NY chicken lover!!!!

[featherz]

I built my coops in the shade. Being I had it available it seemed the obvious choice

That was a good idea! We have two well shaded coops, but one that WAS shaded until the large tree above it was damaged. So now it has almost no shade. We built an awning/shade, but today I think I will add some shadecloth as well. That's the coop where I lost my two pullets yesterday (while free ranging) so they have to stay in. We weren't too smart with our first two coops, I am afraid. Plus our first two years in NY it really wasn't that hot - we didn't even realize it got all that hot here.

 

[Glasshen]

Such wonderful weather for this long weekend. My riding mower has been in the shop and we just got it back late in the day Friday. So I spent lots of time on it Sat. And Sun. Today I get to till my garden, yup, the tiller was also in the shop. But the girls have weathered the weather pretty well, although they have been fussing about territory. The big girls, the one year olds do not wNt to share the coop with the teens. They tolerate Mamas babies, because Mama is on top, and no one dares cross her, but the teens are very sweet birds and feel the hostility deeply. The night before last I found that they had put themselves to bed in the small coop that they used to live in until I moved the little BR girls in. The little BRs were not happy to share, and the complaints started early yesterday morning...Last night The BRs had put themselves to bed and I locked them in, the teens kept looking in, wanting to bunk with them. Stewie was chasing them away from the big coop whenever they approached. Poor things had no place they felt welcome. There is 18feet of roost in the big coop, but the three big girls had positioned themselves at both ends to make it uncomfortable for the teens to find a space. They finally agreed to spend the night in a nest box.

Is this a situation which will resolve itself in time? There are two teens who are 14 weeks, then 3 Brs who are 8 weeks, and Mamas chicks are 2 1/2 weeks. So we have a lot of inclusions to go through. Would it help to hang a curtain to block view from one end to the other? Any suggestions to help the situation at bed time would be welcomed.

On some days I take the big girls to work a separate area in the electric fence for fresh grass and bugs. I hope they find all the ticks and snails...and I bring the teens for a shorter work day, that gives the littles more freedom and less traffic on the pens grass. Also breathing room for all. Love to hear from people who have solved this kind of challenge.

 

[Lynzi777]

Such wonderful weather for this long weekend. My riding mower has been in the shop and we just got it back late in the day Friday.

Same here! We bought a mower back in April, used it maybe 3-4 times? And one of the cables snapped!

Needless to say we've been without a mower for the past week, and will be all of next week until we get it back.

Funny story, I called someone who placed an ad on CL for lawn mowing services, said he'd do my lawn for 40 bucks. He was able to come by yesterday morning to mow and we got talking when he was done, asked what me and my husband do and when I mentioned my husbands job, he said I think you've been by my farm before. I was like I have?!? LOL I said, well I did buy a pair of silkie chicks back in April from a woman over on Rt 80 (Where he was located) and he said Yea, thats my wife! How funny is that. The same farm I went to to get chicks, is now coming to me to mow my lawn. Funny how things happen like that. I'm going to take pics of my 5 today and see if you all can see what I'm seeing as far as the pullets from the roos. (If I can get them out from under the tree/bush they've been under all morning.)

 

[Cass]

Morning Everyone,
Sorry to hear of everyone's losses. I guess living in the valley, we get different weather from the rest of NY. It was hot here yesterday, but not to the point where I'd worry I guess. My chickens free range now during the weekends while I'm here with the kids. They've finally been venturing out further and further from the coop. We also have this large white oak (I think) tree on the side of of our yard and it keeps the uppermost part of the yard shaded until about 2-3 o'clock. So the coop doesn't direct sunlight until the sun is up and over the across the street, getting ready to set behind the mountain.

So I'm going to take a guess after I took a good close look at my 5 today and say that I have 1 silkie roo and 1 lavender orp roo. The rest look like pullets. (for now) If these two are roos will they need to be seperated? In which case I'd have to get rid of one. Or do you think because they've been getting along so well together they'll be alright? I wouldn't mind keeping both with hopes I can have pure orpingtons and pure silkie chicks.

I have 2 roos. No problems. Well, no problems if the beta roo doesn't try anything with the hens. LOL Personally, I think that once you are down to ONE roo that you really, really like, he will die of unknown causes leaving you with NO roo....if you have 2, both will remain healthy for a long time. Murphy's Law, ya know.

 

[stonykill]

the proud mom and dad and their 6- 4 day old fuzzy butts!



"mom I know we have our own pool, but can we go in yours?" lol

 

[Lynzi777]

I have 2 roos. No problems. Well, no problems if the beta roo doesn't try anything with the hens. LOL Personally, I think that once you are down to ONE roo that you really, really like, he will die of unknown causes leaving you with NO roo....if you have 2, both will remain healthy for a long time. Murphy's Law, ya know.

Good to know! Well so much for taking pictures, we're getting thunder storms here and it's pouring out! Good day to clean up the inside of the house!

 

[Henicillin]

The Last Egg Standing has been cracked, and it turns out that it was never fertile. Mercifully for my nose, the shell had cracked but the membrane was intact, so the yellow goo sloshing around was strictly a visual effect. Eeeew. The rotten, stench-laden one this morning did have a shapeless black mass in it, so that one was a quitter. I really need to build a candling box bright enough to handle these dark-shelled eggs!

Buffy the Now Former Broody must have realized that the whole thing was a lost cause, as she booked out of the coop this morning with all the others and hasn't been back in since. I also threw my BLRW out into the run today, where thus far she is hanging with the flock. Back to work, ladies! One more broody to go now. Mrs. Beasley, good luck. We're all depending on you!

 

[Lynzi777]

Ok, rain stopped. Took some pics.

This one on the left I'm thinking is a roo because of how much higher the comb is than the other one.


The next two pics of the silkies, it's the younger silkie that is developing a larger come/wattle than the older silkie. He was born 4/3 and the older one was born 3/28.
Roo?


Pullet? I can take a forward facing one of this one if I can get my hands on her. But her comb is no where as large as the one above, and she's older!


And of course my BO mix, going to go with pullet, she hatched 3/31, is the largest of the 5 and her comb hasn't gotten much bigger than this in the last couple of weeks...

 

[creekside2012]

I just want to pop in and say hello! I currently live in southern Jefferson County, NY. New to ducks, chickens, and actually trying to start a "as self-sufficient as possible" homestead. I also love knitting and yarn! I am also looking for a 4-H for my children so if there is anybody that is from up here and knows of one, I would love to hear about it!

 

[vmdanielsen]

I just want to pop in and say hello! I currently live in southern Jefferson County, NY. New to ducks, chickens, and actually trying to start a "as self-sufficient as possible" homestead. I also love knitting and yarn! I am also looking for a 4-H for my children so if there is anybody that is from up here and knows of one, I would love to hear about it!

Welcome to the ny thread on byc. I have to google jefferson co. ok, Western ny. I am near Albany. Hope you find a 4h!!!!!