NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

I like to use chicken wire to protect my plants. The chickens dig and dust bath in the soft mulch. Too is my "Chicken Run" compost. I of course use shavings, but also use hay/straw and add a bag of top soil and/or peat moss. I think because it's covered with plastic all winter it helps to break things down. This is of about year three I think. I will start cleaning this coop and toss the wood shavings and all into the run. I also toss scratch for them to "work" it for me.










The newspaper will break down of course, unless the chickens scratch it up. These are Currants, goose berry and Concord grape vines. Also is Puffs Lilac. Puff was our cat. We buried her an planted a lilac on her grave.

Near the bottom pic is a antique mail box used to hold garden tools so I don't have to walk back to the garage. I've yet to paint it but will sometime. I just can't decide how. I guess I should check pinterest? I have another mailbox near my other gate to the garden.

 

[lisa523]

Well I caved and finally put Pin Tar on my Light Brahma rooster. He is so mild he lets everyone pick his feathers out. ATM he is molting so his neck is naked, butt is naked, under his wings are naked. I removed the RIR because they broke skin on him in two areas.
I'm not sure if I will be keeping them though. They always attack and have broken skin on several of my chickens.

So back to my rooster. He is globed up in pin tar. I'm wondering if it will make him sick as it is on his neck, under his wings and also all over his butt. His feathers are starting to come in but I had to put it on him because he would just sit there and let the other chickens pull his feathers out.

Anyone know if it can make him sick?

 

[Glasshen]

Lisa, I don't know about pine tar, but do about overly accommodating roosters. Mine always has a naked butt!

 

[JLaw]

Okay, I have some questions. I think I MUST be doing something wrong. 1. The pullets are 8 weeks old. I knew they wouldn't be laying for another few months but for some reason I figured they needed nests So I took two 18 gallon rubbermaid bins and we kept the top on them and cut a nice big square on the bottom. Added some thick pine shavings. The night they all got here, I just helped them up in it. (which I think was a bad move) I got in the next day and they pooped in their nests which I'm told they don't often do when they're laying. Given the fact that they weren't laying yet, should I not have put out the nests?

Second, I got a nice big tire and added sand in it along with DE. I saw on Youtube that it was used for a luxury dust bath. Um, yeah, they like it, but to poop in! It's like a litter box for chickens!!! They actually have their dust baths on the ground in the coop.

Then I go in to change their water and one had pooped on the water dish. My guess is that we should be hanging it up a little higher so they won't step on it or fight to get to it. Am I right?
They're starting to walk from the coop to the run by themselves though they got a bit spooked. Finally got in there on their own this morning.

Good news is we're almost done with the sliding door. We need to add better pull string to it and sand down the walk so their feet don't get slivers. The top of the run with the hardware wire seems to be holding thus far as well. Not bad for the first week.

Now, A few more questions I've thought of. 1. I can't remember, but I know someone in here feeds their chickens fermented feed. Can you ferment any of their feed? How long does it usually take? I'd like to try to give it to them.

They are not eating anything but the chick food, water and some scraps if they'll eat it.

One more question. Lighting in the winter without actual electricity. How do I get safe lighting out there? Are there any lights safer than others for chickes?

Thanks so much everyone! Pictures to come maybe on Tuesday night.

Chickens poop while sleeping it seems for there are always piles under a roost. So sleeping in nest boxes is a no no if you can break them of it do it.

Poop in water dish all depends on what they do if you dont want it hanging but dont want them getting on top of it run a rope as if you was hanging it with little to no slack so they cant jump on it.

I was fermenting feed for awhile and I ran 2-3 days is how long I would let it ferment when i did it. I reused some of the water and food that wasn't used. I ran 2-3 buckets rotating them each day. You can ferment any chicken food you want.

As for lighting I used led x-mass lights since they didnt get hot. They wasnt really bright enough so I also took a cheap lamp kit from homedepot and put a low watt led bulb in there. But i'm like rancher i ran extension cords out there.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Oh I would love some!  How much are you charging for them and where are you located? I'm in the phoenix area but I travel to Auburn and Cortland occasionally.  Thank you for offering them.  

I'm in Broome Co about 20 minutes from binghamton. I have no clue what I'm charging . I just know we have a lot and they are good so why waste them. If you can make it this way just let me know and we can talk details.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

I forgot about this post...I would like to try some too

let me know if you can make it this direction .

 

[Stuffedcritter]

I'd love to move out of NY, better job opportunities anywhere else. Ohio is great right now, wife visited last yr when her aunt died. Her cousin said 'you can stay with us', she said her and her dad would feel more comfortable in a hotel. Cousin said there wasn't any available. Huh no hotels? "Plenty of them, all sold out to workers right now".
I've got a good job but will it stay? What are my kids opportunities?
Only thing keeping us here is my family has been here since the 1600s. And I hope to get back into our states bluestone industry again someday, I'm 7th generation on mom's side if I get back into it. Dad's still toughing it out into his 60s, but NY govt regs are getting harder for a man to make a living on his own.

Those family roots run deep and proud. There's something about being able to walk down the same lane my Great Grandparents did, knowing the history and people around me. I see the empty Beechnut building decaying and abounded family farms wonder what the future of New York holds?

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
I need a destination to tell ..what town ?

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote: No ..you are just learning chicken ! Chickens poop every where !
In , on, and on top of water dishes too !
Take out the bins ...they wont need them till around 5 months .
you dont want them to get in the habit of sleeping in the nest boxes ( there will be Really poopy Eggs )
Make sure the roosts are higher than the nest boxes when you put them back in .
Dust baths - chickens are attracted to brown dirt ....you can put dirt in with a week old chick & it will dust bath in it .
This is Rexy & Roxy

You can add the De to their dust bathing spot ...Use the tire for a garden ?

Fermenting - add enough water to cover , stir every day , you will know it is fermented when it bubbles .
When you take some out ...add more feed & water ..
(Do NOT fill it to the top or close it up tight- AS IT EXPANDS
At this age make sure they get mostly chick food ....they need the protein to grow bones , muscles , etc
It is okay to ferment it for them ...

Lights - Do you have windows ? they shouldnt need light unless your coop is dark
I have a regular light in there ( for me only ) if I need to see in there when it is dark.
I do have a motion sensor flood light on the outside for predator security

 

[Gramma Chick]

Well I caved and finally put PINE TAR ? on my Light Brahma rooster.

Anyone know if it can make him sick?

Was he bad ? ( tar & Feathered?

) LOL
I hear it has to be reapplied & is nasty stuff
..the only problem I could see ..would be closing their pores ?
There is a Peck no more product & Blue coat helps sometimes .