NY chicken lover!!!!

[Chicken girl 15]

What a fantastic day. All my girls laid me an egg, 18 in total. Kids helped clean the barn next door, it looks great. We got all the garden bricks around the inside of the chicken run fencing. Those buggers are trying to dig out, they can't because the fence is buried but still I don't want them getting cough on the fencing.

On a not so happy note! Bears are out in force. The blasted thing wants to eat my neighbors horses. Luckily 3 horses are faster and meaner than 1 bear, this time. They have a beautiful Fresian mix that had her blanket clawed by something big. I'm just happy my chickens are in a very secure run, possibly over secure, and the coop is a barn with metal siding.

The kids have become obsessed with having egg sandwiches for breakfast or lunch. My 8 year old thinks fresh eggs with fresh kale mushrooms and onions makes a great sandwich anytime of day. My 14 year old son thinks life is great with a fresh supply of diabetic friendly snacks is awesome, he loves boiled eggs. I'm just waiting to see how soon they get sick of eggs. Oh and the baked goods are so much better with fresh eggs.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Well, took my soon to be three year old to gather eggs with me late this morning, and as we were walking into the pen my mom called. Of course, the toddler hates to not get my full attention, so got it by breaking two of the three eggs. First time she's broken any eggs, I was pretty annoyed... 

Oh my I have 5 kids and would probably ground them from eggs for a week if they did that , mine are a bit older though. 15,14, 12, 8, and 6. Plus the hubby and 2 dogs. Luckily my only lost eggs have been from me or the chickens. Yupp, I put an egg in my coat pocket. Nope it wasn't one of my smartest moments.

 

[rancher hicks]

What a fantastic day. All my girls laid me an egg, 18 in total. Kids helped clean the barn next door, it looks great. We got all the garden bricks around the inside of the chicken run fencing. Those buggers are trying to dig out, they can't because the fence is buried but still I don't want them getting cough on the fencing.

On a not so happy note! Bears are out in force. The blasted thing wants to eat my neighbors horses. Luckily 3 horses are faster and meaner than 1 bear, this time. They have a beautiful Fresian mix that had her blanket clawed by something big. I'm just happy my chickens are in a very secure run, possibly over secure, and the coop is a barn with metal siding.

The kids have become obsessed with having egg sandwiches for breakfast or lunch. My 8 year old thinks fresh eggs with fresh kale mushrooms and onions makes a great sandwich anytime of day. My 14 year old son thinks life is great with a fresh supply of diabetic friendly snacks is awesome, he loves boiled eggs. I'm just waiting to see how soon they get sick of eggs. Oh and the baked goods are so much better with fresh eggs.

While I'm not big on mushrooms, what is your recipe for the eggs/kale/onions sandwich? I suppose it can be made without the mushroom?

Congats on the eggs. Only got two today and that is NOT good considering how many hens I've got. Even the EE's haven't laid in a while. Though I suspect it's my fault for not getting out at first light.

I'm surprised about the bears. i was not aware they are so common anymore.

 

[BakerzDozen]

Just stopping in to say hello to everyone and get caught up on the feed.

All is well in my coop and my girls are doing wonderfully. no more sick birds.

My cock started crowing and hopefully soon he will start acting the part of flock master rather than the heathen he has been with the girls thus far. Hoarding the food as he does.

Yesterday was the 2nd time we found 2 eggs had been laid and today was the 3rd time.

We have a lot of squatters so hopefully soon we will have more eggs. They are eating enough that's for sure.

My wonderful husband has finished winterizing the coop so the girls will be toasty warm this winter, The outside has been covered in a heavy tarp on 3 sides and the roof is made of clear corrugated resin panels to allow for as much light as possible as that is the side of the building with the windows too.

Sorry I haven't been around lately I have been dealing with some new health issues. too many tests and not enough answers.

 

[Beer can]

Bear

Just stopping in to say hello to everyone and get caught up on the feed.

All is well in my coop and my girls are doing wonderfully. no more sick birds.

My cock started crowing and hopefully soon he will start acting the part of flock master rather than the heathen he has been with the girls thus far. Hoarding the food as he does.

Yesterday was the 2nd time we found 2 eggs had been laid and today was the 3rd time.

We have a lot of squatters so hopefully soon we will have more eggs. They are eating enough that's for sure.

My wonderful husband has finished winterizing the coop so the girls will be toasty warm this winter, The outside has been covered in a heavy tarp on 3 sides and the roof is made of clear corrugated resin panels to allow for as much light as possible as that is the side of the building with the windows too.

Sorry I haven't been around lately I have been dealing with some new health issues. too many tests and not enough answers.

WooHoo! No more sick birds, neither have I after a few unknown completely by surprise deaths...Swore it was marek's, looked just like it, would have devastated my flock...

