NY chicken lover!!!!

[horsekeeper]

Howdy NY Chicken Lover's!!
I'm in Ulster County, Highland NY and this is all new to me, keeping chickens, BYC all new so bare with me, there might be some very obvious questions that I might/probably will ask! Lol
I come to all my fellow NY'ers today with a bit of a dilemma, long story short, I started out not that long ago, given 5 birds from a friend of mine, turns out that 4 of the 5 are Cockerels, wouldn't mind 1, but 4!?!? Lol
Guess I've got some meat sooner then expected!! Lol
The birds are RIR's approximately 15-16 weeks old, yea I'll have meat but I want and need eggs, just wondering if there is any place local to me with a good reputation, looking to purchase pullets, prefer to raise them myself, not looking for started.
So if anyone can give me a local place or even an online hatchery that has a very low purchase minimum and won't kill me on shipping, that would be very much appreciated! Thank you all in advance, and hope to share stories and info. With all of you!!

I have 6 week olds getting well enough developed I am reasonably sure I can tell which ones are pullets if you are interested; either marans mix or EE mix. I also have a couple of Jersey Giant and marans pullets from last year's hatch. And a trio of year old speckled sussex. I am about an hour from the Catskill exit of the thruway if you would want to come and pick them up. The price will be modest.

 

[Aria]

Hello, We are interested in purchasing an automatic door opener.
Does anyone know where best to get one? Thanks Aria

 

[Desiree Brown]

I'm back from my weekend in Cooperstown DeansMill do you think your interested in my BLRW roo? I'm going to give them away on fb if no one wants them. I have them in solitary confinement for now bc I am down to 5 hens 2 with babies and the one roo (mixed breed) was attacking a baby. I thinks its bc I don't have enough hens to roos. so my 3 roos I'm trying to re home are penned up for now. today momma #2 came out of hiding with 12-15 babies.. I cant believe she hatched that many.

 

[rancher hicks]

Hi I'm in Eagle River, Alaska (just north of anchorage)... I have a nice backyard flock of chickens, as do many of my neighbors. They actually do quite well here! The only thing that the light affects is their laying cycle. If you want to keep up your supply of eggs during winter, you have to provide artificial lights. Many people string Christmas lights inside the coop and put them on a timer. Hope this helps

Thanks for your reply. I posted the question to a few others on CL to see if they could settle the debate. Would chickens starve to death due to the low light thing here? I'm in anchorage right now.

I use white lights in my chicken runs and around the garden. Don't use them in the coop at the start of winter but when eggs drop to nearly nil I turn on a light. Mainly as spring gets closer.

I didn't want to ask at the airport to have them hand scan eggs to bring hatching egg up. I did once in Birmingham, AL and they were very nice about it. Syracuse, I'm not sure of.

I wasn't sure how things fared what with bears, wolves,coyotes and all. Though I haven't seen any. Based on the DVD's you'd expect to see them in Downtown Anchorage.

I was surprised to hear talk of homeless folks. I would expect folks to move to warmer climes.

Other than the weather I think Alaska is pretty much like every other state economy wise. Though some things are very expensive here for sure. For the $25 baggage check I could bring quite a bit up with me.

 

[Aria]

Rancher or anyone.....DO YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN PURCHASE
AN AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER FOR MY COOP. THANKS, ARIA

 

[Pyxis]

Hello,  We are interested in purchasing an automatic door opener.
Does anyone know where best to get one?  Thanks Aria

Hi Aria! I just got mine about a week ago and I love it. Mine is the Chickenguard. I bought mine from Foy's Pigeon Supplies but you can get it a little cheaper if you buy it right from chickenguard.com as long as you don't mind waiting a little longer because if you buy it there it will be shipping directly from England where they're made. But it's worth the wait because it'll save you $100, no joke. Next one I get I'm importing, lol.

 

[nposluszny]

I agree sex links lay lots of very large eggs, but I have heard from others being such good layers they don't live long due to burn out or laying issues. I myself have heard Sweedish flowers lay well and large eggs so I'm giving them a try but I can't say from personal experience. I loved my bielefelders of the past for the size of the eggs and color. They laid well for me and are auto sexing so if you hatch you could sell the mails cheep to someone who wanted to raise them for meat.

Well, it's official! Next year we expand the runs and add a coop for meat birds! Went to a store yesterday, no one could tell where the chicken came from and I wasn't on the processors tag. Mom caved and said birds here would have a happier life than anywhere else, despite being eaten at the end. Got the fellow across the street to assist me with learning how to get over my weak tummy....he hunts year round and is gonna get me up to doing it myself. So, my egg laying ladies are safe for now...unless they keep chasing my fav little chipmunk. That little dude has been here for years, so cute.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Well, it's official! Next year we expand the runs and add a coop for meat birds! Went to a store yesterday, no one could tell where the chicken came from and I wasn't on the processors tag. Mom caved and said birds here would have a happier life than anywhere else, despite being eaten at the end. Got the fellow across the street to assist me with learning how to get over my weak tummy....he hunts year round and is gonna get me up to doing it myself. So, my egg laying ladies are safe for now...unless they keep chasing my fav little chipmunk. That little dude has been here for years, so cute.

I'm doing meat birds and rabbits starting next year. I was going to get Cornish X this year but we got sidetracked.
There really is nothing that compares to fresh raised meat. It has so much more flavor.

 

[cutipatooti]

I'm doing meat birds and rabbits starting next year. I was going to get Cornish X this year but we got sidetracked.
There really is nothing that compares to fresh raised meat. It has so much more flavor.

Does this mean Bob tasted good? My brahma is resting in the fridge. I get to do a white bresse next. Super excited.

 

[tao chick]

I forgot to close the coop last night. No losses but a crowing rooster competition outside my window all morning. I went out to the meatie enclosure and I'm missing a meatie. I've had a terrible time raising meaties- mostly my own errors. My guess is cat, as it is pretty much my only predator that could get a single chicken out of that enclosure. My garden still isn't planted. I'm having a frustrating morning. Hopefully my sister in law has good luck with the Catskill Homesteader hatch from the eggs she won at Chickenstock and I can replenish my groups. (Thanks Maria!)