Stella's Social Club

[The Sheriff]

Hi, it's me, Stella the Gypsy chicken, part Icelandic, part who-knows-what. If you know me, you know I value freedom above everything else; freedom to soar like an eagle, freedom to break the chains that bind me, freedom to do my own thing. Feeling a bit stifled in the regular forum, I decided to branch out and form my own social club for like minded Viking chicken lovers. I shall be here every morning, or not if I chose, to chat and enjoy the company of friends.

 

[Happy Chooks]

No more skunk problems!

The pesky animal figured out how to open my pop door, so it was inside my coop just about every night for the past 2 weeks. I would chase it out, and it would come back. The last time I couldn't get it out, so I assisted with a shovel and I got sprayed. The shovel took most of it, but I got enough to smell oh so lovely. I couldn't deter it, so I called the county trapper. He delivered a trap, and I baited it with an egg and chicken feed. Last night I caught it, and the trapper picked it up today.

Good timing too, because my broody hen just hatched 7 babies. Now they will be safe.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Is Kelly still here?

Yep, still here, but not on line much. My mother just finished close to a year of surgery/chemo/radiation treatment for breast cancer. So I've been a tad busy helping her. And now it's ski season, so I'm busy driving teenagers around. I do check in from time to time.

Kelly has been taking care of Elderly Relatives and has not been around much.

I wonder if She is going to start the Easter Hatch a long?

I'm sure my mom wouldn't appreciate being called "elderly".

I'm hoping to be back full force for the Easter hatchalong! I might need some extra help though. Luckily for me, Easter is late this year. But it is February, so I guess I'd better start thinking about it!

 

[Happy Chooks]

What am I, chopped liver?

 

[Cynthia12]

Photos for fun..for me at least. Seems my roses are always last to bloom. They are facing North after all. Well, they decided to pop out all at once! Didn't pick out the best one in coral, but it shows the color. Planted couple more bushes at the other end of the house..will see if they make it.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Can winter get here..........please?

The critter saga continues.........
Saturday, a fox was visiting and my dog chased it off. Sunday night, a bear got into our trash. Luckily the chickens and the bees were untouched.

Last night........that gosh darn skunk was in my coop again, through the pop door. I was walking around the coop for about 5 minutes before I saw it too. I was moving back and forth right by it. I tried for 2 HOURS to get that thing out of my coop. It was eating the chicken feed! I even tried wet dog food to lure it out. It was determined to stay, and I didn't want dead chickens. At 11 last night, I was cold and tired, so I came up with a plan. It was in my broody area of the coop. So I carefully and sloooowly got the door off the shelf, and closed it into that part of the coop. I proved that if you move slowly and stop every time the tail goes up until the tail goes down, that you can be 2 feet from the skunk and not get sprayed. That way, it couldn't kill any chickens and I could call the trapper in the morning and have him come get it.

Great plan, right? I was feeling mighty confident that I outsmarted that darned thing and didn't get sprayed in the process. (pats self on back) I was informed that skunks cannot climb. They can pull themselves up about 12-18 inches, I was told. (by said trapper)

Soooooo, I go out this morning and *****POOF***** NO skunk. Evidently I have the Houdini skunk and the darn thing escaped! The ONLY way out was to climb 4 feet high. So don't believe that a skunk cannot climb.

Skunk 1, Human 0. Unless you count that I didn't get sprayed, then it's a tie. Thankfully, no chicken losses.

 

[1muttsfan]

Today is hatch day for my Arkansas Blues, 4 are out and lots of pips but they do not seem to be unzipping yet

 

[Happy Chooks]

Sunday night, my barnevelder broody smooshed a close to hatching chick in the egg. It was getting glued in, and I knew it wouldn't make it if I left it alone. It wouldn't be able to breathe. I peeled enough back so to get it's head out. There were still blood in the veining of the membrane, so I did as little as possible. Monday morning, I checked, and the chick was still alive but not looking so well. I was going to be gone all day, so I fired up the incubator, peeled off more membrane, and put the chick in the incubator. I really didn't expect it to make it. Monday afternoon, the chick was fluffed and on it's feet, cheeping loudly. I snipped the dried up umbilical, and took it out to the coop to put back under my broody last night. The 2 broodies had swapped nests again, and another chick had hatched. So mama broody has 2 blue Arkansas Blue chicks to mother.

The broody that smooshed the chick is still sitting on eggs. We'll see if she does it again. I suspect it occurred due to other hens trying to lay in the box with her.

 

[mlm Mike]

Everyone comfy:

 

[kathyinmo]

Looks like this thread is dying, huh? Just stopped in to say hi to all my old friends!