Utah!

[RedIII]

Cynthia, I think your chickens probably recognized the sound and/or sight of the cat and knew it wasn't friendly. I've been surprised before at how well my birds can hear and see me when I'm moving about the yard. I'm glad your chickens are okay! Good Ziggy.

Birdman, all three of my turkeys will be wintering with us, since the two poults are a slower-growing breed. I'm hoping to be able to breed the little tom to my hens in the spring to get some more babies. One of the turkeys I raised last winter will be the mainstay of Thanksgiving this year

 

[AspenCreek Farm]

I just joined this group, and I live in Cache Valley, Utah. I need advice from experts.

First, we have four hens, and we need to find a good home for them before winter. We live in the coldest part of the valley and I didn't get the warm, insulated chicken coop built, like I'd hoped. They are the sweetest chickens ever so it is hard to give them up. Any ideas how to find them a good place to live where they will be warm and cared for this winter, instead of ending up in a soup pot?

My other chicken is a Banty Hen. She just showed up at our house one day, which is odd because we live out in the country with no houses nearby. One day we just found this sweet little Banty Hen in our backyard. We named her Mattie. She has such a personality and she runs around the yard catching bugs all day, and she keeps up with the big hens! I am hoping I can find someone to take Mattie for the winter and if I am able to start a flock again in the spring, I would buy her back from them. This is such an odd question, but does anyone board chickens? Would it stress her to move somewhere else for the winter and then come back here again in the spring. I really don't want to give her away forever, but I am worried that I just can't keep these hens warm this winter, when the snow blows and the wind howls outside.

Should I just put an ad on ksl.com and hope for the best?

Thanks for any advice you may have about how to find my hens a good home.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

I am in cache valley too my chickens all made it through the winter fine here in the crazy cold last winter. No insulated coop I did turn a heat lamp on a few times out there but they did not really hang out under it so if by chance you did want to keep them it is definitely possible.

 

[Sphinx]

Welcome AspenCreek! Granted, I don't live in Cache Valley, but it got well below zero last year. I do not have an insulated coop, and I put a light out in my coop for egg production, but it didn't give any real heat. I have never lost a chicken to cold. Believe it or not, heat is actually a much bigger killer.

Cynthia, glad your mystery visitor didn't get any of your hens!

Red, I'm kind of excited for you that you're finally going to reap one of the turkeys you raised.

 

[PressOn]

What kind of hens do you have, as long as you have water and food always available they should be fine. I worry about my birds more in July.

 

[La Casa de Pollo]

Oh man! I went out to the run today and got a nasty surprise. I have had 5 teenage polka dots out there integrating, and they were all together with the older hens in the run and coop yesterday doing great. I have been putting them in a cage at night in the big coop, just to make sure there is no trouble, and last night I did not put them in the cage. Last time I checked on them the 5 teens were sleeping in a nest together in a pile and the big girls were asleep on the roosts. Nice and peaceful. Well this morning, I go out to gather eggs. The big girls are eating the carcasses of the two girl teenagers (of course the three boys are fine). Like eating the innerds out of the hanging open carcass, It was SO DISGUSTING! If I could put the big girls in time out it would be happening right now. Bad girls. I am so mad at them right now. And mad at myself for not caging those babies for another week or two. I should have known better! Duh!!

Of course the one I liked the most is gone. She had a huge crest growing and big black eyes. I hate to think of how much she may have suffered while being terrorized this morning before I went outside. ugh!

 

[Cynthia12]

Oh Lisa, that's sounds awful. I'm so sorry. Were these your SG's? I have some in lock down..not sure what I will get. I put them in lock down yesterday, and one hatched in the afternoon! It's a white Silkie. Nice big vault! Lots of feathers on those legs and feet. I also have another two whites, from a different breeder that hatched yesterday, but they don't have the big vaults..one does, but I think I will keep that one to watch, it looks like it could be a lavender. I will let you know if I get any SG's. Mine is looking girly so far..the one I posted a while back.

