Chick Decision Time

We go back and forth on this every year...do we get chicks or wait for next year? I usually end up with a couple if I plan it or not, but I think I might do this differently this year. Every season I try to introduce pullets out of the brooder to the rest of the clutch I'm presented with a lot of drama. I divide the coop so the youngsters are safe and hope they get used to being in close quarters before I combine them. There is always at least one of my hens...usually one of my favorites..that insist on picking on the babies. I've made the mistake of getting rid of some great hens because I couldn't have them being so mean. I still miss my Lacy. I have also gone the other route and have gotten rid of the girl that was being picked on by many. Eastie was a favorite pet and would rather be with me than the other hens. I couldn't build a coop just for her so I rehomed her to a friends where she became the leader of the group. It worked out well for her in the end, but I parted with a few great hens before I took that step.

We had a stretch of time this winter when we didn't get any eggs at all. It was just too cold. I have a few that are slowing down a bit. Mama and Jumpers are 4 years old and Mama (my Black Australorp) gets broody a few times a year. I love the Black Australorps...so soft and friendly..but I won't get any more of them. When they lay, they lay very well. They have been the only ones I've had to go so broody. It's very disruptive to the others and of course it cuts in on the egg supply. I'm not allowed to have any roosters here, or else my thinking would be different with them. They are known to be good mothers. We've run out of eggs a few times and we have really grown to not be able to bring ourselves to eat any grocery store eggs. So, we need more good layers.

I would love to stick to heirloom breeds, but on the other hand I see the benefit of the Red Sexlink hen. We have our pet chickens and we love them. I think I'm going to get a batch of hybrids for the egg production and just start a whole new coop just for them. This way I won't have the headache of integrating them and I won't have to worry about what to do with the roos. I had to give up Mr. Dove last season and we really loved him. This may be the best answer for us. Now to find a local breeder.

Baby it's cold outside....

-16 degrees F. to be exact.....burrrrrrr

Have I ever mentioned that my husband thinks I'm chicken crazy? Well, I'm not. My friend, Jennifer, just might be however. She is a wonderful chicken lady. Here are her hens resting nicely in her basement for this Arctic blast we are getting here in Upstate NY.  They look very happy indeed.

Some very lucky chickens!

I was rummaging around our garage last night trying to figure out how I could bring my girls in without destroying my husbands lawn tractor. They took roost on it last year and he hasn't let me forget that. I was even playing with the idea of cardboard boxes. I finally gave up realizing that I needed to just trust that they would be fine. I couldn't bring them in where it would be too warm because I was afraid they would get sick when I put them back up.

It's a good coop and they are the hardiest animals I've ever seen. Jumpers was in the jaws of a coyote and has the tale to tell. I've got cold hardy breeds, I use the deep liter method, and I just needed to trust I was doing OK. The coop is 4'x8' with an extended nest box and a slanted roof which holds the snow nicely for insulation. I do run out several times when we have these crazy cold snaps with jugs of really hot water and place them under the roosts. I am careful to keep their drinking water fresh because it freezes so quickly on days like this.

I have to change up the filled milk/juice jugs twice during the day and first thing in the morning. I keep the coop closed up so the heat stays inside the coop. It really does raise the ambient temperature inside and doesn't add much if any moisture. I haven't noticed any moisture build up because even though it's really cold I keep some side ventilation open to prevent frostbite.

If I had a place to bring them inside I would have. I did one year and really enjoyed that I could go and hang out with them for extended periods of time. Yes, I talk to my chickens.....they don't argue with me like my children sometimes do!

The main thing with keeping them inside is they do get bored. Boredom can lead to pecking. I bring them treats like warm oatmeal or polenta. Eating is a great boredom buster...I know this from personal experience, unfortunately.

-16 degrees and they are doing fine. I on the other hand go a bit stir crazy (er). I hope you stay warm and keep looking out for the sunny days soon to come:)

Gypsy Meet Your Chickens

"Hi...we're going to be friends"

She held that chicken for an hour.

Start training early

The story of how we decided to welcome Gypsy our Minitured Austrailain Shepard (Miniture American Shepard) into our family is on my family blog lifeaswegrow.com

She is absolutely perfect! She's going to be kept very busy around here. One of her jobs is going to be to help with the chickens. Gee, I might have to get more to keep her busy.... She's a born herder and it's very clear right from the start. It's amazing how different she is from Cricket. Cricket really wants to chase. She's a Coton de Teluer / Shih Tzu and though she would never hurt the hens, she sure loves the chase.

Gypsy didn't even seem interested at first, but as soon as they started moving around she became very watchful. I rounded them up and guided them into the tractor and Gypsy walked along right at my heal as we circled the tractor several times. I really need to research how to do this because I'm afraid of messing up her training. If anyone has any hints I'd love to hear!