Ugghh, sorry to hear about health issues of your own, hopefully you get some answers...

 

[BakerzDozen]

Bear

WooHoo! No more sick birds, neither have I after a few unknown completely by surprise deaths...Swore it was marek's, looked just like it, would have devastated my flock...

Ugghh, sorry to hear about health issues of your own, hopefully you get some answers...

yeah now I don't know if it was Marek's either. I am perplexed. Looked just like everything I read about it. So unless I have another one die I guess I'll never know. either.

Happy to hear your issues have also passed.

 

[rancher hicks]

Morning all, you too 2fast, I see you're up early too.

I've been up since 5:30 or thereabouts. Well awake earlier but out of bed at 5:30. Put on my SIL's coat and went for a walk and talk. He's in TX but being 6'4" his coat goes to my calves. Too I wear an oversized bathrobe so I was protected enough. I also had my coffee to keep me warm. I plan to take a nap later. Would to God I got up early each morning.

Sorry to hear about folks with sick chickens and all. Things have been okay here though far too few eggs. I blame myself for not letting them out and the low protein feed they've been on. The EE's molted and I've had them of feather fixer. Mareks is a hard thing to diagnose I think. So many things can go wrong with chickens. I still freak when birds get sick though there hasn't been any trouble since spring. We can only do our best I suppose.

Not completely winterized here but getting there. I worry about the Marsh Daisies since there is only the three of them and I don't know how winter hardy they are. I reckon I could run a cord to their coop and put a heater in there but what if it goes out? I do have a couple of EE youngsters I could put in with them and three young Del pullets too. None are laying yet. Of course it would make moving the Dels to the Del coop later difficult. Chickens don't like change. They're even worse than humans.

Well just a few minutes til CBS this morning comes on, so you folks take care and have a good day,

Love ya,

Rancher

 

[Beer can]

Rancher I thought you were one to always insist on not heating a coop? Look at it this way, if silkies and polish can survive with no problems in our cold winters those marsh daisies should be fine.

Bears, we have lots of them. Where I'm bowhunting I got on trail cam last yr mamma and three cubs, there is a big male wandering that area also. Also have them in the woods behind my house. The DEC keeps expanding the bear hunting area, 15 yrs ago there was no bear season here. There is so many bears the DEC has talked about allowing baiting and dog running like they do in other states/Canada. The bear harvest keeps getting greater every yr but they say the population isn't in check, it's expanding.

Chicken girl 15, we have five also, good thing they like eggs lol. The three youngest have to feed and gather eggs daily with me, they expect it. They have broken some, good thing the girls make more every day . If they are salvageable I feed them to the dogs.

I have a kale omelet a few days a week, the wife and I, the kids don't like green stuff in their eggs Lol. Mushrooms and swiss makes them so much yummier!
Our kale has been growing great all yr, still doing great. A much better green, though not as tender as, spinach. We never grew it before, always will for now on.

Our younger ones love hard boiled eggs, will eat all of them... I had some pickled eggs awhile ago kids insisted they wanted them, NOT these, I pickle them in jalapeño brine Lol. So I made a new batch just in a salt vineger brine. The 5 and 7 yr old girls love them, 3 yr old boy, 'no like pickle eggs!'.

 

[Beer can]

Rancher, how I usually do kale and eggs; The store bought chopped has the hard stalk in it, best for smoothies?
If you grow it or get whole leaf strip the leaf off the stalk, chop it up with scissors, simmer it in a little water while getting eggs ready, by the time eggs scrambled the water almost or gone, add butter to the pan, mix, pour in eggs, cook, flop once, add shredded sharp cheese to top, mmmm!
Sometimes add chopped ham or sausage, chopped chicken, mushrooms, swiss cheese to top, onions, chopped jalapeños or green pepper, chopped tomatoes....
I sometimes put it in a burrito wrap, or toast sandwich....mmmm hungry now, off to the garden to get a couple kale leaves Lol!

 

[Chicken girl 15]

While I'm not big on mushrooms, what is your recipe for the eggs/kale/onions sandwich?  I suppose it can be made without the mushroom?

Congats on the eggs. Only got two today and that is NOT good considering how many hens I've got. Even the EE's haven't laid in  a while. Though I suspect it's my fault for not getting out at first light. 

I'm surprised about the bears. i was not aware they are so common anymore. 

Kale, onion egg sandwiches recipe.
Dice your veggies to desired size add adequate butter or oil to pan sauté veggies Crack egg on top and fry. Put on toast with mayo or butter. Its awesome! !! You can add a slice of cheese or tomato or avacado or lunch meat. Its really up to you.

As for the bears, yes Windsor Harpursville area is full of them. They are beautiful but very scary.