NY chicken lover!!!!

[Purpletie3]

I'll get back and read what I've missed but right now I'm just so, well you know. I have a hen who has sat on eggs and yesterday I heard peeping and this am I checked and not chick. She only had one egg left that was good.

Your poor little hen. I would be heartbroken for her too!

 

[HISIRISHGEM]

I have some questions!

We just got our pullets today. Love, love LOVE them all! I'm terribly nervous. For one, we don't have the run roof up yet. I think we're going to put up some more hardware cloth on the top and add some tarps temporarily. 2. There is no sliding door yet from the coop to the run so we have to take each one out individually and catch each one.

It's a funny site to see but I am slightly nervous about gathering them all up at night and putting them back in the coop. Several of them enjoyed the fenced in garden but two of them. Snow White (who is a grey and white Easter Egger) and Lady Mary flew over when our Pekingese came around to sniff. She actually did better with the chickens than I expected. She's good natured. I still won't leave her alone with them. Though she really is a great guard dog. I hope the Akbash will prove to fit in with our family now. I'll feel much better knowing she'll be outside protecting them. Which is another question. We are going to visit my parents for our daughters birthday and will be gone most of the day. I'm sick to my stomach thinking maybe the coop and/or run won't be predator proof enough. More nervous about failing at our first attempt. I seem to be more stressed than I should be about this but then we've been working on it for a while and lately we seem to be going through so many new things that I'm just a little bit nervous about it all. SOoooooo, Is there something I should do to keep them safer? They need to be outside most of the day right? Our dog doesn't stay outside until we get home. She's a barker and she's a little baby when it comes to storms. Should I just forget going away for the day or am I just stressing over nothing?

Finally, My daughter and I were holding a couple of our favorites and just didn't think. We kissed the birds. My husband said, "what in Gods name are you doing?!

I just read an article on the fact that the CDC recently told folks with backyard chickens NOT to kiss or handle them. Not handling them sounds absurd because many of them allow you to touch them because they have gotten used to being handled. Now I can understand washing hands after touching them. I think the kissing came natural with domestic animals we love and I may have been ignorant. Now I'm nervous one or both of us will come up with something. What are your thoughts about hygiene around your hens? Do you pick them up? Do you pet them and sometimes kiss them or do you let them be in their coop and run and not bother with them? What rules should I make with myself, our daughter and anyone else that comes by? I remember some of you speaking about not letting others touch your hens. It hasn't even been one day and already I'm feeling guilty that we did something we shouldn't have. I'm all out of sorts.

 

[Gramma Chick]

2. There is no sliding door yet from the coop to the run so we have to take each one out individually and catch each one.

It's a funny site to see but I am slightly nervous about gathering them all up at night and putting them back in the coop.
cAN YOU MAKE A TUNNEL ?a Board or fence between the 2 ? once they get used to the coop as their home they should go in themselves as it gets dark

Akbash will prove to fit in with our family now. I'll feel much better knowing she'll be outside protecting them.
A new dog should be left alone with them either
We are going to visit my parents for our daughters birthday and will be gone most of the day. They need to be outside most of the day right?
The coop has windows ..with light coming in right ? They should be fine to leave in till you get home ..
Chickens will survive if cooped up ...LOL....
Finally, My daughter and I were holding a couple of our favorites and just didn't think. We kissed the birds. My husband said, "what in Gods name are you doing?!

Kissing chickens - some do & some dont ...there is a small chance that you could get sick ..
I do kiss my favorites ...occasionally ...
I wouldnt if they where living in nasty conditions & not taken care of properly .
You have to decide if its worth the risk to you

 

[Purpletie3]

I have some questions!

We just got our pullets today. Love, love LOVE them all! I'm terribly nervous. For one, we don't have the run roof up yet. I think we're going to put up some more hardware cloth on the top and add some tarps temporarily. 2. There is no sliding door yet from the coop to the run so we have to take each one out individually and catch each one.

It's a funny site to see but I am slightly nervous about gathering them all up at night and putting them back in the coop. Several of them enjoyed the fenced in garden but two of them. Snow White (who is a grey and white Easter Egger) and Lady Mary flew over when our Pekingese came around to sniff. She actually did better with the chickens than I expected. She's good natured. I still won't leave her alone with them. Though she really is a great guard dog. I hope the Akbash will prove to fit in with our family now. I'll feel much better knowing she'll be outside protecting them. Which is another question. We are going to visit my parents for our daughters birthday and will be gone most of the day. I'm sick to my stomach thinking maybe the coop and/or run won't be predator proof enough. More nervous about failing at our first attempt. I seem to be more stressed than I should be about this but then we've been working on it for a while and lately we seem to be going through so many new things that I'm just a little bit nervous about it all. SOoooooo, Is there something I should do to keep them safer? They need to be outside most of the day right? Our dog doesn't stay outside until we get home. She's a barker and she's a little baby when it comes to storms. Should I just forget going away for the day or am I just stressing over nothing?

Finally, My daughter and I were holding a couple of our favorites and just didn't think. We kissed the birds. My husband said, "what in Gods name are you doing?!

I just read an article on the fact that the CDC recently told folks with backyard chickens NOT to kiss or handle them. Not handling them sounds absurd because many of them allow you to touch them because they have gotten used to being handled. Now I can understand washing hands after touching them. I think the kissing came natural with domestic animals we love and I may have been ignorant. Now I'm nervous one or both of us will come up with something. What are your thoughts about hygiene around your hens? Do you pick them up? Do you pet them and sometimes kiss them or do you let them be in their coop and run and not bother with them? What rules should I make with myself, our daughter and anyone else that comes by? I remember some of you speaking about not letting others touch your hens. It hasn't even been one day and already I'm feeling guilty that we did something we shouldn't have. I'm all out of sorts.