I started some tunnel training with both Gypsy and Cricket. I know not to have her do any jumping because she is so young, but the tunnels are great fun. Cricket is almost 3 years old, so she is really ready for this. I can't believe I didn't think to get her going sooner. She is full of energy and is a natural jumper. I've never seen her so happy since she got her own puppy. I didn't think to worry about it since she is such a sweet dog around any other animals. Any dog that will sleep and cuddle with a kitten is bound to be good with a puppy. Gypsy is going to be more than twice her size....but I'm not going to tell that to her yet.

 My Moon Princess has been upset that there has been too much snow for her to go visit her chickens. She was very happy for a melt so the hens could run around for a while. She held on to Yorkie our Barred Rock and just talked and pet her for an hour! No one can tell me that chickens don't love attention. When I opened the back of the coop Lilly actually jumped up on my arm and walked around with me like a falcon.

Cricket missed her chickens too.

Snow Chickens in CNY

The snow was so deep after one night of snow that the coop was dark on the inside. The snow had about covered the windows completely. My girls weren't very happy. I got out there first thing and tried to pull the snow off the best that I could. They were warm enough in there and Reba even laid an egg in the dark! That is one dedicated hen:) They didn't really come out of the coop except to jump out and hide under it for the next week. They did enjoy pecking at it around the edges. 

P.S. see that old camper in the background? Stay tuned...that's our next project....the hens are going to LOVE it!

Keeping Chickens Warm

http://uticaphoenix.net/keeping-chickens-warm/

This is my article just printed in the The Utica Phoenix.

Chickens are amazingly hardy animals and are easy to care for. Choosing the right breed for your climate is only one way to ensure that you keep your clutch going strong through the winter. There are a few simple things that are needed to keep them warm in the coldest months.

You Don’t Have to Heat the Coop
There is always a danger of fire when you bring electricity into a coop filled with litter. When chickens are used to living in a heated coop they don’t acclimate to the weather in a natural manner. The main school of thought is that if chickens don’t acclimate and something happens to the heat source they will be unable to deal with the change.


The Deep Litter Method
The “deep litter method” is essentially keeping at least a foot of litter on the bottom of the coop and mixing it up regularly. By mixing in some food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) (bought through bulk food sources) there is no moisture and no smell. The natural composting adds heat and of course will help your garden grow at the end of winter.

Keep the Drafts Out but Keep Good Ventilation
Chickens need to have good roosts to sit on that are out of any draft. You do have to make sure there is good ventilation in the coop however the vents should be placed so the wind won’t blow into the coop and not in line with the roosts.

Without enough fresh air the moisture from their breath and temperature difference from body warmth will make it damp leading to not only frost bite on the combs but also respiratory problems. They must have fresh air no matter how cold it is.


Preventing and Treating Frostbite
Frostbite can be a big problem especially with chickens with large pretty combs. Some breeds have “rose combs” and are more cold hardy. Applying petroleum jelly to the larger combs when it’s going to be extremely cold will help protect them. It can also help heal if they do get some blackened areas on the comb.

Feathered feet such as on the Brahma breed are hardier in the snow but most chickens try to stay out of the snow. Keeping an area clear of snow will give them area to scratch and dust themselves. They do need a dust bath even in the coldest months. The easiest thing to do is to keep at least an area of the run covered to keep the snow out. Many chicken keepers will use a covered run for this purpose.

Short Egg Supply in the Winter
Some breeds are better winter layers than others, so keep that in mind when you are starting or adding to your clutch. There are two schools of thought when it comes to providing light during the darker months. Some chicken keepers provide artificial light to keep egg production up. The recommendation for this is to start the light on a time earlier in the morning so they may settle down through dusk naturally. Many chicken keepers don’t supplement light and wait out the shorter days. Hens will start laying more after the start of winter as the decline in laying is more dependent on the length of daylight than on temperature. They do reserve their energy when it is bitter cold.

Feed and Water Requirements in the Winter
The most important thing is that they never run out of food or fresh thawed water. Bring out warm water a couple of times a day. It is highly recommended that the chickens are treated to cracked corn during the day to help with energy needed to keep themselves warm. Many keepers also supplement with treats such as warm oatmeal in the morning or pasta later in the day.

Keeping chickens has gained in popularity in recent years as more people begin to wonder where their food comes from. Gathering fresh eggs from the back yard is becoming one of the small changes people can make to feel more in control of our healthy choices no matter what season it is.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/
http://blog.mypetchicken.com/

Where to get chickens
Craigslist – There are many local farms and people that order extra from the mail order hatcheries.
Tractor Supply – Chick Days in the Spring
Mail Order Hatcheries for Heritage breeds- order early for the best choice
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html
http://www.strombergschickens.com/prod_detail_list/Chickens-Chicks
http://www.purelypoultry.com/chickens-brown-egg-layers-common-c-154_169.html
http://www.cacklehatchery.com/page2.html
http://www.heritagebreedpoultry.com/

Fresh Eggs

Monday, September 10, 2012

Baby Eggs

  

"Hello....are you talking about me again?"

