NY chicken lover!!!!

[County Boy]

My neighbor called me this morning to inform me a 500 pound black bear was walking through his backyard right then towards my house and that he hoped my chickens were locked up. I ran out to the kitchen porch and then to the front porch but saw nothing. I put my wonder dog out on his run on the front porch and he started barking shortly afterwards. So did the other dogs in the neighborhood. Fortunately for me the bear crossed from my woods to my neighbor across the streets woods, and continued on his way. The cheeps never alerted. The dogs did their jobs. Hence the reason I keep clean coops/runs and a clean yard. Less incentive for the local bears to come by looking for food. He did get my neighbors garbage last week when he forgot to bring it in so I suspect he was just checking to see if that opportunity was there. He has the garbage days figured out and usually comes by on or around those days. Better garbage than my chickens. I do have the means to dispatch him if I have to (as nys law says I can) but I prefer not to unless necessary. We live in the woods and so have learned to live with what lives there in relative peace unless forced to take action. It works.

WOW!!! The bggest black bear I've seen was when i was hunting. It was probly 400lbs. You hardly ever see one over 300 bu if it waqas in the neighborhood it probly ate a lot of garbage.

 

[Lapeerian]

Blue Boy, previously known as Blue Girl


Pretty boy

Two EE/americaunas roosters.  Anybody have the need for either of these two?

Nice looking boys, I'll trade you my 8 teenager Roos! Harry has gone from being a weenie to head rooster this last week. When I let them out this morning, Harry comes out, everyone stayed in the coop and on the roosts. Took lots of scratch and bread treats to bring them out. They eventually came out, very cautiously, NH got jumped. Even the bully GLWs and the big Orp roo stay out of Harry's way. He was nicely talking to everyone as they were eating scratch, but no one goes anywhere near him now.

 

[vmdanielsen]

Nice looking boys, I'll trade you my 8 teenager Roos! Harry has gone from being a weenie to head rooster this last week. When I let them out this morning, Harry comes out, everyone stayed in the coop and on the roosts. Took lots of scratch and bread treats to bring them out. They eventually came out, very cautiously, NH got jumped. Even the bully GLWs and the big Orp roo stay out of Harry's way. He was nicely talking to everyone as they were eating scratch, but no one goes anywhere near him now.

Wait! I am trying to get RID of roosters, not get more!! They are just so handsome I thought I'd see if anybody wanted them before they went to be processed. It sounds so heartless, but what else does one do? And certainly they have a happier life than any chicken one can eat from a store.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Morning all. Caught a glimpse of the resident bruin and I would say he was more in the range of 350-400 pounds. He looks good, nice shiny coat, nice balance to him. If he follows true to form, it will be at least 2 weeks before he wanders back through.

The boys are all finding their voices and 3 of them were answering Little Mans crows this morning. 2 were kazoos but the most developed roo actually had an almost normal crow this morning. They are still pretty quiet for roos as the crowing only lasted maybe 5 minutes or so. I had one grab me last night when I was in the coop doing stuff so I grabbed him and picked him up. He didnt know what to do! Gave me a chance to assess his weight and overall growth. They still have to fill out more. The pullets seem to be filling out faster and are getting a nice weight on them. I will have to make them another chicken dinner tonight for another protein boost.

 

[kamir]

Something else now. I have a hen laying in the crook of a tree. How do I get her to stop.

First, get a saw...

Good grief, what other new things will I learn from this group. Eggs in trees, under bushes, between a rock and a hard place...what have I gotten myself into?

Seriously, I've learned a lot from the posters here, as well as from BYC in general.

Henicillin - A "neighbor" a little more than 1/4 mile down the hill from me allows his hounds to howl and bark almost continually, so I feel your pain from your neighbor's loud tv! Some people are ignorant beyond belief.

Pharmchickrnmom - good luck with your surgery!

Back to painting the coop.

Regards,
kamir

 

[County Boy]

If there is anybody who would like Buff or Light Brahmas I have a half dozen of each color in chicks I'm looking to get rid. I found myself running out of coop space

and have decided to drop this whole project. All the parents have been sold but one buff brahma. She is available as well.

 

[Henicillin]

Mrs. Beasley has evidently cut the apron strings as of today, as she is moseying around in the run without a care in the world, ignoring the plaintive peeps of her four fully-feathered, mini-chicken chicks. When they aren't crying for Mama, they're hanging around Papa, as he's keeping the hens from whapping them upside their feathery little heads. One of them keeps trying to attach itself to Lenore the Jersey Giant's group, but gets run off for its troubles. It's sort of pitiful, really.

They'll get over it.

 

[featherz]

Hi all! Had a great birthday - Circus Smirkus is a blast! Also managed to sell my remaining chicks today woohoo! I have just a few eggs hatching over the weekend for my broodies, if they don't take them I am going to be extremely grumpy.

Anyone want a Chantecler cockerel? He's going to be very pretty I think. I am mulling between keeping him or one of my NN boys, but all of em just can't stay. He's an easter
baby so around four months old. A bit of a late bloomer. Sorry about the bad pic, all I had was my cell at the time.

 

[Lapeerian]

Wait! I am trying to get RID of roosters, not get more!! They are just so handsome I thought I'd see if anybody wanted them before they went to be processed. It sounds so heartless, but what else does one do? And certainly they have a happier life than any chicken one can eat from a store.

I'm thinking my boys may need to go sooner rather than later. Harry shows potential as a good roo, he was trying to round up everyone and show them where I tossed some fridge leftovers tonight. But the rest of the flock is hiding and cowering from him. The other EE roo follows around as his buddy. When Harry gets done with the NH, the other roo steps in to take a turn at the poor girl. I'm not sure what I should be looking for in the 'who should stay, who should go' game. But too much drama for them all to stay, not to mention the hen:roo ratio.
Hubby liked the 2 GLW boys for their looks, but they were the bullies and the matching hen is non-standard anyways with the straight comb. They can go as I'm not particularly attatched, and they look meaty.
Harry the EE has a beard, has potential as a good roo as he has started trying to show the flock where to eat, but right now is a pest. Undecided.
Mahogany the EE has a beard, is Harry's sidekick, the 4am crower, and has crooked toes. The toes say he has to go (along with the crowing).
Fezz the EE has no beard/muffs/tufts. Undecided.
Ron the Black Orp, pretty boy came from HappyHens Annie with the 2 girls, so far he just eats. Undecided, because he is related to the 2 girls.
The 2 Ancona boys, they blend in with the flock, so are 'just there' for now. Too little to eat anyways, so they can stay unless someone is looking for one. My buddy gets to stay.
Well, that is the 8 roo lineup. Any advice would be appreciated. And if anyone wants one, you can have them!
ETA: They are all March chicks.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Lapeerian--seems we both have the same roo decisions to make! I have 7 roos in with 19 hens. Hatched out April 1. The boys are getting randy and the most mature two are trying to mate with the girls who are too young and not ready yet. Needless to say screams of rape are heard every once in a while from their run. I am currently running a Survivor--Chicken Style reality show in which only 2 roos will survive to win the flock. I have a potential winner picked out but its too early in the game yet to tell. They are all still filling out and maturing. Good luck picking out your winners!

Ginny--did you ever get your eprinex?

Today 3 silkie kids go to their new home. Paring down to my breeding stock I want and I am putting the money towards a new incubator. I am hoping that with a new bator and all the advice I got from Rancher that I will be able to successfully hatch eggs in the spring. My silkie girls are back to laying and I have seen Little Man paying lots of attention to them. However, I am done hatching for now. I still have the lone chick downstairs and am hoping its a pullet.

Have a good day everyone!