NY chicken lover!!!!

[armorfirelady]

1 baby out

2 more pipped. I don't know how I'm going to get the trailer hooked up & car packed tonight with babies hatching

 

[Lynzi777]

Well the camera I put back into the coop today will be of no good use if the mystery layer continues to lay eggs outside of the coop! :-(

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I read up on ponds, and if you are going to let the ducks in you should put stones around the banks, cause they will erode the banks down and eventually it will be a mud hole. Ponds should have steep sides to prevent weeds from growing and at least 2 feet deep. Have a ramp for the ducks to go in & out. Otherwise it will evolve into a cat tail, weed pond. That is what is preventing me from diggin a pond here. Maintenance is important, and if its just a hole with water, you will regret it.

I have been reading a lot too. At first I thought about just getting a formed plastic pond liner and using that, but then I wanted to make sure that I could drain it and rinse it out when needed. So we talked about putting a drain it that. Then I had the brilliant idea this spring that I would just dig a big hole where we have an area that is always wet. As soon as I started digging it filled up with water. It finally dried up the other day.We have been thinking about making it and lining it with concrete and putting a drain in it that will drain over to the garden. I'm not sure that is going to work. I totally agree with you. So far to this point I have dug it so far where there is a shelf around the outside where I'm going to put some flat rocks. The back side of the pond is pretty deep then there are 2 different layers that are not as deep so the littler ducks can get out. The ducks really love it. I just have to keep digging the mud back out. I have to bring the rocks that I'm going to use up from the other side of the house.

Then again I may just fill in the hole and get another one of their plastic pools and put it in the yard for them and say to hell with the pond.

The real biggest problem is that DH isn't that into the flock. He doesn't really care what I do, to a point. He always says that he only needs to know what he has to build and how much is it going to cost. I try to talk to him about my thoughts and ask for his input, but I think that I would get more input from a brick wall then him some times. I wish that I could bounce more ideas off him, but he just really doesn't care. I love him to death but there are days that i want to just smack him.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: HAHAHA, I know that feeling...I could dig a pond here, we are on a limestone bed, lots of water under neath, whenever we dig down, it fills up with water, but...to make a nice pond & have it stay that will innvolves a lot of stone work, maintenance, etc. too much at this stage of life. My geese & ducks use a kiddie pool. we put a sink drain in it, sat it up on a wooden platform, & let it drain. Important, put the drain in the middle of the pool,not to one side. Then you still have to lift to get the last of the water out.

 

[Lynzi777]

Been doing some thinking today and want to throw this out there...Would anyone be interested in my English Splash Orpington, Gru?? I'm still trying to downsize a bit here for some upcoming possible changes in life and since I do have a splash chick of his and 7 in the bator I'm thinking I may be ready to part with him.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Evening all. Such a beautiful day today and I spent it inside. Bah humbug. Came home to the terrorists out enjoying themselves and my silkies, bless their little souls, came running to meet me. How can you not love that!. Makes me smile and puts me in a good mood. Only got six eggs today. Got some organic feed and some supplements so we shall try that to see if it gets them moving. Cooling off nicely outside so should be a nice night to sleep.

Have a good night everyone.

 

[huntin fool]

Curious for winter time, what kind of light?
Any lightbulb?

lights in winter is a great idea, i use a 13 watt cfl bulb, timer on it so it comes on at @ 3 am goes off about 8 am. helps keep girls laying througout winter. i dont use any heat bulbs, humidity is more important than heat, IMO

 

[rancher hicks]

I always have crows...they hang around for spilt grain, etc. I actually like to have them around, its just weird.

What I do have a lot of this year is barn swallows...I think all the past few years babies have returned. They even are nesting in my bluebird houses...Lots of swooping down around my head..so pretty and they eat mosquitos...yeah!

I've noticed lots of Robins this year. I like lots of birds. There are never enough birds to eat all the mosquitoes. I don't see many bats. I wish I had a barn just for them.

I do miss the Rabbits. Makes me so sad.

 

[huntin fool]

@glasshe n thank you. I'm a first time chicken mom. I've got 3 tetra tint, 3 red?, 3 silver laced wyandotte, 3 silkies, and 3 white leghorn. Also 2 Peking ducks

thats a nice mixed flock, do you have a big coop? chickens are alot of fun, if you have any questions, someone on here probably has the answer. did you get your birds at tractor supply?

 

[SAHchickenmom]

My son and I cleaned out the big coop today. The small coop needs to get done tomorrow. Our NPIP test is Wednesday! I also have 4 different brooders to clean out. Fun!