Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[WhileHewasgamin]

Aww I can't wait to hold them as babies. There will be a run attached to it just in case I can't get them to listen lol.

 

[barbiegirl]

To all the new people, take a look at this video. Chickens are the gateway animal lol. Just a warning. Think it has happened to too many of us here.

 

[chippysmom327]

[COLOR=333333]hmmmm sitting here staring at the screen for 15 minutes thinking about everyone, and not sure how to say hello or explain my absence. [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]its so funny, it seems like only yesterday I was watching over my first set of eggs in the bator in panic, wondering if I was doing it all right or ohhhh so wrong! Now its like changing the toilet paper roll! (dont ask me why I use that definition, must be the meds!) [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]First let me admit, I have been on other internet support groups, not for fowl but for my health. Been a tough year plus for me, the family and I am hoping on the upswing not the downswing. We did indeed have to sell even more of our birds, I saved a trio of my best Brahma, some Legbars, and of course we couldnt break HarmonyAnns heart and get rid of her serama aka "Curly Sues". In fact from her and Daddy having to take care of the flocks she ended up saving enough cash to purchase more serama breeders. Now I need to get better so I can make her more pens in the serama saloon so she can separate them better. [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]I have in the past several months hatched some more brahma that are looking amazing, hard to believe this is the 4th generation! I have cleaned my first coop last week for the first time in a year all by myself! yes I was in bad shape and it wasnt until this summer that I actually got to go outside and hangout with my kids by the pool and chickens, too many surgeries and too sick to wonder around, I will admit that I am happy to NOT have to do the GROCERY shopping anymore! I hated that and now he does it! My Mom is still coming to do my wash and its funny because she knows I can do it, she doesnt want me to! She is bored now that she retired, and I love her visits almost daily now! she lives less than 200 yards from us! [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]I dont ship anything because I couldnt keep up the npip so I only ship PA and local pick up. Its not even paying for feed right now, not sure if I will keep the CCL either, we have been eating all the eggs except for HarmonyAnns serama, as she is hatching and selling eggs a plenty. I do have a few of our mixed breed Barred Rock hens that are my project birds, I know stupid to keep them and rid most brahma, but brahma eat and poop alot and for eggs the BR project "crested Barred rock" are great layers of huge eggs and meat birds. [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]We also have 26 meaties growing out, they are about 19+/- days old. first time for them, so far so good. Got them from Ideal poultry and they sent extras and they all made it. I also ordered some bantam dark cornish to see if we can raise them for meaties, but not sure bantam was the right way to go. oh well I will grow them out and see what happens. We are very lucky to have great friends and one of them gave us a freezer for our garage to keep our meat! What a blessing that was! [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Eric wants to try quail again, but I need to research the best tasting. Last time we didnt enjoy the very dark breast meat, or I dont know how to cook it. So I will research them and try some chicks or eggs since I already have the set up and empty. So as u can tell I have the fowl itch back again and heading more to feeding us than selling them! I just wish this AI crap would go away and I dont have that threat to take my flock someday, but we can only practice our best BIOSEC! I dont want to bring anything in or send anything out because of all the states changing importations, its too much to figure out per order and until we NPIP again we are stuck, not that its hard to get, its just a pain I cant do right now.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]We are still raising a few English Springer Spaniel pups, HarmonyAnn and Daddy had really stepped up to the plate helping with the litter! [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]I know most of you have kept in touch via other social groups and know most of this, but I wanted to drop in and send a hello while I am online to search for feeding of these CornishX meaties and we all know where the best place to research is!!! I forget how I am to feed them as they age and I have to look up quail too! [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Blessings and Love to all.... [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR][/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR] [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR][/COLOR] [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR]

Love seeing pics! Glad you're doing a little better!

 

[song of joy]

Hi. This is my first visit to the PA thread. It looks like there's lots going on here!

I have two barred plymouth rock cockerels available for free (hatch date 7/27/15). They are currently 5 weeks old. They have been hen-raised with a mixed-age flock that is allowed to free-range, so they are learning "flock manners" and foraging skills. I already have a rooster, so these cockerels will have to go. I'm in central PA (Spring Mills) if anyone is interested. (I've also posted in the buy-sell-trade forum)

 

[LadyBehir]

Clipped Cate and Zippy. Could not get DupliCate. Did not matter. The 3 of them are roosting up in the trumpet vine anyway. Twerps. I will have to camp out tomorrow evening to see how they are getting up there.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

 
Don't heat the coop. Too many fires are caused by heating of chicken coops. If you loose power (like during a snow storm) your chickens will not be able to adjust to the cold. Chickens do great without a heated coop.

Agree, VENTILATION is key, if you think you have enough add more ventilation!  It keeps them from getting frostbite, sometimes the heat lamps cause way too much moisture and add that to cold you get frostbitten toes and combs.  

Little bitties like Serama or some frizzled types DO need heat in PA.  But again VENTILATION is key!

ALSO MAKE SURE you lay your 2x4 on its side for the roost pole, it helps them keep their tootsies covered and prevent frostbite as well! Adding some indoor outdoor carpet to the roost also is nice because its easy to brush the poo off and clean!  Also heavy breeds cannot fly high and should NOT and like our brahma WILL NOT  jump high onto a roost or into a nest box, so keep this in mind when designing your coop! Start with planning your chickens, and coop design! 

