NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

These monsters spilled a gallon of probiotic water in their fresh bedding yesterday. They were scared of my cleaning so flew out of the brooder. I took the tub brooder out and put the heat lamps in my larger seclusion area. My back was screaming at me all night. This morning they are fine. I'm keeping 4 splash chicks and maybe a few Ameraucana. There will be 12 available at Chicken Stock.

At that age they can handle a larger gallon size waterer. They're much more stable. I'd expect the same with the larger feeder too. My ducks have made a mess.

Everyone else: I've moved the 17 BO chicks to the half hoop with the hen and her two chicks. The chicks are the same size. She's not amiable to the BO's but the coop has two heat lights and they stay clear of her. I've put in a power strip. I've added a large feeder and two quart sized drinkers set apart. As long as she doesn't hurt them I'll be okay. Otherwise I'll move her back to the coop with her sisters. She's a marans, Dels are much more accommodating. I also stapled up some fleece over the front to block the cold. Checked them this am and they're still alive so things may be okay.

Posted the silkies to CL. Quite honestly I wish the hatcheries would not send so many chicks to TSC. Especially straight run. Silkies are not edible like other breeds. I hear to a Fox eating a Silky is like eating a Q tip. Plus they're dangerous. My tin foil hat blew off and it was some time before DW found me wandering around the yard disoriented.

Rainy day and I'm working outside the home this evening. Still a farmers life is always busy. Good day to do laundry inside. Anyone here hang laundry outside? Did you know there are communities that have banned Cloth lines?

TTFN, (Next up some article on usinig DE. Two sources, one here and one from abroad)

Love ya all Rancher,

 

[Pyxis]

If you've got friends you might consider renting a post hole digger and setting post holes first. Or find someone to dig the holes and/or set posts for you. Then add the fencing as money and time would allow.  Enlist the help of local PD concerning those messing with your birds. I wish you well. 

It is unfortunately my cousin's daughter and her friends who I am sure are doing it. My cousin is renting the house on the parcel of land that is adjacent to the piece I rent from my parents for my birds. Not much good calling the police on a seven year old and her friends since I can't prove they've actually done anything (although a game cam is going up to remedy that) and her mother swears up and down it's not her doing it. And she wouldn't probably discipline her daughter anyway because she and her husband are in the middle of a nasty divorce and I'm sure the daughter would go crying to daddy who would then contact his lawyer to try to use it against my cousin. Big mess all around. So. fencing is the way I'm going to go for now.

 

[Nikkis Chickies]

That sounds like a great plan, I do have the coop area with the walls to keep away from the draft. But I can totally put a huge blanket over that part. Should I closenoff the run at night or leave it open 24/7. The run is enclosed also.

I have (hay/dry grass from mowing) all around the floor and straw hay on the ground in there for the cold but they are in my basement and getting big so i want them out.

 

[Nikkis Chickies]

I havent seen any mites / lice ..since I sprayed the chickens...
I just want to make sure nothing is hiding in the bedding
Welcome ! Is this the coop in the picture ?
The Run - is that a raised trampoline? Cool Idea !

Yes it is!! Thank you! Took a lot of work, dug a trench all around it and stuffed wire in thw ground

 

[Nikkis Chickies]

When  they are fully feathered 
Is your coop totally enclosed so the heat stays in ?
and ...So nothing can get in .
I would put a thermometer in to see how cold it gets at night ..
if the coop is big enough you can ..put a card board box in there for them to sleep in at night
with no heat of course.. they will all cuddle and should be fine ..
Or if it is small enough you could cover it with a blanket or comforter ...to keep the cold out

Sorry new to this site so i replied but it went down in the feed

 

[Nikkis Chickies]

That sounds like a great plan, I do have the coop area with the walls to keep away from the draft. But I can totally put a huge blanket over that part. Should I closenoff the run at night or leave it open 24/7. The run is enclosed also.

I have (hay/dry grass from mowing) all around the floor and straw hay on the ground in there for the cold but they are in my basement and getting big so i want them out.

 

[Nikkis Chickies]

How many chicks? The more the better, they'll just hunker down together for warmth at night. As soon as they have most of their real feathers they're usually Ok to put out with no heat, especially if you haven't been providing any.

I stopped providing heat five days ago. I have 12, 6 were born march 26th and the other 6 were born march 10th. Are they fully feathered at that age?

 

[Nikkis Chickies]

I stopped providing heat five days ago. I have 12, 6 were born march 26th and the other 6 were born march 10th. Are they fully feathered at that age?

this is my setup outside. Very windy here though.

 

[Gramma Chick]

That sounds like a great plan, I do have the coop area with the walls to keep away from the draft. But I can totally put a huge blanket over that part. Should I closenoff the run at night or leave it open 24/7. The run is enclosed also.

I have (hay/dry grass from mowing) all around the floor and straw hay on the ground in there for the cold but they are in my basement and getting big so i want them out.

I cant see what it looks like inside ...is it predator proof ?
Can you show me ?
if it is windy out there I would not put them out there yet ..competely ...can it be moved ?
I personaly would not have it out that far ..It would be next to my house ..esp when they are little .
it should be warmer there too
So I could monitor and check them and listen for predator problems
First I would let them out side during the day ...in the run
To let them adjust before I put them out full time
Also are you home all day or at work ? so they can be monitored when they are out ..

Your posts seem to be going through okay ...

 

[Nikkis Chickies]

 I cant see what it looks like inside ...is it predator proof ?
 Can you show me ?
if it is windy out there I would not put them out there yet ..competely ...can it be moved ?
I personaly would not have it out that far ..It would be next to my house ..esp when they are little .
it should be warmer there  too
So I could monitor and check them and listen for predator problems
First I would let them out side during the day ...in the run
To let them adjust before I put them out full time
Also are you home all day or at work ? so they can be monitored when they are out ..

Your posts seem to be going through okay ...

It cannot be moved as we dug a trench all around it so it is predator proof. It looks far but isnt that far and it is very quiet here so i can hear them very good. I put them out everyday for the past two weeks, except a couple of days where it has been nothing but raining.