NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

Here is inside my coop today at 10 am. Wish I had pics of the girls last ngiht but I was tooo cold to worry about that.


2x4 opening at bottom of north wall window.


opening south facing wall at rafters.



north wall rafter openings



south facing wall. hard to see but that bottom square of snow is my pop door for chickens.

Picture #1 You could staple burlap over those holes. Though ideally you should use some hardware cloth first then burlap.

Picture #2 You could do the same.

Picture #4 I would move the pop hole. The door of course needs to be fixed to close. What it looks like to me is that you have a "draw" or draft that is "sucking" the snow in.

Ventilation should only be near the top of the coop. This way the moist heat rises and is drawn off. Ventilation holes can be covered with burlap that will "breath" enough so it doesn't block the moist air from escaping.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I have two hatching eggs from aarrons cuckoo silkies. I so hope i get a hen and roo or two hens.

Aria if there are enough people wanting birds/eggs from him come the picnick i will most likly go get orders for them and bring to picnick. I have to see how far out of way it will take me but doable. I know sone are like me and rather not have chicks or eggs mailed to them.

You'll have to keep me posted on their progress!

Woke up to light in my windows in my bedroom this morning (7:45),jumped out of bed wondering my alarm didn't go off (at 6:40),looked outside no snow, ran upstairs to get my son up but he was already halfway down the stairs, told him to hurry up and get in the shower because my alarm didn't go off. Made him a lunch, packed his backpack, made him breakfast for the way to school, and checked my email via my phone only to find out there is no school today. :-/

His school barely ever closes so I never thought they'd close due to extremely cold temperatures. This momma is going to need a nap today, especially after being up all night with a sick 4 year old.

I hope all the cheeps are doing ok outside. It was so windy last night. That was another thing that kept me up. I'm sure I have stuff all over my yard!

I've done that too. It is even funnier when you do it on a saturday!!

I've done that, the worst part was dh was laughing at me and let me go through it for a while before he reminded me it was saturday!

As for cost. I just started this year in late March. I spent $816.71 on my chickens and ducks for 2013. Keep in mind that this total includes the cost of the 11 chickens and everything that I needed to start: Feeders & waterers, brooder lamp and bulb, hardware and what little lumber we needed to buy. I'm sure that if we had to buy all the lumber and roofing to build the coop that it would be much more. We were lucky and just used what we could from our barn that collapsed and from what was left over from the inlaws garage build. It also includes all food and treats and "Rasing Chicken For Dummies" book that I bought.

As for the other side: I got my first egg on July13th but I didn't start keeping track till August. But from August to Dec31st my girls laided 948 eggs which is 79 dozen, (I didn't count those eggs that were defective with no shells). Total profit for they year was $5.00!!!

Talk about being lop sided. I think that I need to start charging my family for my eggs. Or at least get some paying customers!

 

[rancher hicks]

Pics of the hoops. As you can see there is an over hang on each. I went out and gave them some more straw to scratch in. You can see the openings on the front.
Jlaw , perhaps you can use a cattle panel to make an over hang for your door to act as a wind break. I see no reason you can't attach it to your coop. Over lay it with poultry wire and a tarp or clean plastic.





The back of this one is covered with cardboard and then feed bags over that. There are no pop holes to build. I open up in the morning and they stay open all day.





Both these coops face the north and the overhang stays clear of snow.



The creek has over flowed it's bank. This area is usually dry. The actual creek is further into the woods.

 

[horsekeeper]

I have a couple of roosters with frostbitten combs. Has anyone ever tried Carmex on their birds? I was thinking that this morning when I put some on my own lips before going out. It is supposed to sooth, heal, and protect. Thoughts?

Ivan


Mr. Black

 

[Cass]

I can solve all your chicken problems. Plunk down $1200 and Ray will build you a chicken coop. Yup. That's how much mine cost. It's draft free with plenty of ventaliation. Problem is? The darn chickens are so comfortable that they don't bother to lay eggs, so I will NEVER recoup the cost.

 

[Aria]

They are very nice. I just checked out your website and I think that I am in love with your cuckoo silkies!!

I have two hatching eggs from aarrons cuckoo silkies. I so hope i get a hen and roo or two hens.

Aria if there are enough people wanting birds/eggs from him come the picnick i will most likly go get orders for them and bring to picnick. I have to see how far out of way it will take me but doable. I know sone are like me and rather not have chicks or eggs mailed to them.

JLaw, that sounds great. AND if you have Hens to sell....perhaps we can purchase from you.
Good luck with your hatch. Thanks again, and keep us posted. My son lives in Canandaigua...probably not too far from you. Regards, Aria

 

[rancher hicks]

I have a couple of roosters with frostbitten combs. Has anyone ever tried Carmex on their birds? I was thinking that this morning when I put some on my own lips before going out. It is supposed to sooth, heal, and protect. Thoughts?

Ivan


Mr. Black

Unfortunately once the damage is done there is nothing that can be done. The frost bitten part will fall off and the bird will look bad but not seriously affected.

I've tried the vaseline route but it didn't help. Reduction in moisture in the coop will help. Proper ventilation is key. It looks as though your floor is wet. By adding more chips and NOT hay or straw it may help. I use "Nobles" shavings as they are large chips and not saw dusty type.

I've tried that Carmex type stuff for my lips and it's not good. It has some type of menthol in it and smells bad. It also has a cooling affect much like Vicks Vapor rub. If you must use something stick with Vaseline or an off brand.

 

[Aria]

I can solve all your chicken problems.   Plunk down $1200 and Ray will build you a chicken coop.   Yup.  That's how much mine cost.  It's draft free with plenty of ventaliation.  Problem is?  The darn chickens are so comfortable that they don't bother to lay eggs, so I will NEVER recoup the cost.

Cass, My husband built our Small Barn...we try NOT to keep track of the cost. We have Silkie Chickens as a hobby. They give us a lot of pleasure and EGGS. Right now...not too many.

The Chickens are our pleasure. We don't go to the movies and are home bodies. We need to have some pleasure. ha ha. Regards, Aria

 

[rancher hicks]

I can solve all your chicken problems. Plunk down $1200 and Ray will build you a chicken coop. Yup. That's how much mine cost. It's draft free with plenty of ventaliation. Problem is? The darn chickens are so comfortable that they don't bother to lay eggs, so I will NEVER recoup the cost.

How big is your coop? I bet I spent that and more all my hoops.

 

[Nambroth]

Rancher, do you ever have trouble with predators? We have problem bears here and I'd be scared of using a hoop like those. I have to put electric fencing on anything I want to protect. Last season, a neighbor had a bear pull her heavy shed doors off to get at her guinea fowl.