***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[BetsyOK]

Good to "see" you Countyroads!

 

[WhiskeyTango]

I have a friend in Yukon looking for laying hens. Since I don't have any for sale, I suggested the Newcastle auction.
When is the next auction in Newcastle?

 

[WhiskeyTango]

I was wondering the same thing. I haven't been to newcastle in forever. Is it still the first and third Saturday?

 

[mjgigax]

Yes, usually the 1st and 3rd Saturdays. Starts at 4:00 p.m. There will be one this Saturday, 3/5.
There is a Facebook page that posts the dates: The Chicken Coop's Auction Page.

 

[mrfixit1948]

Every time I stop my handicap scooter, my Easter Eggers chicks think they have to fly up on my lap and demand to be petted. Only problem there are seven of them.

 

[BetsyOK]

Am incubating for the first time this year, after none last year. I knew a good number of the eggs were probably not good, as they were out in the pens for several days with very low temps, I wasn't sure of the fertility of the roos in that cold weather and I'd held some of them a bit too long. They are now two weeks along. I removed the ones last week that were obviously not developing, and checked again today.

One was clear and another was very dark and I couldn't find an air pocked. I removed that one to candle it more clearly, but dropped it! Of course it had a live baby in it. I checked it closely, and decided it was probably something of a blessing I dropped it. It was two weeks along, but clearly had a badly crossed beak, and it appeared its brain was completely out of its skull. I've not checked all of the unhatched chicks, but used to, and have never seen anything like this.

Still have 18 developing silkie and naked neck siklie (showgirl) chicks. Am gathering eggs for a second batch, although I'm trying hard to reduce my flock. I've reduced it from 60 - 120 (including chicks) to 30. That is before any hatches.

 

[bardies]

No snow here, but we've had enough wind to relocate trampolines, trash cans, outbuildings, and other non-flight-approved structures.

One of my chicken tractors turned over in the wind and rain last night. I had fifty little cockerels in it. I lost about half to hypothermia. Early this morning I found the tractor on its side, with the heat lamp still working, and about twenty-five frightened but alive cockerels huddled in the capsized tractor house. The wind and rain blew some of the unfortunates several feet from the chicken tractor, so there's no way they could have found their way back to shelter and warmth. The other tractor didn't blow over, and I only lost one in that group. The little guy decided to sleep downstairs on the grass rather than upstairs in the house, and the wind and rain got him.

Anybody have ideas about an easy way to anchor the tractor before the next big wind? I move the tractors every three days so the birds can have clean, fresh grass, so it's got to be quick to set up each time the tractors are moved.

What about those screw in 'eye's' that you can use to chain a dog out with. They would anchor but would be fairly easy to unscrew...and you could put them in when expecting weather.

 

[NanaKat]

Chicks are hatching under a broody hen this morning.

Yesterday had the vet out to help with a Herford cross cow that was down in the field and couldn't get up. She isn't due for a month. Vet gave her an IV of calcium and left us with a gel paste to give her today. We made a temporary pen around her to keep the other cows from bullying her...like chickens, there is a pecking order in a herd. We gave her some Bermuda hay and stationed 5 gallon buckets of water near the fences. Could not get her to drink last evening from the low tub so will check her again this morning. Hopefully the cow will be up today.
If she isn't up by Wednesday, then the vet will come back with steroid shots which are used as a last resort. Should get her up, but that will also force her into labor. Means I will have a premie bottle baby until her milk come down.

Lucy and Goosey are back and have been frequenting their feeder. A few more pair of Canadian geese are staying around the outer pond and pastures. Last night while I was locking up the birds, Lucy and Goosey flew in to the crawdad pond and walked over to their feeder. They saw me outside and they both started walking up the drive toward the barn...loudly voicing their discontent that their feeder was empty. I wasn't going to put feed out because of the rain, but I like to keep this old pair happy. This Weill be the 17th year they have returned to nest here. I can get about 4 feet from them before Goosey begins to shake his head and hiss at me. We enjoy them.

I get to babysit the two little grandsons tonight in Edmond.

 

[Ironsights]

Chicks are hatching under a broody hen this morning.

Yesterday had the vet out to help with a Herford cross cow that was down in the field and couldn't get up. She isn't due for a month. Vet gave her an IV of calcium and left us with a gel paste to give her today. We made a temporary pen around her to keep the other cows from bullying her...like chickens, there is a pecking order in a herd. We gave her some Bermuda hay and stationed 5 gallon buckets of water near the fences. Could not get her to drink last evening from the low tub so will check her again this morning. Hopefully the cow will be up today.
If she isn't up by Wednesday, then the vet will come back with steroid shots which are used as a last resort. Should get her up, but that will also force her into labor. Means I will have a premie bottle baby until her milk come down.

Lucy and Goosey are back and have been frequenting their feeder. A few more pair of Canadian geese are staying around the outer pond and pastures. Last night while I was locking up the birds, Lucy and Goosey flew in to the crawdad pond and walked over to their feeder. They saw me outside and they both started walking up the drive toward the barn...loudly voicing their discontent that their feeder was empty. I wasn't going to put feed out because of the rain, but I like to keep this old pair happy. This Weill be the 17th year they have returned to nest here. I can get about 4 feet from them before Goosey begins to shake his head and hiss at me. We enjoy them.

I get to babysit the two little grandsons tonight in Edmond.

Calcium was a miracle when I was a kid. We would give a cow a huge shot, and watch here get up! Our Canadians haven't shown up. I'm really disappointed. When the pond was so low a few years ago I took a back hoe and made it deeper. I used the dirt to make islands for nesting safe from the coyotes and two pairs used them. I saw a couple flew in and left. Don't know if they were mine.

 

[Okla-doodle-doo]

Nana can you pm me your address again. I have put it up and who knows wherte that is! lol