Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[chickencowranch]

Why do people frown upon straw in the run? (Just curious). Does anyone know a good place to get raw milk that isn't crazy expensive?

I put straw n the coop, just a little. That works ok for the summer because the chickens free range during the day. Straw is suppose to draw mites to the chickens. I put sawdust back in. It does scoop better.

Stumps down in Seven Valleys sells raw milk, at least they did at one time.

 

[chickencowranch]

I love the sounds of nature. Nothing like the sound of frogs at night. I find it peaceful and comforting.

If external sounds are bothersome, sleeping with a fan running might help or some other kind of white noise. Maybe?

Oh I know. When the frogs chirp it's going to be a nice day the next day. The foxes come calling to, but the dogs bark and scare them away before they can do any damage.

 

[griggy]

I put straw n the coop, just a little. That works ok for the summer because the chickens free range during the day. Straw is suppose to draw mites to the chickens. I put sawdust back in. It does scoop better.

Stumps down in Seven Valleys sells raw milk, at least they did at one time.

Thank you! I have 3 babies hatched so far!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

You guys have mentioned mini cows before....Looks like we're considering it next year lol. Does anyone on here have Dexter Cattle or know anyone that breeds them? Like I said, next year's adventure but definitely a possibility bees in the future too. We're turning our 1.3 acres into our little Homestead lol.

 

[chippysmom327]

Thank you miss Broody Expert!

LOL....i dont think there is anyone who can be an expert with broodies, because anytime we think we have it figured out you can guarantee there will be a hen who will change the rules! we can only play the odds and hope they cooperate!

Just got home (they let us out early the last day) and she's been out for a few hours. So she sat all day yesterday, all night last night, until about 10 today and then got off. I am sooooo mad right now!

 

[fisherlady]

You guys have mentioned mini cows before....Looks like we're considering it next year lol. Does anyone on here have Dexter Cattle or know anyone that breeds them? Like I said, next year's adventure but definitely a possibility

bees in the future too. We're turning our 1.3 acres into our little Homestead lol.

I believe Sharron has Dexter... or at least she used to? Give her a shout out if she doesn't reply here on the thread sometime today.

 

[griggy]

You guys have mentioned mini cows before....Looks like we're considering it next year lol. Does anyone on here have Dexter Cattle or know anyone that breeds them? Like I said, next year's adventure but definitely a possibility

bees in the future too. We're turning our 1.3 acres into our little Homestead lol.

I would like to do bees too, but we live right next door to our landlord so I'm not sure that will work. One day we hope to buy a plot of land to park an RV on and live off the land, but until then...

Speaking of, can I have suggestions on the most economical way to buy canning jars? I've looked on craigslist but didn't find much.

 

[fisherlady]

I would like to do bees too, but we live right next door to our landlord so I'm not sure that will work. One day we hope to buy a plot of land to park an RV on and live off the land, but until then...

Speaking of, can I have suggestions on the most economical way to buy canning jars? I've looked on craigslist but didn't find much.

Unfortunately there is rarely an 'economical' way to do it... Yard sales are great, but require gas money and you have to be early to get jars much of the time. I did luck into some over the winter at an indoor yard sale. I don't yard sale more than a day or two a summer (I don't like shopping, though Yard Sales and auctions are better than malls!)

So yard sales if you enjoy them and are looking for other items anyway are your best bet. Auctions frequently have them, but check local store prices for jars before bidding at auction, often you aren't getting much of a better deal and you also risk the jars having flaws from use, so look them over carefully before bidding or buying used....

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

I know not all agree, but I like putting straw down on mud. Also keep branches in the run for them to perch on.

My girls love sitting on their branches on wet days.... And sitting and pooping on the covered porch.

with all this rain...............I have never had a muddier run.................its really really gross! 

and it smells!

I feel sorry for the girls and have extended a different area for them............but we are still gonna get more rain tonite.............

what do you all do in these circumstances........

I do let them free range all over the yard for 1 hour but that's only one hour...............poor girls.............

perhaps I really really do need a better rough situation................

anything I could add to the mud to improve the situation ( now if this is a set up for funky ideas)

It is gross out there!

Mine are all swampy and smelly too. Too much rain and It is going to rain again tomorrow. My girls go out in the mud anyway.


From my experiance straw stinks really bad when it gets wet and starts to decompose.

The tree frogs have been chirping and shrilling all night and day and still going strong now!!! Argh, they kept me up last night. I hope I can sleep, they are sooooo loud. Even with the windows closed.

Enjoy the frogs! I would love to live out far enough to hear them....

You're very fortunate to have tree frogs (and other wildlife). Amphibians are generally the first to disappear when the environment get polluted. Every chirp is a reminder that the environment around you is healthy (or at least healthier than many places).

So tonight, when you hear them, count each as  blessing that you live where you do.

Ditto!

Lisa, you asked about what folks use in their runs...we use a fine gravel. stand a pressure treated board up on edge around the base of the run and then fill with 3" or so of the gravel. It will pack in on the underlying layer and the top will remain rather loose so they can scratch. Poo will wash through it with rain or an infrequent hosing and they don't have mud any more.

Here is our young roo, Flecks, posing on the gravel this morning...

Thanks for the help again! Flecks looks happy and proud. Beautiful boy. What breed?

Happy Friday! Haven't slept a wink, but my eggs are hatching! I've got two babies out, one who has zipped all around but is taking his/her time and a bunch of other pips. Next time I'm not putting the incubator on the floor...my back and legs are killing me from sitting there all night! Go babies go!

Yay!!!!

Personally, I would switch them over at that age and given your circumstance.  I believe the issue with feeding youngsters layer is the extra calcium causing their kidneys to have to work harder, but your crew should be within a few weeks of needing it anyway, so I don't think the short term exposure at that age will do any real harm. If you are able to do supervised free ranging around the coop you will find they won't eat nearly as much of the feed also.  It can be as simple as an hour or two a day while you are in the area to watch for stray dogs and such.

Thanks for posting this. I thought my girls weren't eating much, but they free range all day. I totally forgot!

Thanks. i am so nervous about letting them out to free range. I'm afraid they won't go back into the run :/ they still don't all go back in the coop on their own at night. They insist on roosting out in the run lol

They'll come back, they know where to get the food!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Check out my new Rotissere oven! Clearance sale! $28! Now just to buy the piece of land where I can raise my own meat chickens....