NY chicken lover!!!!

[vmdanielsen]

I'm practicing birth control with my broodys. Limiting the number of eggs they have

there are 7 lil fuzzy butts with 3 mama's. About 2 weeks old. Another broody started her hatch today. I saw 1 black Sumatra chick. Yesterday a broody Sumatra on 2 eggs hatched 1. So there are at least 9 more in 2 weeks. And broody season has just started.
But the number will change as roo's go to freezer camp. I think with newborns, keeping mainly hens this year, the number will pretty much stay at 100.

Hard to count them all. You ever try to get chickens to stand still to count them?

Yeah, I have tried to count them. That is why one HAS to count their chickens before they hatch. Can't count them after........... they won't stay still.......

 

[stonykill]

Yeah, I have tried to count them. That is why one HAS to count their chickens before they hatch. Can't count them after........... they won't stay still.......

 

[Cass]

Yeah, I have tried to count them. That is why one HAS to count their chickens before they hatch. Can't count them after........... they won't stay still.......

I just keep a running count in my head. Forget sticking out one finger and saying "one, two, three....I mean four, wait, three, six, no, no, five..."

I have 13 laying right now and 2 roos...that's 15 in the big side. Then there are 10 Sumatras, 2 Chanelars (sp) and 4 Australorps for a total of 32 chickens on the property. Some are scheduled for Freezer camp at age 18 weeks, 3 are going to visit Annie's daughter and not coming home with me. Bruahahaha... However she might have 6 for me to bring home. I guess when all is said and done, more is said than done...I mean I should wind up with 28- 30 chickens....and that's about enough for me.

Now if I could find a cheap coop, I might get ducks. LOL

 

[stonykill]

I just keep a running count in my head. Forget sticking out one finger and saying "one, two, three....I mean four, wait, three, six, no, no, five..."

I have 13 laying right now and 2 roos...that's 15 in the big side. Then there are 10 Sumatras, 2 Chanelars (sp) and 4 Australorps for a total of 32 chickens on the property. Some are scheduled for Freezer camp at age 18 weeks, 3 are going to visit Annie's daughter and not coming home with me. Bruahahaha... However she might have 6 for me to bring home. I guess when all is said and done, more is said than done...I mean I should wind up with 28- 30 chickens....and that's about enough for me.

Now if I could find a cheap coop, I might get ducks. LOL

you will LOVE ducks!

seriously I count mine in groups as well. The free range Sumatra's hang out in harems for the most part. With a few "free agent" young roo's as well

 

[Lynzi777]

Lynzi, I needed temporary housing for my "teenagers" and got the TSC chicken coop which was on sale for $100. they had it set up in the store nee the chicks, and it had a little run which was also 100$. I only bought the coop. I set that up outside my real coop and made a run for them with some old chicken wire. Every so often they get carried away and fly out of their private pen into the general pen. Then the big girls chase them around and they wish they had their privacy. Kids. But for temporary that might work. I put it together myself, so you don't have to be a master carpenter. They had a rabbit hutch that looked about the same, but the coop has a roost bar and a little door that can be sort of a ramp, sort of...it's fine for temporary, has a tray underneath...

I did see that, that's actually what I was going to do originally for my main coop but then found one that I liked better that will keep the cold out. You have that outside though? I'm looking for something that I could keep inside one or two more weeks because everyone keeps telling me I better not put them outside yet! LOL I think I may have to go with the peg board idea if these "teenagers" want to stay inside for a little longer. I have a large laundry room/storage/pantry off my kitchen and that's where they are in this bin. I guess I can venture out to HD tomorrow and see what they have. I think I can handle some peg board and zip ties.

 

[demp4]

Everyone! Back up in Syrcause. I really wanted to get my chicks out this weekend but doesn't look like that's happening! My coop isn't due to come until Monday. And by then I'll be back in Albany so my DH will be taking care of the chicks for me for 3 days. Lets hope he can handle it.

I guess it's too cold anyway to put them out there, although I keep getting mixed reviews on that whole issue!


Went to TSC today - that totally ticked me off. Since it's still too cold to put the chicks outside permanently I was going to purchase this rabbit cage to put them in for the next week. Right now they're in a rubbermaid bin for a brooder and they're running out of room. I figured I would purchase this cage - http://www.tractorsupply.com/home-rig-house-trade-complete-hutch-kit-24-in--2179457 use it for a week or so and put it away because my son has been asking for a rabbit. So why not buy something that would be put to use later anyway? Well as you can see the price online for the "complete kit" is $44.99. Well I get to the store, just the cage sides, top and bottom was $24.99. Then you have the buy the "kit" if you don't want the cage resting on the floor that was $14.99. The drop pan? another 10 bucks or so, plus the cage clips to hold everything together, I think those were $3.99 and then their little "tool" which I would have bought because knowing my luck I would have gotten all the way home and wouldn't have been able to get this thing together with out them - those were $8.99. So that would have been a total of what? $63 bucks not including tax?? Where are they getting this $44.99 from? So I leave there buying a chicken magazine for my son and a rabbit magazine for my daughter. Who are 5 and 2 by the way. You can only imagine how the rest of my shopping adventures went today!

