NY chicken lover!!!!

[kamir]

Thanks everyone for their replies. I have been to the Old Timer's thread when I first started lurking here, gathering info before I took the plunge. Guess I'll look some more.

The coop isn't quite done yet, so the chicks will have to stay inside a while longer.

Regards,
kamir


The chief bad girl...sorry for the blurry picture...

 

[Cass]

Thanks everyone for their replies. I have been to the Old Timer's thread when I first started lurking here, gathering info before I took the plunge. Guess I'll look some more.

The coop isn't quite done yet, so the chicks will have to stay inside a while longer.

Regards,
kamir


The chief bad girl...sorry for the blurry picture...

My first brooder was a cardboard box covered with a screen I took out of a window. (and then made sure I didn't open THAT window til they went outside.)

My second brooder was a Rubbermaid crate that I didn't need in the house any more, cuz I lost or broke the lid. I had a chicken coop by then, henseforth I had chicken wire around. I put a piece of that over the top and curled it around the handles.

THEN my SO, Ray, saw I was serious about chickens (cuz he had just finished a $1500 coop for me. Hey, it has vinyl siding and that stuff isn't cheap LOL) . SOOoooo he made me a brooder box that is heavy as all get out, so he has to carry it in and out of the house for me. (Hmm, I wonder if I planned it that way?) BUT it is the brooder box directly out of my dreams. Top is hinged so I can lift it and not have to remove it. Has divider in middle so I can have 2 different sizes (age sometimes determines size) chicks in at the same time and if they are the same age one of the dividers is hardware cloth so they can socialize without killing each other...which makes for easier intigration when they go down to the coop.

It's a sickness. Morehens. And no one has found the cure, that's for sure.

 

[Pyxis]

Look what featherz gave me!



She also gave me a dozen eggs to put under my broody to see if she'd sit long enough to hatch them, since those babies are a little old to give to her and they're all mine

BUT, here's the weird thing. She was brooding in the duck house, so I moved her to the coop and put the new eggs under her. Overnight she moved back to the duck house and stole duck eggs to sit on. That didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was this - the whole dozen eggs disappeared overnight. Just gone, shells and all. How the heck does that happen? I still have all my chickens, so a predator doesn't seem likely. Just a total what the heck moment. As far as I know I don't have any egg eaters, and even if I did, a dozen in one night, shells and all? They might turn up somewhere, but this is so odd.

Anyway, I've decided to go back to the chick route. If anybody has any hatching in the next week or so, I'd love to take two or three off your hands!

 

[kamir]

My first brooder was a cardboard box covered with a screen I took out of a window. (and then made sure I didn't open THAT window til they went outside.)

My second brooder was a Rubbermaid crate that I didn't need in the house any more, cuz I lost or broke the lid. I had a chicken coop by then, henseforth I had chicken wire around. I put a piece of that over the top and curled it around the handles.

THEN my SO, Ray, saw I was serious about chickens (cuz he had just finished a $1500 coop for me. Hey, it has vinyl siding and that stuff isn't cheap LOL) . SOOoooo he made me a brooder box that is heavy as all get out, so he has to carry it in and out of the house for me. (Hmm, I wonder if I planned it that way?) BUT it is the brooder box directly out of my dreams. Top is hinged so I can lift it and not have to remove it. Has divider in middle so I can have 2 different sizes (age sometimes determines size) chicks in at the same time and if they are the same age one of the dividers is hardware cloth so they can socialize without killing each other...which makes for easier intigration when they go down to the coop.

It's a sickness. Morehens. And no one has found the cure, that's for sure.

Now that I'm older and wiser...well...older, the cardboard box is what I should have had at the beginning. Unlike most people on this forum, though, I'm not interested in getting more chickens; what I have is more than sufficient for one person. But...I'll hang on to the cardboard box...never say never...

kamir

 

[Henicillin]

Unlike most people on this forum, though, I'm not interested in getting more chickens; what I have is more than sufficient for one person. But...I'll hang on to the cardboard box...never say never...

kamir

Oh, I remember saying that. I only wanted six, ended up with fourteen, bought four more, then bought six more, acquired another one, and have now hatched out several. Then I threw ducks into the mix. I have Morefowl disease, which is a mutation of Morehens.

Stony, one of my drakes was wooing his lady yesterday evening. He was unsuccessful, but they're getting there. Rouen eggs should be coming within a couple of months!

 

[stonykill]

Oh, I remember saying that. I only wanted six, ended up with fourteen, bought four more, then bought six more, acquired another one, and have now hatched out several. Then I threw ducks into the mix. I have Morefowl disease, which is a mutation of Morehens.

Stony, one of my drakes was wooing his lady yesterday evening. He was unsuccessful, but they're getting there. Rouen eggs should be coming within a couple of months!

the young man knows

.

Yeah, I have morefowl disease myself. There isn't a cure, but really, who cares if there isn't?

 

[vmdanielsen]

Evening all.

Cass--did you find your sumatras??? I hope so because that owl will keep coming back.

Adoravachick--silkies has special mind powers that will make you do whatever they want. I know this because I am owned...ahem own...10 of them. They pretty much get whatever they want.

Kamir--dont be too hasty about eating those chickens. After you eat that first egg, you will be wanting more. Egg salad from fresh eggs is the bomb!

So the rir boys are getting randy and the girls are avoiding them as much as possible. However, I did see a potential candidate to stay as he was doing his job in getting everyone into the coop tonight. He has been doing this the last couple of nights so he get points in his favor to not go to freezer camp. This flock has got to be the chattiest group I have ever encountered. They yak all day long and if you go out there, they yak your ears off while you are working! My hens dont talk that much! I guess rir are chatty by nature. Anyone else have chatty rir's?

