Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[stake]

OK RANT TIME! Cross posted for PA FB....

Been a while since i posted, but ever since the fox took all my favorites and left the degenerates behind, I just hate my chickens. They are broody, older and aren't laying. The fox even left the egg eater behind. REALLY she takes 12 and leaves me this motley crew of 10.. And I only get 1 -3 eggs a day.. From 10 Chickens!! UGH. How do you all handle older chickens? Do typically do a reset on your flock? And if so what is the best way to rehome/ freezer camp? Or let them all out and let the fox have a party again.. and wait a few months to start over?

RC:

I really can feel your pain at losing your favs......but, maybe there are some things that aren't quite catastrophic...if you got some broody girls, they will come back on line...as the heat is lessening I see some of my girls starting to lay again...so your egg production may pick up a bit....rebuilding you flock just going to take some time....

I can get you some CCL and maybe a basque Roo or two...I can also set aside some OE and other mixed hatching eggs if that would help....PM me if I can help....

 

[chippysmom327]

 
OK RANT TIME! Cross posted for PA FB.... 

[COLOR=141823]Been a while since i posted, but ever since the fox took all my favorites and left the degenerates behind, I just hate my chickens. They are broody, older and aren't laying. The fox even left the egg eater behind. REALLY she takes 12 and leaves me this motley crew of 10.. And I only get 1 -3 eggs a day.. From 10 Chickens!! UGH. How do you all handle older chickens? Do typically do a reset on your flock? And if so what is the best way to rehome/ freezer camp? Or let them all out and let the fox have a party again.. and wait a few months to start over?[/COLOR]  

If there is an asian population in your area they would probably buy them at the right price...

I processed a small group of older layers for a friend late this spring because they had quit laying.  He hated to do it but he was only getting one or two eggs a day from the 11 hens.... I told him I found out why the egging was done when I processed them... many of them had egg tumors, a couple were internally laying and 2 had inflammation in the abdominal cavity, probably egg peritonitis? I found similar in a flock of 18 mixed breed layers I did last year... Anyway... just wanted to mention that sometimes processing is the better option.  

At the end of my local swap, a big white van pulls in, tons of asians pile out, and they buy every thing there. Rabbits, geese, turkeys, peacocks, ducks, chickens, pigs, goats you name it. Some people tell them that their animals are already sold just to avoid them taking them. When I see them pull in, I load my stuff up to take home. They're not taking anything of mine.

 

[stake]

Woo hoo! I got a new egg from a different girl today. It was another shell-less orb. Strange!

hey, you are real close...those girls will work it out and shorty,,,,if they are eating mostly layer feed there is calcium in their feed, ...if they are free ranging you may need to supplement a bit...my two cents....BTW, congrats...and egg is an egg!!!

 

[stake]

I am hoping this issue clears up when we are there more, except for critters the place is kind of quiet, ..

Dogs are not possible right now, I work long hours at very little notice, no time for training.

Wing:

Most of the flock protecting dogs need no training to do their job....they do need training not to be fools around humans and to be house trained etc....Blarney has a peach of a pup named "Bella". I have met her and she's exactly what you want....wouldn't let my pup "Denny" near the flock when I went for a visit....

 

[wingstone]

I am hoping this issue clears up when we are there more, except for critters the place is kind of quiet, ..


Dogs are not possible right now, I work long hours at very little notice, no time for training.

Wing:

Most of the flock protecting dogs need no training to do their job....they do need training not to be fools around humans and to be house trained etc....Blarney has a peach of a pup named "Bella". I have met her and she's exactly what you want....wouldn't let my pup "Denny" near the flock when I went for a visit....

Least all of you make more sense than hubby, he told me to get a donkey..

My comeback to that can not be posted here.

 

[fisherlady]

Least all of you make more sense than hubby, he told me to get a donkey..

My comeback to that can not be posted here.

I had considered suggesting a llama or alpaca.... I understand they are good herd protectors also...

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

are you offering them oyster shell?   maybe their shell-less-ness is due to lack of calcium????

I think it's just beacause they are just starting to lay.

hey, you are real close...those girls will work it out and shorty,,,,if they are eating mostly layer feed there is calcium in their feed, ...if they are free ranging you may need to supplement a bit...my two cents....BTW, congrats...and egg is an egg!!!

I had them on the bag of grower feed I had left, but I had offered a bowl of oyster shell powder. I am going to buy a bag of layer feed today, now that everyone is working hard to churn out eggs.

 

[wingstone]

 

[wingstone]

Least all of you make more sense than hubby, he told me to get a donkey..


My comeback to that can not be posted here.

I had considered suggesting a llama or alpaca.... I understand they are good herd protectors also...

He was just trying to be a sarcastic j****as. He is very good at that.

 

[roseschickies]

You can advertise them for sale cheaper than the average laying hen since they are older, some people prefer the older birds for meat also.  Offer them as a group price even.  Freezer camp is always an option, and in my opinion is a much better alternative (a quick and humane death) than just turning loose unwanted birds to allow them to become predator bait.  I'm sorry, but (again in my opinion) it is cruel to provide for a bird it's entire life and then just expect it to fend for itself.   If you can't do the deed yourself you probably can find someone in your area who can dispatch your birds for a reasonable price.  Even if you don't want to eat them yourself they would be good for soup or would be good to grind up and freeze and feed to the next generations as treats.   If all else fails and you don't want to mess with freezing them then offer them for free.... someone else may be able to use them to start a flock or fill their freezer so at least they won't go to waste.

I do t think I could actually let them out to the fox, was just a meant rant. There are a few I still do like, but pretty sure those ones are not laying. I couldn't process them myself, I wouldn't be opposed to that. I would definitely go the more human route they are still my girls.

If there is an asian population in your area they would probably buy them at the right price...

I processed a small group of older layers for a friend late this spring because they had quit laying.  He hated to do it but he was only getting one or two eggs a day from the 11 hens.... I told him I found out why the egging was done when I processed them... many of them had egg tumors, a couple were internally laying and 2 had inflammation in the abdominal cavity, probably egg peritonitis? I found similar in a flock of 18 mixed breed layers I did last year... Anyway... just wanted to mention that sometimes processing is the better option.  

Would you be interested in processing mine? If not to far?

RC:

I really can feel your pain at losing your favs......but, maybe there are some things that aren't  quite catastrophic...if you got some broody girls, they will come back on line...as the heat is lessening I see some of my girls starting to lay again...so your egg production may pick up a bit....rebuilding you flock just going to take some time....

I can get you some CCL and maybe a basque Roo or two...I can also set aside some OE and other mixed hatching eggs if that would help....PM me if I can help....

Maybe, it will take some time to decide what I want to do, my coop is also a mess, we haven't been home much, and I'm about 7 weeks preggers, so all I do is sleep! This weekend I hope to get out and clean my coop! And take a hard look at my girls.