NY chicken lover!!!!

[boskelli1571]

Good morning fellow chickenistas! So we only got an inch of snow with maybe more coming today. Its windy and downright frigid this morning so it looks like a water hauling day. I am glad we didnt get the dumping they are getting elsewhere. I think Lindsey may be getting hit though. People are throwing our local weather guys under the bus for their forecasts. I say they should be grateful that we didnt get hammered. The weather guys said it could go either way. I elected to stay home today in case the power goes out so I can run the generator to keep heat in the house. Better to lose 5 hours of pay than having frozen pipes.

Everyone piled out this morning despite the cold and wind. I will have to refill feeders as well because they are eating more in this cold. I will have to give them some corn later to heat them up.

My neighbor is still home so she hasnt gone into labor yet! Its another boy so I can brainwash him into being a chicken lover as well! Big brother Timmy is already one and knows my chickens almost as well as I do.

Still working on this afghan. When I picked this pattern I didnt know it was going to take this long. Thankfully the next two I am doing are mile a minute ones so they should go quicker. I hope so anyways. Got some stuffed chicken patterns I want to make as well. Now that I think about it, work is really interfering with my crochet and chicken time! lol I have to work to support my habits!

I hope all of you are doing well. Lynzi--check in when you get a chance and let us know how you are doing.

Rancher--glad to hear dw is doing ok. She will be cold because of the radiation treatments. You could crochet her a shrug to wear that would keep her warm in the house. I made one for my mother and she likes it a lot. Even wears it in GA on those days is damp and cold.

Going to go finish my coffee now. Will check in later.

Haha! Our weatherman promised us a 'dusting to 3 inches' - 6 inches later.....didn't make it to work last night, couldn't get out the driveway. Still snowing lightly - I usually like winter, but I'm done with it this year. It's almost February - I ready to start organizing my seeds, building new coop for new arrivals etc. impatient!

 

[Beer can]

We were supposed to get 6-12" We got about a half inch.

 

[Metella]

I always hate that people get the chick bug so soon - my chickens are not ready to be separated into breeder pens when it is so cold out -they like being a full flock ...and who wants to haul around multiple water and feed stations when it is frigid.

By the time I get to it - so many have their peeps .... I wonder if they loose some babies due to the cold ? My hens don't even think of going broody until summer - not even in late spring .... so I know I am missing out on both buying and selling peeps because I just refuse to do it with such cold drafts and rainy weather coming on .....

 

[marquisella]

I always hate that people get the chick bug so soon - my chickens are not ready to be separated into breeder pens when it is so cold out -they like being a full flock ...and who wants to haul around multiple water and feed stations when it is frigid.

By the time I get to it - so many have their peeps .... I wonder if they loose some babies due to the cold ? My hens don't even think of going broody until summer - not even in late spring .... so I know I am missing out on both buying and selling peeps because I just refuse to do it with such cold drafts and rainy weather coming on .....

I have 3 silkies broody,,,,sheese. I want eggs not hens sitting on nothing. None of my other breeds go broody much, except one of my Marans. Eggs have been sporadic this winter and having issues with my incubator doesn't help.

 

[Metella]

ha ha those silkies are cute little fuzzy aberrations aren't they ?

True there are always those exceptions - I think peeps with a silky mom would have a good chance to live through the cold spells. Still, so many things can go wrong or need our intervention when peeps arrive in cold, windy and rainy weather ... I don't have that much time

I know some who take them out and bring them in every day - with watering trips all around. Whew - I get tired just thinking about it - I've got other things I have to do and more things I want to do .... but I always get tempted when hearing others talk about cutie patutie cheeps!!!

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

What area are you in? They didn't have any here at ours in Oneida. However, they did have a pamphlet you could order from... .

Th last few years the one in Cortland has had the assorted bantams if I remember correctly. When we got our first chickens from them, we bought a 7th from the bantam bin. They said that they were silkies...ended up being a mottled d'Uccle. Glad that I know now what to look for if I ever buy from them again.

 

[sarahandbray]

If you bought sexed pullets, then you might get $7 for them, but for straight run, not so sure. TSC sells theirs for less than $3 so you will have to have a reason to sell for $7.

They are sexed and vaccinated. Plus, I figured in terms of supply & demand, it's tough for most small backyard farmers to order 25 chicks this time of year. Hoping since I got a variety of chick colors, hen colors, and egg colors and the fact that you could come here with your kids and pick out a box full of whatever you want would be a draw.
I'll try $7. If it doesn't work, I'll go down to $6. Just kind of hoping to make my hobby break even! So far the cost of owning chickens has FAR outweighed the income!!

 

[Lapeerian]

Th last few years the one in Cortland has had the assorted bantams if I remember correctly. When we got our first chickens from them, we bought a 7th from the bantam bin. They said that they were silkies...ended up being a mottled d'Uccle. Glad that I know now what to look for if I ever buy from them again.

I think they call the bin assorted bantams, but most weeks it is straight silkies, other weeks it truely is assorted bantams. That is where I got my 6 banties last year - end up with spash, blue brassy back, Millie Fluer, black breasted red games, a tiny Buttercup and a BLRW bantam. The "Special" breed of the week is straight run and goes for $2.99. The red pullet chicks are $3.99. "Leftovers" from the previous week are discounted, usually $1.99. Minimum is 6 per NYS requirements.

The new Cortland TSC has pretty much the same stuff as the old one, just in a new store and the dust was cleaned off (most) the stuff. My mom won the grand prize Wood Splitter.

 

[Lapeerian]

Boskelli & Pharm - Where would you recommend getting started on bee keeping? It is a hobby Hubby is interested in, and he sent me the link showing that CountryMax now carries all the equipment by Little Giant. They carry Bee Keeping for Dummies book, but which ones did you find most helpful? I think our local Soil & Water District will be having a landowner workshop on the subject this spring.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I think they call the bin assorted bantams, but most weeks it is straight silkies, other weeks it truely is assorted bantams. That is where I got my 6 banties last year - end up with spash, blue brassy back, Millie Fluer, black breasted red games, a tiny Buttercup and a BLRW bantam. The "Special" breed of the week is straight run and goes for $2.99. The red pullet chicks are $3.99. "Leftovers" from the previous week are discounted, usually $1.99. Minimum is 6 per NYS requirements.

The new Cortland TSC has pretty much the same stuff as the old one, just in a new store and the dust was cleaned off (most) the stuff. My mom won the grand prize Wood Splitter.

Good for her! I stopped in last week for a quick walk around. What I saw looked good.