NY chicken lover!!!!

[why do birds]

I haven't chimed in yet, but yes, you really need to do a lot of preparing I think. It's great that you want to get into farming, and having birds is great and is my favorite thing in the whole world to do, but you really really need to read some farm blogs or something. Yes, you could pay a vet to put a bird down, but that's really expensive, assuming you could even find a vet that does birds. I don't want to sound harsh here, but it seems like you might be idealizing this whole thing. It's not easy. Birds get sick or injured and you have to put them down. They're dirty. They're hard work. Bigger farm animals even more so. So yes, you could pay a vet to put down your birds. But then you need to give up the idea that you'll EVER make money cooking with their eggs.

I think a lot of people in here are getting startled by your questions because it seems like you've done zero research on what having livestock is really like. That's probably not true, but asking things like whether or not you should vacuum your chickens and thinking that you can build a hamster-like habitat for them including an exercise wheel makes people really skeptical - and worried. I understand that you love your birds. I understand that it's your dream to own a farm and have lots of animals. But I think you really need a lot more research and reality checks before you attempt it.

That said, don't give up. Maybe try to visit someone with chickens to see what it's really like. If you're anywhere near me, I invite you to stop in some time. The same with other animals you want to own. I don't want to chase you off or discourage you, but I think you really need to be looking at this a whole lot differently that you currently are.

Thank you for the response! I sell cosmetics. It is vastly different from farming. My days consist of studying fashion trends, future color trends, new cosmetic technologies, and also clothing trends. Actually we started looking at chickens because we saw that Urban people could keep them. We saw all kind of adorable outfits and thought that they are a very ideal pet. Having property now we debated whether or not to try to grow trees or have any kind of animal. Beautiful barn, beautiful buildings seem to be wasted not having anything to live in them. So this was our starting point. I'm still going to sell cosmetics, we'll still have the computer business, but these are very part time and wanted to add another element so that we can offer something valuable to our neighborhood. We absolutely loved hatching eggs! I'd love an opportunity to visit a farm and actually learn from someone who knows what it's all about. Thanks for the offer. Would greatly appreciate an opportunity to observe your set up sometime! Thanks!

 

[Pyxis]

Thank you for the response!  I sell cosmetics.  It is vastly different from farming.  My days consist of studying fashion trends, future color trends, new cosmetic technologies, and also clothing trends.  Actually we started looking at chickens because we saw that Urban people could keep them.  We saw all kind of adorable outfits and thought that they are a very ideal pet.  Having property now we debated whether or not to try to grow trees or have any kind of animal.  Beautiful barn, beautiful buildings seem to be wasted not having anything to live in them.  So this was our starting point.  I'm still going to sell cosmetics, we'll still have the computer business, but these are very part time and wanted to add another element so that we can offer something valuable to our neighborhood.  We absolutely loved hatching eggs!  I'd love an opportunity to visit a farm and actually learn from someone who knows what it's all about.  Thanks for the offer.  Would greatly appreciate an opportunity to observe your set up sometime!  Thanks!

No problem! Really, send me a message if you want to set something up. Also, me, Metella, and Bakingintherain get together almost every Friday to hang out and talk birds, and if you're in out area you should come sometime. I think you're on the right track, you're just inexperienced and approaching it wrong

 

[Gramma Chick]

My name is Erric, located about 15 mins from Niagara Falls... been scouting on BYC for a while. I just recently signed up to create an account because I wanted to start posting!

I have a small flock of nine hens with a mixed variety. I am looking to increase my flock, however Tractor Supply seems to have put limits on the minimum for how many poults you have to buy. And when I went on Murray Mcmurray hatchery's website, They wanted 30+ dollars for just 3 eggs of a Leghorn. And there are not guaranteed to hatch!!!

Is there anyone nearby that would be interested in getting rid of some fertilized eggs? Not looking for handouts, I just feel, and I'm assuming most of you guys feel… That the cost of fertilize eggs from hatcheries are a bit pricey.

Welcome To the Thread !

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
are you going let the chicken rest in the frig 3 days 1st ?

 

[Gramma Chick]

Hello folks.

It has been a while so I thought I would stop in and say hello. The world in our neck of the woods is like everyone elses, cold as ####.

Funny story. About the end of November, I decided to turn my lights down (from 14 hours to 10) to get the chickens a good chance to molt and rest. Egg production stopped almost immediately. From time to time I would get an egg, but nothing much. We even had to buy store eggs gah.

Well here a few weeks ago I changed the timer back to 14 hours, and expected the eggs would start coming. The Chickens look great, and I am hoping to set eggs at some point in Late February.

Well no eggs for a few weeks, and last Sunday I decided to do a full cleaning on the chicken coop. During the time I was in there 2-3 hours, I got 4 eggs. Mon-Friday, Zero eggs.......... hmmmm

Read a little, but had pretty much figured I had some egg eaters. Tried to find some fake eggs (Expensive on e-bay) and then decided to fill the coop with golf balls.

