NYC area folks!

[FoxySonia]

Hey y'all, from the Bronx!

Looking for other NYC area chicken keepers (and gardeners and whatever-else keepers) to lament the total non-existence of feed supply in the area, and swap city chicken/garden/whatever-else tips and stories!

If you're in the area or know someone who is, say hey!

We're first year chicken keepers in the Bronx. We also keep a pretty decent vegetable garden (in good years) and have kept bees in the past - we hope to, again, beginning this spring.
We usually have at least a half-dozen unfinished projects or more going at any given time on our wannabe urban farm. Inside we have two very domesticated cats who believe within the depths of their hearts that they are outdoor animals, however, they are very wrong.

We have to get a lot of our supplies online, unfortunately, but find ourselves packing the car to the max anytime we're out of town and stumble upon a Tractor Supply. We'd love to support smaller companies and utilize more sustainable products but we find this challenging in an urban area. We still do our best when economically feasible.

What about you?

I'm in Queens and this is my 3rd year having chickens. As you know, there aren't any local stores that sell chicken feed or supplies, so I too have to order all my chickens feed and supplies online at a much higher cost than if I could get them from a Tractor Supply or feed mill. Prices for everything have gotten so high that I've had to downsized my flock, went from 37 in 15 different breeds to 25 and am considering reducing the number to 10-12 hens. What I've learned in the 3 years of having chickens: 1. It isn't as easy as I first thought it would be. 2. It is a lot more expensive than I thought it would be. 3. Chickens can develop so many problems (illness, reproductive problems such as getting eggbound, internal and external parasites (worms, mites, lice), wounds and infections such as bumblefoot, can fall victims to predators, etc. I've had to treat some of my chickens for pretty much everything I mentioned with the exception of injury from predators. So far I've been lucky that the raccoons that frequent my yard some nights haven't figured out how to break into my chickens pen (a welded wire dog kennel with a tarp roof. If I hadn't spent so much money in their coop, pen, cages, feeders, waterers, fencing, and what I've spent on feed and supplies these last 3 years, I might sell my flock and give up having chickens until I can move from NY and my health and financial situation improves.

Where I live, I've only met 2 other backyard chicken keepers. Many people like to pass by my house to see my chickens scratching around in my yard, some tell me that it reminds them of when they lived in their country and they or a family member had chickens.

I used to have beautiful roosters, even though in the city they aren't allowed. I had 1 for 2 years and 3 for 1 year before a neighbor called 311 to file a noise complaint, and I got a visit from a DEP inspector. He gave me one chance to get rid of the roosters ASAP, but if another noise complaint is made and he pays me another visit a day later, he'll have to fine me. I contacted ACC and thankfully they took them in and were able to find a rescue where my roosters could live.

After the roosters were gone, some of the more dominant hens became a lot louder and some would bully the less dominant ones, so I got rid of them. But there's always going to be some that will become the new dominant ones. Lately it seems many in the flock have collectively decided they hate one of their sisters, one of my smallest bantams, a 1 year old Old English Game bantam hen, and they have been slowly killing her. It started with them plucking all of her tail feathers, then trying to eat her naked tail. A few times I had to use the purple anti-septic spray on her, hoping to deter them, but after a few days they keep pecking her until they draw blood again. I've consider separating her, but putting her away in a small cage to live in her own will also make her unhappy. And because no one is going to want a sick looking tailed chicken, I'm considering euthanizing her, though the thought of doing the dead myself makes me feel ill.

Anyway, I love my girls but having chickens require a great deal of time, energy, money, commitment and resources. If you have all of that, then that is great.

 

[Zud]

I have a small submersible heating pad with a sensor and temp switch in a plastic waterer. It goes on at 1°C, and off at 2.5°C. This takes 25W. That's connected to 2 car batteries, which are connected to 2 solar panels.

Mine also didn't know how to use the horizontal nipples; luckily Peeper is like a puppy and was more than willing to come over and peck what I was tapping. The other low hen came over, too, and that attracted the 2 higher level hens. They all know they can get water there, and use it when it's freezing, but they much prefer the cup waterer, which I leave in the run to freeze or thaw as the temps dictate.

I didn't even consider leaving the cup waterer out as well for it to be available as it that's. It never hurts to have more water sources.

