I Built A Bridge!

[lizgarf]

I have 5 healthy whole fuzzy babies. I lost one. I don't know what happened but the one I lost still had its umbilical cord and the egg shell it came from was still yolky and was crushed so I think maybe the egg got smooshed and it came out before it was ready.

Julie is doing great with the rest of them and they are all confined alone in the coop I built last summer. I will take pics when the chicks start to venture out but right now they would be really hard to see. 4 are black one is blue and the black ones won't show up against their black mama. I see a lot of toes and a lot of leg feathers

also some beards and muffs. They all look silkie like which should make it easier to find homes for the extras. @Teila when and how do you tell silkie sex??

Candled Norma's eggs and she is down from 13 to 7. One of those is iffy but the other six look great.

Will Candle Gracie's on Thursday. They were packed so poorly...hoping for at least one little for her troubles.

Congrats on the babies, TG!!! Sorry to hear about the one that didn't make it out. Sounds similar to one of mine.
And good luck with the remaining eggs! There sure is a difference with the shipped eggs, isn't there!

Still working out plans for Frankie. My neighbors might actually take him near the new home on Saturday, as they'll be heading that way. It's kind of a horrible time of year to head up the mountain, between the snow and the holiday travel crush. The woman who has been communicating with me actually wants to bring him to her friends who got her started on chickens and who lost their roo recently, but hasn't actually confirmed they want Frankie yet! So, I asked her to please confirm ahead of time - I've never liked the idea of giving animals as surprise gifts!

Speaking of rehoming efforts, I haven't heard from the cattle ranch yet! I caved and emailed Patti yesterday, politely asking for an update. I know it's a busy time - just a few dry days between storms and then there's that whole holidays thing - but the silence has me worried!

IC, how are your babies doing?

Teila, everything ok down there? Miss you!

 

[ItalyChickie]

Here is the little roo I am bringing home for my bantams next month. Can you stand it???

Does he not look like he is wearing a beret?? He lives in Fairfield and I am grabbing him and another silkie girl he currently lives with. Looking forward to this addition for sure. Not 100% sure how I am going to actually add another boy but how could I say "No" to that??

Oh my, that is the most unique roo I have ever seen! He totally does look like he is wearing a beret.

I have 5 healthy whole fuzzy babies. I lost one. I don't know what happened but the one I lost still had its umbilical cord and the egg shell it came from was still yolky and was crushed so I think maybe the egg got smooshed and it came out before it was ready.

Julie is doing great with the rest of them and they are all confined alone in the coop I built last summer. I will take pics when the chicks start to venture out but right now they would be really hard to see. 4 are black one is blue and the black ones won't show up against their black mama. I see a lot of toes and a lot of leg feathers

also some beards and muffs. They all look silkie like which should make it easier to find homes for the extras. @Teila when and how do you tell silkie sex??

Candled Norma's eggs and she is down from 13 to 7. One of those is iffy but the other six look great.

Will Candle Gracie's on Thursday. They were packed so poorly...hoping for at least one little for her troubles.

So sorry to hear about the baby that didn't make it!

Hope everyone else is doing well, and will be patiently waiting to meet them!

Congrats on the babies, TG!!! Sorry to hear about the one that didn't make it out. Sounds similar to one of mine.
And good luck with the remaining eggs! There sure is a difference with the shipped eggs, isn't there!

Still working out plans for Frankie. My neighbors might actually take him near the new home on Saturday, as they'll be heading that way. It's kind of a horrible time of year to head up the mountain, between the snow and the holiday travel crush. The woman who has been communicating with me actually wants to bring him to her friends who got her started on chickens and who lost their roo recently, but hasn't actually confirmed they want Frankie yet! So, I asked her to please confirm ahead of time - I've never liked the idea of giving animals as surprise gifts!

Speaking of rehoming efforts, I haven't heard from the cattle ranch yet! I caved and emailed Patti yesterday, politely asking for an update. I know it's a busy time - just a few dry days between storms and then there's that whole holidays thing - but the silence has me worried!

IC, how are your babies doing?

Teila, everything ok down there? Miss you!

