Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[irishrovr]

Give me a woodchuck any day! THe fox here has 4 kits that play in the pasture...some x-marine is supposed to be coming over to shoot them. I thought today but didnt see anything...

I had a guinea hatch today and a few turkey eggs are pipping. Hopefully they will hatch cause that fox got the Naragansett I got from Cuties! THe Royal palm is sitting on eggs in the shed so maybe safe.

I am heading to bed...Gosh I hope Cind is OK...Poor lady! TerriO

PLEASE, T.O.! Come and get our woodchuck! The digging has begun again in earnest - both inside and outside the garden fence. It laughs at the big rocks and cinder blocks I put up against the barn to try to deter it. It knows enough not to show it's face when I'm around so I'm going to have to bomb it's holes with ammonia balls and whatever else I can think of to flush it out.

 

[chickendreams24]

Never saw a badger attack but soem friends of mine have one that is living on their property. THey posted some pics. I remember seeing only one when I was really little. It was at my Uncles' house and my Dad ran after it and shot it. We got to check it out up close like! So I cam on to find the bash thread...guess I have to do some searching! Oh well...have a great night! If you are in need of another rooster I have LOTS I can share! TerriO

What kind of roosters do you have and where are you located? I have been thinking about picking up a rooster to fill in until my orp boys are mature and know their duties. My silkie and oegb roosters just can't keep track of all the girls.

I will see if I can make the Bash have a "car guy" BBQ I believe the 4th that I typically attend but that group has been dissolving, few of us are still involved in the cars that brought us together. Far as what I want, who knows if I will have a broody a month from now, so maybe pointless. I would love something like a Swedish Black or Ayam Cemani, but realize Sussex, Marans, Wynadottes is more realistic. Something interesting, good in a mixed flock and tolerant of the kids trying to pet them. Kids absolute number one request when getting home from school and daycare is "can we let the big chickens out, Two Crested Cream Legbar, and a White Sport Legbar, Delaware, Easter Egger, olive egger. I haven't let the silkies and young polish out as there are a lot of hawks.

I am planning on getting some black split and lavender orp hatching eggs if you're interested in chicks otherwise I could give you the woman's number she's by Rockford, Illinois. She has quit the array of breeds.

Morning all, Agree on the red fox comments, leg coloring despite the black and white is more like one. A red fox could absolutely carry off a chicken, and wouldn't make a sound doing it. Progress on coop slowed down after roof sheeting and floor in because of the rain. Steve hoping to get out of work early so that he can hammer out a big chunk of it today. Had a gal at work offer us one year old pullets, he thinks they may be some sort of silkies, but he was not sure what she said she had. Anyone have issues introducing adults to a flock of 5 week olds? That would give us eggs immediately and make our rotation a bit less of a shock in 3 years.

I would think they would be okay. What's the chick to adult ratio?

19 Faverolles hatched so far (tonight marks day 21)...they started hatching yesterday noon! Sold 2 this evening and have 11 more reserved Hope the rest sell as easily!

Oh eeek!!! If you plan to make it to the bash and have extras please let me know! I may have to get a couple any way. Lol if not this year next year for sure!

Judi, I ended up taking home a buff, silver laced and gold laced polish today. I'm out of control.

if I ever got a Polish it would have to be laced but especially buff laced.

I think I am set on Cayugas/Welsh or Appleyards.

I have the number of a woman who has Appleyards in Illinois by Rockford. Let me know if you're interested and I'll get you the number.

 

[mamaof2wi]

Thanks Chickendream24 I did find someone and will be getting babies June 4th!

 

[GranolaGirl72]

Quote: Have to clarify, Jim. My neighbor came over to calm my husband down. Talk him "off the ledge" so to speak......

 

[nchls school]

If anyone is interested I have two pair of serama bantams to give away. Hitch-all four have to go together; 2 roosters and 2 pullets.
LADYSMITH, WISCONSIN. PM should you wish to do so.


Both roosters look like this one.


The other pullet is black. I have a brown hen that could be substituted for one of the pullets.