 

[Zud]

I first got a 3-Gallon Heated Poultry Waterer from Premier1, which has horizontal nipples, currently price $62. It works great, but not all my chickens are smart enough to use it, so I also got K&H Thermal-Bowl Heated Water Bowl 96 once capacity (sold on Amazon, Chewy, Walmart, Petco and other retailets for about $32.99), one for the chickens to use and one for the homeless outdoor cats that I feed in my yard to use. It also works great, and it's used by all my chickens. I worry about a power outage during extreme cold weather, so I looked on YouTube on how to keep water from freezing. Use a rubber feed bowl, add a few plastic balls and a small plastic water bottle almost filled with water mixed with a couple of tablespoons of salt (or 1/4 cup salt in a 20 oz plastic water bottle, it will take longer to turn to a block of ice). The balls and bottle floating on top of and moving on the water in the bowl will keep the water from freezing for a long time. If the water in the bowl eventually freeze, the rubber will make it easy to empty the bowl without it breaking.

View attachment 3363392
https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/heated-poultry-waterer

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I like this salt/floating balls idea. I may try that. Plus it's a little enrichment to pick at the floating balls.

 

[Zud]

I'm in Queens and this is my 3rd year having chickens. As you know, there aren't any local stores that sell chicken feed or supplies, so I too have to order all my chickens feed and supplies online at a much higher cost than if I could get them from a Tractor Supply or feed mill. Prices for everything have gotten so high that I've had to downsized my flock, went from 37 in 15 different breeds to 25 and am considering reducing the number to 10-12 hens. What I've learned in the 3 years of having chickens: 1. It isn't as easy as I first thought it would be. 2. It is a lot more expensive than I thought it would be. 3. Chickens can develop so many problems (illness, reproductive problems such as getting eggbound, internal and external parasites (worms, mites, lice), wounds and infections such as bumblefoot, can fall victims to predators, etc. I've had to treat some of my chickens for pretty much everything I mentioned with the exception of injury from predators. So far I've been lucky that the raccoons that frequent my yard some nights haven't figured out how to break into my chickens pen (a welded wire dog kennel with a tarp roof. If I hadn't spent so much money in their coop, pen, cages, feeders, waterers, fencing, and what I've spent on feed and supplies these last 3 years, I might sell my flock and give up having chickens until I can move from NY and my health and financial situation improves.

Where I live, I've only met 2 other backyard chicken keepers. Many people like to pass by my house to see my chickens scratching around in my yard, some tell me that it reminds them of when they lived in their country and they or a family member had chickens.

I used to have beautiful roosters, even though in the city they aren't allowed. I had 1 for 2 years and 3 for 1 year before a neighbor called 311 to file a noise complaint, and I got a visit from a DEP inspector. He gave me one chance to get rid of the roosters ASAP, but if another noise complaint is made and he pays me another visit a day later, he'll have to fine me. I contacted ACC and thankfully they took them in and were able to find a rescue where my roosters could live.

After the roosters were gone, some of the more dominant hens became a lot louder and some would bully the less dominant ones, so I got rid of them. But there's always going to be some that will become the new dominant ones. Lately it seems many in the flock have collectively decided they hate one of their sisters, one of my smallest bantams, a 1 year old Old English Game bantam hen, and they have been slowly killing her. It started with them plucking all of her tail feathers, then trying to eat her naked tail. A few times I had to use the purple anti-septic spray on her, hoping to deter them, but after a few days they keep pecking her until they draw blood again. I've consider separating her, but putting her away in a small cage to live in her own will also make her unhappy. And because no one is going to want a sick looking tailed chicken, I'm considering euthanizing her, though the thought of doing the dead myself makes me feel ill.

Anyway, I love my girls but having chickens require a great deal of time, energy, money, commitment and resources. If you have all of that, then that is great.

You're not lying about the cost and some of the things that pop up. We had an egg bound early in that we were able to resolve, but we thought we were going to lose her and it knocked down a lot of that early confidence we had in being able to keep chickens. We've found the community here on BYC had been *super* helpful. I'm happy to be meeting some of you local folks now, though.

We have a hen right now with a shrunken and pale comb that were trying to diagnose and treat. It sucks not having a feed supply close to be able to pick up medication quickly. We're realizing we need to have a lot of this stuff on hand, though us all knowing one another might be a help. If someone has a medication someone else needs, in a pinch, it's much easier to connect locally than you wait for a delivery in the mail.