I agree with you Liz, animals as surprise gifts can sometimes work out fine, but at other times, it's a recipe for disaster... hopefully it can be confirmed ahead of time.

I'm sure that the cattle ranch is probably just busy... I tend to assume that other people are constantly online like I am, but in reality, not everyone has email on their priority list during busy times... hope you do have an update soon though, keep us posted!

My (or I should say Chiocciola's, lol) babies are doing splendidly, they ventured out with mom yesterday at less than 24 hours old... apparently, cold weather is not a big deal when mom is near! They tend to scratch around for 5-10 minutes, then dive under her to warm up for 5-10 minutes... rinse and repeat. Here are a couple of pics:







@Teila Not used to no news from you over the weekend... Hope everything is ok and you are just busy!

 

[lizgarf]

I agree with you Liz, animals as surprise gifts can sometimes work out fine, but at other times, it's a recipe for disaster... hopefully it can be confirmed ahead of time.

I'm sure that the cattle ranch is probably just busy... I tend to assume that other people are constantly online like I am, but in reality, not everyone has email on their priority list during busy times... hope you do have an update soon though, keep us posted!

My (or I should say Chiocciola's, lol) babies are doing splendidly, they ventured out with mom yesterday at less than 24 hours old... apparently, cold weather is not a big deal when mom is near! They tend to scratch around for 5-10 minutes, then dive under her to warm up for 5-10 minutes... rinse and repeat. Here are a couple of pics:





@Teila Not used to no news from you over the weekend... Hope everything is ok and you are just busy!

So beautiful! I'm absolutely in love with that blue/brown one in front! I wonder what s/he'll grow into!

Yeah, this is a busy weekend for most folks, and these storms we're having are surely keeping a cattle rancher busy. But, I am nervous, because she was a quick responder before. Maybe she's waiting to take a good picture? I hope he's doing ok.

 

[ItalyChickie]

So beautiful! I'm absolutely in love with that blue/brown one in front! I wonder what s/he'll grow into!

Yeah, this is a busy weekend for most folks, and these storms we're having are surely keeping a cattle rancher busy. But, I am nervous, because she was a quick responder before. Maybe she's waiting to take a good picture? I hope he's doing ok.

I know, such gorgeous coloring on that one! We'll see once s/he starts feathering out. (Please let it be a girl!!!)

I realize that Italy is probably waaay behind technologically, but over here, every time there's a storm, we have internet/phone issues... is it possible that it does happen in the more isolated areas (like cattle ranches) of California as well? Just a thought, as it would explain a usually quick responder's silence...

 

[Teila]

Hey friends

I am so sorry for dropping off the grid!

I have been frantic here both work-wise and coop-wise (had a bit of a drama; everyone OK) ... I will catch up with all your posts and update you on the weekend.

Take care for now!

 

[lizgarf]

Glad to hear you're ok, Teila, and that any coop drama has passed!

I finally heard from the cowgirl today, and Desi is fine and doing well. Sadly, though, his arrival wasn't the smoothest, because Patti had trouble getting him into the coop that night, and she left it open for him and a predator got in and killed two hens! I'm so very sad for her. Desi roosted in a tree that night and was fine, and now they've worked out the system so he goes in the coop. Apparently, it's a complicated entrance.

In other news, plans are getting more set to have my neighbors take Frankie to the nice lady in the mountains. She told her neighbors about him and his story and showed pictures and they're excited to get him, so that is all good!
Jan is now molting, so looks like I won't be having any blue eggs for awhile. I don't know why she waited until it got cold, but I appreciate that she did, because she gave me enough eggs to keep me going through the driest spell! And Bettina was back in the nest today, but while mostly back to her fluffy self, she doesn't look ready to return to laying yet, and I think she just wanted a little privacy. Who knows what's up with Marsha and Lucy and why they're on strike.

Hope all your babies are doing well out there! It's raining again, but next week is supposed to be clear!

 

[Teila]

OK, seems like I have a lull in the workload .. time to catch up on many, many posts! Sorry for the long post!