 This is Betty. She's a Dominique and is the softest, friendliest, sweetest, bravest, and all around fun young lady in the coop. I got her when she was a couple weeks old, so I'm not sure of her exact age. I keep forgetting to ask. Her cohorts are Yorkie the Barred Rock and Lemonade and Fifi the Salmon Favorollies.
She's the biggest of the group and she also has started hanging out with my older layers. It's like she's in the "in" crowd now. I wouldn't be shocked if it did turn out to be Yorkie, but we'll see.

 My husband is pretty sure the newest egg belongs to Betty. Ever since he built them the new nest box he has taken to collecting the eggs. I leave them in there until he gets home so I don't take his fun away. I love that he's getting involved with the chickens. He sees now why I love them so much. He's always been so good about it..even letting me let them live in the garage a couple of cold winters...<3

I know my coop isn't fancy, but it's 4x8 with these old windows that I can slide to open or close in front of the hard wire that's over every opening in the coop. It's safe and I have two doors in back I can get right in there if I want to. I do need to pretty it up a bit. I have screen door windows over the fenced run right now to keep the rain off the back of the run. They hang out under it a lot when they aren't running around the yard. It's hardwired all the way around the back. I've had my share of scares..so I have enough fear in me to double check everything every day. Knock on wood..I've never lost a feathered friend..sure have come close though.

Reba - The best layer and dog-chicken

 Reba is now 2 years old and lays about every single day. My 3 1/2 year old Australorp also lays like 4-5 a week when she isn't broody....which drives me and all my hens nuts! My 3 1/2 year old Easter Egger is really not a great layer at all. She was hiding them at one time, so I can't say for sure. I do leave her in the run some days to see if she is laying. I think she holds them in until she can find a hiding spot though. She has such great personality that even if she doesn't lay I can't see letting go to someone else. She's the alarm bell and has saved the clutch in the past.

I wish they all layed like Reba! We run low on eggs with 6 of us and my husband likes to show off my deviled eggs. I haven't had enough to send to work with him. Now that Betty and her cohorts are going to start laying I'll have 7 layers. That will be good for us. It will be a while for Lilly to start and well....I'm thinking Dovie never will:( I'm not letting her/him go until there is absolutely no doubt and Lilly is big enough to cuddle with the bigger girls. They still haven't really accepted the little ones. They do let them hang out with them, but they won't let them on the big roost. They'll be big enough soon. Ahh..they grow up so fast.

Diving Hawk

Just kidding....if I saw that thing coming it would be more than my chickens running for cover!

Sunday, September 30, 2012 

Diving Hawk

I have been under the misunderstanding that my chickens were too big for the seemingly small Red Tail Hawks we have flying all around us. I've been letting my girls run around the yard for the past three years. I've only been letting them out in the center of the day where I've felt safer from the foxes. I have seen a fox in the middle of the day, but most often in the morning or evening. I'm always on the watch for coyotes but it's actually been a while since I've seen one of those mangy things running through the yard. They are my least favorite animal of all! Of all the things I feared for my hens I was just blind to the threat flying above us.

Perhaps it's because my cat has cleared out what ever field mice and moles there were in the open field next to us. Perhaps this hawk just woke up and felt like a change in diet and felt extremely bold. I do have to say that a Red Tail Hawk is a beautiful majestic looking creature. I admire them from my front window as I see them circle above. They always seem so small. It's hard for me to believe it could really pick up one of my hens. That didn't stop her from trying.

I was standing on the deck talking on the phone and admiring the zen-fullness of the clutch pecking around happily under the willow tree when from out of the tree dives the bold hawk. I screamed and got off my call to run down to protect my girls. As I was standing there the hawk took another dive right next to me! I always walked over and stood in the middle of my hens whenever I saw the flying predator before. I just assumed that my presence would deter any interest. I was wrong. This bird either didn't notice me standing there shooshing it or it was simply amused by my waving arms.

To make a long story short, I rounded up all my girls with my super duper pool noodle and got them back into the run in a flash before the attacker had a chance to take another dive. All is well, however, my girls complain to me when I refuse to open the run door. I'm going to leave them in the run or the tractor now. It's such a shame. They were loving those bugs in the ditch area. At least they are safe.

(the picture is from the "How to Train Your Dragon" live show in Albany...WOW...cool show!  My mother-in-law took all the grandkids....12 plus parents! )