Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[My peeps]

Hi again.. pennslvaniains... been trying to learn the ropes here on raising chickens successfully....much to take in...I see where some of you have new chicks hatch... that is exciting ... I know i use to raise cockatiels and it was exciting to see them hatch..... I can't wait til I start getting baby chicks... I am looking to add to my flock I am interested in some Ameracaunas and the olive eggers..( not sure what kind of chickens they are)........This morning I just mixed up my first batch of fermented food for my chicks... well we will see how this goes ... done a lot of research and thought i would give it a try...

Anyone out here within the western part of Pa? I am in Pittsburgh Area....that has any Ameracaunas pm... me because I'm just not sure how this thread works

I'm right outside of Pittsburgh in Elizabeth. Welcome to the board!

 

[Farmer Mike S]

Anyone here put apple cider vinegar in their water? I want to know if its something I use periodically like once a month or something I keep in the water supply constantly? I've heard arguments for both

 

[nbenevento]

Anyone here put apple cider vinegar in their water? I want to know if its something I use periodically like once a month or something I keep in the water supply constantly? I've heard arguments for both

I do it probably once or twice a week. I haven't heard of anybody doing it everyday, but that doesn't mean anything.

 

[Farmer Mike S]

I do it probably once or twice a week. I haven't heard of anybody doing it everyday, but that doesn't mean anything.

I didnt mean it like that, I mean every time you change or fill the water do you add acv.

 

[nbenevento]

I didnt mean it like that, I mean every time you change or fill the water do you add acv.

I change my water almost daily so they get the acv once or twice a week.

 

[BorderBrigade]

THERE HERE! 

Of course there is always a story...............................

I think you all are gonna think I did the wrong thing................I kinda think I might have done the wrong thing...................but here it is

I know have 3        6wk old chickens that lived together and one laying hen..........a new Hampshire red

the 3 younger ones are:  silver laced Wyandotte, golden laced Wyandotte and easter egger
this was not the plan


this guy I purchased from keeps changing what he has available ----even though on Thursday he called to confirm

I was expecting  2 laying hens and 2-- 6wk olds and was discussing how to house them gradually together,,,,,,I am sure you recall.

Well now this 3:1 difference seems odd....................  the 3 youner ones are all huddled together in an upper roost in the coop, and the one big laying hen is by herself on a different roost bar.
I hope she does not feel lonely.

Its okay for the 3 because they are together and out of reach of the big hen.

I put water and grower mix in the coop and some watermelon.

the laying hen has her mouth open a lot..................is she panting or hot or stressed?

the 3 youngers are making cute sounds and seem cozy together...........

Its too dark for good pictures-----but I will definitely post tomorrow!

So now the stories will continue with who is getting along with who..................I DO WISH they were all the same age and had lived together..............just like you all recommended..............

I don't think I will purchase from this chicken guy again because he is constantly changing things up!

One thing he said to me too was the DE doesn't really work...........its just a myth.....................yet everywhere else I read good things about it.................

not sure he truly is informed?

It hasn't really been that hot the last couple days that she should be panting. Even my fluff ball cochin flock hasn't been panting. What were the conditions like at the farm you got her from. Was it clean did all the birds look healthy there? She could have something respitory. I use DE in my coop and horse stalls etc but its not a cure all like the others have said. Why did the guy keep changing what he had? We're the ones he promised you dying off or what?

 

[BorderBrigade]

Anyone here put apple cider vinegar in their water? I want to know if its something I use periodically like once a month or something I keep in the water supply constantly? I've heard arguments for both

I give raw unfiltered acv in the water for one week a month. I get 2 1/2 gallon jugs from Lancaster ag supply. I use it for the horses to so it pays to buy in bulk. I've seen the Braggs for 20 plus dollars for a gallon which is crazy

 

[LisaYolkUm]

Lisa:

Glad you got you crew together....hopefully your mama bear will be nice to the babies....imho, get some scratch and begin hand feeding

Hey Stake! The 3 little ones took some of the grower feed and some spinach from my hand................gradually----------they still are scared ( expletive here) when I try to get them out or in the coop, and out/ in the dog crate.

big red-------is very very scared of my hand--------------even with food and held very stationary...............but she was calm in the coop and had an apparently nice time outdoors in the run as well.

 

[LisaYolkUm]

It hasn't really been that hot the last couple days that she should be panting. Even my fluff ball cochin flock hasn't been panting. What were the conditions like at the farm you got her from. Was it clean did all the birds look healthy there? She could have something respitory. I use DE in my coop and horse stalls etc but its not a cure all like the others have said. Why did the guy keep changing what he had? We're the ones he promised you dying off or what?

yes I hear you!

Good news is that there was no panting today! She seemed more calm and content. She ate feed and drank water, she ate watermelon and spinach I provided and explored pecking around the grass. She seems happy in my opinion............and just adjusting to her new living arrangement.

I don't know why the guy kept changing things he promised...................I think he was particularly interested in making money so he would promise what he thought he could get from a neighboring chicken farmer................but then it didn't always work out. The thing is he was so confident etc.............and then did a switch at the end.

I also think he is trying to sell off some of his less desirable birds................maybe because I was new at this...............but I said I really didn't want what he was offering and he then offered something closer to what I had initially suggested.

This is why I didn't really trust him. He seemed like a nice enough guy------------just think he may be more thinking about his own financial or flock management needs than what the customer wants................or maybe he is kinda new at this business? not sure really--------------

 

[rdilbarova]

I have a question for you chicken experts. One of my chicks has very wobbly and unstable legs, and looks drunk when she walks. She is on the same feed as the others, and was on straw from day one. She is the smallest of the bunch but is feathering as fast as the rest, and is a Buttercup. Any ideas? I already lost one a few days after I got them to a birth defect, I really would rather not lose this guy too. I took a video also (she is isolated from the rest, they literally walk all over her). I would skip to twenty seconds in.