NY chicken lover!!!!

[Chasity]

Lynzi777

I don't have many preditor problems here in Nc in the summer, but I have many issues from birds of prey, and coyotes in the winter; when it is cold. Early this spring I had to purchase a shotgun because they were picking off so many birds, and even a drake, and a 1 year old goat. It was terrible. I did not want the weapon in the house with the kids, but felt that I had to protect my birds. I still have not shot one, but they are afraid of me and my broomstick now! That was the last sleepless night before I made that purchase. It scared me to be out there in the dark when I could hear them tearing up the fencing, and could not see well under the tree line.

Chas

 

[admhotel]

Well I'm of to Lowes to get some landscaping stones. I'm all done with the digging in my yard which means I've run out of all the large stones/rocks I was digging up. I did see someone post on CL an ad for landscaping stones that looked like they were from his own yard and he was trying to sell for $95. Thought that was a bit much for stones HE didn't even pay for. I'll pay a quarter of that price at Lowes on the aount I need to finish up my yard.

You are more than welcome to get as many fieldstones from us as you would like. We have acouple large piles from when they plowed for the cornfields. That is what we used when DW cleaned up our hedgerow.

 

[rancher hicks]

sssooooo guess what???? my rabbit doe Sidney had 10 baby kits last night

and my breeder java eggs that I got from the guy in VT are HATCHING!!!!!!!

3 chicks so far!!!

congrats on the new babies.

Here I've got broody's coming out my ears. The BM who just hatched two (which I took) won't stop. She has no were to mother chicks. So I gave her 12 I had saved for another hen. The Lt. Sussex I got from Sterlingsue, is broody but with no eggs yet and I've got another BM on 10 eggs Frenchy has 6 but I fear she may have quit after hearing the two new chicks in the brooder in the same room. AND I gave 12 to the Lav orp hen in the coop. I know not all the eggs they're sitting on are fertile but I will candle.

 

[featherz]

LOL went to let out the chickens this morning.. I knew I had some early molters, although wasn't entirely sure who - lots of white feathers around so pretty sure I have a brahma or two molting (although they are still laying and have nice red combs).. but BOB (big orange broody) surprised me.. She was a big fat orange chicken yesterday and now she looks like an orange dishrag. LOL. I guess I am glad they are molting now when it's hot and they don't need all those feathers?

BOB last week (with two of cass's lavender chicks + 1 NN):




BOB today:

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Featherz--talk about riches to rags! Poor BOB!

Rancher--good luck with all your broodies. I refuse to hatch any more so my 2 silkie and 1 wyandotte broody are sitting on air. The little ones are the witches. Every time I go to kick them out of their spot in the run to lock them up, they attack and scream and carry on. Elanor, my glw, is a very nice broody. I plan on using her to hatch some eggs next year.

So freezer camp is opening this week with the top two rapists. Dh and I have had enough and the boys are now a little over 17 weeks old and I dont think the girls can take much more. We are going to do 2 this week and 3 next week. Hopefully, with only the 2 roosters left, the 19 girls can relax and actually do chicken things without fear of being jumped. I do have 2 girls who are laying consistantly and they are small eggs but a beautiful dark brown color. Still working on getting the permanent run done. Too hot to dig holes and hang gates. Hoping this breaks soon.

Supposed to get storms today so everyone is already stocked up on food and water. Hope those of you who need it get some rain.

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

I sent my first mean rooster to the crock pot today. I hope he was worth all the work and feed he ate. It's awfully quiet it the yard today.

 

[tdmom]

Hi there and welcome. You are not far from me. I am in Eden, NY and wanted to say hello!

Thank you everyone for your replies. I am from Hamburg,Ny. I have been doing a lot of research on chickens the last few months via the library & the internet. I def don't want a heat lamp. I thought the the insulation would help keep the bitter winds from penetrating the coop. My coop is made from cedar. I made sure not to block any ventilation holes. I just stuck it on the inside walls with thin piece of sub flooring over it so the hens won't peck at the insulation. I had a few pieces I put insulation on wrong side of coop and after reading your post I won't worry about fixing it so insulation is on that wall.

As for the plastic on the run I had read several different articles stating the the hens didn't / wouldn't go in the run during the winter if there was deep snow in it. Sometimes we can get 2-3 ft a day when it snows lol I just want to make sure I can let them out in the run when its snowing without worrying about them getting wet/frostbitten.

I planned on putting flat land scape bricks in the run area so that no critters can dig up under the run. Then put sand over it to make it easier to clean out. But then i thought they wouldn't be able to scratch and eat the grass thats planted there. Am i better just putting the bricks around the outside of the pen to keep critters from digging in?

Can anyone recommend a place to get young birds that are close to my area? I am guessing that they won't ship anything bigger than chicks? I was thinking of seeing if anyone was selling hens at our local county fair in a couple of weeks but I wanted to make sure I got hens that were hardy for the winter. I was thinking about barred rocks? They seem to not mind the cold and are suppose to be friendly.

Also I have a heated water bowl that is made for dogs. I have never used it for the dogs tho lol Can I just leave the heated bowl of water in the run fom them during the winter?

This is a pic of my newly put together coop. Tperson who I purchased it from says it will hold 3-4 large birds or 6 bantams. I am thinking if I start with 2 birds that would be plenty for a newbie. I am thinking I will need to make the run bigger tho since they will have the ground in that small area cleared in no time

 

[tdmom]

Hi Angie and welcome! What kinds of chickens do you have and how many?

Thank you everyone for your welcomes. I live in Eden, NY which is in western NY near Buffalo. I only have 4 chickens at this time but am hoping to get some chicks next spring and hopefully be able to integrate them to my original 4.

I've been begging my husband for the past 13 years to get chickens and he finally said yes but it was too late to be able to buy chicks from the stores, so the only ones I could find were 8 week old pullets on craigslist and it's been just perfect for us so far. I love my girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm told I have a Black Star, New Hampshire Red, Easter Egger and either a Red Production or a Rhode Island Red (not sure which it is).

However, the purchase I made of a used chicken coop for $75 on craigslist turned out to be a TERRIBLE purchase and a waste of my money My girls are still free range during the day and in a dog crate at night or if I have to go out longer than an hour, they'll go back in the crate until I come home and can watch them. I'm a stay-at-home mom, so I'm mostly home.

My husband is building a coop and run currently but it is taking a long time (cannot blame him--he works full-time plus overtime, it is a learning experience for him as he is not the most experienced, and it's been HOT). He is rebuilding the coop from our eldest son's old tree fort/house my father-in-law built him years and years ago.

Would it be best if I started a new post for the questions I have regarding insulation vs. non-insulated, ventilation, windows etc.? Should that be put in the coop section? Thank you in advance!

 

[kamir]

Welcome tdmom,

Being a noob myself, I'll defer answering your questions to the more knowledgeable members. Besides, being the only Pennsylvania "member", I'm only tolerated, 'cause I'm from the other side of the tracks.

On a more serious note, it looks like the storms won't be as bad as previously forecast yesterday.

No more rain needed here but I think some other areas could use some more so I hope those areas get my share.

kamir

 

[Glasshen]

Welcome, TD! You can ask any questions here, you will get a range of opinions on any question, as it seems there is no one way to do anything! But at least if you are on the NY Upstate thread you will be getting opinions from people from the same climate.

Folks here are very helpful, and there is a lot of knowledge, and humor. Welcome.