Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[LittleMissPurdy]

That is so cool!!

Thanks!! We thought so too

..hahaha,..I will try really hard to get a pic of them..they are soooo tiny..it is awesome! They are great to have in the flowers/veggies...I can't even think about how many i might step on

...they are crazy small!!!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Even after all this time on BYC, this still baffles me.

I am glad that so many people have backyard flocks, but I have a hard time relating sometimes.
For me it is a working farm and livestock is just that..livestock...
Are these names that just come to you or does the bird do something that itgets those names......In my world, dinner is a name....


I really. Am not cold hearted, I just live in a very different lifestyle than most on here...

I don't think you're cold hearted at all!, you just have a different perspective. I agree with others in that everyone's situation is different. For me, my chickens are an excuse to have more animals and that also provide me breakfast. I name them because it's a chance to give something a silly name I would never consider for a human. One day I would like to raise meaties when we have more property, and in that case, they would be for food and not be named. And just as a friendly reminder, the website we are all on is Backyard Chickens, not Production Poultry. . I mean that only in the kindest way!

Hi Wingstone. I think it's a matter of the number of birds one has and what they are actually meant for. For example, I only have four, so they were relatively easy to name. Also, mine are mainly being raised for the eggs. When they stop laying -- well, I try not to think that far in advance! With only a couple of birds they can very easily become pets. {There was a quote an old western (cannot remember which one) that would probably relate to you - when the rider was asked what the name of his horse was he replied, "I don't name what I may have to eat."}

Lol to the quote! Quite true!

I just wanted to share with everyone. A week ago I was terrified to let everyone out to free range at all, Even for an hour or so. Well I'm happy to report that the past two days, I've left them out almost all day they live every minute ams come flying and jumping out the door when it opens. Every night, they're in bed by 8:00.

One of my silkies was practicing singing the egg song the other day, my golden comets and one of my wyandottes are looking rather pink around the face, and every one if my nest boxes looks like it's been explored and rearranged lol.

Glad to hear they are doing well! My girls are enjoying their free ranging too. Especially when DH took out the trash last night and left the back gate wide open. I came home at about 10:30 am from being out and there was a lady with a stroller stopped and pointing at my front yard. I quickly realized all my girls were free ranging in the front yard, . But the little boy loved being able to pet a chicken.

 

[PlaidBattleAxe]

Thanks!! We thought so too

..hahaha,..I will try really hard to get a pic of them..they are soooo tiny..it is awesome! They are great to have in the flowers/veggies...I can't even think about how many i might step on

...they are crazy small!!!

I love praying mantises! They are so cool and beneficial, but I hardly ever see them around where I live. What kind of plant is that that they've laid their eggs on?

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Thanks!! We thought so too ..hahaha,..I will try really hard to get a pic of them..they are soooo tiny..it is awesome! They are great to have in the flowers/veggies...I can't even think about how many i might step on ...they are crazy small!!! 

We saw them for sale online and were going to buy some when we planted the garden but got sidetracked and then couldn't justify paying that price for them lol. Maybe eventually. We only saw 1 praying mantis sounds last year so the population could use a boost around here

Glad to hear they are doing well! My girls are enjoying their free ranging too. Especially when DH took out the trash last night and left the back gate wide open. I came home at about 10:30 am from being out and there was a lady with a stroller stopped and pointing at my front yard. I quickly realized all my girls were free ranging in the front yard, . But the little boy loved being able to pet a chicken.

I bet that little boy was fascinated lol! Mine are getting so spoiled already. If they aren't out yet and I walk even anywhere near the coop, they all run full speed to the run door to be let out lol. They got to go out at 7 am this morning and are just living it up. I try to shut them in for an hour or so around lunch time when they go in on their own for a nap so I can let the dogs go out to run and play for a while. Only one of the dogs can be around them safely. She's figured out that chickens=yummy poop *YUCK*. She follows them around "cleaning up" lol.

 

[dheltzel]

Hey guys, check this out!! We have these "eggs" from Praying Mantis. DH as been collecting them for me, then we put them in specific areas to hatch...we have seen such tiny ones..it is amazing. I will try to get a photo of them..they are very hard to spot! We saw on ebay people were selling these eggs for $15.oo a piece!! Nuts huh?!...We have 5 of them so far, I think we will keep'em in our yard!