 

[RedIII]

Oh, Lisa. How horrible! I'm so sorry

I'm sure you just wanted to throw up when you found that. I would have been so, so mad! Roast chicken for dinner. Ugh! Mine will pick at each other when it's feeding time, but the only real problem I have had so far was when one of my girls was missing a bunch of her feathers and was getting beat up on. Yeah, the perpetrators got a boot in the butt, and my hen got a vacation pass with her own "hotel" room for the next month while she grew in her feathers. Grrr

I know they are just animals, but I will have none of that nonsense on my watch. Now when I get a balding girl, they go right into the kennels. I'd much rather have them hate me for a few weeks than have an accident. So sorry, Lisa

Cynthia, glad your babies are hatching out alright for you. You are such a hatching guru. It probably doesn't help that there are so many different breeds, does it? Or that those little fluffballs are so cute

AspenCreek, welcome! your hens might be okay through the winter. I'm in West Valley, but mine got along fine last winter with just a little heat lamp out there in the more frigid months. My coop is made of plywood, and it did the job just fine. I only had one hen get depressed and too cold, and I just moved her into the garage for a little while.

Sphinx, thanks! We actually harvested one of the turkeys from last year for Easter dinner, and it was delicious. As much as I love my birds, I'm still glad that they can provide food for me and my family. I like to think it's more respectful to the animal not to let it go to waste, you know?

Speaking of turkeys, I have forgotten just how curious these birds can be. We had a couple of neighborhood girls walking around this afternoon to collect money for a school fundraiser. One of my turkeys decided she wanted to see what they were doing, so she started crossing the street to see what was going on. She came running back after a truck drove down the street, though. And earlier, a street sweeper went by. Oh my, you should have heard those turkeys going off. I'm sure they thought it was the end of the world

 

[acemario]

I just joined this group, and I live in Cache Valley, Utah. I need advice from experts.

First, we have four hens, and we need to find a good home for them before winter. We live in the coldest part of the valley and I didn't get the warm, insulated chicken coop built, like I'd hoped. They are the sweetest chickens ever so it is hard to give them up. Any ideas how to find them a good place to live where they will be warm and cared for this winter, instead of ending up in a soup pot?

My other chicken is a Banty Hen. She just showed up at our house one day, which is odd because we live out in the country with no houses nearby. One day we just found this sweet little Banty Hen in our backyard. We named her Mattie. She has such a personality and she runs around the yard catching bugs all day, and she keeps up with the big hens! I am hoping I can find someone to take Mattie for the winter and if I am able to start a flock again in the spring, I would buy her back from them. This is such an odd question, but does anyone board chickens? Would it stress her to move somewhere else for the winter and then come back here again in the spring. I really don't want to give her away forever, but I am worried that I just can't keep these hens warm this winter, when the snow blows and the wind howls outside.

Should I just put an ad on ksl.com and hope for the best?

Thanks for any advice you may have about how to find my hens a good home.

I second what Lisa (La Casa de Pollo) said... and Welcome!!! I'm a Cache Vallian as well.

Oh man! I went out to the run today and got a nasty surprise. I have had 5 teenage polka dots out there integrating, and they were all together with the older hens in the run and coop yesterday doing great. I have been putting them in a cage at night in the big coop, just to make sure there is no trouble, and last night I did not put them in the cage. Last time I checked on them the 5 teens were sleeping in a nest together in a pile and the big girls were asleep on the roosts. Nice and peaceful. Well this morning, I go out to gather eggs. The big girls are eating the carcasses of the two girl teenagers (of course the three boys are fine). Like eating the innerds out of the hanging open carcass, It was SO DISGUSTING! If I could put the big girls in time out it would be happening right now. Bad girls. I am so mad at them right now.

And mad at myself for not caging those babies for another week or two. I should have known better! Duh!!

Of course the one I liked the most is gone. She had a huge crest growing and big black eyes. I hate to think of how much she may have suffered while being terrorized this morning before I went outside. ugh!

Oh wow! That is awful!!!!! How old were the teens?!? Yes... those birds NEED a timeout!

 

[acemario]

Quick question for anyone on early! So I just hatched out 3 chicks in my new Brinsea Mini Advanced (

). Now I am taking them out to their brooder... The brooder is in a poorly insulated shed. The brooder obviously has a heat lamp, and directly under the lamp is about 100 degrees... However, the temperature drops quickly as you leave the direct light of the lamp. Is this something to be worried about? They'll be ok, right?

Does anyone on here keep their brooder in the garage in the winter?