Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Blarneyeggs]

It has been a few years since I last posted. This forum is still doing fantastic!

Odd request given the time of year, but do we have any silkie breeders within a few hours of SE Pennsylvania? I am looking for 2 female silkies, preferably adults if possible. Thank you!

Wow! A blast from the past! How are things? Do you ever attend the pony games at Iron Horse Farm? It's the farm just across from ours, I thought you had a daughter interested... Liz Webb at Hacker Hollow keeps some gorgeous show winning silkies. I can shoot her a text.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

I wanted to show some pictures of the new flock members that came this weekend thanks to @dheltzel, @chiques chicks, and of course @emorems0 for delivering them

This is Prince, CCL roo

These 3 are Stormy, Luna, and Cher, CCL pullets

And Adam, Bourbon red tom

This guy wasn't through the chicken train but still new this weekend. This is tucker, BCM roo

Now, I'm just sitting in the garage brooder with Adam and miraculously, he slowly came to me. He's helping me post this by pecking my tablet (and fingers!) lol

Got yourself some gorgeous birds there! Very nice.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

[COLOR=0000FF]Perfect! I start all of my coops with KILZ, then I paint them in whatever ridiculous color I find in the 'Oops' section -Paint that has been mixed and returned for whatever reason. Usually about $7 a can![/COLOR]. [COLOR=0000FF]I try to stick to the earth colors, but end up with pinks and purples quite often.[/COLOR]

Just to add, you can buy one cup of 'test' paint and HD for about $3....it might be a way to take a really ugly color and make it usable....my two cents

Good idea. A little green added to my pinks or a little orange added to my purples should mix into some variation of browns

Thought I'd share this pic while I'm at it. This is a pullet I hatched from eggs from Sara Sweatman.

is that a roo? How can you tell before he/she crows or not?

I can tell she's a pullet by the rounded shape of the feathers in her head dress. Here's a pic of her and a cockerel of the same age. He's been crowing, I haven't found any eggs yet.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Good idea. A little green added to my pinks or a little orange added to my purples should mix into some variation of browns
I can tell she's a pullet by the rounded shape of the feathers in her head dress. Here's a pic of her and a cockerel of the same age. He's been crowing, I haven't found any eggs yet.

They are gorgeous! Are Polish primarily show birds, or are they known for laying as well? Any problems with their "hats" getting dirty or wet often?

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Thanks.

We have them for show. Their 'hats' tend to obscure their vision. They are easy pickings for predators because of it.

 

[BullChick]

Thanks! It's good to be missed! But when you say thought of often, you didn't mean in that let's hope he doesn't find this place again kind of way, right?

I really have been wishing you would come back.

 

[Chicky Feathers]

Hey there PA friends! Thanks for the great advice given on where to get chickens locally. I thought I would pick some brains this morn. I am having trouble getting my girls to in the coop at night. When it gets dark,they come and peck at the back door. I have ramp to the coop that they come down but they just won't go back.I tried locking them in the coop for a few days(with food and water of coarse) put treats out and up the ramp but at 6:00 pm tap,tap, tap. I physically have to put them up the ramp. Any ideas?

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Hey there PA friends! Thanks for the great advice given on where to get chickens locally. I thought I would pick some brains this morn. I am having trouble getting my girls to in the coop at night. When it gets dark,they come and peck at the back door. I have ramp to the coop that they come down but they just won't go back.I tried locking them in the coop for a few days(with food and water of coarse) put treats out and up the ramp but at 6:00 pm tap,tap, tap. I physically have to put them up the ramp. Any ideas?

Putting a light in the coop may help them to go in at night. I always used treats going up the ramp to encourage them to try it out. Not necessarily at bedtime though. When I have some that are still learning to go in at night, I go out just before it gets dark and one at a time guide them up the ramp and in to the coop. That way, they have to walk up the ramp on their own anyway. All this has worked for me. Good luck!

 

[Chaos18]

Hey there PA friends! Thanks for the great advice given on where to get chickens locally. I thought I would pick some brains this morn. I am having trouble getting my girls to in the coop at night. When it gets dark,they come and peck at the back door. I have ramp to the coop that they come down but they just won't go back.I tried locking them in the coop for a few days(with food and water of coarse) put treats out and up the ramp but at 6:00 pm tap,tap, tap. I physically have to put them up the ramp. Any ideas?

When it's almost dusk light the inside of there coop somehow (I used a flashlight because my coop doesn't have electricity) because a dark chicken coop is a scary place, I did that for two evenings and ever since than they go in by themselves. If you have a run attached to the coop leave them locked in the run when you do this so they can't come to the backdoor.

 

[Chicky Feathers]

Thanks for the great advice! I think I will try a light tonight! I love chicken Facebook(BYC)!