Wow, I'm gonna collect and sell them this fall. There are lots around here.

Did you know, of the hundreds that hatch from an oocyst (the egg case) on;y 2 or 3 are likely to make it to adulthood, they are very, very cannibalistic, and will each the others if they find them. If you ever see 2 near each other, move one (unless it's breeding season and it's a pair).

Did you also know that praying mantises are very closely related to cockroaches? While they do eat a lot of bugs, they are very indiscriminate and will eat a honeybee just as quick as a grasshopper.

 

[Kinmera]

I would LOVE to get some praying mantises around my yard!!!

I'll take the risk that they'll eat 'good' bugs to get rid of the 'nasties' in my area!

 

[beaglady]

Free to any of my PA buds: Trio of blue/splash copper Marans.

Why are they free? I want to free up pen space and simplify my life a little. They need to stay together. One hen is 3 years old, the other is her daughter from last summer. Egg color is pretty good and I've hatched some from them this year. The roo is also 3, and has frostbite damage to his comb and toes, but he is still fertile and willing to, well, you know.

I'm 1/2 hour north of Harrisburg.

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

I love praying mantises! They are so cool and beneficial, but I hardly ever see them around where I live. What kind of plant is that that they've laid their eggs on?

it is a BarBerry Bush twig. It has dries out so, it doesn't look nice..hahaha..have to watch the barbs on those things!!

We saw them for sale online and were going to buy some when we planted the garden but got sidetracked and then couldn't justify paying that price for them lol. Maybe eventually. We only saw 1 praying mantis sounds last year so the population could use a boost around here

I bet that little boy was fascinated lol! Mine are getting so spoiled already. If they aren't out yet and I walk even anywhere near the coop, they all run full speed to the run door to be let out lol. They got to go out at 7 am this morning and are just living it up. I try to shut them in for an hour or so around lunch time when they go in on their own for a nap so I can let the dogs go out to run and play for a while. Only one of the dogs can be around them safely. She's figured out that chickens=yummy poop *YUCK*. She follows them around "cleaning up" lol.

A good boost for sure!! The only time we do really see them is late summer,(mating season-i guess), they like to climb on the white-part of the house, (the foundation)...they stick out well then!!
I can't remember which is the male/female..the green or brown...i always confuse them...most likely the bigger of the two is the female..

Wow, I'm gonna collect and sell them this fall. There are lots around here.

Did you know, of the hundreds that hatch from an oocyst (the egg case) on;y 2 or 3 are likely to make it to adulthood, they are very, very cannibalistic, and will each the others if they find them. If you ever see 2 near each other, move one (unless it's breeding season and it's a pair).

Did you also know that praying mantises are very closely related to cockroaches? While they do eat a lot of bugs, they are very indiscriminate and will eat a honeybee just as quick as a grasshopper.

Knew they were cannibals...Didn't realize they ate indiscriminately though, as in honey bees and such. I do think though they are more helpful than harmful..at least in my yard..hahaha, I have a lot of "pest" bugs....

...a ton of grubs in the soil...the chickens enjoy them when they get to yard forage or when we throw sod in their run!!

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

Free to any of my PA buds: Trio of blue/splash copper Marans.

Why are they free? I want to free up pen space and simplify my life a little. They need to stay together. One hen is 3 years old, the other is her daughter from last summer. Egg color is pretty good and I've hatched some from them this year. The roo is also 3, and has frostbite damage to his comb and toes, but he is still fertile and willing to, well, you know.

I'm 1/2 hour north of Harrisburg.

wow, that is awfully nice!!... wish I had room

....

 

[wingstone]

Thanks everyone, that post yesterday was just that I know I can come across as harsh at times, and even more so as I age

As to this not being production poultry, I fall in between the two, would never go the route of a traditional production house, but part of my income also falls into the production category..

On the bright side, you can all come to me when processing is needed.

On the chicken side..
Broodies are breaking eggs and I have picked out a few stinkers
Turkey is down to 8 eggs
Ducks are down to 12
Buckeye are down to 10 but they are due to hatch tomorrow