NY chicken lover!!!!

[Henicillin]

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that face quacks me up.....(no? okay.)

I liked it, but I'm punny like that.

 

[Henicillin]

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I went into TSC twice this week and left without any chicks. Darn, they ones they have are bigger than the ones in my brooder so I can't slip a few in and say "I must have counted wrong, there were always 19 in there." LOL

I would be saying, "What chicks? There are no chicks - only ducks." Alan doesn't care what I get, though - he's actually astonished that I haven't given in to the chicks or bought an incubator. The quackers are quite enough for the moment, though, the messy little hooligans! I absolutely love 'em!

 

[happyhensny]

I just can't disappoint these 5-6 year olds who have been writing and observing the eggs every day!!! When candled on day 10, they jumped for joy. I will do whatever needs to be done to at least give them some chicks if none hatch.

I have chicks that just hatched yesterday-today. If you need a couple let me know. You should be good to go!

 

[cashdl]

Hi All,

I am from California but was wondering if there was anyone in New York that raise blue egg laying chickens. I have someone who emailed me looking for blue eating eggs and I am way too far away. If there is please send me a private message.

Lanae

 

[Cass]

Quote:

I would be saying, "What chicks? There are no chicks - only ducks." Alan doesn't care what I get, though - he's actually astonished that I haven't given in to the chicks or bought an incubator. The quackers are quite enough for the moment, though, the messy little hooligans! I absolutely love 'em!

Ray doesn't care what I buy, really, but he is the one who has to build the coops....and I PROMISED him I would not need a second coop, that I would control myself. SOooooo he spent $1200 on the coop....I could put a horse in there, it's so strong....and vinyl sided to boot. Sooooo I have 11 laying hens and 3 roos in one side, 2 new hens on the small side, 11 chicks in one side of the brooder and we are picking up 10 more chicks tomorrow for the other side. Have I kept my promise to not out grow the wonderful coop he built? We'll see ....depends on how many are roos and get sent to freezer camp. And if the Sumantras stay in the coop or live in the trees....cuz right now, if they were all adults it would be very very crowded in there.

 

[demp4]

Ray doesn't care what I buy, really, but he is the one who has to build the coops....and I PROMISED him I would not need a second coop, that I would control myself. SOooooo he spent $1200 on the coop....I could put a horse in there, it's so strong....and vinyl sided to boot. Sooooo I have 11 laying hens and 3 roos in one side, 2 new hens on the small side, 11 chicks in one side of the brooder and we are picking up 10 more chicks tomorrow for the other side. Have I kept my promise to not out grow the wonderful coop he built? We'll see ....depends on how many are roos and get sent to freezer camp. And if the Sumantras stay in the coop or live in the trees....cuz right now, if they were all adults it would be very very crowded in there.

That sounds like my husband... He built a 2nd coop for me with vinyl floors even for easier cleaning... and told me I better not outgrow this one. LOL But I still have the first coop/tractor that we were going to get rid of so I am safe for a bit... And of the 35 big ones some are going to the freezer as they finally crowed and I am sure out of the 28 going in the bator will hatch some roos to add to the freezer as well.

 

[Cass]

That sounds like my husband... He built a 2nd coop for me with vinyl floors even for easier cleaning... and told me I better not outgrow this one. LOL But I still have the first coop/tractor that we were going to get rid of so I am safe for a bit... And of the 35 big ones some are going to the freezer as they finally crowed and I am sure out of the 28 going in the bator will hatch some roos to add to the freezer as well.

you can pretty much count on 50% being roos....however you can't count on 100% hatch rate.....so you still might end up with more hens than roos....

IF you plan on hatching your own eggs and can tell who laid what (you did say you had a diverse flock) keep track of what hen gives you more girls than boys and try to hatch more of her eggs in the future. Someone (on another thread) did so and found that one of her hens had only roos hatch. She stopped incubating that particular hens eggs...who needs more roos?

 

[blackstorm]

Thanks everybody
I picked up the chicks from the Clay TSC store, 9 labeled as Ameraucana , 2 that may be Buff Orpington and one I am guessing is a New Hampshire. But these are best guess from the chick pictures posted online at the Ameraucana web site and other web site.I suspect the Ameraucana would be classified as Easter eggers but that is OK with me. I will be getting show stock in the future when I am more comfortable in the care and raising of the birds.

I am looking for Chicken tractor pictures and idea's, I don't want to go smaller than 4x6' for the coop or larger than 6x8'

Now the one tractor picture I saw on this site was The Old Whittler tractor that is closest to the concept I want in a tractor. This tractor has wheels that can be raised or lowered, It also has a self contained area under the coop with outside nesting boxes. I did email him for inside coop pictures or drawings of the coop plan . I Know I will be adding the poop board and using the Sweet PDZ in it, I will cover the coop's base floor with vinyl or similar material. I plan on using the tractor coop from the spring to fall and then transferring the birds to a permanent coop off of my dog kennel building ( I have a seperate septic system going in). I am planning on using a movable pen with the tractor so I can place it in the parts of my yard that I want. I am not real concerned with the weight of the tractor as I will be moving it with my diesel tractor, but if it is light enough it would be great if it moved with my 23 hp garden tractor.

So if you have any plans or Idea's I am all ears as they say
Glynn

 

[Cydney83]

I have been to TSC twice and nothing looked good but the meatbirds..didn't buy..but my sister got three golden and 3 partridge Dotties...those may have been bard to past up...there hasn't been anything good here ..
The open bag of oreos would did be safe..I think I have one...going to go check...Thanks for the suggestion..

I think you are all very brave to even consider going to TSC during chick days. I know myself, I would be about as likely to leave that store without chicks as I would be ignore an open package of oreos when I'm starving. And it hasn't even been a week since the basement saw the last of the chickens.

 

[vmdanielsen]

you can pretty much count on 50% being roos....however you can't count on 100% hatch rate.....so you still might end up with more hens than roos....

IF you plan on hatching your own eggs and can tell who laid what (you did say you had a diverse flock) keep track of what hen gives you more girls than boys and try to hatch more of her eggs in the future. Someone (on another thread) did so and found that one of her hens had only roos hatch. She stopped incubating that particular hens eggs...who needs more roos?

I need something to put in the freezer!!! I think that I have one (cockerel) left then it is back to store bought....last year I set 21 eggs (16 were shipped), 11 hatched, 1 failed to thrive(early cull). 8 were cockerels and 2 were pullets. I was so disappointed....until I ate one.