KlopKlop
Crowing
by the time i get up, do chicks, do morning chores, walk the dogs, then brew some coffee I have already missed your morning reading session, ralphie!What?? No, Posting to read with my coffee?
I didn't get to bed until 3am this morning, but I feel well rested for going to bed so long.
I wonder if it is possible my falling asleep watching TV could have helped me feel rested? I think I feel asleep around 9. I do not even remember which show we were watching. I think it was "shameless".
My in between sleep period times, when I went to bed were filled with self-doubt, thanks to EJB. When he mentioned the ruthless culling of the inbred, it struck a chord. I have read that many times. I know the books say when inbreeding you have to be relentless otherwise you subject yourself to genetic disease and weakened immunity that can raise havoc with the flock.
It was not just EJB, that sent that message to me yesterday. It was my Uncle too. My uncle is my role model since my Dad passed. My Uncle is 40 years older than EJB so he is pushing 140 now. He grew up on a farm her during the depression. Actually the land he grew up on was part of this farm and sold to my Uncle's Dad by my Grandpa.
The history lesson of my Uncle is boring, but important to the story, it gives credence to what he said.
We had a Veterinarian, as a neighbor growing up. He had about 400 acres. He raised turkeys on it. I think my Uncle said he had about 10,000 turkeys. My Uncle worked for this guy for years as a kid and young adult. So he has lots of Turkey knowledge plus old time farm knowledge. BTW he is my Uncle because he married my Mom's sister. But to "Bock" this up a bit (Bock is a town we use to say was all inbreds when I was a younger.) My Uncle is also my second cousin. He is my Dad's first cousin. My biological Grandma is my Uncles mother's sister. MY Uncle was always my Dad's best friend. My uncle built a house on land my Dad gave him right across the road fro my house. He is the second biggest influence in my life. He taught me to run back hoe, dozers and a myriad of heavy equipment. It is the basic knowledge I obtained in from him that allowed me to excel in aviation, after all a aircraft, whether one engine, multiple engines, rotors or wings is just a piece of equipment.
Him and my Dad together taught me to be gentle on machines, ask them to do what you want do not force them too. They were both superb mechanics. I was handing them both tools and helping them work on machines for as long as I can remember. ( remember when I told you I had to cultivate at 6) This is why.
I hope this helps you realize how important he is and how much I value what he says.
He came to visit me yesterday. He know lives in a retirement community in St Cloud. He wanted to see all my birds. I showed him the ones in the house first. Then I listened to turkey stories I have heard a thousand time from him. I would never insult him by saying " You have told me that before" I patiently listen like it is the first time.
Then we went up to the building I have the Minnesota Australorps in. There is one bird that has separated itself from the bunch and is sitting hunched over under the heat lamp. I pick it up and look at it, my Uncle asked what's wrong with it?
I told him " I have no idea, He was not like this two hours ago." I notice he has one eye that appears closed with an inner lid or cataract almost. The bird is listless.
I put him under the lamp again and close the cover on the brooder.
My Uncle gets this look of concern and says " Aren't you going to put him down?"
I, of course, being a bleeding heart, said "no, he might get better".
After that I spent the afternoon hearing reasons why I should put the chick down and what Art (the Vet) would do, and how no weak birds were allowed to live... I know he is right but..
We went to one of the better restaurants in downtown Orrock for lunch late afternoon and his parting words were "I know it is hard to kill a little chick, but you might need to now and then".
Then EJB hits me last night with the "ruthless" and It has been weighing heavy.... So thanks for ruining my night EJB!!
I was happy to see this morning when I went out to do my outside chick chores that many of them were sitting on the little roost bar i put in for them! yay! they are growing up so quick! almost 3 weeks old now.
CX chicks are growing like weeds and I have gone almost a week without losing one. The last one to go is a prime example of your story above. he couldnt walk, only kind of pop up and stumble a few steps. it was just enough for him to get from the lamp to the water and back or the feed and back. I knew he wasnt going to make it and he was living on borrowed time but i couldnt do it either....
My chickens appear to be happy with the texture of my ground corn. I have 1 50lb bag of layer ration left and i will use it to transition the birds to the new feed by offering both feeds together. Yesterday i fed them their usual ration and then put a mixture of corn and oats from my grinding video in a side dish. both flocks ate them up no problem! Today i need to work out how i am going to mix the feed as pouring back and forth between buckets is a chore. i have a few 35 gallon barrels and i think i will use one. i just need to work out a way to add a closable lid to the top so i can fill it, tip it over, then roll it around to mix. i have an idea in my head, just need to get it more tangible. I currently pay $11.49 for 50lbs of layer feed, my mixture will run about $6.35 per 50lbs. cant argue with that!
Other than that.... the chickens are out and enjoying the sun, grass is growing and i wouldnt be surprised if DW is mowing with in a week (she loves to mow!)
