NY chicken lover!!!!

[boskelli1571]

Enjoyed seeing Lapeerian's photos. How long have you been doing "mutts"? I'm thinking of getting a variety of breeds when I start with new hatchery chicks this spring. I'm looking for eggs, hardiness, good foragers. Meat doesn't matter so much--have rabbits and pig for that but will eat extra cockerels if I can get to the point of hatching our own chicks. Anyone on here near me who has been working on similar goals and has chicks or hens to sell or swap? Or advice for someone wanting to get started breeding my own flock?
Stay warm--think spring.

Rainey - where are you?? Have you seen the Chickenstock thread?? I'm sure you could get some birds there!!

Do you raise rabbits in colonies?? We are looking to start with rabbits maybe later this year - after the ducks etc. Welcome to NY chicken addicts!

 

[wny egger]

That reminds me I have two boxes of acorn squashes. I need to bring some in to thaw them out.

I tried the vaseline and bag balm it just doesn't do as nice as I'd like. I've been considering Wyandottes for quite some time. The thing with roosters is they may be okay inside but outside they don't notice the frostbite happening until it's too late.

My fingers got frost bit while delivering mail and now when it's real cold they hurt so bad I just about cry. If I don't have good gloves on that is.

i no once you get frostbite you are reminded of it every winter ..i had a little on my toes from when i was a kid ..they still burn every time it starts to get cold ..another reason to move south in my opinion ..about sept i start getting grumpy about winter coming ..i've had 7 back surgerys so everytime the wind blows the wrong way i am hurting ..been trying to get south for yrs , but then grandkids started and i no my wifes never going to want to move now..she still says once they are grown , but we all know what that means ..after i am in a box in the ground..lol

anyhow the roo's tips are burnt pretty good , hes a wellie .. nice big comb on him .was hoping to show him at our fair ..not gunna happen now..i have wyandottes and they seem pretty good with the weather ..we had a sudden thaw here this afternoon ..it got up to -6 ..lol so i figured i better open the coop up for them ..only the wyandottes came out in the sunshine ..i tried putting some grease on their heads and waddles as well ,and they looked at me like i was crazy ..

 

[Rainey]

Rainey - where are you?? Have you seen the Chickenstock thread?? I'm sure you could get some birds there!!

Do you raise rabbits in colonies?? We are looking to start with rabbits maybe later this year - after the ducks etc. Welcome to NY chicken addicts!

I'm just east of Lake Ontario in Oswego County. Saw the Chickenstock thread--unclear about where the location was and not going to be able to make that date anyway. Also want to get started earlier--by then I'd have missed best time to get hatchery chicks. So if I'm going to get something else, need to do it sooner.
Rabbits are not in colony. Thought about it but concerned about disease issues and couldn't see how to know lines for breeding. Just started last spring, processed thirty some rabbits and have eaten most of them--some still in the freezer. Just bred the first of the does kept back from last year (kept 3 does from 2 litters) The does we started with had been raised on pellets so had to transition to forage, hay and oats. The does we kept have never had pellets--grew wheat fodder for them this winter. Looking forward to seeing if she'll kindle and seeing the kits. Hope it will be warmer by then--3 weeks. Sure is cold today.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote: Easter Egger Hatching eggs. - $10 (e. Syracuse)

This you ?

 

[rancher hicks]

Easter Egger Hatching eggs. - $10 (e. Syracuse)

This you ?

yes that is me. Roosters over EE hens. C.Rock, maran, BlkRed Ee or Lavender Araucana. Some blue/lavender hens.

I have eggs in the incu due to hatch in three days.

