Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[FluffyButt789]

Holy cow this past weekend sure was warm! I've been away from the computer to tend to the chickens and the yard. Lots of work to do here... If anyone has willow trees, you'll understand my pain!!!

Glad to see that Chamomile is doing better, @hyzenthlay !

To the new people on this thread, welcome to BYC! Like someone else warned, be careful, these people will get you addicted to chickens FAST!

The pictures of adorable farm babies brightened up my mood, thanks @MotorcycleChick !

Let's hope spring is on it's way.

 

[chickachickayea]

I have been away for MONTHS and have much catching up to do and updates on my girls - but I just came across this on FB and thought I'd share!

Is anyone missing this lovely Silkie roo from New Tripoli area??

 

[yoopergirl1211]

putting 2 grown roosters together that haven't been hatched together can be very tricky, I've never done it successfully.

And a goat!?! Pics, PLEASE,!

Can't wait for goat! Setting up an area for him and then we'll go pick him up end of this week. Probably sooner if my husband and kids have a say. We were going to get ducks and I told him the lady had goats, turkeys, cows, pigs, ect. and he was like well we're getting a goat then lol. He's as bad as I am.

I've successfully added numerous new roos to my flock. It just takes time and patience. Keeping them seperate but able to see each other for a week helps. Then letting them free range together after that. They'll fight and short out their differences but it shouldn't take long.

We are still working on free ranging everyone. The chickens that were here when we moved in were always penned up but we want to do free range. We just finished fixing the run connected to new coop. I think we are going to try and introduce them in there. It'll be new to all of them but not sure if that will help. Zappa the new rooster is the size of a very small dog and a frizzle so he can't fly. But he's a nut job and thinks hes bigger than Oliver my RIR. Ugh I don't know what to do. Oliver is a good rooster he's pretty nice and relaxed with us but I love the little guy. I plan on trying to train them to come for treats when I ring my new bell this week so we can let them roam.

 

[yoopergirl1211]

Do I need to have two? Or will three dogs, two kids, and two adults that spend all of their time outside be enough to keep him company. I really only want one but I want him to be happy so I'll get a second one if I have too.

 

[yoopergirl1211]

Sorry I know I'm asking questions everyday lol. Does anyone here use the fermented food? And about how many eggshells would I need to supply enough calcium for 30 hens if I were to get off the calcium added food. I think I'd rather let them regulate themselves. We are going to have a bunch of different types of birds and a bunch of different ages so I was thinking about switching to the all flock? feed instead. Not sure yet.

 

[BullChick]

Do I need to have two?  Or will three dogs, two kids, and two adults that spend all of their time outside be enough to keep him company.  I really only want one but I want him to be happy so I'll get a second one if I have too.

If you want goat math, I will tell you that you need nine!
One will get lonely, but if it sleeps with the chickens, you should be okay. For a while anyway.
FF is great! It's better in a lot of ways!
All flock is a good choice. I would start out with all the crushed eggshells you can give them. They will gulp it at first, then regulate themselves. You can just dry and crumble up more when the supply is low.

 

[yoopergirl1211]

If you want goat math, I will tell you that you need nine!
One will get lonely, but if it sleeps with the chickens, you should be okay. For a while anyway.
FF is great! It's better in a lot of ways!
All flock is a good choice. I would start out with all the crushed eggshells you can give them. They will gulp it at first, then regulate themselves. You can just dry and crumble up more when the supply is low.

Oh no my daughter read this and now wants nine lol. We'll probably get two of them then can't have a lonely goat! Oh darn it'll be a real hardship for us I'm sure

Just figured out how to use the moving smiley faces. Now my life is complete! Going to figure out how to start making the FF thank you. I definitely think its something I want to try out. There is just so many different opinions out there its hard to sort through everything!

 

[FluffyButt789]

So I have a question - I brought in our easter egger to visit us in the house (we do it with all of the chickens to keep them friendly). Anyhow she took a poop, really runny and watery. She's one of the 4 I got from some chicken hoarder in our neighborhood who did not keep them in nice conditions. She's old and doesn't lay eggs anymore. I just don't know if I need to worry about her poop, but I would like to give her some worming medicine if I can, to make sure nobody has worms. What brand should I use, if there is one that will cover all worms?

We also have another chicken from the same hoarder. We call her butt-less for now as she does not have any tail feathers. She also has watery poop and it kept getting on her feathers and drying up really nasty so we clipped her feathers a bit shorter to help. She also is old and has a few missing toes. She's an EE too I believe, but doesn't have the fluffy feathers on her face and her eggs are a pale green and they always have lines and bumps on them and a lot of extra water inside. Poor baby. I'd like to try to get her better asap. I can share pictures if needed.

Thanks for any advice you could give me!

And yes, I wish I could rescue them all from the chicken hoarder. Working on it....

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Sorry I know I'm asking questions everyday lol.  Does anyone here use the fermented food?  And about how many eggshells would I need to supply enough calcium for 30 hens if I were to get off the calcium added food.  I think I'd rather let them regulate themselves.  We are going to have a bunch of different types of birds and a bunch of different ages so I was thinking about switching to the all flock? feed instead.  Not sure yet.

Fermented feed is wonderful! My flock loves it. I actualy feed it all winter too by bringing the feed bucket inside so it won't freeze lol. I also never buy layer feed. I always use grower feed for everyone and provide oyster shell, free choice.

 

[BullChick]

So I have a question - I brought in our easter egger to visit us in the house (we do it with all of the chickens to keep them friendly). Anyhow she took a poop, really runny and watery. She's one of the 4 I got from some chicken hoarder in our neighborhood who did not keep them in nice conditions. She's old and doesn't lay eggs anymore. I just don't know if I need to worry about her poop, but I would like to give her some worming medicine if I can, to make sure nobody has worms. What brand should I use, if there is one that will cover all worms? 

We also have another chicken from the same hoarder. We call her butt-less for now as she does not have any tail feathers. She also has watery poop and it kept getting on her feathers and drying up really nasty so we clipped her feathers a bit shorter to help. She also is old and has a few missing toes. She's an EE too I believe, but doesn't have the fluffy feathers on her face and her eggs are a pale green and they always have lines and bumps on them and a lot of extra water inside. Poor baby. I'd like to try to get her better asap. I can share pictures if needed. 

Thanks for any advice you could give me!

And yes, I wish I could rescue them all from the chicken hoarder. Working on it.... 

Safeguard is a great wormer. The goat formula is the common choice, but cattle is okay too. Look it up on BYC for the dosage.