The lone silkie chick is doing well and my daughter and the cat were socializing with it today while I was at work. Abby (the cat) would like to mommy it I think as she lays on the chair next to the brooder box and peeks in if it chirps. I guess she was rubbing her head on the chick when my daughter had it upstairs playing with it. My dd only likes them when they are in the cute mini-yeti fluffball stage. After that she refuses to have anything to do with them. My silkie hens are no longer broody so they wont take the chick. Sigh. I hope this one is a pullet at least.

Ginny--going for the last (and probably most painful) test on thursday to confirm or deny gallbladder. I am betting confirm. 4 hours and I know what they do as I went through all of this last year with my 18 year old daughter before she had hers out. This one will be the most painful. Hoping to get this all finished so I can actually eat without fear again. Its a great weight loss program, if you are into pain!!!

good luck!

 

[vmdanielsen]

yes, please!!!! I would like to ask some Qs!!!

Java, I have a number for you. I forgot it in the car. Will PM tomorrow.

 

[Cass]

Now that I'm older and wiser...well...older, the cardboard box is what I should have had at the beginning. Unlike most people on this forum, though, I'm not interested in getting more chickens; what I have is more than sufficient for one person. But...I'll hang on to the cardboard box...never say never...

kamir

OMG...you only want the number of chickens you already have? You're sick. Take an asprin or something.

Ok. Here is what is going to happen. (Y'll can correct me if I am wrong) One of your chicks is gonna die. OR 2 of them are gonna turn out to be roos. Now you won't have enough chickens. So you will decide to get 2 more to suppliment the decreased number you find yourself with. (Hey, if you are already buying feed, what's a couple more, right?) Besides, in the course of your research you are going to discover that chickens DO NOT lay an egg every day, so a couple more so you can have enough for your needs makes sense. THEN you are going to go to someone's house to pick up those 2 chicks. Remember you want hens, not roos, K? (you have to go to someone's house, cuz retail stores are required to sell 6 or more at a time, by law) When you get to that person's house they are going to tell you that they *think* these 2 are female, but aren't sure, so why don't you take 4 to make sure you get the 2 hens you want/need. When you get home, you are going to discover that they person you got the chicks from somehow managed, without your knowledge or seeing how it happened, to put 6 chicks in there.

How am I doing so far, folks?

So when those 6 grow up you find out that 5 of them are hens (seems your supplier was better at telling gender than they thought) and NOW you have more eggs than you can use. So you give a few to a friend or relative. A few days later they call you and ask if you have any extra eggs right now cuz they a)loved them and need more or b) have a friend that would like a dozen or two. This continues for a couple of months and spring comes. Everyone on the board and every farm store has chicks. Since your hens don't seem to be able to keep up with the requests you are getting you decide to get a few more chickens. May I suggest that get sex linked, so you don't have to worry about roosters. OR if you get them for free from one of us, remember that about 1/2 of all hatched chicks are male. So be sure to get a dozen or so. Then you are going to fall in love with one of the roos and keep it. Now you have fertile eggs IN YOUR COOP. Then a hen will go broody. And more chicks will happen.

Ahhhhhhh....morehens disease. There is no cure and there is no avoiding it.

Am I right or am I right, folks?

BTW? I was only going to get 5 hens and one roo. Then I discovered that the correct ratio is 10:1 and the rest is history. (One year into this adventure,I now have over 35 birds in various stages development)

 

[Lapeerian]

OMG...you only want the number of chickens you already have? You're sick. Take an asprin or something.

Ok. Here is what is going to happen. (Y'll can correct me if I am wrong) One of your chicks is gonna die. OR 2 of them are gonna turn out to be roos. Now you won't have enough chickens. So you will decide to get 2 more to suppliment the decreased number you find yourself with. (Hey, if you are already buying feed, what's a couple more, right?) Besides, in the course of your research you are going to discover that chickens DO NOT lay an egg every day, so a couple more so you can have enough for your needs makes sense. THEN you are going to go to someone's house to pick up those 2 chicks. Remember you want hens, not roos, K? (you have to go to someone's house, cuz retail stores are required to sell 6 or more at a time, by law) When you get to that person's house they are going to tell you that they *think* these 2 are female, but aren't sure, so why don't you take 4 to make sure you get the 2 hens you want/need. When you get home, you are going to discover that they person you got the chicks from somehow managed, without your knowledge or seeing how it happened, to put 6 chicks in there.

How am I doing so far, folks?

So when those 6 grow up you find out that 5 of them are hens (seems your supplier was better at telling gender than they thought) and NOW you have more eggs than you can use. So you give a few to a friend or relative. A few days later they call you and ask if you have any extra eggs right now cuz they a)loved them and need more or b) have a friend that would like a dozen or two. This continues for a couple of months and spring comes. Everyone on the board and every farm store has chicks. Since your hens don't seem to be able to keep up with the requests you are getting you decide to get a few more chickens. May I suggest that get sex linked, so you don't have to worry about roosters. OR if you get them for free from one of us, remember that about 1/2 of all hatched chicks are male. So be sure to get a dozen or so. Then you are going to fall in love with one of the roos and keep it. Now you have fertile eggs IN YOUR COOP. Then a hen will go broody. And more chicks will happen.

Ahhhhhhh....morehens disease. There is no cure and there is no avoiding it.

Am I right or am I right, folks?

BTW? I was only going to get 5 hens and one roo. Then I discovered that the correct ratio is 10:1 and the rest is history. (One year into this adventure,I now have over 35 birds in various stages development)

Excellent description!

I'm still in the beginning stages, maybe moving onto step 2? The part where you decide the roos will need to go and need replacement hens...