Liz I am pleased to hear your trip went well and I love the picture of Reggie on the beach. Frankie’s rehoming sounds positive. How sad to read of Patti’s loss

but good to know that Desi is doing well.

IC Congratulations on Cenere being Chicken Picture of the Week! Love the bubs!

MM congrats on the first place!

TG congrats on the bubs, sorry to read of your loss though! That little guy is adorable!

Silkie sexing? Pretty much wait until they lay an egg or crow and that could be 8 months! Even the experts have dramas with the Silkies.

Oh My Goodness, a week or so from H*%$ .. where do I begin?!

Thursday, I’m a bit itchy, got a few lumps on me, I’m thinking I could just be a bit sweaty from the humid weather we have been having or because I could not get my normal washing softener, reacting to the new softener, developing a rash. So I didn’t think much of it until Friday when Joel was also complaining of an itch. #1 Son was not having a problem.

I will just mention here that I am vigilant with my lice and mite treatment and as you know, have had chickens for a number of years now with no lice/mite issues (except one very minor issue with Cilla on eggs). I keep the coops very clean and check the girls regularly. Pestene (mite and lice dust) is a monthly given and I also use pest resistant straw in the nest boxes + Pestene. I also am not seeing anything on the eggs I am collecting from the nest box so while in the back of my mind, I am not convinced that this is chicken related.

Saturday, I wandered out to the coop to open the door and let the girls out, look down at my hands after touching the coop door and I have a couple of what I assume to be mites on my hands! Hhhhm, not good! So I look inside the coop and the walls, floor and roost are alive!

You have to be kidding me, where the h*%$ did these things come from? They were not there the day before!

Hours and hours and hours of research indicate that these are not red mite as red mite are nocturnal, live in the cracks of the coop and only bite the birds at night. Bird mite, however, live on the bird and generally only look for a new host when the previous host vacates the nest.

So here is where I am confused, I have Pestene in the nests, no signs of mites on the gals but the coop is covered in them!! Of course, I am freaking out and generally feeling like a bad chicken mum.

Anyways, the gals got a Pestene dusting, the coop got stripped down completely after a dosage of water+cooking oil+detergent mix to suffocate them and then was washed down with soapy water; nest boxes emptied, cleaned and straw replaced. Then the walls and cracks were given a healthy dose of diluted Neem Oil (upsets the breeding cycle) and Pestene was dusted pretty much everywhere also.

I’m still freaking out and feeling quite ill at this stage. I went through about 4 changes of clothes while cleaning the coop and washed everything I could get my hands on.

Sunday, I wander outside to mow the lawns and because of the vinyl swimming pool not coping well with the whipper snipper

, I sit on the lawn to manually trim the grass around the pool and look down at my legs, these things are on me, from the lawn!!

Nothing in the coop now that I can see, no repeat of the walls being covered in them, nothing on the roost, sticking my hand in the nest box comes up clean, other than Pestene dust but I am still picking up 3-4/day off the lawn.

Bed sheets are getting washed daily, everything that comes in from the garden gets thoroughly inspected (I have found a couple on the bottom of the washing basket from where it has sat on the lawn). When the girls go out for their afternoon free range, the coop walls get another dosage of diluted Neem Oil. Magnifying glasses are a permanent addition to my person.

I am feeling a lot better now as I am not finding anywhere near the numbers that I was but this has been nothing short of a nightmare to the point that I considered getting rid of the gals (for a second!) and burning the coops!!

Of note, we have had no new bites from the initial issue Thursday.
Have I p*ssed them off cleaning out the coop and they are now moving across the garden? Are they not even from the coop and maybe moved to the coop from some deserted nest in one of the many trees around the place? The bites we got could be from the garden and then they found the coop? Are they even bird mite? Did they come in on that pesky Bush Turkey?. Am I just finding 4-5 a day now because I am super paranoid? Have there always been a few around the place? I don’t know but from then on I have been coming in from the garden and throwing my clothes in the washing machine and having a shower.

Anyways, I am still daily doing a Neem oil spray and dusting the roost. Saturday I am off outside to strip down the coop once again and repeat the washing, Neem Oil and dusting of both coops and chickens and another straw change and washing of the nest boxes!