Got home and brought the chicks outside for a good amount of time. They love it out there and I'm surprised at all the flying around they do to get away my from dog! LOL My dog loves to play mother hen out there and follows them around everywhere!

So anyone have any suggestions for a larger brooder to get me thru the next week or so that won't cost a fortune?

We use a medium size dog crate lined with cardboard and then shavings so its not too slippery. You can get them on Craigslist used pretty cheap.

 

[happyhensny]

Everyone! Back up in Syrcause. I really wanted to get my chicks out this weekend but doesn't look like that's happening! My coop isn't due to come until Monday. And by then I'll be back in Albany so my DH will be taking care of the chicks for me for 3 days. Lets hope he can handle it.

I guess it's too cold anyway to put them out there, although I keep getting mixed reviews on that whole issue!


Went to TSC today - that totally ticked me off. Since it's still too cold to put the chicks outside permanently I was going to purchase this rabbit cage to put them in for the next week. Right now they're in a rubbermaid bin for a brooder and they're running out of room. I figured I would purchase this cage - http://www.tractorsupply.com/home-rig-house-trade-complete-hutch-kit-24-in--2179457 use it for a week or so and put it away because my son has been asking for a rabbit. So why not buy something that would be put to use later anyway? Well as you can see the price online for the "complete kit" is $44.99. Well I get to the store, just the cage sides, top and bottom was $24.99. Then you have the buy the "kit" if you don't want the cage resting on the floor that was $14.99. The drop pan? another 10 bucks or so, plus the cage clips to hold everything together, I think those were $3.99 and then their little "tool" which I would have bought because knowing my luck I would have gotten all the way home and wouldn't have been able to get this thing together with out them - those were $8.99. So that would have been a total of what? $63 bucks not including tax?? Where are they getting this $44.99 from? So I leave there buying a chicken magazine for my son and a rabbit magazine for my daughter. Who are 5 and 2 by the way. You can only imagine how the rest of my shopping adventures went today!

Got home and brought the chicks outside for a good amount of time. They love it out there and I'm surprised at all the flying around they do to get away my from dog! LOL My dog loves to play mother hen out there and follows them around everywhere!

So anyone have any suggestions for a larger brooder to get me thru the next week or so that won't cost a fortune?

Go to the grocery store and get a big box, paper towels, tp, etc. Line the bottom with lots of newspaper then your bedding. When you are done have a campfire. No cleaning, that's what I like best!

 

[featherz]

Go to the grocery store and get a big box, paper towels, tp, etc. Line the bottom with lots of newspaper then your bedding. When you are done have a campfire. No cleaning, that's what I like best!

That's what I do too. Last hatch I planned to put all the chicks in the barn, but I like to keep them inside for a day or two just so I can make sure everyone is eating/drinking/walking - I just used a large cardboard box with paper towels. I use an ecoglow and a nipple waterer so that makes it even easier! I also have a huge dog crate I use for everything. And I did the equivalent of pegboard and zipties as well - just did four sides and put cardboard down as a bottom. Easier cleaning.

Anyways, if anyone is desperate for broody chicks today I *should* have a few extra, although they haven't hatched yet, just pipped. I have seven mutt eggs in my bator as backups for the broodies, but so far they at least have a few chicks each. Going to check on them this morning and we'll see if that's still true. I hope these eggs hatch in time so I can stuff em under the broodies if no one needs them.

I have plenty of chickens, don't need any more! =)

 

[Thassa]

You want well ventilated, but not drafty. Try going the first year w/o insulating and see how they do and decide in the meantime.

PS more chickens means that it will be warmer in the winter. Time to start thinking....chicken math!!!!!

I explained chicken math to my husband last night and got the biggest eye roll ever!

 

[queenchick16]

I always drive with one eye on the road and the other one wondering for great garbage on the side of it. My neighbor up the block got a new stove just when my kids needed a larger brooder. The box was perfect it even had a wood frame inside to protect the stove. Jammed that into the back of my VW Beetle and dragged it home.It worked Great newspaper and shaving . If you ever come across something like that (refrigerator boxes also) I store them in my garage til I need them. Just can't use my garage for my car though.