Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Tiffanychick]

I have some Delaware fertilized eggs if you want the big experience. I am in gibsonia up route 8

 

[dheltzel]

@dheltzel @Auroradream26 Just an idea for you guys, and anybody else. You probably could make some decent side money for selling feathers. We have a cousin who love to tie flies for fishing, and he is always so excited when we have extra feathers. He said they are normally very expensive. He was even more excited when I said I had turkey feathers. I told him they were white, and he said he can definitely use them. He said one large feather will yield a lot of material for him and his son to use.

I may start collecting the feathers around the yard and washing them!

The reason they are so expensive is that the commercial feathers are produced only by a small group of breeders that have been careful to keep the genetic stock that produces the very nice and long feathers exclusive to their group. The few breeders willing to sell livestock charge very high prices ($100 / dozen for eggs). I have a trio of these birds on order and really hope they do well. It is the only use where the roos are more desired than the hens (well, cockfighting, but we don't want to supply roos for that). If you want to learn more about this, search for "genetic hackle chickens". They have a fascinating history, and their rarity makes me want to see what they are like as pets.

 

[dheltzel]

I have some Delaware fertilized eggs if you want the big experience. I am in gibsonia up route 8

Where are your Delawares from? Whitmore Farm?
Are they heritage type (large birds that lay large eggs) ?

 

[FluffyButt789]

Aww look at that poor girl! She needs some loving! I hope she is feeling better, keep her warm through this upcoming storm. I got some rough looking chickens from a neighbor. They are so beautiful now that they have cleaned up! I'm sure yours will be gorgeous when she pulls through!

is everyone bracing for this storm coming up? They're calling for 8-14" here now. It's gone up 3 times.

I don't know how bad we are supposed to get it. Local weather has never once predicted our snowfall correctly. I live near the lake so it can protect us from the snow, or make matters twice as bad! We shall see... I hope everyone stays safe! Any suggestions on how to keep my chickens happy locked up in the coop this week?

Thank you for all the suggestions. We brought her into the sun room with our radiator space heater and gave her some nutri drench. Unfortunately she passed over night.

At least she had a quiet warmer place before she left us. As soon as the storm passes, going to clean out the whole coop.

I'm sorry. I had a hen pass away suddenly in the night. It seems to happen sometimes. I hope yours was not from a contagious illness.

Morning all! Totally slept in today. Normally hubby does wake ups for school and luckily he knew id sleep in and called to wake us up so not too late for school. He did have to bring up how warm it is in Texas and i may have hung up on him....

. I put the blue coat on Hedwig yesterday and got it all over her.... once she groomed a bit the wound looked much better and she was moving around way more. Going to keep an eye on her and move her in house if needed.
@FluffyButt789 they are all around a year old and already laying. Other than wanting to mess with hubby i have way to many people that want to buy eggs and not enough laying hens lol. I work at Lucky Louies across from the casino so the number of people that ask for them is crazy! I even have more people that want duck eggs then I can fill right now. Sold my first ones last weekend and have already sold enough for 2 bags of feed! I know hubby is going to be teasing me for the next 20 years every time he goes out of town but it'll be funny when he sees them! Definitely freeding out a bit about being alone for storm. Trying to get all of the animals ready and I'm supposed to work tonight which means kids would be alone till 1 am. If power or anything goes out I'm kinda worried. So sick of winter!!

Lucky Louie's is about 1/2 hour from me so if you need anything, let me know! Nice to have someone from BYC so close! I'm glad you have done really well selling eggs! All the more reason for more chickens!! I hope the storm won't hit us in the Erie region too hard.

I'm very sorry to hear this, too. I agree that you did the right things for her. You may want to consider mailing her to Penn State for a necropsy, which will help you to know if she has something that is a concern for the rest of your flock, or if it was something else. I did that with one pullet that died, and it was informative--and about $42, I think.


