NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

Is that us Baby Boomers ?
We are more polite ..we Learned manners from our parents who were good Christians ..and did things for their friends & neighbors

That's why I liked my last job so much. Being nice was appreciated by the seniors. Today with the younger generation, not so much. Though even some of my generation are grumpy and mean as second skimmings.

 

[Aria]

I dumped some more shavings in yesterday and then this morning I left them locked up and threw a bunch of scratch into the coop hoping they will scratch it up some more. They are driving me nuts with their laziness!

We use deep method, and put fresh hay everytime.
AND this is the first time...we have had no eggs all week. WOW. Do I need to purchase eggs.

 

[Aria]

Two more chicks have hatched.  

One a BR but having a large blob of something hanging off.  It hatched with little trouble and quickly enough.  I would be surprised if it survives though it seems okay now.  

The other a BR egg but clearly NOT a BR.  I kept these eggs separate in the incubator of course and marked each.  

One other BR egg pipped but upside down.  I quickly opened the incu and laid it on it's side. 

All the eggs are in the un-working  turner  and tilted.  I turned each several times a day a quarter turn.     

I might be upset over the non BR chick but I'm giving great consideration to getting rid of all the chickens.  It's too much money and  work for little return.   I must confess the mud  and water are  just to much.  I dread and avoid going out any more than I have to. 

At the very least I'll cut back drastically.  I am tired. 

Rancher, this is the time of the year. Just plan to do less. Only what makes you comfortable. Never, get rid of your Chickens. They have a place in your life. ENJOY.
AND HAPPY HOLLIDAY TO ALL ON BYC. ARIA

 

[Aria]

I hear ya Rancher, I do not taking care of the chickens, ducks and rabbits in this weather and mud! Although, the ducks need very little attention, it's really just the chickens and rabbits that I go out there for. I'm seriously contemplating downsizing in the spring - getting rid of at least two silkies and just keeping my lavender pair (this way if I hatch any I can keep some offspring) and going down to three Orps, keeping Stella, Gru and my Blue Pullet so I can focus on hatching purebred orps. If anything I'd add more ducks. I love the ducks so much more than the chickens at this point. LOL I must be the only one who has messier chickens than ducks. My birds all have this ginormous area to roam around in within their chicken yard, and where to do they stand all day? RIGHT in front of the "door" next to their coop. So that area is absolutely disgusting! The  rest of the chicken yard is clean and just grassy because they don't venture anywhere. Drives me crazy. If I had known thats all they were going to do I wouldn't have put that coop there and dealt with hauling their food/water up the hill every day. 


I think I'm done with the bantam breed. I just can't seem to do well with those birds. Lost my black frizzle today. Have no idea what could have caused her death. I go out every single day to make sure there is food/unfrozen water in that coop. I am constantly throwing new shavings in there. I witnessed her eating and drinking. I don't get it. First my splash, and now her. I really don't understand what I am doing wrong with those little ones. I'm wondering if she could have been depressed after I removed her from the big coop and she didn't have "pal" the blue Orp pullet. I was just worried since Gru has been back at it with the girls that if he tried anything with her he would have done some serious damage. Other than that, I really don't know what could have gone wrong. 

Lindsay, I am so sorry for your bad happenings with your Silkies. I do think they may be delicate. I did find our Call Ducks MESSY. We needed to drive them in at night. Our Silkies go in and out nicely and they are not messy. We use fresh hay and the Coop always smells fine.

Now our only problem is NO EGGS. This is a first for us. To us the Ducks were more of a problem. And the HAWKS are the problem with our Silkies. We love our Silkies and plan to increase our Silkie Flock in the Spring. Aria

 

[Aria]

I just have to complain today, sorry guys.

I went to tractor supply after work to pick up some dog and chicken food. Usually I don't like to go there for my chicken food but my regular feed place is closed. Anyway I grabbed a couple bags of chicken feed, a bag of BOSS and a big bag of dog food, all over 50lbs. So I got to checkout and of course the dog food is on the bottom and the stupid barcode is on the bottom of that bag. So I have to lift the chicken food, BOSS and then the dog food off the cart to get to the UPC. Well here I am, I'm a 5'3" girl in heels and dress clothes coming from work having to lift all these bags off the cart and then put them back on and there are 5 guys in line behind me watching me struggle and not one of them even offered to help or hold the cart still 

Now I'm all about doing things on my own and what not, but really nobody even offered?!?! They would rather stand there and watch me struggle with these stupid bags. 

Sorry I'm done...

You have a right to complain. We go to Agway and they load the feed in our truck.
They have layers pellets 21% protein. NEVER let them to that. Have TS load them for you.
Unloading is enough.

 

[rancher hicks]

You have a right to complain. We go to Agway and they load the feed in our truck.
They have layers pellets 21% protein. NEVER let them to that. Have TS load them for you.
Unloading is enough.

Well of course we have the right to complain and where better to do it than here. We love you.

I have TSC and Country Max both load my stuff. Then I slide it onto my little red wagon and drag it into the garage. Then I slide it onto a bin of dishes DW has stored there, that is level with the wagon.

Yes Aria , it is that, muddy, wet , cold and non egg laying time of year. They eat and eat and eat and don't lay me any eggs. Perhaps it's that soup, dumpling, pot pie time of year too.

It looks as though the hatch is over. Three chicks. One Del, one tiny BR and one lord only knows. Even the EE's didn't hatch and they usually do good. Oh well what can one do? ORDER MORE EGGS THAT'S WHAT!

Seriously I'm not up to it.

 

[Metella]

It's true, it must be the time of year, when we hope for good tidings and things going well - and when we don't get help, and when we trudge out in icy mud, we all get grumpy when there isn't help and eggs.

I was let down when there was only egg today ... I have been getting 3. I felt insulted by my girls.

Who feeds ya, Baby ????

I was mondo grumpy this morning - so I force fed myself a sappy movie and feel a little better now. That's my orders - go watch some sappy crappy thing - something Disney or stupid comedy.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Its flurrying! Hopefully we get some frosting so its a white christmas. My girls have been the best. Cooking, baking, cleaning, shopping. Couldnt ask fro better help. Let my hen out for a bit to walk around and shake her feathers. She was able to limp around but I noticed she squatted and laid back on her hock when she was looking and pecking at something on the floor. She then picked at her ankle and limped around some more. Still not sure whats up but will continue to keep her in her cage.

Let the silkies out to freerange for while. They dont mind the snow falling and are enjoying the grass. Will let the terrorists out later.

I hope everyone has a happy, safe and joyous christmas. May you be blessed in the new year with good health, healthy family, healthy chickens and a content life.

 

[JLaw]

I swear who ever desided christmass is suppose to be white should have been shot many times over. Got like 6 inches last night no big deal. Spent like 2 hours fixing snow blower today and snow blew the drive and some yard for the chickens. Get some scratch and got most the birds to come peck ground some. When I get back inside it starts snowing and all the birds run back into the coop. Stupid snow. Worst thing ever to wish for is snow on christmass when everyone is out driving with they're families and people drinking spiced eggnog. I never here people wishing for snow for they're b-day. GRRRRR.

Anyways Merry Christmas. Happy holidays.

 

[Gramma Chick]

She was able to limp around but I noticed she squatted and laid back on her hock when she was looking and pecking at something on the floor. She then picked at her ankle and limped around some more. Still not sure whats up but will continue to keep her in her cage.

maybe a sprained ankle ..? .A little soak might loosen it up .
She might have been eating less because of this ...why she is so skinny