Minnesota!

[BlackBrookPoultry]

My call ducks aren't "friendly". I mean they tolerate me walking around them and they'll eat out of my hand. But normally no food means they have no interest in me. For the last few days my oldest guy has been kind of following me around. And tonight he wasn't in the coop and was making a bunch of noise. I picked him up and he's lost weight. So, he got to take a bath in the bath tub, get to sleep in the garage tonight and he got a special blend of cat food, hard boiled egg, lettuce, rolled oats and wheat germ oil. I'll probably baby him for a few days. He's my oldest duck and he's Art Lundgren lines. He was expensive! And he deserves it. Hoping to get one more breeding season out of him.

 

[Rhetts]

Oh Bert!! Congrats on your win!! Ralphie you must be so proud!! Glad he is moved into the coop, getting along with the others, and off the feed bag but as you say the buffet might not be good for him in the long run no matter how much he is loving it.

I am SO SICK AND TIRED of the frozen waterers. Literally we are out there every 2 hours making sure everyone has water that isn't frozen. I may have broken down and given into the heated water base just in time for warmer weather. UGH! Oh well. And I discovered the light wasn't working in the coop. Gee could that be why our egg production is down to a consistent 3 a day? Will have to investigate that tomorrow. AND we have a stray cat that is hiding out in the garage that we can't get rid of. Any suggestions on how to deal with that one? Last thing I need is missing birds!

hope everyone is having a good week! Is spring coming soon? DH and I bought our garden seeds! gonna try and start planning for warmer weather (wishful thinking on our part)

 

[Minniechickmama]

Are any of you certified NPIP testers or APHA whatever they are called?

I see there is a class coming up in Sauk Rapids and Mankato.

I am a certified tester and have an NPIP flock. What do you need to know?

 

[lalaland]

Rhetts, congrats on the stray cat! I'ld love to have a good barn cat or two.....I tried adopting one this past fall but when I brought him in for a vet check, found he had feline leukemian virus and he had to be put down.

I wouldn't leave a cat around chicks, unless there was a broody to protect them, but my experience is that the cats don't take or mess with chickens. Not sure about banties....

Need cats because of the rats.....I've been on the losing end of a rat war for a few years. I haven't broken down and gone the rat poison route because there are feral cats in the area, and foxes, and skunks, and weasels and other varmits and I don't want to poison them.

 

[nj2wv]

Our stray cats ignore the chickens. Only the stray dogs kill the chickens.

 

[duluthralphie]

I am a certified tester and have an NPIP flock. What do you need to know?

I was just curious about it.

What does it cost to become a NPIP flock?

Does the whole flock need to be tested or a portion?

I looked at the application for the school and it looked like you had to work for a arge poultry enterprise. Is this true?

Is there anything that can be done for the chickens if they have any of the diseases that are tested for?

How or where on the bird do they take the blood?

Does it hurt the bird?

My birds while be friendly are not really holdable. ( a word I just coined and the spellcheck hates) is it worth the stress on the birds in a small flock where I really do not plan to be selling any?

If I get some rare heritage birds and breed them, I would want to sell them to expand their numbers, I think it would pay then and be a smart thing to do, am I correct?

How do I find a "tester" or inspector around me?

Anything else you can tell me about it? I read the website but it talks in generalities.

 

[duluthralphie]

I am not a fan of stray cats, but I would allow them to exist, until I lost a bird to them.

I really have no place for them to live, I also try to keep as many wild birds around here as I can. Feral cats are really tough on wildlife which is why I am not a fan of theirs. I actually like cats, but am slightly allergic to them.

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, I want to thank you for sending some of your weather up to us here. It is 40 degrees warmer this morning than yesterday, and while it likely won't be with us long it is nice while it lasts. I should have mentioned that Ole could be a bit of an acrobat, He can fly up to spots that seem improbable given his size. Is he getting along with your guineas now ? Sven does not seem to miss Ole at all, but I think the girls are still pining for him a bit.

 

[duluthralphie]

It was warmer here at 5:30 when I got up than it is now, The dang north wind is cold today.

Bert is not getting along so well in the other coop. I need to figure out an alternative for him.


Ed and Ole seem to be doing fine in with the gangsters. They for the most part ignore each other. They look healthy and semi happy for two bachelors.


Anyone here need a good CX rooster? Bert is so mellow he cannot be in a large flock or with aggressive birds.....


Glad you like the weather I sent you EJB...... You can repay me for it with cash... lots and lots of cash.... Do not spare the Andrew Jacksons.....

 

[starbuck123]

hope everyone is having a good week! Is spring coming soon? DH and I bought our garden seeds! gonna try and start planning for warmer weather (wishful thinking on our part)

us too..I'm trying to figure out when to start them indoors - a first for us. I'm thinking late april as we usually plant late May.