NY chicken lover!!!!

[Sweetpea3829]

Sweetpea, I don't know but I'll google it and see. I doubt it's him though. Place seemed clean when I was there. I drove 2 hrs each way. Anyhow I google earthed his place and knew exactly which house was his.

Yeah, his place was clean. He didn't do anything wrong...the charges were trumped up baloney charges. He was accused, last February/March of not providing a heated barn, not having ice free water, and not having constant access to food. All things that a farmer deals with in the dead of winter. His horses were impounded because they had slightly overgrown hooves. This, despite two separate veterinarians certifying that the horses were in good shape and passed hydration tests. But they left his pigs, that they said had frostbitten ears.

The charges were recently dropped. But he still had to pay 9k or some such ridiculous number in restitution to the horse rescue. Which was another ridiculous thing...the horse "rescue" Peaceful Acres, attempted to extort huge sums of money out of him. They lost their case, but as part of the charges being dropped, he had to pay them the 9K.

It was ridiculous and nearly ruined him. So by all means folks...if you want to buy CSA shares or fresh local meat, etc....go visit Josh's farm.

 

[Beer can]

Neighbor down the road had state troopers called on him one winter for not having adequate housing for his donkey he had for many yrs. He pointed out the field across the valley full of beef cows and asked the trooper where their 'adequate' housing was...At least his donkey had a lean to for shelter (couldn't be seen from road).

 

[rancher hicks]

Yeah, his place was clean. He didn't do anything wrong...the charges were trumped up baloney charges. He was accused, last February/March of not providing a heated barn, not having ice free water, and not having constant access to food. All things that a farmer deals with in the dead of winter. His horses were impounded because they had slightly overgrown hooves. This, despite two separate veterinarians certifying that the horses were in good shape and passed hydration tests. But they left his pigs, that they said had frostbitten ears.

The charges were recently dropped. But he still had to pay 9k or some such ridiculous number in restitution to the horse rescue. Which was another ridiculous thing...the horse "rescue" Peaceful Acres, attempted to extort huge sums of money out of him. They lost their case, but as part of the charges being dropped, he had to pay them the 9K.

It was ridiculous and nearly ruined him. So by all means folks...if you want to buy CSA shares or fresh local meat, etc....go visit Josh's farm.

I did see the report and I agree things looked misleading. I googled it. I must have missed it on TV.

As for the report of feces in the water, given the right time of day you might see poop in my chickens waters. I have this one hen who likes to stand ON the waterer. I think she does it to keep everyone else away. I really should just wring her neck and eat her.

I don't like not nice birds.

I check them throughout the day of course but come morning there might be poop. This is why I use the black tubs because I can break the ice out and all the gunk at the bottom comes with it. Need and clean. It's also why i don't keep 15 gallon waters. 1gal. or 2gal is sufficient and I keep multiple tubs so no one is chased away. Same with feeders.

Point being he may not have gotten to tend things before they came to check.

Frost bitten ears are hard to prevent this time of year. I don't usually have a problem but this year was very cold.

Birds that for some, may not have gotten bit in the past winters may be suffering this year.

Anyhow I would still recommend Josh for chicks.

Keep in mind folks I'm a trader, so I will trade for some labor. I got all the tools and it doesn't take long to clean a coop. About two three wheelbarrows full. Or a couple of wheelbarrow fulls from the runs to the compost pile.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Also, has anyone purchased chicks from the poultry hatchery in Clifton springs? I'm getting good vibes from them so far but I'd like to hear other people's experiences.

Welcome to the thread!
The Clifton Springs people are very friendly when ur calling in an order. Just be very careful about their hidden fees and be ready for them to substitute chicks u ordered when they don't have ur full order. Know ur stuff so they can't take advantage. Their chicks are generally healthy and strong. Enjoy ur new fluffy butts!

 

[rancher hicks]

Neighbor down the road had state troopers called on him one winter for not having adequate housing for his donkey he had for many yrs. He pointed out the field across the valley full of beef cows and asked the trooper where their 'adequate' housing was...At least his donkey had a lean to for shelter (couldn't be seen from road).

So what happened?

My chickens have shelter, but they also can go out if they choose. Am I supposed to keep them cooped up all winter? With not fresh air? That to me would be cruel. Roosters are gonna get frost bit if he don't stay in. My Daisies lay better when I let them outside.