Sat-Tuesday, 3 remnants of eggs, and 22 full eggs.

I wonder how long they have been chowing down, and if they every truly stopped laying?

Stay warm people.

Oh no ! Mine only eat eggs if it breaks ..I have a old hen that has weak shells ..I think her shell spicket is worn out ..LOL
I got 3 fake ones for 8.00 on ebay ...so real looking ..hard to tell apart ..I put a little x on the point so I could tell.
We pranked my hubby ...I put them in the egg carton ...he said to me I cant break this shell ..I said because its a ceramic egg

 

[miquwid]

Omg no matter what i do i can't keep up with you guys lol! Okay so anyhow im making some life changes so hopefully i can get out of this funk im in.

About the wattles and comb i only brought my girl in because in rochester i can and have gotten inspections by the police department and the dont know chickens and since my girl was bleeding all ovef the place and on other chickens we put er inside out of eye sight until yhe bleefing stopped n back out she went.

Off to work

 

[Metella]

yes - if you could make it to our nearly weekly chat .... wow ... will the information flow !

And if you come all the way out to Pyxis' place - you can pop over to mine and see my new barn, the trees and the pasture with the bigger animals and how that is set up. Even planning your fruit tree placement takes planning into the future and knowledge of the prevailing winds and weather patterns.

Some people heat their barn - they are the ones who then have more health problems in their animals .....

I build a new barn - after living and working for 4 years and knowing what I wanted ... my new barn doesn't even have electricity ! by choice (anti-fire) and certainly no heat.

Deer, turkeys, wild birds, cardinals - they are all surviving this -30 degree weather ... so imagine how much better off any animals to whom you have given some shelter from the wind and a sure supply of food.


It makes sense that you want to retire and have a farm - but not one that you depend on to finance your life - the farm is like your retirement fun - so I get that ... and I get that you will have a different amount time and goals than most farmers .... so you aren't concerned as much as some about making money from your farm. You've just got to go visiting before you start building - once you build - then you are stuck doing modifications!!! Take a weekend and come out to visit us ... you will see all sorts of different set ups and I have a grumpy old farmer just down the road with some cattle - and he seems glad to talk to people about it ... the grumpier the old farmer - the better advice you will get. ha ha ha ha He is going in for leg surgery and I will be checking in to make sure his son does things right .... he is so worried about being off his feet for 2 weeks .... worried about his animals. I tell you, that son has no appreciation, I would love to have that opportunity come to me and then would continue the farm. So many young ones inherit the farm and sell it off - then it becomes dead land.

I applaud you for wanting your land to be vibrant and healthy when you get to live on it.

 

[armorfirelady]

Quote: Ahhhhhh.my girls leave their coop to go stand in there old run all day. I have no idea why....its smaller, there is stuff stored in there & no food or water. There is ventilation in there but I have no idea what they want to go in a smaller place & stare at each other all day. I am just glad they go back to the coop to lay thier eggs

 

[Glasshen]

Hi, haven't caught up yet, but wanted to share the training I've had on frostbite, from ski patrol. They say gradual rewarding, which can be in room temp water, or just air house temp. But the difficult part is the area MUST not refreeze. It is already compromised, it it refreezes you will have worse problems. Think of meat that has been in the freezer, you can't thaw and then refreeze it and expect it to be good. For wilderness cold injuries they say if you can't keep it warm, let it stay cold, but that means for a long evacuation to civilization. I think you may need to keep him in an area where he will not get so cold again, like no colder than 40 or so. And do the typical first aid. Antibiotic cream, etc.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Morning all. Despite the cold everyone piled out this morning. Legolas looks a little under the weather so I will keep an eye on him today. Time to open the windows on the silkie coops now that the wind has stopped. Their crests looked a little frosty. My juveniles are looking splendid. Everyone will get a hot meal later as I have to make my vegetable broth today. They will get the cooked veges along with the rendered fat from the pork my dh ate and some quinoia that needs to be gone from the pantry. Going to pick up some stuff to make a flock block tomorrow. Read a lot of recipes for it and am going to create my own. Recipes are just guidelines anyways.

Pyxis--I share your frustration about the lack of eggs but remember that our ladies also need a break and this time of year is a natural break for them. My egg customers are being understanding and are waiting for them to gear up again because they love my eggs. I have noticed that the two I am getting every day now are extra large eggs to jumbo. They are getting bigger as the girls reach 2 in march.

Deer are eating pine and thats not a good sign. Means there is no food for them anywhere and that means a shortage of food for the predators come spring. I havent seen any around here (although our neighbors bassett pretty much patrols the whole neighborhood and nothing gets by her nose!)) but I have noticed a lot of birds of prey lately as I have been driving to work. I am hoping the resident bear continues to give our place a pass on its travels.

Hope it warms up today.