NY chicken lover!!!!

[aalissa]

I have marans, cochins, jersey giants, and coronation sussex. They all fit that description. None of them are hatchery, so they are nice big birds.

I will have to look at these breeds I haven't read anything about them. My main concerns are the cold weather as I do not plan to heat the hen house and know nothing about deep mulching??? We shall see what the future brings.

 

[Metella]

I'm really happy with my Marans and I don't heat my coop at all ... use deep litter.

Pyxis is right the Brahmas are good for what you describe - for some reason I never clicked with them personally - but they hit all your points.

Welcome and ask away - we love to enable newbies to dive right in.

 

[horsekeeper]

They all went through this severe winter with the south side of the coop open to the weather. I just kept throwing in more hay and feeding corn and scratch to help them keep warm. The giants and coronations were in a calf hutch and did fine. The cochins and marans were in coops protected from drafts, but open on one end for fresh air. They went out and socialized between coops except for a few days that were bitter cold and windy when I shut them in. After seeing the little sparrows out feeding on bits of scratch they missed I stopped worrying about the chickens. The squirrels and bunnies got some help as well. The food bowl in the goose shelter was quite popular.

 

[Pyxis]

Pyxis how did your hoop House work out this winter with such awful temperatures and all the snow. Did your chickens fair well? was it warm enough for everyone? How is the cleaning of the coop did the tarps work out okay? I am sorry I have so many questions... I feel like I have so very much to learn.

They did fine! The coop really needs a cleaning, and there was one point that I had to go out and shove all the snow off the top because it was actually getting so heavy the support boards were bending, but all the birds were sheltered enough. I really like the tarps for cleaning, the dirty bedding comes right up off them and when they get old I'll just take them up and put new ones down.

Oh, and the other really nice thing about brahmas is the pea combs - they don't get frostbitten as often or nearly as badly as breeds with a single comb can, so that helps in this cold climate.

 

[aalissa]

Welcome !
Moving to a cabin ..sounds like you will be in the woods ?
Do lots of research as how to build a safe coop ...there are lots of Predators out there ..that like chicken

Yes Gramma Chick 2 of my biggest concerns are weather and predators. Some of the predators will be thwarted by my dog and cats and others will still be of concern and dealt with as they show up. There is nothing much else to do. I can only give the flock a solid building in which to live,
Thank you ...

 

[rancher hicks]

A little help please.

I read UK mags at the bookstore. Country living to be specific.

So there is an article and mention of "Walnut Farm" on making compost and butter. Videos to watch. BUT the music was so nice I'd like to find out who plays it.

It's an instrumental. I plan to buy a CD player to put in my GD's and GS';s rooms when they're put to bed.

I used to play Story tapes for mine and they still talk about it. Even looking or the tapes I had.

Have a look at the site and see if you can help figure out where I can get this music. If you know some music similar that would help too.

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

Yay!!!

found the NY Chicken Lovers thread!!!

I am a newbie researching my future hens and Roos.

I live in Rome Ny however, am relocating to a cabin in Camden NY very soon. and that's when the chicken dream shall begin.

You are not too far from me either ! Welcome

 

[cracrzy4chicks]

I am in love with the Favorelles but everything I'm reading says they aren't hearty breed until adulthood, and definitely not for a newbie, such as myself.
So I am thinking Dominique, Dorking, Delaware. I want a large breed and eventually a dual meat/egg chicken.
I am not completely without some chicken knowledge however it has been years. My parents moved from the country and the farm when I was a teenager and of course most of my jobs then weren't about the care of the chickens only the feeding and the cleaning up after them. And of course the fending off of the somewhat ornery Roos. Sometimes, I had more to do with the chicks and pulleys but not often enough to be of any use. Back then the flock was completely white however both my parents are dead as are my grandparents so I won't be able to find out what those chicks were... I remember them as being beautiful and I did have one as a pet. Her name was "Chicklet" she came to me by default as she wasn't expected to live... she did and became a prolific egger.
If you have any suggestions about chickens I might like I would be grateful. I am looking for a large meat/egger with the ability to forge, predator awareness and friendly.

I have Australorps, they fit your requirements also. By next spring hopefully I'll have an abundance of Silver Laced Wyandottes & possibly Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, they also have a rose comb, helps prevent frost bite. I have bantam cochins............................. they are SUPER winter hardy, so I would guess the standard cochins would also fair well in the winter.

 

[Gramma Chick]

I am in love with the Favorelles but everything I'm reading says they aren't hearty breed until adulthood, and definitely not for a newbie, such as myself.
So I am thinking Dominique, Dorking, Delaware. Back then the flock was completely white

Could have been a white Leghorn .

 

[Beer can]

aalissa If you like the looks of the Brahmas check out Langshans, big beautiful birds with feathered feet, and they lay more than Brahmas, come in white, black, blue and splash.
I am very impressed with my EEgrs. Small combs, big multi color birds, all look different, and they lay cool green and olive eggs (wish I had a blue), have been my best layers this winter. And half of mine have muffs, or beards like the Faverolles.