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  1. Life is Good!

    Black Java layers N. IL

    Hard decisions have been made, too many broodies with too many chicks this spring....no more room in the coop! 1 yo - 2 yo Black Java layers available for $15 each. Origins are through Garfield Farm, LaFox and their annual Rare Breed show sales. Up to 6 hens available. Photos of individual...
  2. Life is Good!

    Parrotlet won't stop laying eggs?!

    Our perky little parrotlet is between 10 and 12yrs old now. For the past two summers, she'd lay 2 eggs in June and be done. Well, this year, she's laying an egg every 3-4days :eek:; she's pulled all her chest feathers; she's clearly broody.....but 10 eggs thus far this summer?! What's up...
  3. Life is Good!

    Woodchuck! Need deterrent and/or bait help

    A woodchuck moved in under our front porch. If it was out in the backyard, I know the three "s" method works very well....but I can't very likely do that same treatment in our front semi-suburban yard. We've gotten them to move elsewhere before by using, um, DH's urine. And will likely try...
  4. Life is Good!

    New game for 7 day old chicks....Keep away!

    I've watched my older hens play "Keep Away" often - usually with red grapes and/or tasty bug from garden. But this is new to me. Even after 8yrs of incubating our own chicks. Swedish Flower Hen chicks - literally either 7 days old, 6 days old or one lone 4 day old chick (all eggs set at...
  5. Life is Good!

    Two flocks, two roosters?

    Terrific news!!! I've fallen hard for a new breed of chicken. After 7yrs, I finally got the 'chicken math' itch... So my beloved original flock of Black Java's are my staple egg makers, smile makers and go-to broody's. There are 20hens, 2 roosters, 10 new chicks. My new breed, Swedish...
  6. Life is Good!

    Member returns!

    Hey BYC'ers! We've been gone a long while - it'll be four years since our car wreck this winter...brain injury isn't fun. PRAISE to all who helped get us back together - physically, spiritually, emotionally - it's been a long, long haul. Our Black Java flock keeps plugging away. Daily eggs...
  7. Life is Good!

    Looking for cartoons of chickens

    In coming up with a logo for my small egg business, I'm trying to source either free clip art of chickens (cartoons preferred)....or perhaps offering someone a small sum for some drawings. Anyone know of some good sources? The ones I'm coming up with aren't quite to my liking. Thanks!
  8. Life is Good!

    Blueberry bush wacked low - survival for winter?

    We are gearing up towards winter here in N. IL....which partly means whacking the peony plants to the ground and burning the stalks/leaves (cannot compost them). Unfortunately, I planted new blueberry bushes on either end of the peony bed. Yeah...well.... The blueberry bushes are now 4"...
  9. Life is Good!

    How to weed with migraines? Anyone have tips for me?

    I incurred a concussion last Christmas from an auto accident. I've had a headache daily since then (never had anything to note before this episode, except if I had the flu or a sinus infection...but nothing like this!). Prognosis is I'll have headaches for 'a while' or maybe 'for the rest of...
  10. Life is Good!

    Strawberry field question - suburbuan situation

    Anyone tried to keep a strawberry field in the same range as wild bunnies? For whatever reason, our area has a fairly large rabbit population. My fenced garden has thus far discouraged the bunnies from eating what I'm growing. But I'd like to put a strawberry field underneath some pear trees...
  11. Life is Good!

    Poultry mites in chicken feed?! Please advise

    I've been battling poultry mites since March. It's been a cold, wet spring; a cool, damp summer; and heading into the same for fall (in N. IL). I've seven dusted, I've replaced bedding so much so that my 4 pallet compost bins are now 8 pallet compost bins. I've sprayed, dusted and pestered my...
  12. Life is Good!

    Heavy mite infestation on a broody flock (7 birds of 15)

    Problem: I've got a heavy mite infestation in my flock of Black Java's. This has come as a huge surprise to me, as I'm fairly obsessive about the cleanliness of the coop. This is my third set of broodies this spring and I suspect that the constant presence of a hen in the box has lead to some...
  13. Life is Good!

    Winter broilers still terrified of snow!

    I've raised broilers during all seasons - including a really wet Fall that turned to snow in October here (2months early!). But this batch of Colored Rangers is beyond my comprehension! Out of 26 chicks, 24 are cockerals. And they WON'T go outside! I've even gone so far as to move their...
  14. Life is Good!

    Planning ahead - broilers in IL in Dec-Feb

    Anyone raise small batches of broilers during the deep winter cold of North America? I'm in northern IL - so looking at cold, snow, not very pleasant to be outdoors most of the time - temps anywhere from -10 to +40. I've got an insulated coop to house the broilers in...was my layer's coop...
  15. Life is Good!

    Pressure cooker or slow cooker for 2yr old rooster?

    I'm looking for input - Roaster will be the main course for a guest in our home on Monday night. Roaster needed to go. He was a good rooster, but it was time....he was defensive of his girls to me. Which means, it's time for him to go. He's a nearly 2yo Black Java. Became about a 4#8oz...
  16. Life is Good!

    Supporting 10x14' coop off the ground (flood plain)

    May I receive some help please? Due to being in an active floodplain (floods every 3yrs or so for at least 2wks), our coop plans will require us to build at least 20" (perhaps 24") off the surface of the ground. For our present coop (5'x8') this wasn't a problem for me to figure out in...
  17. Life is Good!

    Bottom door with ramp - advantages? Disadvantages? (Owl attacks)

    Seeking opinions on a bottom chicken access door. I'm looking at building our second coop. We have been hit with owl attacks as of late, and I'm looking for ways to discourage the owl from thinking our place is a buffet. From what I understand about owl (as a predator), they do not like...
  18. Life is Good!

    Day old chick with bad hatch experience under broody

    Which to fix first from a bad hatch experience.....weak leg (not splayed, just weak on right side) or twisted foot? I've put a sandal on the chick's bad right foot. And since it struggled to get out of it's shell longer than it should have (got stuck due to dried out membrane), the right leg...
  19. Life is Good!

    Intensive planting of potatoes - Red Norlings specifically - anyone?

    Has anyone ever tried to intensive plant potatoes? Last year, I tried the feed bag method (open feed bag both ends, roll down, fill bottom with soil over prepared bed. Plant potatoes. As they grow, roll feed bag upwards. Harvest at end of season by removing bag). Well, not sure if it was...
  20. Life is Good!

    It's done, it's done, it's done! Got all the plants in!

    Doing a happy dance over here! I'm later than usual, but ALL the garden veggie's are in the ground! Whew! Now, to focus on the flowerbeds out front....but that's for another day. The great news is this: Because of all the rain we've had in northern Illinois the past 2 weeks....ALL...
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