We just received Denagard in the mail and are expecting a de-wormer tomorrow (to try to treat my clearly anemic hen), as well as some VetRX which folks seem to feel is a good treat all as far as comfort for the hens.

****What are some of the first aid items you all keep on hand?****

We also had a hen get all her tail feathers picked out. We learned this could be due to a lack of protein in the hens or just boredom. We started giving some mealworms as treats when they're not finding worms in my garden beds and added some junk in their run to jump around on and it seems to have helped a lot. I've heard it's a tough habit to break if they've been doing it a while though, so maybe separating your one hen for a short time to let her get some growth back and trick the other hens into forgetting the habit might help?

 

[AntiqueB]

I've found that having a doctor/dentist/vet who's willing to prescribe necessary meds is indispensable. I'm lucky enough to have had the same primary doctor for over 30 years, a dentist who is a personal friend, and a vet I found through a friend. I had a girl who passed a lash egg, and was lucky enough to have amoxycillian the next day for her.

As far as first aid, I try to balance potential need vs expiration dates! I keep styptic powder and VetRx on hand always, but anything else I would have to trust Amazon delivery.

The VetRx is really just like Vick's for humans. I think it helps if someone has the sniffles, but it isn't a cure for anything.

Have you tried BluKote for the hen who's having feathers plucked? I would hesitate to separate her, since it may interfere with her standing in the flock.

 

[Zud]

I've found that having a doctor/dentist/vet who's willing to prescribe necessary meds is indispensable. I'm lucky enough to have had the same primary doctor for over 30 years, a dentist who is a personal friend, and a vet I found through a friend. I had a girl who passed a lash egg, and was lucky enough to have amoxycillian the next day for her.

As far as first aid, I try to balance potential need vs expiration dates! I keep styptic powder and VetRx on hand always, but anything else I would have to trust Amazon delivery.

The VetRx is really just like Vick's for humans. I think it helps if someone has the sniffles, but it isn't a cure for anything.

Have you tried BluKote for the hen who's having feathers plucked? I would hesitate to separate her, since it may interfere with her standing in the flock.

What is styptic powder and what does it treat?

 

[AntiqueB]

It stops bleeding quickly. Some people use cornstarch instead as a stopgap measure, but the powder will make a clot almost immediately, whereas cornstarch may require applying pressure for longer. It can be found in any pet store, and can be a lifesaver.

 

[Zud]

Well, if anything comes up for any of your chickens, things I now have on hand:

Denagard 12.5%
- used to treat respiratory infections caused by Mycoplasma and avian intestinal spirochetosis caused by Brachyspira in poultry
- can be used as a preventative.
-expires 7/2023 and there's no way I'll go through it by then.

Safe-guard (fenbendazole) dewormer suspension 10%
- used to treat treat a variety of parasites (e.g., roundworms, hookworms, lungworm, whipworm, and certain types of tapeworms)

Corid V 9.6% oral solution
- used to treat coccidiosis


We're getting a fecal sample tested tomorrow because I just want to get to treating whatever is wrong with my Black Australorp (the one with the shrunken, pale comb) instead of guessing.
We put them in the Denagard because, why not? And we've heard some sneezing, so we figure we'll just nip that in the bud.
After the fecal sample, well be ready to treat either worms or coccidiosis immediately, instead of waiting for something to ship.
Of course today she really started eating well... It would be my luck that she starts improving once I've gone and bought all this stuff.

Anyway, we're taking the fecal sample to Long Island Bird & Exotics in Great Neck. We took our egg bound there. It was pricey and I wouldn't go for a visit again unless it was an emergency, but we didn't know what we were dealing with at the time. Anyway they're being super cool about testing the sample without a visit.

 

[AntiqueB]

If you're near Manhattan, there's the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine and also Animal Medical Center for emergencies. AMC is open 24 hours, and has an in-house pharmacy, though I never used it for avian products.

 

[Zud]

If you're near Manhattan, there's the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine and also Animal Medical Center for emergencies. AMC is open 24 hours, and has an in-house pharmacy, though I never used it for avian products.

We're closer to long island where we're at. It's a 20 minute drive over the throggs neck bridge.

Good to know though. Might be worth seeing if they price similarly or not.