NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

You want to talk about mud..Lord have mercy I have a mud pit here to deal with..and the ducks are taking every advantage to make it worse. Where we live it is on a mountain and as the snow melts it seems to want to go right into the chicken run,

This was when it froze. The water flows right through the gate. It has since turned to a mud pit. The yard is even worse. I fell on my butt Saturday about where I was standing to take this picture. The mud turned to ice. After the snow melts and things start to dry out a little later in spring I usually keep everyone locked in for a few weeks so that I can reseed some of the areas and replace any divots that we made with the plow truck. They usually are very mad at me, but I give it 2-3 weeks to fix it up. I just get the grass seed and cover it with straw. Before we had chickens I would get some of the premix with the chemicals and stuff in it, but now just use the seeds.

Tonight is Lock Down for the eggs in the incubator! I have 5 in there at this point. Last time I checked the 3 light color eggs were doing great. Can't see in the Maran eggs, but last night one of them was twitching! Very excited! Broody is sitting on 6 more that are due in a little less then 2 weeks.

Oh and my ducks have finally started laying again after a 3 week break. I have 2 now and as soon as I get 7 they will be in the incubator next!!!

I SHOULD have snowblowed more of the yard but then chickens would go farther out and they show up pretty good against the white snow. The hawk spot them to easily.

Delores and her gang have made a mud hole of the path as have Lenny and Squiggy and that crew. The runs are covered so they stay pretty much dry, though there are some wet corners.

NOW I DON'T COUNT SETTING DAY. Hatch has started and there are 10 chicks out so far. 6 EE and 4 Delaware. Average temp has been 99.5 or so. One thermometer has been lower in the 80's or above. The crazy thing is is there are times the higher running thermometer will be 100.0 +

Neither of the two CR's of course.

I've got three CR hens laying and with three roosters in the mix you would think some would hatch. The EE's in the group are fertile.

I'm expecting Delaware eggs from W.VA next week so I'll be setting this incubator up in the basement. I plan to put it inside a foil foam box of sorts and increase the setting to bring it up in temp. Of course I'll be cracking CR eggs to make sure their fertile until then. So the incu will be filled with Virginia Del and CR Eggs.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

I SHOULD have snowblowed more of the yard but then chickens would go farther out and they show up pretty good against the white snow. The hawk spot them to easily. 

Delores and her gang have made a mud hole of the path as have Lenny and Squiggy and that crew.  The runs are covered so they stay pretty much dry, though there are some wet corners. 

NOW I DON'T COUNT SETTING DAY.  Hatch has started and there are 10 chicks out so far.  6 EE and 4 Delaware.  Average temp has been 99.5 or so. One thermometer has been lower in the 80's or above.  The crazy thing is is there are times the higher running thermometer will be 100.0 +

Neither of the two CR's of course.    I've got three CR hens laying and with three roosters in the mix you would think some would hatch. The EE's in the group are fertile. 

I'm expecting Delaware eggs from W.VA next week so I'll be setting this incubator up in the basement. I plan to put it inside a foil foam box of sorts and increase the setting to bring it up in temp. Of course I'll be cracking CR eggs to make sure their fertile until then. So the incu will be filled with Virginia Del and CR  Eggs.  

Candling those CRs is like candling concrete - who knew such a light colored eggs could be such a pain! (And I candle with a ridiculously powerful tactical light...) They were, however, developing last I checked! I'll spy on them again tonight...

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

My duck's messes that they have made...

Playing in the mud

by their coop

The part of the yard that where the snow has melted so far. That was all grass...but not now...

 

[Glasshen]

Maybe I can use some of the random plastic fencing I have in various lengths to section off part of the pen at a time to reseed. My son told me that chickens would eventually get rid of all that grass. I hate it that he seems to be right. Maybe I can plant something that will be green and durable but more nutritious. Hmmmmm.

 

[Beer can]

I don't think they can kill dandelion, and very nutritious. They might keep them ate down to the dirt/mud anyways though Lol.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

My duck's messes that they have made... Playing in the mud by their coop The part of the yard that where the snow has melted so far. That was all grass...but not now...

Looks like my yard! Lol!!!

 

[horsekeeper]

Maybe I can use some of the random plastic fencing I have in various lengths to section off part of the pen at a time to reseed. My son told me that chickens would eventually get rid of all that grass. I hate it that he seems to be right. Maybe I can plant something that will be green and durable but more nutritious. Hmmmmm.

Somewhere I saw that grass or other greens was planted under wire frames so the chickens could walk on top and nibble, but not shear it off shorter than an inch or scratch up the roots. Kind of like a chicken salad bar.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

I SHOULD have snowblowed more of the yard but then chickens would go farther out and they show up pretty good against the white snow. The hawk spot them to easily. 

Delores and her gang have made a mud hole of the path as have Lenny and Squiggy and that crew.  The runs are covered so they stay pretty much dry, though there are some wet corners. 

NOW I DON'T COUNT SETTING DAY.  Hatch has started and there are 10 chicks out so far.  6 EE and 4 Delaware.  Average temp has been 99.5 or so. One thermometer has been lower in the 80's or above.  The crazy thing is is there are times the higher running thermometer will be 100.0 +

Neither of the two CR's of course.    I've got three CR hens laying and with three roosters in the mix you would think some would hatch. The EE's in the group are fertile. 

I'm expecting Delaware eggs from W.VA next week so I'll be setting this incubator up in the basement. I plan to put it inside a foil foam box of sorts and increase the setting to bring it up in temp. Of course I'll be cracking CR eggs to make sure their fertile until then. So the incu will be filled with Virginia Del and CR  Eggs.  

This chick was mighty angry at me for lighting it up!! Very active and all over!!

This was the easiest one to see into, but they are all fat and sassy CR embryos!! Your girls got it together!!

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Looks like my yard! Lol!!!

Glad that I'm not the only one!

 

[Gramma Chick]

My duck's messes that they have made...

The part of the yard that where the snow has melted so far. That was all grass...but not now...

Duckies Love Mud Pies ...Lets hope the mud pies grow back into grass

Thanks ...