I've read and heard great things about Austrolorps, Orpingtons, and Plymouth Rocks. I am hoping to get an Orpington rooster. I am also planning to keep the flock around 10 in total give or take when it's harvesting time. In hopes also to keep around 3-4 good laying hens. And keeping the rooster as long as he will stick around. I was thinking about an 8'x8' coop depending on ordinances, and fencing in our backyard. Do you think that will be enough space during our cold winters? Not too sure on how to heat the coop yet. And do I have to trim the Spurs? Or is this just his and everyone else's best interest. Also is there a good post on how to successfully raise your dual purpose chicken? Like how often to incubate or when it's time to harvest? Thanks in advance!

Trimming spurs is NOT a big deal, some use potatoes and I take the easy route, I just use the dog clippers and kwickstop because I have little kids JUST 

IN CASE a rooster looks at them differently. beak trimming is easy too, but its best to let them do the scraping on a rock or cement block in the run to keep it short.  

There are so many things you will learn on your chicken journey! 

OH MY Goodness!!! Sally! You're baaaaaack! I actually teared up when I saw your post. I'm such a dork. Glad you're doing better, and good to see you.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Hello Pennsylvania! New here to BYC, but super excited to start being a chicken owner! My family and I are in Lancaster, Pa. We hope to start raising chicken in the next year, just trying to prepare ourselves!

Welcome, from cambria county! This is the best place to get info and advice I've only been a chicken mom for a year and a half now but thanks to everyone here, I feel like an expert lol. Listen to them about chicken math too. We started with 15 and planned to stay around there. We now have 30 chickens and 8 turkeys lol

 

[Chaos18]

I've read and heard great things about Austrolorps, Orpingtons, and Plymouth Rocks. I am hoping to get an Orpington rooster. I am also planning to keep the flock around 10 in total give or take when it's harvesting time. In hopes also to keep around 3-4 good laying hens. And keeping the rooster as long as he will stick around. I was thinking about an 8'x8' coop depending on ordinances, and fencing in our backyard. Do you think that will be enough space during our cold winters? Not too sure on how to heat the coop yet. And do I have to trim the Spurs? Or is this just his and everyone else's best interest. Also is there a good post on how to successfully raise your dual purpose chicken? Like how often to incubate or when it's time to harvest? Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the madness. I have Australorps and Silver Laced Wyandottes and they are both awesome breeds. My rooster is a Wyandotte and so far has done an excellent job of protecting his girls, and he's also very good with both my kids which is lucky for him because he would get flogged and thrown in the stew pot if he wasn't. As far as spur trimming goes I don't have any plans of trimming his spurs unless they get ridiculous long. As far as the size of your coop 8x8 should be big enough for that many birds, although if you want to keep adding birds.......which you will.....than you'll want to go bigger.

As others have said don't heat the coop, just add ventilation and make sure there are no drafts on the birds and they should be good to go.

Oo, I keep reading about frost bite.

this worries me because we can get a couple feet sometimes. How do they stay warm enough?

They have these nice warm feather/down coats on that we humans pay lots of money for.

Oo my goodness..I haven't come across beak trimming..that sounds soo painful! Is it easy to train your chicken to go back in the coop after free ranging?

Yes it's very easy. Lock them in there coop for about a week, than let them out for a couple days into there run only, once they've learned to go back inside the coop at bedtime open the door to the run and let them out to poop on everything.

This is what I did and it worked great. Took them about three days of being in there run only to figure out that they are supposed to go in the coop at bedtime, now they roam around our yard and come and go from the coop and run as they please.

To all the new people, take a look at this video. Chickens are the gateway animal lol. Just a warning. Think it has happened to too many of us here.

Yes.........they are a gateway animal because I just picked up four turkeys yesterday.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Aww I can't wait to hold them as babies. There will be a run attached to it just in case I can't get them to listen lol.

I have a good feeling you wont have to worry about them following you around! LOL they are little beggers!
I had put a little story about the issue my husband had getting the roo back in the pen! Its in the member interview for BYC, it was quite a scene my husband made, too bad the neighbors weren't home!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/916899/byc-member-interview-sally-sunshine


<3 <3 let me know when you are allowed a few more chickens! or your Sister needs a few littles! harmonyAnn is getting plenty of CurlySue eggs! I love "Sally AnnEnabling" you youngins!

Hi. This is my first visit to the PA thread. It looks like there's lots going on here!

I have two barred plymouth rock cockerels available for free (hatch date 7/27/15). They are currently 5 weeks old. They have been hen-raised with a mixed-age flock that is allowed to free-range, so they are learning "flock manners" and foraging skills. I already have a rooster, so these cockerels will have to go. I'm in central PA (Spring Mills) if anyone is interested. (I've also posted in the buy-sell-trade forum)

Welcome North Berks here

and thanks for the offer!

Clipped Cate and Zippy. Could not get DupliCate. Did not matter. The 3 of them are roosting up in the trumpet vine anyway. Twerps. I will have to camp out tomorrow evening to see how they are getting up there.

Shmores? Trumpet vine must be gorgeous in bloom! I dont have vines at this place. Just Mnt Grapes and poison everywhere, @Blarneyeggs I need goats to take care of the poison, is that a liable excuse?

OH MY Goodness!!! Sally! You're baaaaaack! I actually teared up when I saw your post. I'm such a dork. Glad you're doing better, and good to see you.

We are all chicken dorks are we not? I just pray I can stay back, been a rough year for me. <3 I was looking in the BYC section for the contests and so forth, I remembered how fun it is to make up captions for the Caption Contests and stuff so you know I had to make a caption over there. I love makin ppl smile guess its cause I need to so bad....

 

[Sally Sunshine]

To all the new people, take a look at this video. Chickens are the gateway animal lol. Just a warning. Think it has happened to too many of us here.

Hello Kelley

I love watching that again, thanks for the link and you know I had to watch the other vids she made with the kiddos!