NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

Anyone here use a stethoscope to check eggs when hatching cheap ones ebay do they work okay to use

 

[rancher hicks]

First chick has hatched and a Delaware is nearly out. I'll confess to not following this incu to closely on the humidity side. Mostly ran 20's till the last week or so. It's hard to bring up the humidity.

I do hope some Marans hatch. 32 eggs to go. Work to do to get the brooders set up.

So much to do so little energy and time. Rainy so no major outside work.

TTFN,

Rancher

 

[Beer can]

Wife picked up a couple 'toys' at The Christmas Tree Shop in Johnson City (Vestal/Binghamton).
A apple peeler slicer corer, $7.99. Worked awesome!
She bought me some scissors, I asked her to pick up one from TSC that was heavy duty for the birds I processed, would have worked great for splitting them into halves, should have bought it when I saw it. They didn't have them anymore, it was $10.99. The three pack she got at The Christmas Tree Shop were on sale for $4.99. Stainless steel, one regular scissors, one heavy duty that comes apart for easier cleaning blades, and the really heavy duty pair with a locking latch and spring I wanted for halving chickens, thick very sharp blades. Don't know if the one TSC had might have been better quality? But these look great at a way better price.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Wife picked up a couple 'toys' at The Christmas Tree Shop in Johnson City (Vestal/Binghamton).
A apple peeler slicer corer, $7.99. Worked awesome!
She bought me some scissors, I asked her to pick up one from TSC that was heavy duty for the birds I processed, would have worked great for splitting them into halves, should have bought it when I saw it. They didn't have them anymore, it was $10.99. The three pack she got at The Christmas Tree Shop were on sale for $4.99. Stainless steel, one regular scissors, one heavy duty that comes apart for easier cleaning blades, and the really heavy duty pair with a locking latch and spring I wanted for halving chickens, thick very sharp blades. Don't know if the one TSC had might have been better quality? But these look great at a way better price.

I love that place. They get a ton of business from my family during the holidays, well all year since the kids birthdays are all spread out. Everytime I go there though I have to hit Wegmans since it's so close. I live 20 minutes the other side of Binghamton.

 

[akaruby]

I'm only an hour away from Binghamton. I went to Binghamton University when I went back for nursing school.

I'm thinking of adding some Easter eggers and Marans to the flock. I found some splash Marans close by, are their eggs still pretty dark brown?

So many awesome chickens I want!

I have a 4x8 coop with a 8x12 covered run, currently have 3 large fowl, 6 bantams. Do you guys think I should expand if I add more birds? They get out everyday in the yard too.

 

[boskelli1571]

I'm only an hour away from Binghamton. I went to Binghamton University when I went back for nursing school.

I'm thinking of adding some Easter eggers and Marans to the flock. I found some splash Marans close by, are their eggs still pretty dark brown?

So many awesome chickens I want!

I have a 4x8 coop with a 8x12 covered run, currently have 3 large fowl, 6 bantams. Do you guys think I should expand if I add more birds? They get out everyday in the yard too.

It would depend on how many you are adding. You could probably get away with adding 4-6 new birds, even so, it's tight. Not so much of a problem in summer, but winters' different. They get bored and start mischief!

 

[rancher hicks]

I'm only an hour away from Binghamton. I went to Binghamton University when I went back for nursing school.

I'm thinking of adding some Easter eggers and Marans to the flock. I found some splash Marans close by, are their eggs still pretty dark brown?

So many awesome chickens I want!

I have a 4x8 coop with a 8x12 covered run, currently have 3 large fowl, 6 bantams. Do you guys think I should expand if I add more birds? They get out everyday in the yard too.

It would depend on how many you are adding. You could probably get away with adding 4-6 new birds, even so, it's tight. Not so much of a problem in summer, but winters' different. They get bored and start mischief!

Can't say about the Marans but then I'd always opt for more floor space per bird. One thing about my hoops is I wish I'd fixed things for easy adding on. A coop can never be too big.

That said, I cover my runs with plastic as I'm sure most everyone has seen. The hay/straw gives them play room. Stacked just a few inches from the wall the two younger EE's hide back there. Bales can be broken open as needed to keep things dry. Cheap hay can be purchased of last years crop since it's not for feed anything that isn't wet and moldy hay/straw will work. The constant scratching keeps it from getting packed down. A handful or two each morning keeps them busy. I also dump insoluble grit in the mix.

 

[Gramma Chick]

look what my chickens dug up for me


Now if I can get them to dig up the rest of them I will be all set

 

[BakerzDozen]

How old were these chickens ? Are they still on grower / starter / finisher ?
chickens with a vitamin deficiency can get mareks like symptoms
From my chicken medicine file -
"Some had issues with healthy chickens all of a sudden having leg problems described this way:

"signs of paralysis. Their curled toes put them off balance and they would rock back on their hocks. In advanced stages, their legs would scoot out behind them and they would scoot about pathetically on their breasts"....

After consulting my Merk Vetrinary Manual, I determined that it was curly toe syndrome caused by a riboflavin deficiency. Grabbing some beef liver from the freezer, I fed it to the chicks and the problem stopped immediately. Even the paralyzed chicks began walking again. Since putting brewers yeast in the ration, we haven't had the problem."

I'm wondering if this could possibly be what's going on? Interesting that it was beef liver that revived them!"

Grama how much brewers yeast do you put in your chickens feed. I am having some problems with my flock ever though they are on Nutty's organic layer mix. and are supplemented with greens, BOSS, Scratch and leftovers.

 

[BakerzDozen]

Okay here's the deal.
I am absolutely heartbroken at this point.
I believe my flock has contracted Merek's...
Last night was the second time I was up all night long looking for information and/or crying because of it. I now realize there is nothing I can do at this point except keep them well fed and pray I don't loose everyone. I also realize I now have a closed flock, except for those birds that are vaccinated... and still it doesn't mean all of my purchased babies will make it. It's awful to watch and at this point if one of the birds drops from paralysis we euthanize as quickly as possible because it is a devastating disease for my beloved birds to have to run all the way through to the end... the first few days aren't too bad but after that its horrible because they slowly waste away...
So far I have lost 2 Roos (Miso & Lyle) about a 6weeks ago and have lost 2 Red-stars (Babs & Ruby) this week... one we found dead and the other we euthanized when she went down... The thing is they all had and have names we know their little personalities, who is a lap chicken, who follows me through the yard chatting at me as if I missed her entire day, who was shy but sweet and who was naughty and who was nice.
I don't know if it came from the flock a 1/2 block away or if it came from the guy next store that has multiple bird feeders on his property.
This is certainly not what I had in mind when I envisioned my beautiful flock in my yard. gathering eggs and taking care of my birds. Its truly sad.