 

[rancher hicks]

i no once you get frostbite you are reminded of it every winter ..i had a little on my toes from when i was a kid ..they still burn every time it starts to get cold ..another reason to move south in my opinion ..about sept i start getting grumpy about winter coming ..i've had 7 back surgerys so everytime the wind blows the wrong way i am hurting ..been trying to get south for yrs , but then grandkids started and i no my wifes never going to want to move now..she still says once they are grown , but we all know what that means ..after i am in a box in the ground..lol

anyhow the roo's tips are burnt pretty good , hes a wellie .. nice big comb on him .was hoping to show him at our fair ..not gunna happen now..i have wyandottes and they seem pretty good with the weather ..we had a sudden thaw here this afternoon ..it got up to -6 ..lol so i figured i better open the coop up for them ..only the wyandottes came out in the sunshine ..i tried putting some grease on their heads and waddles as well ,and they looked at me like i was crazy ..

DW thinks I'm joking about moving to TX but as God is my witness I am not. It will of course mean giving up the chickens. She had a co worker whose husband said he'd go to Alabama with me. Real estate is reasonable down there and I do like the state.

I have a son in Fl too. They have three kids. The DD in TX is due for number two. Strange thing is I get along better with the in law kids.

 

[rancher hicks]

We spent about an hour yesterday stapling cardboard to the very large venting areas in our big coop - the coop is made out of an old horse runin and has an open area under the tin roof (covered in hardware cloth). Normally this would not be a problem as it's about 12 feet off the ground - but three or four of my silly leghorns roost up there, right in the path of the wind. So far (knock knock), all the chickens are fine without heat. Hope my luck holds out just a bit longer.

The main thing is predators. Chickens have a mind of their own. My hoops are nearly completely covered with snow. Snow is a good insulator you know.

My EE's used to sleep up top, till I blocked the area. The main things with ventilation is to have it positioned right. So the main direction of the crossing draws the moisture out of the coop.

Too windows, positioned so the Sun comes up and goes down with light into the coop. East to West.

None of my hoops have windows and the way the Wooden coop is set it doesn't get enough sun. I should probably add a couple of small windows.

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Gave the terrorists a cabbage yesterday. Man did those girls hammer it! I will have to go get them some kale tomorrow. They like their greens and it gives them something to do. Ive been letting them out to run around in the paths. I tried that with my silkies but they were happy to stay off the snow on their pine needles. Spring cant come soon enough.

Hiya Pharm. Do you cook down the kale first or feed it raw? Cut it up or whole leaf, if served raw? Thanks. I've got a baggie of kale in the fridge now.

This winter is the worst!


TOB

 

[Gramma Chick]

-15 here this morn ..the windchill must be way down there ..birds are fed and closed up for the day ..i have some nesting boxes near the door to the run ..not sure i should open it ..afraid it will cause frozen eggs fast in these temps ..i filled a plastic pop bottle with cracked corn and popped a few holes in it and threw it in to the coop ..they kick it around and corn falls out ..i also hung a squash i split in half for them to peck at ..i think if i give them things to do they wont get bored and start pecking at each other ..i read alot of bad habbets can come from being cooped up and being bord..you guys all letting the girls out to day ..my poor roo .i thought i had the venting better fort them this winter but his comb and waddle are showing signs of frost bite ..seem it doesnt matter how much vassilean i put on them it still gets bad ..i think i will start using bagbalm instead and see if it helps ..it looks sore ..hes shaking his head , so i no its bothering him ..not sure what else i can do for him ..another reason i didnt want to let him out to day ..i guess its gunna be this way for a few weeks .they said on the weather that we could be dealing with thesae temps a few weeks ..i better get some more toys built for them ..you guys have a good day and stay warm and safe ..

Bring him inside ....if you can clean off his comb ...& wattles and put some egg white on it ...it should help it heal better ..let it dry before you put him outside ..
Do it once a day . I did this with one of my roos & it never turned black .
I sold him after that ...so not sure how his comb looks now ..

 

[Gramma Chick]

What breeds did you start with? Does your flock forage for part of their feed? (when the cold and snow are gone) ? And where are you--trying to get a sense of who may be near me--Oswego County, between Lake Ontario and the Adirondacks.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I like, when possible, to learn from someone else's mistakes

.

are you talking to Metella ? if you click quote we know who you are talking to..LOL