUNSLINGER HEARD THE SOUNDS, TOO, AND HE TURNED AROUND VERY SLOWLY. THE SILENCE WAS ALMOST DEAFENING. THE CROWD WATCHED AS THE YOUNG GUNMAN STARED AT THE OLD WOMAN AND THE LARGE GAPING HOLES OF THOSE TWIN BARRELS. THE BARRELS OF THE SHOTGUN NEVER WAVERED IN THE OLD WOMAN'S HANDS, AS SHE QUIETLY SAID, "SON, HAVE YOU EVER KISSED A MULE'S ***?"

THE GUNSLINGER SWALLOWED HARD AND SAID, "NO M'AM... BUT... I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO."

THERE ARE A FEW LESSONS HERE FOR ALL OF US:
1 - Never be arrogant.
2 - Don't waste ammunition.
3 - Whiskey makes you think you're smarter than you are.
4 - Always, always make sure you know who has the power.
5 - Don't mess with old women; they didn't get old by being stupid...

I JUST LOVE A STORY WITH A HAPPY ENDING, DON'T YOU?

 

[Lynzi777]

Lynzi - There is CNY PowerSports here in Cortland, near Exit 10 off I-81. They have all 4-wheelers, motorcycles, dirt bikes and accessories. Check them out online, they also have CNY FarmSupply and one other CNY store. But I second Sally8, make sure it is appropriate sized and he is physically/mentally capable of handling it. 4-Wheelers today are much bigger/heavier than 20 years ago when I drove a full size one on the farm at age 10.
And if your landlord is ok with a dirt track showing up on the lawn.
Your hens are all over 1 year old, except the Silkies which I don't have experience with. I don't use lights. My 1 year olds slowed and have now mostly stopped, but my first year hens are laying every day. Except the leghorn (haven't found a white egg layer yet I like). My plan is to add 6 hens each year to keep us and customers in eggs. And then any hen that does not resume laying after winter will be culled out of the flock (except the blue orp for broodiness). I have an EE hen that stopped laying late summer. I also think her near death experience with the amish dog chasing her contributed to the stopped production. If she doesn't start up again, her and any of my older birds will be replaced with new chicks next spring.

Thanks! I remember seeing a bill board with their ad on it. I'll check them out, and I like that they're close by too. Like I mentioned to Sally8, this one would be very small compared to the full size ones they make for adults. We used ride the larger ones in Maine every year when we were younger and thinking about it now, I'm surprised our parents would let us take those out into the wilderness by ourselves. We'd be gone all day on those things. We really want a pair for ourselves, next year tho. I saw one online yesterday that even had a control on it to set it at no faster than 10mph, that would be perfect for him. And then to be able to up it back up to 20mph when he was older. Yes my larger birds are all over a year, but it's just been a funky year with them. Wish I got more eggs over the summer but I didn't this year. Definitely going to try to add some other breeds in the spring. Just odd to me that EVERY hen I have isn't laying - even the silkies and even the female KC duck. Which makes me wonder is it the feed because thats the only thing that has been the same with all of them. You would think if it wasn't feed at one would be laying, or at least one new layer would have started by now. But NONE are laying. Just odd to me.

I think you will get some Eggs once they are on layer for a bit ..I was surprised you put them on grower ....with no extra calcium ....when you want eggs

I put them on grower because people mentioned to try upping their protein. The protein in grower is more than in layer so thats why I put them on it. They're back on layer now though.

This isn't for sale but I'd like to add an experience. My grandson is 6 and my son bought this for him over a year ago. It's 125cc and sits a little high in the air making it "tipsy". His very first voyage he completely flipped it over on himself. Only a grass burn on his elbow. I couldn't really step far enough away tonight to show how high it is. You can see the springs on the front. Have you checked Craigslist? This one came from someone my son worked with. (BTW, tonight when I was taking these pic, I saw where it said 14+ up in age. I think it's way too big for him but he has a lot of supervised fun.

Thanks! Yea that one would definitely be too big for him. I'm only looking for one that is about 80cc. He's only 7 but since our yard is a all hill power wheels don't work so well. My daughter rides the dune buggy power wheel we bought for them last year but once my son hops in it it slows right down. My husband and I want to buy a pair for ourselves next summer so that we can each a take a kid and go out riding together with all the trails that are around here.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Thanks for sharing the pics. They are all beautiful. I think my BCM may just be laying recently. I found a pullet sized speckled egg the other day in the egg carton. Lucy my EE/BCm was laying the same kind before she stopped. I am hoping that means she will start laying more now

Do your marans lay every day?

The blue just started a little a few months ago and has been pretty steady since. The other 2, the BCM anf the BWM just finished with a molt and I have gotten 3 eggs yesterday so they are back laying I think. The are just over a year old. Since I got them this summer and they 2 big gals had started laying again they have been very steady till their molt. They laid probably at least 5 eggs a week before the molt.

