NY chicken lover!!!!

[Sally8]

THE SNOW IS HERE!!!!! I looked out to see a few flakes and now can't seethe mailbox. We are only supposed to get a inch or two. Those of you East to me are due for more! (The I need the shovel more)

 

[Breella]

I think it smelt because it wasn't stirred enough...I forgot to tell my dad about it when I left...ooops. It's not covered though, is it supposed to be?
I love how easy it was though. I think I'm going to start another bucket of it so I can have 2 buckets going at once. I'm just worried about monitoring how much they eat and making sure
they get enough since it's not constantly available.

I have read not to cover it with a tight fitting lid, but to drape a cloth or a towel over it. It needs air flow over the water at the top. Also it should not be constantly available. Fermented Feed should be fed in addition to dry ration once or twice a day, only as much as your flock will consume in about a 15-20 minutes, a half hour tops.

Here is another tidbit about fermenting that I find...If I feed some every day mixed with their normal feed, they pick out the grains, and leave the mash. I find the mash dried in the bottom of their feeders the next morning. If they do that, they are not getting the protein they need, so I have started feeding it every other day. Its funny cause the days that I dont include it, they run over, look in the dishes, then look up at me like "ok, where is my food?" LOL or "what is this crap?" Ok, so I'm projecting....

Tab: 12 dozen, wow. I've never had that many in one week. Slackers....

Are you sure you are fermenting long enough? My girls practically kill each other and myself to get to the fermented feed.

THE SNOW IS HERE!!!!! I looked out to see a few flakes and now can't seethe mailbox. We are only supposed to get a inch or two. Those of you East to me are due for more! (The I need the shovel more)

SHHHH! I have to deliver the Post tonight on Oneida Lake. I hope the poor free range hens on Green are locked up safe tonight. Last week I almost ran one over :-( Poor girl was out at the main road at four AM. I shooed her back onto the side street where she lives but I don't know which house they come from or else I would have sent her straight home. I also only have two snow tires. Tonight is going to bode poorly for me I think.

 

[featherz]

No snow here!! All nice and sunny still.. Chooks are all happy and rolling around.

 

[Aria]

Nutty---nice to hear from you.  Sorry you have to downsize your silkies.  I dont show because I just didnt want to deal with all the hoops I would have to jump through just to do so and after hearing about health issues that can arise.  I keep mine for my pleasure (dh calls them useless)) and sell hatching eggs now and again.  Mine are also all from show lines.  I like to give them a makeover every so often so that they look like they are going to a show!

Aria--hmmm, maybe retirement to become a fulltime chef and silkie breeder?  Haha.

Jlaw--sometimes these things just happen.  Ive had a few hens that died for no apparent reason.  Kinda goes with chicken keeping.

Got my stuff from First State Vet supplies.  I will let you all know how well these supplements work.  My sexlinks havent had feathers on their backs for month now.  I know its not the roo.  The nongmo feed seems to have made some difference.  Had a nice chat with Dr Peter Brown, the chicken doctor and he gave me some tips, etc. 

I might have to post pictures of me in all the coops since I have been working so much.  My cheeps have hardly seen me except to let them out and a quick fill of food and water.  Weather is going back into the deep freeze, according to my joints.  Off to another fun filled day at work.  Stay warm everyone!

pharmmom.....YOU MAY BE ON TARGET. Time will tell. And yes,
please post photos. And tell us about your Chat with Dr. Peter Brown.
You know I am new with Silkie Chickens and need all the help you have to offer.

You are the one that suggested Agway 21% protein. And that is what I am using...
and it is working out fine. Regards, Aria

 

[Aria]

Morning Everyone,
Went out to the shed this morning to find my newest splash hen dead.   I'm not sure what was going on her, but this is the same one I had a removed a week or two ago because she was looking lifeless and didn't put her back until she perked up again. Well she had been fine from what I saw, walking around with the others, eating drinking, she even came out of the run the other day and walked around the shed while I fed and watered the others. Then yesterday I noticed she was in the dustbath box I had put in their run weeks ago, not moving around too much, just resting there. I thought oh boy here we go again! But as soon as I fed them she went over to the bowl with the others so I thought Ok maybe she was just resting and is fine. So I left her because I saw her eating and drinking. But again, when I picked her up yesterday she felt really light compared to others. I don't know what what her issue was but I didn't separate her and I probably should and of course I'm kicking myself now. Think I'm pretty much done with these silkies, I wont be adding anymore, just keeping the 4 I have in that coop/run and that'll be it. I'm just so upset, that was the nicest quality hen I had. 

Lindsay, I am so sorry to hear this BAD NEWS. She was a beautiful hen.
Regards, Aria

 

[Pyxis]

Snowed here for about two minutes while I was out with the birds about a half hour ago, but it stopped. Supposed to get more tonight though, so I think I'll take the truck to work just in case, since it has all wheel drive.

County Boy - Welcome back! All the birds you gave me are doing good, and the frizzle, Marshmallow, provides me with lots of entertainment

Lynzi - So sorry to hear about your silkie hen I had a pullet last year that the same thing happened with. I think she just wasn't strong enough to take the colder temperatures.

 

[featherz]

Hi everybody!

We got back from Indiana early. My uncle and I both got bucks on the first 2 days so we had a good time. I got a 7pt. and he got an 8pt. I guess the deer population was down from some disease and the bucks that were there weren't as big as they usually were. We were just both fortunate enough that the first buck we saw were good sized. It was fun getting the deer back though as we had the car fully packed on the way out and didn't bring a cooler with us. It was a sight to see how we all fit. Well, I'll have to start catching up on the pages I missed.

Welcome back!! You asked about my LF cochins - two are laying little bitty pullet eggs. They are definitely late starters!

 

[marquisella]

Quote: I think you mis-understood what I said...they do eat the fermented grains, but leave the "mash" that I mix in with it. So in the next morning, I find some powder mash left over.

 

[Breella]

Yup, Misunderstood that. I blame the small print on my phone.

It's not my lack of sleep at all!

Need.More.Coffee.

 

[Lynzi777]

Thanks Everyone,

Pyxis - Thats the only thing I can think of....even though I saw her eating, maybe she wasn't eating enough to keep her healthy and strong enough to make it thru the colder weather. Just loved that little hen, not only was she the best looking one I had, she was the friendliest too.