First of all....deep breathe! Things seem overwhelming right now but they will get better! This forum is awesome to help!

Personally, Bird safety...for them and for me...I wash my hands before I handle them and after with soap. I also change my clothes and have coop shoes. I don't wear my coop shoes in the house or around the incubators. I don't kiss them. I do hold them anytime I want...they are my pets who I lovingly raised from an egg or a day old. I don't let visitors near my chicks. I may if they aren't sick and wash their hands.
I wouldn't worry about coming up with something...you may want to re-consider kissing them...they eat poo and get poo'd on.

I don't have any problem leaving my chicks in the coop if I can't watch them around their runs...they will be doing a lot of coop time in the winter anyhow. I have good coop ventilation. You can tarp the top of the run if you don't have the roof on yet... I use a tarp on the top of a chainllnk surround and I have not had any problems yet. I stay home most of the time though. I would suggest getting that pop door in soon so you don't have to round everyone up.

Good that you are using hardware cloth. I put that stuff everywhere! If you have any questions on predator proofing this is a good group too.

Best of luck!

 

[boskelli1571]

I have some questions!

We just got our pullets today. Love, love LOVE them all! I'm terribly nervous. For one, we don't have the run roof up yet. I think we're going to put up some more hardware cloth on the top and add some tarps temporarily. 2. There is no sliding door yet from the coop to the run so we have to take each one out individually and catch each one.

It's a funny site to see but I am slightly nervous about gathering them all up at night and putting them back in the coop. Several of them enjoyed the fenced in garden but two of them. Snow White (who is a grey and white Easter Egger) and Lady Mary flew over when our Pekingese came around to sniff. She actually did better with the chickens than I expected. She's good natured. I still won't leave her alone with them. Though she really is a great guard dog. I hope the Akbash will prove to fit in with our family now. I'll feel much better knowing she'll be outside protecting them. Which is another question. We are going to visit my parents for our daughters birthday and will be gone most of the day. I'm sick to my stomach thinking maybe the coop and/or run won't be predator proof enough. More nervous about failing at our first attempt. I seem to be more stressed than I should be about this but then we've been working on it for a while and lately we seem to be going through so many new things that I'm just a little bit nervous about it all. SOoooooo, Is there something I should do to keep them safer? They need to be outside most of the day right? Our dog doesn't stay outside until we get home. She's a barker and she's a little baby when it comes to storms. Should I just forget going away for the day or am I just stressing over nothing?

Finally, My daughter and I were holding a couple of our favorites and just didn't think. We kissed the birds. My husband said, "what in Gods name are you doing?!

I just read an article on the fact that the CDC recently told folks with backyard chickens NOT to kiss or handle them. Not handling them sounds absurd because many of them allow you to touch them because they have gotten used to being handled. Now I can understand washing hands after touching them. I think the kissing came natural with domestic animals we love and I may have been ignorant. Now I'm nervous one or both of us will come up with something. What are your thoughts about hygiene around your hens? Do you pick them up? Do you pet them and sometimes kiss them or do you let them be in their coop and run and not bother with them? What rules should I make with myself, our daughter and anyone else that comes by? I remember some of you speaking about not letting others touch your hens. It hasn't even been one day and already I'm feeling guilty that we did something we shouldn't have. I'm all out of sorts.

Good morning and congratulations! Like having a new baby isn't it??

Ok - the salmonella/kissing chicks thing. I occasionally will kiss my girls - not on the beak tho'. Wash hands after handling birds, animals etc. goes without saying...it is possible to get salmonella from kissing the birds - unlikely tho' unless you are french kissing them!

Go and enjoy your day out. As long as they have somewhere safe to run to. If you can't get a full cover over the run, can you run some twine/tape in a zig-zag fashion across the top? It will deter hawks from coming in and the girls from flying out. Mine are always outside during the day, whether someone is home or not. I know it's hard to start with, but it will get better over time. What will be, will be.
BTW, we need pix please!

 

[tao chick]

   Go and enjoy your day out.  As long as they have somewhere safe to run to. If you can't get a full cover over the run, can you run some twine/tape in a zig-zag fashion across the top? It will deter hawks from coming in and the girls from flying out. Mine are always outside during the day, whether someone is home or not. I know it's hard to start with, but it will get better over time. What will be, will be.
  BTW, we need pix please! 

Agreed. Cooped up would be fine too. It was really tough for me at first, but I've reached a comfort zone. I tend to keep them cooped up if I know I'll be gone long. I was more worried about keeping them cooped when I still had my rooster. Now the top chickens are all ladies and keep things relatively calm. For me, the access between the coop and outside (no enclosed run- just free) is a window. The chickens that are big enough to fly up to the window and out are usually going to be agile enough to get away from our predators (which are not many here). My youngest chicks are 7 weeks and still aren't trying to fly the coop. That said, my coop is large and apparently entertaining enough for them.
As for sanitation: I started more strict than I am now. I was using sanitizer every time until I changed my mind on that. I don't kiss my birds but I do handle them and my kids handle the youngest ones daily. We wash well with soap after. Washing hands is a healthy habit, so it's easy to reinforce. Have you seen the video of the hugging chicken?
My advice: Don't panic.

 

[Beer can]

This has me very concerned.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous/

 

[Purpletie3]

This has me very concerned.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous/

I think we all should be concerned...Even more concerning is the ignorant replies below the article. We are doomed.

 

[missmichelle911]

Looking for winterizing tips for the coop . Any help would be appreciated. This will be the first winter with my girls

 

[Gramma Chick]

Looking for winterizing tips for the coop . Any help would be appreciated. This will be the first winter with my girls

Glad to help you ...We need some specifics of your coop & pics would be great