Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[deaconjonesjr]

Howdy from Lincoln University, 10 minutes south of you! One thing you need to know here is poultry roundworms are really bad here, so feed your birds diatomaceous earth monthly, that’s what the Amish do. Straw lice are bad too, so be prepared. Best feed for the money around here I’ve found is Ross’s Feed in Quarryville, he mills his own cheaply. Don’t try to return anything at the Oxford Tractor Supply without a receipt, the manager is nasty. And if you need dewormer, try Valley View Hardware in Lincoln University, it’s Amish run so you need cash, but they have the best price on Safeguard fenbendazole. Welcome and God bless you!❤✝

Thanks for all that great information!

 

[TillyPeeps]

I only have one chicken right now. The previous owner of the house we bought left us his one chicken. I don't know what type it is.

She looks like a mixed breed. Very cute. Chickens need to have friends since they are flock animals, so you may consider to get her some chicken friends. Luckily, you are close to dheltzel, who has lots of great chicks. You can check his website to see if there is any breed you are interested: http://welbars.com

 

[deaconjonesjr]

She looks like a mixed breed. Very cute. Chickens need to have friends since they are flock animals, so you may consider to get her some chicken friends. Luckily, you are close to dheltzel, who has lots of great chicks. You can check his website to see if there is any breed you are interested: http://welbars.com

Thank You... I am in the process of getting ready to build a coop to get her some friends. I hope to be able to give her some company in a week or two.

I will be going to welbars to get them now that I know where to go.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Almost finished the new duck pen today. It is 12x4 and raised up like a rabbit hutch with a wire floor and sunken pool (with easy drain). I plan to put 16 Australian Spotted ducks in there (12 females). Then I need to refurbish their old pen (8x3) a bit and put my flock of Mini Silver Appleyards in there (10 females and 3 males). I have some of the younger ones in with chickens, but they really benefit from access to a pool. Ducks with a pool to swim in regularly always look perfect in their feathering.

Started collecting eggs on Christmas day to set in early January. Not many pens are laying yet. Getting lights set up is the next project. I usually turn the lights on in early December, but I decided to wait a bit longer this year. No need to rush the chick hatching season.

Dennis, what do you think about this kiddie pool:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B088RC4...olid=2KNIF5S90RDOD&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I can only fit the 4' one in the roofed run area, which has wrapped with clear tarp for winter. Is that big enough for two bantam ducks? Once we get water line to the run, I would like to get two Mini Silver Appleyards from you. I would like to get two girls, but one boy one girl should be ok too.

 

[TillyPeeps]

Thank You... I am in the process of getting ready to build a coop to get her some friends. I hope to be able to give her some company in a week or two.

I will be going to welbars to get them now that I know where to go.

What type of coop are you building? I think most chickens are not laying now, so chick season wouldn't start until Feburary. Of course, it looks like dheltzel will have some chicks in 3 weeks. His legbars and welbars are good layers and they are beautiful birds with good personality too.

 

[deaconjonesjr]

What type of coop are you building? I think most chickens are not laying now, so chick season wouldn't start until Feburary. Of course, it looks like dheltzel will have some chicks in 3 weeks. His legbars and welbars are good layers and they are beautiful birds with good personality too.

I am still figuring out which type of coop to build. I am also going to be making a tractor so my ladies can work the ground for our up coming garden season. The coop that was left is really small in my opinion as a new owners.

 

[VictoriaTemple]

I am still figuring out which type of coop to build. I am also going to be making a tractor so my ladies can work the ground for our up coming garden season. The coop that was left is really small in my opinion as a new owners.

A tractor is a great idea, red tailed hawks love a chicken dinner. Make sure it’s heavy enough wire to keep out raccoons and possums! Your feather baby is very cute, looks a lot like my Silkie/Cochin hybrids. Is it a bantam?

 

[dheltzel]

Put a lot of thought into how you build the tractor. Mine keep getting picked up and tossed around by the wind. I've built probably 7 or 8 over the years and only the last one will remain in use, the others were destroyed, either a little at a time, or all at once. Not a fun thing, to go out after a storm and have to go round up the (remaining) birds.

It can be hard to find grown chickens and the selection of breeds is always limited. Chicks are much more available in the spring and summer, but integrating them with your single hen could be a challenge, they would need to be nearly fully grown first.

 

[deaconjonesjr]

Put a lot of thought into how you build the tractor. Mine keep getting picked up and tossed around by the wind. I've built probably 7 or 8 over the years and only the last one will remain in use, the others were destroyed, either a little at a time, or all at once. Not a fun thing, to go out after a storm and have to go round up the (remaining) birds.

It can be hard to find grown chickens and the selection of breeds is always limited. Chicks are much more available in the spring and summer, but integrating them with your single hen could be a challenge, they would need to be nearly fully grown first.

So what is different about this last chicken tractor compared to the last?

 

[dheltzel]

So what is different about this last chicken tractor compared to the last?

It is smaller, heavier and lower to the ground. Unless you are very sure you will never get high winds where you are locating the tractor, don't make it large and light -- sure that makes it easier to move, but for the wind also.