 

[chickendreams24]

Last week was crazy here. After losing Twitch on Monday or Tuesday night, on Friday at noon we lost a chick from the feed store(picked up on wednesday) and after calling and finding out they still had chicks we went back for a replacement and came home with 6 more pity gifts from DH2B (most of whom we plan to sell). We got home from the feed store and went to get the flock in, this was before dark, only to find our head count was two birds short- a SLW hen and one of my broody buff Orpington's two chicks(a slw buff orp mix cockeral 6 weeks old). Two more birds gone, we searched and searched and found no trace of them. We did however find a huge pile of ISA Brown feathers in the yard... But they were all accounted for. One of our Isa browns was hiding in the nest box, so we pulled her out and looked her over. We had thought her feathers were messed up from the rain we had had all afternoon, as we looked her over we discovered that under a thin veil of outer feathers from her shoulders her back was bare not even pin feathers, her right side and flank also bare and she has a scratch like line where she is missing scales. The line is not cut however and whatever made it seems to have been more blunt than a cat claw type thing. Ugh we are guessing a large bird of prey and I have hung out bags for movement and pieces of foil for shine.

I spent the whole next day out with the flock and sure enough the largest bird of prey I have ever seen showed up and swooped over the driveway and me before flying away hopefully spooked by the bags and my screaming. I haven't seen it since. This thing was massive and did not appear to be a bald eagle nor a vulture it seemed larger than an eagle and we are wondering if it could be a golden eagle. From about 15-20 feet in the air I would guess it's wingspan between 7-10 feet.

I'm grateful to have the new chicks but it still sucks losing flock members. We also now believe that our last two hatches have done poorly because our fan in the incubator had almost completely stopped working. DH2B added a supplemental fan until it can be properly replaced the temps have been rock solid since the new fan was added. We have also purchased the supplies and want to find a cooler to build into an incubator. If anyone near me has a largish cooler that they don't want anymore and are willing to donate that would be wonderful please pm me. If we have to buy a new one it will be the most expensive part of the incubator build.

So our ten pity chicks- chicken math at its finest. Again not all of them will be staying.
3 salmon faverolles pullets(a poor replacement for yours @Angiebubs) (one of the original two is the one that died-it was very small and never quite right)
1 light Brahma
1 cinnamon Queen
1 golden Comet
1 EE
1 cuckoo Marans
2 Delawares- one was supposed to be a light Brahma but lacks feet feathers

Also against all odds two of the eggs in the bator hatched yesterday, one was an assist, the other hatched on its own in record time 4.5 hours from pip to zip. The little assist was a late baby from eggs due several days ago courtesy of the incubator fan. I found it internally pipped thinking it had died when I saw no movement and heard no noises on candling, I opened the air cell to a gasping baby. It made it out pretty good considering but does have a problem with a bit of yolk sac protruding from its navel and is currently fighting wry neck. Poor baby has wry neck pretty badly but after another treatment just now seems to be starting to respond maybe. Does anyone have any experience with this? This is our first experience with it.

Ugh lots going on also had a family wedding this last weekend. Hope everyone else is doing well and I hope this week goes better here.

 

[babylady4]

Chicken dreams, we do have Golden Eagles visit from time to time, and bald eagles are all one color until they reach maturity (around 4-5 years of age). If it is a Golden, the local wildlife research station might like to band it.

The Golden Eagle that used to winter in Waupaca County was shot this last winter on her way here.

 

[jvls1942]

what a nice day.

my manure spreader showed up today.. I got the whole pile of manure spread on all of the gardens with a little left over for when I plant tomatoes and peppers.

I even got the rhubarb patch all covered with sh-manure.

I thought I was going to have to go buy a new battery for Ollie, but at the last minute this one took a charge up to 100%. I can't explain or understand why.

I think my face is a little sunburned . it feels good.
It sure beats frostbite.

GG, Ooooh, hubby had the melt down.
get yourself a napkin and make a drawing for him.

.......jiminwisc.........
.

 

[jvls1942]

Chicken dreams, we do have Golden Eagles visit from time to time, and bald eagles are all one color until they reach maturity (around 4-5 years of age). If it is a Golden, the local wildlife research station might like to band it.

The Golden Eagle that used to winter in Waupaca County was shot this last winter on her way here.

I had one of those prehistoric birds fly over about a week ago. I think it was an immature bald eagle. I lost one guinea and about 4 chickens . IDK if it was him , though.

...........jiminwisc.......

 

[bigzio]

Twas a dandy day out there today. I managed to get the broccoli and late cabbage in today...tomorrow more stuff will be planted...it takes days to get everything in.

I chased off a fox with one of my hens in her mouth...I managed to get her to drop it, and it ran back to the coop. If it woulda been a bobcat, it woulda been game over for the hen...she is missing all her tail feathers, and hackle in front of her wings....lucky hen for sure.

I'm jus happy as can be with this more pleasant weather....bring it on!

bigz