These guys were no worse for wear and the best layers of the winter that year. You can't see it but that rooster didn't get any frost bite that year either. AND Big Delores (the sussex) is STILL laying. Heck she's the only one that does lay some days. That coop is just like it in the picture and that's why I say NO HEAT.





You'd think they'd have more sense to stay on the hay in front of the coop but they didn't.



This is fleece I hung over the top of the roost so their body heat stayed closer to them. Only problem I've had is hens wanting to sleep in it at night. Crazy birds!

 

[sarahandbray]

You can always order from a hatchery and split an order with a friend. I doubt that the Clifton Springs birds are really superior to a good quality hatchery, IMHO. There is also a guy in Saugerties (Randy Wilbur) who is always advertising neat breed chicks on Craigslist and FB Swap sites. I can't vouch for him or his place but he seems to have cool breeds.

 

[Glasshen]

I did have dealings with AJ Domani, right outside of Seneca Falls, and it cost kind of a lot, I had called ahead because I really wanted Buff Orpington. The adorable chicks I was given were no way no how BO, they were some kind of sexlink. I drove really far. They also had an obnoxious email list that made me see red every time they contacted me. Just kinda sleazy. I too vote for Natureberry farm. Or private folks on here.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

You know what it is, guys? It's these animal rights activists that have absolutely NO clue what the heck is appropriate for animals. You're not even supposed to heat your barns because it isn't good for the animals' respiration.

It's a symptom of how far removed people have come from their food sources. I'm a big proponent of treating animals fairly and well. And I"ll be one of the first to throw bricks at a real animal abuser.

But Josh's animals were fine. There was some crowdsource funding that went on to help with his legal fees...he got his horses back (ironically, in worse shape than when they were impounded...never donate anything to Peaceful Acres), and things are fine now. But he still has to constantly look over his shoulder because he knows it was a neighbor that called and...what's to keep them from calling again?

The commentary on this case were generally positive...but I saw red every time somebody from a big city would comment...because they had no idea what they were talking about. What the heck do they think goes on with wild animals? And not for nothing but...the franken-animals that sit in those pretty packages in the meat department of your local grocery store...they went through FAAAAAAAAR worse than having feces in their water from time to time. Which reminds me...I have to go swap waterers...because my birds are stuck inside, which means they're flinging shavings (and feces) everywhere. Which means...feces in the water.

/rant

 

[myfivegirls]

You can always order from a hatchery and split an order with a friend. I doubt that the Clifton Springs birds are really superior to a good quality hatchery, IMHO. There is also a guy in Saugerties (Randy Wilbur) who is always advertising neat breed chicks on Craigslist and FB Swap sites. I can't vouch for him or his place but he seems to have cool breeds.

I have not bought chickens from either source, but I have friends who bought started pullets last year - Production Reds from the Poultry Hatchery, and they were pleased with them enough they're getting more this year. I did see them, and they looked like the average hatchery chickens.
But, I too have heard some of their bad reviews. At this point, I'd just prefer buying from someone who's focused on quality, not quantity.

The only contact I had with Randy Wilbur was last year when I sold them Swedish Flower Hen & Bielefelder hatching eggs. They seemed nice, but I do admit many of the BYC people I met at Chickenstock last year were much nicer! I haven't seen in person any of their birds, only the photos of them on Craigslist.

 

[Purpletie3]

I've never known many roosters to get along, but I've never kept more than one for any length of time to 'work things out'. Never wanted more than one either.
I still have my two giant and two sussex roosters together with five hens. Was going to separate them but haven't seen any problems at all. I'll wait till a month before I start gathering hatching eggs.

I have had really really good luck with my boys. I have one house with a light sussex/Orust. I have my Greenfire coop with 2 isbar, 1 bielefielder, 1 sulmtaler roosters. My reject house has one silkie & sulmtaler roo. My big house has a ton of roosters together. Only ones in that house that have gone at it are the hona & the cemani.

However, there are a few coops which have only one rooster...My EE rules his house & I have a group called my BAMA coop which has a CCL.

The roosters were mostly raised together & had some issues when they reached sexual maturity...but, are pretty good boys overall.

I had at one point 3 sussex roo's and the orust together. But, the roo's were overmating my females so two went to the kettle. They are so delicious.