Getting the flock out of here - a diary of a crazy chicken man

[ozexpat]

I am very very interested in this process.... Working cattle or Oxen can out work a draft horse in some cases.... Oxen... Motza.... have a lower center of gravity... so in my opinion they are much better at farm work at a younger age than horses. Horses go faster... Yep even Drafts can book it... but that wastes energy... Hard work means slow work.. Plowing ... mowing... hauling logs..

Historically Any Bovine that reaches the age of 4 can be used as an Ox. Though training needs to start really early actual work needs to wait till the Bovine is old enough. With Cattle that is around three to four years.... Cattle dont sweat like horses do so heat is a factor.... Water Buffalo have an added advantage... they work in an environment where they can take advantage of places to Cool off.

IF I get a cow... I want a minature breed. Something that when I breed it to refresh... that the calf will get a good chance at life. Or be good for the freezer. Training momma to be an oxen will be fun wether or not we succeed.

For what its worth .... Steers that become Oxen keep growing... Till they are as much as seventeen hands and over 2000 lbs. Those can move mountains... and because of the training process become Pocket bovines.... LOL.. very friendly .... surprisingly intelligent too.

I love my draft horse... she needs a companion... cows work. So do goats.... LOL>

deb

We sold several Cherolet x hereford yearling steers when I was a lad, Three years later we saw three of them winning ribbons as best pen of oxen. Seeing our brand on those behemoths was a revelation. They were close to 6 feet at the withers

Motza will not work properly until she has calved - atleast 18 months but the training is long as deb says

 

[Mattok1]

I am very very interested in this process....  Working cattle or Oxen can out work a draft horse in some cases....  Oxen...  Motza....  have a lower center of gravity... so in my opinion they are much better at farm work at a younger age than horses.   Horses go faster... Yep even Drafts can book it... but that wastes energy...  Hard work means slow work.. Plowing ... mowing... hauling logs..  

Historically Any Bovine that reaches the age of 4 can be used as an Ox.  Though training needs to start really early actual work needs to wait till the Bovine is old enough.  With Cattle that is around three to four years....  Cattle dont sweat like horses do so heat is a factor....  Water Buffalo have an added advantage... they work in an environment where they can take advantage of places to Cool off.  

IF I get a cow... I want a minature breed.  Something that when I breed it to refresh... that the calf will get a good chance at life.  Or be good for the freezer.  Training momma to be an oxen will be fun wether or not we succeed.

For what its worth ....  Steers that become Oxen keep growing...  Till they are as much as seventeen hands and over 2000 lbs.  Those can move mountains... and because of the training process become Pocket bovines.... LOL.. very friendly ....  surprisingly intelligent too.

I love my draft horse...  she needs a companion... cows work.  So do goats.... LOL>

deb

All of this I had no idea about... The things I learn on BYC.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:
your very kind! I have old paint shop pro and for some reason its not letting me choose rastor layers. I just used it for the website background and now I dont know whats up with it! My thoughts are in so many places I cant think good enough! I couldnt even figure out why it wasnt letting me change settings for translucently on text! I got frustrated and said heck with it!

I just layered a ton of stuff for the webpage I am working on, so I know I am doing it right, but its almost like I clicked something off idk

If you make a layer would I be able to use the file if its compatable with paint shop pro?

in my siggy you will see the ad I have for chicks, grab whatever you want. Take your time and ONLY if you feel like it! I would be greatful for help!

Thank you so very much!!

oz sorry to jumble up the journey here <hides under chair> <never mind, cant do that too old it hurts>

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Hey chicken experts...lol.

Would it be normal for my barred rock hen to lay a pink egg?

Something's up in my coop...maybe I'm just being an over-anxious first time chicken owner.

Sally Strutters' laying pattern has been pretty consistent for about two weeks now. She lays almost every day, each day a bit later in the day than the previous day. She's very good about using the nest box and often spends a good bit of time sitting in the box before actually laying. (I've been checking every hour because its been so darn cold, if the eggs stay out there too long, they freeze)

Yesterday morning, I went in first thing in the AM and there was a light brown egg on the ground, in the sand, intact. Sally's eggs are usually darker, but not by much. I figured the egg may have come from one of the Amercauna/EEs. Sally Strutters was due to lay in the early afternoon (based on her previous pattern of laying a bit later each day...an early morning egg from her would have been a surprise...and that it was on the ground).

A bit later that morning, I went out to check, and she was sitting in the nest box, just as she usually does before she lays..."talking" up a storm, and squeezing her butt. At least, that's what it looks like to me. I digress.

Some time after that, she left the nest box and ventured outside. No egg. No egg at all. So now I'm thinking that morning's light brown egg must have been hers. It would be unlikely for the EEs to lay a brown egg anyways, yes?

This morning, first thing in the morning, there's a pink egg on the ground! It had obviously been laid while the hen was sitting on the roost and it fell to the sand below.

A bit later, my EE "Jorge" laid a nice greenish egg (she also lays blue...she's laid in front of me twice, one time was greenish, the other was blue). Some time after that, Sally Strutters was sitting in the box, doing her "I'm about to lay an egg" thing. Nothing. She hopped down a bit later and went out to the run to peck around.