Lynzi - This is a pic from one of the ones that I was talking about. This one I found at Walmart. I think that the one that I was thinking about was from sears. But they are for littler kids. same type of thing.

 

[Lapeerian]

Yes my larger birds are all over a year, but it's just been a funky year with them. Wish I got more eggs over the summer but I didn't this year. Definitely going to try to add some other breeds in the spring. Just odd to me that EVERY hen I have isn't laying - even the silkies and even the female KC duck. Which makes me wonder is it the feed because thats the only thing that has been the same with all of them. You would think if it wasn't feed at one would be laying, or at least one new layer would have started by now. But NONE are laying. Just odd to me.

What kind of layer do you have them on? I have been feeding Agway's Hearty Hen, believe it is 16% protein as compared to regular layer 14%. I occasionally got a bag of regular layer to mix in if I ran out before the next order came in, but now my local CM has put me in a regular order rotation. The Feather Fixer is 18%, but is only a 40lb bag (and didn't it have some sort of mite protectioin in it?) In summer, 100lbs (2 bags) would last me 4 weeks with the 24 adult birds, all free ranging except the teen boys. You mentioned you just bought 2 bags of feed, how long does that last you? Are they eating too much and getting fat? Or is the feed spoiling before you get it all used? It might not smell bad, but the nutrients do depleat the longer a bag is exposed to air. Remember to make any feed transition gradual, mixing old and new, and give them a few weeks to adjust to the diet before calling defeat.

 

[Lynzi777]

What kind of layer do you have them on? I have been feeding Agway's Hearty Hen, believe it is 16% protein as compared to regular layer 14%. I occasionally got a bag of regular layer to mix in if I ran out before the next order came in, but now my local CM has put me in a regular order rotation. The Feather Fixer is 18%, but is only a 40lb bag (and didn't it have some sort of mite protectioin in it?) In summer, 100lbs (2 bags) would last me 4 weeks with the 24 adult birds, all free ranging except the teen boys. You mentioned you just bought 2 bags of feed, how long does that last you? Are they eating too much and getting fat? Or is the feed spoiling before you get it all used? It might not smell bad, but the nutrients do depleat the longer a bag is exposed to air. Remember to make any feed transition gradual, mixing old and new, and give them a few weeks to adjust to the diet before calling defeat.

I've been buying my local feed store's feed for a while now (JJ Feeds). And yes the pellets are mixed in with my grower mash. I would say with the 16 birds I have (Did I just say 16??) the two bags should last me thru December, into January sometime? I'd have to look into my checkbook and see when I bought feed last. I do not feed them much, because they do free range. I should really measure how much I give them a day so I know. But to give you an idea, I keep my feed in a stainless steel garbage can. One bag per can, I believe they are 10 gallon?? In that can I keep a kids' blue pail, average size. It can maybe hold 3-4 cups? I give a pail full to the 4 Orps, BR and Frizzle. Then I give a pail full mixed with water to the ducks, and I give a pail to the silkies about every other day because they take longer to eat theirs. The 4 Os, BR and Frizzle free range so they eat that feed and move on. Same with the ducks. I had asked earlier last week how much feed per day a chicken should be getting but I wrote such a novel that day that I'm sure my post got over looked. LOL

Lynzi - This is a pic from one of the ones that I was talking about. This one I found at Walmart. I think that the one that I was thinking about was from sears. But they are for littler kids. same type of thing.

Yea, see I think that is one of the power wheel ones with the plastic wheels and those just don't do well in our hard. I was looking for a real quad but one for his size like one of these...

http://countyimports.com/childrens_atvs___beginner___49cc_110cc?b=1

If you see how small the ones to the left are lined up to the ones on the right, you'll see they are much smaller and would fit him well, like the one you pictured you this would be gas powered and have real wheels on it instead of plastic.

 

[ke5hde]

Evening all. My silkie eggs went into lock down last night. I started with 14, 2 were tossed at day 8, so 12 made it to lock down. I have 1 that piped externally today. Hatch day "should" be tomorrow.

 

[armorfirelady]

Good luck ke5hde on your hatch

 

[rancher hicks]

Well you may have seen my tag line A friend loves at all times and it is in the bible but I'm not sure they had Silkies then.

Seriously, I am your friend and hope all turns out very nicely. Keep us posted and remember pics are always nice.

 

[ke5hde]

Rancher, I read one of your posts a day or so ago and saw you didn't think your birds were getting enough water with the nipples and that got me thinking. I remembered every time the found water in other places, they drank and drank. Tonight I took the nipple bucket out and gave them back their galvanized waterer and they were drinking like crazy. I'm going to leave it like this for the winter with the heated base. I'll use the nipples in the run in the summer time.