Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[OneMountainAcres]

Awesome! It was a great idea for you to give them a friend. Your eggs look so good! It's funny, Coco and Mira are eating better quality eggs than I am right now, because I can't find any pastured eggs yet. Haha! Hopefully, my older pullets will start laying before winter.

I'm sure they'll be laying before you know it and you'll have wonderful eggs again

I did an experiment this morning and filled the tub a few inches so that Cocoa could swim. She was really excited about it but didn't want in without Mira so I put her in the water too since it was shallow enough for her to stand in. She was not amused lol. I wish I could've recorded that! She stayed in for a few minutes though. Cocoa was thrilled until Mira got out then she just wanted out too. They had fun together though

 

[ChcknNurse]

We ar

If you are anywhere near Pottstown, let me know, I have more turkeys and chickens. This time of year, prices are down and I give friends from here special discounts too. 

We are in Lancaster, but I will make the drive for my daughter (FFA). Next week should work for me.

 

[dheltzel]

Dennis, the turkeys are very interesting, I'm enjoying watching them. Should I make a next box for the hens? How large should it be? I am hoping when I let them out tomorrow to free range that they will remember where they are supposed to be sleeping. They snuck out yesterday while I was further predator proofing the inside. I had to chase them down and grab them by the legs. My husband was quite amused....

LOL. He might start following you around recording video of you chasing turkeys.

Chickens are the "gateway drug" to turkeys. I like them all, but if I have extra time at the farm, I spend it with the turkeys. I had a couple drive almost 2 hours today to buy a Legbar roo. I mentioned turkeys and the lady declared they were too ugly to have as pets, but they noticed the turkeys immediately and had a lot of fun watching them strutting around. I suspect they will be back for a turkey next year . . .

 

[TillyPeeps]

I went and looked at it. It's very big and heavy. My husband is trying to figure out a way to get it back to our house...an hr away. It will make a great coop for someone.

I hope you can find a way to take it. It would be great for you next year's chicken project. Maybe consider to cut it apart and reassemble it. Insulation is good for chicken coop, because it will keep it warmer. Heating is not necessary and can be dangerous.

 

[TillyPeeps]

I'm sure they'll be laying before you know it and you'll have wonderful eggs again

I did an experiment this morning and filled the tub a few inches so that Cocoa could swim. She was really excited about it but didn't want in without Mira so I put her in the water too since it was shallow enough for her to stand in. She was not amused lol. I wish I could've recorded that! She stayed in for a few minutes though. Cocoa was thrilled until Mira got out then she just wanted out too. They had fun together though

That's so funny! Cocoa is a really sweet girl.

 

[TillyPeeps]

LOL. He might start following you around recording video of you chasing turkeys.

Chickens are the "gateway drug" to turkeys. I like them all, but if I have extra time at the farm, I spend it with the turkeys. I had a couple drive almost 2 hours today to buy a Legbar roo. I mentioned turkeys and the lady declared they were too ugly to have as pets, but they noticed the turkeys immediately and had a lot of fun watching them strutting around. I suspect they will be back for a turkey next year . . .

When I just saw photos of turkeys, they do look ugly. But when I see them in person, I like them. We are not ready for turkey yet. Our next year's project is to find a house with big lot to rebuild our chicken coop. We are ONLY 4 hours from you now, and hubby will be Altoona every month.

 

[eeverett]

Here in the Pittsburgh area!!! Just starting out

Welcome from Montour county. I trained at Children's in Pittsburgh. I'm new to chickens just over a year ago. This group of folks on this thread are an amazing wealth of information and support. It is an addicting hobby for sure and really fun. Again welcome.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Just checked on the younger chicks. Looks like there was some pecking of butts and shoulders going on. . I sprayed the four with woundkote and separated them for now. I may have them too close together, I don't know. I came down with the cold my husband got a few days ago, so I will have to wait until I feel a little better to construct a bigger roaming area for them. I think I may use the playpen I already have, and just zip tie it together with some other baby gates that I have already to give them some more room. I feel like a bad chicken keeper. My older chickens are doing well though. The last time I checked, they were taking a nap in corner.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Well, it's a good thing that Mira had such a full crop when she was injured and it took 2 days for her to use it up. Yesterday, I noticed that she was devouring the eggs I gave her but her crop just wasn't getting any fuller. It turns out that even though she appears to have a voracious appetite, I don't think she can get it to go down her throat. She was just flinging the food everywhere. Her tongue was even getting stuck out the side of her beak. I'm thinking that when I stitched up the back of her neck, maybe the skin was pulled a bit too tight and she's having a hard time getting food down. That's my guess anyway. I'm assuming that as she heals, it'll loosen up. I've been blending up scrambled eggs with vitamin water and using an eye dropper to feed it to her a few times a day. So far is working out ok. She's still constantly trying to eat. I guess I'll know once she starts getting it down on her own. As far as the wound down the back of her head, I'm happy to report that it looks completely closed up now. It's still very lumpy and ugly but it's healing wonderfully The top of her head is still like a big scab but a few patches have cleared up to look like nice bare skin. She just needs to start regrowing feathers lol.

Her best friend Cocoa looks like she's almost doubled in size already. She's been cleaning up whatever eggs Mira flings around and can't stand to be seperated from her. They do absolutely EVERYTHING together. Cocoa gets really upset if I take Mira out to feed her or work with her and comes rushing back to her side the second I put her back. They're going to be a force to be responded with when they're moved back out to the coop!

Speaking of ducklings though, are there any tips or tricks that anyone knows to sex them? I'm REALLY hoping that Cocoa is a girl so I won't have to worry about a drake hurting my hens when breeding season rolls around.

 

[BullChick]

Until about a week, you can vent sex a duckling. After that, you have to wait three months to know.