I still cannot shake this bad chicken mum feeling

On a happy note, Cilla is totally broody-broken and is even squatting! Everyone is getting along well now, no fights and the order appears to be reestablished with poor ole LuLu down the bottom!

Again, sorry for dropping off the grid and hope I did not worry anyone .. I was really feeling overwhelmed, pressured, guilt etc. While the war continues, I appear to be winning and will not give up!

 

[lizgarf]

Oh, @Teila that does sound like a nightmare!! I'm so sorry for all the chicken drama you keep having!
I have no idea how that could have happened or why or what, but it sounds like you've done an amazing job taking care of it! I hope they go away and you can return to a more normal hygiene schedule.
If it makes you feel any better, I've given up trying to keep the rats out of the coop. Every time I block off a hole, they dig a new one or start chewing through the wood of the deck! In every chicken coop, a little eeww must fall.

 

[ItalyChickie]

I finally heard from the cowgirl today, and Desi is fine and doing well. Sadly, though, his arrival wasn't the smoothest, because Patti had trouble getting him into the coop that night, and she left it open for him and a predator got in and killed two hens! I'm so very sad for her. Desi roosted in a tree that night and was fine, and now they've worked out the system so he goes in the coop. Apparently, it's a complicated entrance.

In other news, plans are getting more set to have my neighbors take Frankie to the nice lady in the mountains. She told her neighbors about him and his story and showed pictures and they're excited to get him, so that is all good!

Yay for Frankie, Liz! And glad you heard back from the cowgirl and that Desi is doing well... really sorry about her loss though...

Anyways, I am still daily doing a Neem oil spray and dusting the roost. Saturday I am off outside to strip down the coop once again and repeat the washing, Neem Oil and dusting of both coops and chickens and another straw change and washing of the nest boxes!

I still cannot shake this bad chicken mum feeling

On a happy note, Cilla is totally broody-broken and is even squatting! Everyone is getting along well now, no fights and the order appears to be reestablished with poor ole LuLu down the bottom!

Again, sorry for dropping off the grid and hope I did not worry anyone .. I was really feeling overwhelmed, pressured, guilt etc. While the war continues, I appear to be winning and will not give up!

Teila, wow, that is truly crazy! Sounds like you are in a full war with these mites or whatever they are... I wonder if it could be some migrating birds that are bringing these in? Just no idea how else they could appear so suddenly! Never heard of anything like it.

But I do know one thing: you are most definitely a wonderful chicken mom and don't you ever dare doubt that!!!!!!

And I know you WILL win this war. Neem oil usually works for all kinds of bugs - hopefully these ones too!

Glad to know you are ok otherwise and the girls are getting along. Great news on Cilla, too!

Gotta run, will catch up more in a day or two.

 

[tommysgirl]

Liz that is such good news for your boys! I am really pleased and it is great that your patience has paid off.

Teila...YUCK I found myself scratching reading your post! Glad you seem to be winning the war. Further glad that other than the bugginess that peace has resumed in the coop.

Misty Mountain love to hear from you whenever you check in...I have baby pics to help you get in the mood for springtime... A baby human is a wonderful thing but baby humans are contagious. If you guys want a third I hope you catch the fever.

IC great job finding a home for more cockerels!!!

Baby Pics !!!!! The weather has been WET so I have kept these guys confined to the coop for the most part but yesterday they got out for the first time.

Julie the feather duster and the crew!




Finally a profile of my girl Julie. She is such a cutie but doesn't photograph at all well. She is doing a good job as mommy even without Gracie. When I was taking these pics she did her best to stay between me and the bublets. I got a couple of nice ones of her backside

She does however seem to prefer hunkering down on the babies right next to the coop door instead of in the nest box. I have to put them in there at night. It has been cold and wet and it seems like the spot by the door might get too chilly. Anyway...I feel like I did when I forced my son to wear a jacket in fourth grade. He asked me why it was so important to me that he wear a jacket....I sputtered and paused and had to admit it was because I didn't want teachers and parents thinking I was the sort of mom who sent my kid to school without a jacket because it would reflect badly upon me.