NY chicken lover!!!!

[Adoravachick]

I have one hen with a Birchen chick and another with one I'm not sure yet, cuz it's black and she had a mix of eggs and one EE. I didn't want to mess with her to check which egg hatched.

Here's pic of one of my black orp roosters. Not his best shot but they are nice. I also have nice BBS hen from AL but I just can't hatch from them yet as they were to young this spring.

What beautiful beetle green colors on the black feathers...quite lovely.

 

[Cass]

What a beautiful weekend it turned out to be. I had THREE people stop in for eggs this week/weekend....I don't have the eggs...almost no one is laying...I think a chicken exploded in my coops and the rest are afraid to go in there. LOL Soon, soon they will start laying again. Of course I gave away 2 of my every day layers (for their own good, they were bare backed from over breeding)

Let's see, what else is new. Small chicks hatch out of small eggs. VERY small chicks. However this particular egg never fails to hatch, no matter who I put it under. Cute chick, just very small and oh soooo cute. The Ameruacana momma is doing a good job of keeping it alive, so far. I have my fingers crossed, since I have 4 juvies in that particular coop. I really can't wait to see what color egg it lays. It's momma is a mutt that I hatched out and lays a nice green egg. I am hoping the offspring lay a light green or light blue egg. The Daddy is a Pure Ameruacana (with wierd feather genes)

My Ameruacana chicks are still very weird in the feather department. If I didn't love their Daddy, I would get a new roo. I am seriously considering putting my black roo in that small side of the coop (and with the Lav Ams for spring hatching eggs) and see if that fixes the problem. I hatched one of the Ameruacana's eggs and that chick is almost 6 months old and hasn't laid an egg yet. If it was big enough to make a meal of, I would add it to the list for freezer camp but it isn't even as big as the D'uccle hens, just has longer legs, so it is taller.

Oh, get this, the Sumantras are laying....one of two of them anyway. And one of them goes inside the rabbit cage my special needs hens lives in to lay her egg. (and she doesn't chase the resident hen out of the cage, just moves in and lays her egg) I *thought* these were wild birds. I am the only one that can domesticate wild birds...and I WANT Them outdoors. I locked 2 of the roos outside tonight and they are having a fit running around the run trying to get in the coop. (No, I am not taking pity on them and letting them in. I want them outside, the coop just isn't big enough for all the birds I have.)

Right now, life is good. Vitals are stable, numbers are good and my mother isn't calling more than twice a day.

 

[cheeka]

Everyone is always welcome if they can stand the madness.

I do believe that the reason some have dropped out is they're in therapy.

Rancher

This is my therapy

 

[itsy]

Rancher - I was thinking about you earlier today. I have decided to set up a hoop structure in the back for the chickens this year. Figured it would be easier than not having to shovel snow for them to play around on the ground.

Could you post a photo of your hoop setup again??

I'm not too sure where to buy the plastic. I would like to make it large enough that I can walk inside.

 

[stonykill]

Aww--I hope that works Rancher. I try not to do anything that would be construed as a threat and have never coddled my roosters but for some reason they both decided yesterday was the day to go after me. I have spent some time today with my little guy legolas, feeding him treats and holding him. His brother as well. Olof has stayed clear but Hane came around, hoping for treats. I dont like having to boot them but if I dont, in their mind they have won and will do so again.

My acorn experiment worked! I collected half a jug full wandering around the property(making all the squirrels scream at me at the same time) and poured some in a plastic feed bag and used a hand heavy hammer to smash them up. I then poured the crushed nuts on the big flat rock out in their run. All the rir;s came running like it was christmas. Cleaned up all the nutmeat and are still scratching through the shells looking for anything that was missed. If they are all still alive come morning, I shall continue to gather acorns (we have white oaks) and will freeze them in the feed bags for winter. It should be a good supplement for them for the winter. I will have to see how hard it is to crack black walnuts as I have a source for that as well. Have to start bagging pine needles and leaves for winter for the runs. Seems its coming fast and I heard its supposed to be a heavy one.

Traded eggs for some homegrown organic hot peppers and made hot pepper jam today. Ummm, mmmm. Tasty! Had to put the dehydrator out on the kitchen porch though because the ones I am drying are pretty potent! So beautiful out today. Running back out to sit with my cheeps. Best therapy in the world.

outstanding!

 

[rancher hicks]

Rancher - I was thinking about you earlier today. I have decided to set up a hoop structure in the back for the chickens this year. Figured it would be easier than not having to shovel snow for them to play around on the ground.

Could you post a photo of your hoop setup again??

I'm not too sure where to buy the plastic. I would like to make it large enough that I can walk inside.

I used a heavy clear plastic, though it's really opaque. It is also high enough to walk into. I'm 5'5". I fit in the coop, but of course the run is higher since it is at ground level. The run is covered with poultry wire which is cheaper than hardware cloth. It is run to extend out from the sided about a foot or more. I have boards laid on it to hold it in place and then let the grass grow through it. I did cover the front with clear plastic painters drop cloths which ARE see through, but it got so hot I had to tear them off by half. This coop is warmer than the wooden one, but also the humidity is higher too. Ventilation has to be worked on. You may find away that is right for you. I personally find them cheap and easy to build.

 

[Sallysec]

So does anyone use the brinsea ecoglow? I'm really thinking about purchasing one. I hooked up my heat lamp tonight and was very unhappy. I also found out my thermometer didn't work. I figured I would see if any of you guys use one?

 

[itsy]

Thanks, Rancher! You're excellent!

I have a raised wooden coop, but in the winter time, they hate the snow. So, they all hang out under the overhang portion right by my house and the door. As a result - it's a poopfest. I'm hoping to fence that off this year so they can't get close to the house. I'll need to make them some sort of a room of their own that's sans snow and protected from the wind. This will be perfect Does the heat maintain better with the clear stuff even in the winter?

 

[featherz]

So does anyone use the brinsea ecoglow? I'm really thinking about purchasing one. I hooked up my heat lamp tonight and was very unhappy. I also found out my thermometer didn't work. I figured I would see if any of you guys use one?

I have two ecoglows and LOVE them. I can put chicks outside in just a few days if the temp outside isn't too cold, just make a temp brooder in a dog crate - no need to hang heat lamps or worry about fires.. no 250w bulb sucking up the electric bill.. plus the chicks get acclimated to day/night just like they would with a mama hen. If you plan on having > 15 chicks, I'd get the larger model.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Morning all and welcome to all the newbies.

Rancher--Nice looking roo!

Ginny--all the reds are still alive this morning so I will be busy gathering acorns to freezed for winter supplement. Freezing them should keep any worms or mold from growing. Maybe I should market it as a new excersize program--tromping through the woods gathering acorns!!!

My dh found another yellow jacket nest. Unfortunately it was while he was cutting down some trees. A couple of them followed him into the house and were still trying to sting him. They got gassed last night. They have been very aggressive this year. Cutting down more trees to make room for my silkie area and for blueberry bushes. Leaving the oaks though.

Another beautiful day and I am off to the pharm. Gotta earn that cheep feed!