Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[AnneInTheBurbs]

We purchased 6 white rocks from Tractor Supply around April. About a month later, one juvenile seemed to have respiratory issues and died. The other five remaining turned out to be all roos except for one hen, Miss Liz. We culled 3 of the roos (we are not allowed to have roosters here) and kept Mr. Darcy and Liz. Mr. Darcy got a no-crow collar or we would have had issues from neighbors. Then both seemed to have respiratory issues and just died at about four and a half months, first one, then the other. Liz had just started laying, so it was pretty disappointing. We think it was some genetic issue rather than a contagious disease because we have Rhodies and they are absolutely healthy. We are definitely not buying chicks from TS again!

Aw, sad to hear...

Also, I'm not sure about vacationing in the Pocono Mts. right now. We've had a string of 90+ days for the past two weeks!  

Seriously! We usually vacation here in September or October and we've never checked to see if a place had a.c. Last year in October, we were turning in the fireplace. It's still vacation though.!

Did you get white Rocks or Cornish rocks from TSC? I'm sorry you lost them but if they were Cornish rocks they rarely live to adulthood because of respiratory failure or congestive heart failure. They would require special management to survive.

Good point!

 

[dheltzel]

They were sold as white rocks, but the sales lady admitted they were white rock hybrids with some Cornish in them. Is it possible that was the cause? I have never heard of anything like that. She insisted they were excellent layers. Naturally, I assumed that meant you could keep the as layers as well as meaties.

I don't think TSC puts much effort into training their staff about chickens. I like the people at my local TSC, but I would no sooner solicit advice about farming from them than I would ask them for health care advice.

It can be a painful experience, but you now know a lot more about chickens than you did then. It would make me feel a bit better to know their death was nothing I did, and that they lived out their natural lives entirely in a pleasant setting. Their fate in a broiler house would have been far, far worse.

 

[blits0927]

I'm in Bedford. I'm new to chickens and BYC. So

I am From South Central..........I was starting to wonder if there was anyone from Pa on here!!!!!! It would be nice to know if anyone was close to me.  I am located in New Paris Pa, close to Altoona, and Johnstown.  Any of you know if there are poultry shows or events to go to in Pa. Or Close????????  I am very interested in going to some.

I'm in Bedford. I'm new to chickens and BYC. So I'm not sure about any shows or anything like that. I did see some where that Tractor Supply in Altoona had a chicken swap last weekend. So maybe check with them. They may have more scheduled.

 

[BullChick]

I'm in Bedford. I'm new to chickens and BYC. So

I am From South Central..........I was starting to wonder if there was anyone from Pa on here!!!!!! It would be nice to know if anyone was close to me.  I am located in New Paris Pa, close to Altoona, and Johnstown.  Any of you know if there are poultry shows or events to go to in Pa. Or Close????????  I am very interested in going to some.

I'm in Bedford. I'm new to chickens and BYC. So I'm not sure about any shows or anything like that. I did see some where that Tractor Supply in Altoona had a chicken swap last weekend. So maybe check with them. They may have more scheduled.

Hi! Welcome!
If you ever have trouble finding something in your TSC, don't go to Altoona! It's a tiny little dirty place. Yours is sooo much better!

 

[blits0927]

I didn't even know Altoona had a TSC until i read about the swap. I didn't have time to go check it out. I usually do just stick to my own TSC. Why drive when what I need is practically in my backyard? LoL

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I didn't even know Altoona had a TSC until i read about the swap. I didn't have time to go check it out. I usually do just stick to my own TSC. Why drive when what I need is practically in my backyard? LoL

I usually go to the TSC swaps in Altoona the first couple times in the spring but they're all that's close to me. I only go to sell though, not to buy. There's rarely anything good there (if you are looking for birds anyway) and I once had someone try to trade me 2 Marans "pullets" for my blue copper rooster I was trying to sell. They were both young cockerels with their hackle feathers just starting to appear under their feathers *rolls eyes*. Punxy wouldn't be TOO much further to travel. Anyone know if the the Punxy TSC does swaps?

I'm so mad at myself tonight

I was candling Cookie's eggs with a big flashlight and an empty toilet paper roll and the first egg I did slipped right through the tp roll, hit the flashlight and cracked! A nice big one too I rushed in and put clear nail polish over the crack but I don't know if it'll work or not. Thera only 1 week till they're do to hatch too. Of course, it was a Marans egg so I couldn't exactly see in it but I only gave her 3 eggs with hopes of her hatching at least one so she can snap out of this broodiness that she's been clinging to most of the summer. The Rhodebar eh I gave her doesn't look like it's developing at all. Why couldn't I have dropped that one? Grrr

 

[Blarneyeggs]

This has been an insane chicken week.

We just finished erecting our winter coop, made up mostly of dumpster dive flotsam, but it came out gorgeous. I will try and get some pictures soon, if anyone is interested.