In not-entirely-unrelated news, my elderly easter egger hen, Chamomile, is back in the basement infirmary. She has been normal and active since her near death experience last month, but yesterday afternoon I found her sitting inside the coop with her eyes half closed--not as bad off as last time, but definitely not good, either. I whisked her inside and let her warm up, then syringe-fed her a couple ccs of Nutridrench and my magic elixir (that is, electrolyte water spiked with meds), several times over the course of the night. This morning she was still very weak, with her eyes closed. I gave her the treatment again, then ran the kids to school. When I got back, she was up and walking around, eating and drinking on her own! And, in the corner, she had laid an egg! I am fairly certain that's the first egg she laid since her fall molt. It looked perfect, but when I went to pick it up, the shell was so soft that it squished in my hand--luckily it dented, but did not break.

I have to assume the egg is related to her feeling so sick yesterday and this morning. She seems much better now, but I'll keep her in through the storm while she regains her strength, until the weather gets a bit friendlier again. I hope this is a one time thing, and that she doesn't nearly die each time she has an egg to lay. If that's the case, it would mean fairly regular suffering for her, and may make euthanasia the most merciful route. I guess time will tell.... At the moment, I'm just glad she's back on her feet--again!

Aww not Chamomile again

I hope she gets better!

Sooo I bought more babies....

good job resisting that urge! What kind, how many? TSC on Peach? I've been avoiding that store since they got chicks... but running low on feed, oh no. Psst, what kind do they have available?

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Sooo I bought more babies....

Lol! You gave it a good try. I'm sure you held out for like, 60 seconds....

Yeah I'm glad we can get stuff done before they come. We'll still have at least a couple weeks before it has to be finished once they show up but I'm hoping it gets done sooner rather than later. 

Also does anyone have a link for chicken people? I'd like to watch it after my chores are done but unfortunately CMT isn't being nice by letting people who don't have a tv provider sign in to watch it. 

I got the movie from iTunes, it was $4.99, I could have just rented it for 99 cents. It's a little like Best in Show but with chickens instead of dogs, but no actors, they follow real people around before Ohio Nationals.

Sooo I bought more babies....

Pics or it didn't happen.

X2! Pics!

I won't be home until 10pm tonight.  Hoping the Mama chicken doesn't leave the coop today with her babies.  I don't know if they can find their way back up the ramp, and I'd hate to chance her staying outside with them where a predator could get to them.  I think I will have my hubby check to see if she made it in, since he will be home early. 

What a deceiving day it is out there!  So nice and sunny, you wouldn't think we would get 12"+ of snow tomorrow.  I will be keeping everybody in the coop tomorrow.  They will be fine for a say or two in there, especially since I have a few less than before. 

Good news, I have the okay from my hubby to keep some more chickens, because some of his customers are loving the eggs.  e I am only getting about 6 a day now, since I sold 4 of my hens, and two are broodies. 

My roo is getting some severe frostbite on his comb.  It was even bleeding a little yesterday.  Does putting vaseline on it help? I feel like I had read that somewhere before.

Hopefully mama and babies find their way back in without any issues tonight.

Vaseline definitely helps. You could blue kote it before you slather on the vaseline if you don't mind the blue fingers lol

We had to run to giant eagle today after the kids got home from school. We have plenty of powdered milk but we needed some almond milk (soon can't have much dairy and local stores only sell sweetened, yuck!). That place was PACKED! I want even thinking about it before we headed out there. Everyone's in panic/prep mode!

@dheltzel
  @Auroradream26
  Just an idea for you guys, and anybody else.  You probably could make some decent side money for selling feathers.  We have a cousin who love to tie flies for fishing, and he is always so excited when we have extra feathers.  He said they are normally very expensive.  He was even more excited when I said I had turkey feathers.  I told him they were white, and he said he can definitely use them.  He said one large feather will yield a lot of material for him and his son to use.

I may start collecting the feathers around the yard and washing them!

Something to remember during molt

Sooo I bought more babies....

Haha! Couldn't resist huh

Thanks! Mama and poults made it safe into the coop, or they never came out. When I got home, my hubby said, I only saw one of the turkey chicks. When I checked on them tonight, sure enough only found one under Mama hen. But I heard the other peeping and looked around. Still no chick. Then, I see his little head popping out from underneath the broody turkey! She is letting the chicks snuggle under her, perch on top, etc. I'm sure the chicks just think she's a giant warming blanket.