So who laid the pink egg? Is it possible Sally did, even though she usually lays brown? I know they can lay in a range of shades, but this egg was pink...and not grocery store, brown egg pink. It was pastel pink.

If it wasn't hers, and if the light brown egg from the previous day wasn't hers...she might be egg bound. I hope not, because she's my best layer so far.

 

[ozexpat]

your very kind! I have old paint shop pro and for some reason its not letting me choose rastor layers. I just used it for the website background and now I dont know whats up with it! My thoughts are in so many places I cant think good enough! I couldnt even figure out why it wasnt letting me change settings for translucently on text! I got frustrated and said heck with it!

I just layered a ton of stuff for the webpage I am working on, so I know I am doing it right, but its almost like I clicked something off idk

If you make a layer would I be able to use the file if its compatable with paint shop pro?

in my siggy you will see the ad I have for chicks, grab whatever you want. Take your time and ONLY if you feel like it! I would be greatful for help!

Thank you so very much!!

oz sorry to jumble up the journey here <hides under chair> <never mind, cant do that too old it hurts>

the journey goes where it goes - besides I gave you the referral.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: LOL... some of us do chickens too. As a draft horse person.... I visit all avenues... All possibilities. What ever I get for work on my property has to be dual purpose... Normally Steers (neutered males) are used for Oxen... But Cows can be used too. For what its worth... Steers and cows keep growing till they are over six years old.... They get HUGE over seventeen hands... four inches per hand 68 inches tall ... Which is five foot 8.... Which is HUGE for horse and cow.

deb

 

[ozexpat]

Hey chicken experts...lol.

Would it be normal for my barred rock hen to lay a pink egg?

Something's up in my coop...maybe I'm just being an over-anxious first time chicken owner.

Sally Strutters' laying pattern has been pretty consistent for about two weeks now. She lays almost every day, each day a bit later in the day than the previous day. She's very good about using the nest box and often spends a good bit of time sitting in the box before actually laying. (I've been checking every hour because its been so darn cold, if the eggs stay out there too long, they freeze)

Yesterday morning, I went in first thing in the AM and there was a light brown egg on the ground, in the sand, intact. Sally's eggs are usually darker, but not by much. I figured the egg may have come from one of the Amercauna/EEs. Sally Strutters was due to lay in the early afternoon (based on her previous pattern of laying a bit later each day...an early morning egg from her would have been a surprise...and that it was on the ground).

A bit later that morning, I went out to check, and she was sitting in the nest box, just as she usually does before she lays..."talking" up a storm, and squeezing her butt. At least, that's what it looks like to me. I digress.

Some time after that, she left the nest box and ventured outside. No egg. No egg at all. So now I'm thinking that morning's light brown egg must have been hers. It would be unlikely for the EEs to lay a brown egg anyways, yes?

This morning, first thing in the morning, there's a pink egg on the ground! It had obviously been laid while the hen was sitting on the roost and it fell to the sand below.

A bit later, my EE "Jorge" laid a nice greenish egg (she also lays blue...she's laid in front of me twice, one time was greenish, the other was blue). Some time after that, Sally Strutters was sitting in the box, doing her "I'm about to lay an egg" thing. Nothing. She hopped down a bit later and went out to the run to peck around.

So who laid the pink egg? Is it possible Sally did, even though she usually lays brown? I know they can lay in a range of shades, but this egg was pink...and not grocery store, brown egg pink. It was pastel pink.

If it wasn't hers, and if the light brown egg from the previous day wasn't hers...she might be egg bound. I hope not, because she's my best layer so far.

My money is on the rock. They lay a little later each day then miss a day. keep an eye on her tomorrow

 

[Sweetpea3829]

My money is on the rock. They lay a little later each day then miss a day. keep an eye on her tomorrow

That's what she was doing. So Wednesday, I expected her to lay in the early afternoon, but the light brown egg was on the ground first thing in the morning...7:30 am. It didn't follow her laying pattern, which is what made me think one of the EEs laid it. And then, when she was in the box acting like she was going to lay, I was even more sure one of the EEs laid me a brown egg. But then she didn't lay. And she apparently didn't lay today, either...unless she laid that pink egg.

BTW, when I went out to the coop at 7:30 this morning and discovered the pink egg, it was already starting to freeze....which means it had been on the ground for some time.

If she doesn't lay me a brown egg tomorrow, she's getting felt up, lol!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
your very kind! I have old paint shop pro and for some reason its not letting me choose rastor layers. I just used it for the website background and now I dont know whats up with it! My thoughts are in so many places I cant think good enough! I couldnt even figure out why it wasnt letting me change settings for translucently on text! I got frustrated and said heck with it!

I just layered a ton of stuff for the webpage I am working on, so I know I am doing it right, but its almost like I clicked something off idk

If you make a layer would I be able to use the file if its compatable with paint shop pro?

in my siggy you will see the ad I have for chicks, grab whatever you want. Take your time and ONLY if you feel like it! I would be greatful for help!

Thank you so very much!!

oz sorry to jumble up the journey here <hides under chair> <never mind, cant do that too old it hurts>
I went ahead for practice.,... and locked up my computer.... I will figure it out for you. I do feel like it... gimme a couple of days.

deb

 

[lindz8504]

My bet is an EE laying the pink egg.