The new Rhode Island White roo is settling in. He's very wild, but he appears to be getting along well with the RIR hens. He's had no structure in his life, so he's taken to imitating their behavior, it seems. He eats then they eat, roosts when they roost. The only downside is he's had no real human contact, so he's shy. I guess that's good in a way.

The egg turner came out of our incubator yesterday, and the 24 australorp eggs are presently resting. Hatch day, if we've counted right, is this Friday. We're pretty excited to see how many we've got.

More soon, including pics.

. Me! I wanna see pics of your winter coop! And chick pics when they hatch (as long as I'm asking).

I need to think about coops for the winter. I've got quite a few birds in some not so safe or winter proof coops...

 

[blits0927]

I usually go to the TSC swaps in Altoona the first couple times in the spring but they're all that's close to me. I only go to sell though, not to buy. There's rarely anything good there (if you are looking for birds anyway) and I once had someone try to trade me 2 Marans "pullets" for my blue copper rooster I was trying to sell. They were both young cockerels with their hackle feathers just starting to appear under their feathers *rolls eyes*. Punxy wouldn't be TOO much further to travel. Anyone know if the the Punxy TSC does swaps?

I'm so mad at myself tonight

I was candling Cookie's eggs with a big flashlight and an empty toilet paper roll and the first egg I did slipped right through the tp roll, hit the flashlight and cracked! A nice big one too I rushed in and put clear nail polish over the crack but I don't know if it'll work or not. Thera only 1 week till they're do to hatch too. Of course, it was a Marans egg so I couldn't exactly see in it but I only gave her 3 eggs with hopes of her hatching at least one so she can snap out of this broodiness that she's been clinging to most of the summer. The Rhodebar eh I gave her doesn't look like it's developing at all. Why couldn't I have dropped that one? Grrr

That's a shame about your egg. I didn't realize you could "repair" an egg and still have it hatch. But I hope it works for you! I still have a lot to learn. Especially about the whole hatching chicks aspect. Originally I'd intended to just have hens since I live in town. So I didn't read up on hatching chicks. Then my RIR turned out to be a cockerel. By the time I realized, I was already attached and so were my neighbors. Aaannd since I had already traumatized the neighbors by sending the 3 meat chickens I'd raised to a local poultry farm to be processed. I decided to keep him as long as he continues to act like a gentleman. So I may try hatching some eggs in the spring. With my RIR roo and SLW hen, I'd be getting red sex links I believe. I'm not really sure how crossing my RIR with my BO would work out, other than giving me adorable chicks. But I'm sure there would be some of them in there, too.
I've never been to a chicken swap so I'm not really sure what to expect at one. But thanks for the info about Altoona's TSC swap.

 

[fisherlady]

They were sold as white rocks, but the sales lady admitted they were white rock hybrids with some Cornish in them. Is it possible that was the cause? I have never heard of anything like that. She insisted they were excellent layers. Naturally, I assumed that meant you could keep the as layers as well as meaties.

I don't think TSC puts much effort into training their staff about chickens. I like the people at my local TSC, but I would no sooner solicit advice about farming from them than I would ask them for health care advice.

It can be a painful experience, but you now know a lot more about chickens than you did then. It would make me feel a bit better to know their death was nothing I did, and that they lived out their natural lives entirely in a pleasant setting. Their fate in a broiler house would have been far, far worse.

A true white rock is a good layer and a great choice for any flock if you aren't worried about having fancy colors. A white rock/cornish cross, most often called a CX or a cornish rock, are just not genetically bred to survive past a few months. As dheltzel said, most of the TSC employees are basically clueless about poultry and certainly will not say anything to discourage a potential sale. It is unfortunate that you were on the receiving end of the poor salesman techniques.
I know how endearing the CX can be, I have often commented that I wish I could find a layer with their personality. I honestly think they are the sweetest birds. I'm sorry you went through what you did because of poor advice.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

This has been an insane chicken week.

We just finished erecting our winter coop, made up mostly of dumpster dive flotsam, but it came out gorgeous. I will try and get some pictures soon, if anyone is interested.

The new Rhode Island White roo is settling in. He's very wild, but he appears to be getting along well with the RIR hens. He's had no structure in his life, so he's taken to imitating their behavior, it seems. He eats then they eat, roosts when they roost. The only downside is he's had no real human contact, so he's shy. I guess that's good in a way.

The egg turner came out of our incubator yesterday, and the 24 australorp eggs are presently resting. Hatch day, if we've counted right, is this Friday. We're pretty excited to see how many we've got.

More soon, including pics.

I wanna see!! and good luck with the hatch!

Also, wanted to share:



Mr. Darcy, our white rock. He and his girl, Miss Elizabeth, passed on recently.

So sorry! Do you know why they died?

. And hello! We are vacationing in the Poconos right now!



Yay vacation time is here!!

Have fun!!!