 
@dheltzel
  @Auroradream26
  Just an idea for you guys, and anybody else.  You probably could make some decent side money for selling feathers.  We have a cousin who love to tie flies for fishing, and he is always so excited when we have extra feathers.  He said they are normally very expensive.  He was even more excited when I said I had turkey feathers.  I told him they were white, and he said he can definitely use them.  He said one large feather will yield a lot of material for him and his son to use.

I may start collecting the feathers around the yard and washing them!

The reason they are so expensive is that the commercial feathers are produced only by a small group of breeders that have been careful to keep the genetic stock that produces the very nice and long feathers exclusive to their group. The few breeders willing to sell livestock charge very high prices ($100 / dozen for eggs). I have a trio of these birds on order and really hope they do well. It is the only use where the roos are more desired than the hens (well, cockfighting, but we don't want to supply roos for that). If you want to learn more about this, search for "genetic hackle chickens". They have a fascinating history, and their rarity makes me want to see what they are like as pets.

Is there any subject you don't know about? . Also, my broody chicken is sitting on the eggs like a champ. Nobody gets in her nest so far, and she makes a sneaky dash to take care of herself once a day. Go Cinnamon !

 

[Tiffanychick]

Where are your Delawares from? Whitmore Farm?
Are they heritage type (large birds that lay large eggs) ?

They are Cackle and I believe they are heritage.

 

[yoopergirl1211]

Aww look at that poor girl! She needs some loving! I hope she is feeling better, keep her warm through this upcoming storm. I got some rough looking chickens from a neighbor. They are so beautiful now that they have cleaned up! I'm sure yours will be gorgeous when she pulls through!

I don't know how bad we are supposed to get it. Local weather has never once predicted our snowfall correctly. I live near the lake so it can protect us from the snow, or make matters twice as bad! We shall see... I hope everyone stays safe! Any suggestions on how to keep my chickens happy locked up in the coop this week?


I'm sorry. I had a hen pass away suddenly in the night. It seems to happen sometimes. I hope yours was not from a contagious illness. 


Lucky Louie's is about 1/2 hour from me so if you need anything, let me know! Nice to have someone from BYC so close! I'm glad you have done really well selling eggs! All the more reason for more chickens!! I hope the storm won't hit us in the Erie region too hard. 


Aww not Chamomile again   I hope she gets better! 

 good job resisting that urge! What kind, how many? TSC on Peach? I've been avoiding that store since they got chicks... but running low on feed, oh no. Psst, what kind do they have available?   

That's cool that your close! I'm the "Wiener Queen" at LL's lol. I went to the tractor supply in Corey and the had Peking, black sex link, brown meat birds, and Bantam mix which is what I got. They are so small!! I've been stuck at work all night but I got one pic.

Just wish I knew what breed they are. I'll take more pics I'm sure lol.

 

[3riverschick]

I have some Delaware fertilized eggs if you want the big experience. I am in gibsonia up route 8

Delawares are so pretty and easy to breed for color. Basically, they are the same as Light Sussex with the barring gene added I . Based on the Wheaten allele, they don't need any balancing of the under color to get correct top color. The Breed needs more people to champion it right now as the folk currently working with it are doing a great job and need more people to start raising Delawares.

Best, Karen

 

[3riverschick]

That's cool that your close! I'm the "Wiener Queen" at LL's lol. I went to the tractor supply in Corey and the had Peking, black sex link, brown meat birds, and Bantam mix which is what I got. They are so small!! I've been stuck at work all night but I got one pic.

Just wish I knew what breed they are. I'll take more pics I'm sure lol.

This little bantam? chick looks like an Old English Game Bantam of Silver Duckwing color. If it is a bantam and TSC sourced from Hoover's Hatchery, then this what it is.
Best, Karen

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

It's SNOWING! About 4" so far here. Chickens are locked in the coop today. Be safe today everyone!