One of my ducks vanished leaving no trace and I was baffled until I spotted a fox hunting my remaining ducks a few days later. Now all my birds are in lock down behind electric poultry net. So far the rest are untouched.
Called my regular vets office to see if he had any ideas. Found out he just had emergency bypass surgery. Then I called Cornell Vet School Clinic for advice (I live 2 miles away). They don't give out any info over the phone. Have to bring ducking in for emergency visit. $125 to walk into...
Khaki Campbells hatched May 20th. Purchased at feed store as day olds. One out of 5 purchased hasn't been growing well the last week to 10 days. Falling behind the others. This morning it's neck is twisted, it can't walk normally and can barely stand. It is still eating and drinking a small...
Set Havahart trap last night with marshmallows, no takers as of this morning. I guess I'll have to keep setting it every night until hopefully the raccoon comes back.
Birds are all in cages in the basement. They seemed shocked to be moved to lock down last night. I have to finish my coffee...
Neighbors have a black lab they let run loose all the time. Luckily she doesn't bother poultry at all. I'd be afraid of leaving poison out and having the lab get into it.
Going to put a trap out for awhile and see if it works. Meanwhile all my poultry that I have left (3 EE's, 3 Speckled...
I'm picking up a Havahart trap today. If I catch anything I'm afraid I won't have much of a heart for it though.
The cages I'm taking about putting in the Premier Electric poultry net are the same large dog crates that I kept the chicks in that were killed last night. I use them like a...
Cut ties with my father. Mean abusive alcoholic. When he started abusing the grandchildren that was when I'd had enough. Didn't see him for the last 10 yrs of his life. Only my oldest has a vague memory of him. She remembers when he whipped her with a lilac switch for feeding the chickens a...
Premier Electric Poultry net coming. That should protect against the marauding raccoons. Going to put the smaller cages and chicken tractors inside the poultry netting. Have to do the covered cages because the hawks are constantly circling. Had one dive at the dog crate last week and it...
Pen of 2 month old chicks. 10 dead, 1 left living. 1 missing completely, no trace left. 1 was partially pulled through the cage and dismembered. The rest just had their heads pulled off and were still in the cage. The pen was an extra large dog cage with a tarp tied tightly around all side...
Try the Gypsy soup in the first Moosewood cookbook. Takes me about 20 min to throw together. Use a chopping board and a good knife and all the veggie prep goes fast. Not necessary to follow the directions precisely. I never do. I like it best with sweet potato and I go a bit heavy handed on...
Found a tick crawling the on the back of my neck earlier this evening. Guinea keets hatched out yesterday. Can't wait for them to grow up and be out free ranging in my yard. Two years ago I saw the first tick I'd ever seen before. It was on my cat. Since then I find about 3 to 4 a week on...
Holding hand up quietly and answering yes to all the questions. Trying to hatch quail now, but I think the eggs were duds. No sign of anything developing. I don't think it's the incubator since there are Silkie eggs in there with them and 3 out of 6 have veins and little embryos are developing.
If they are feathered out and can stay dry they will be fine. Mine are the same age and it's gotten down to the high 40's out and they were fine with no brooder light. They greet me in the morning and say, "Where the food, we're hungry!" As long as you can hang the feeder and waterer so they...
I have gas water heater and city water pressure. So when the power is out I still have hot water and can flush the toilet. Electric stove though. No cooking. Going to get a gas stove soon and solve that problem.
When I was a nursing student (many moons ago) doing my rotation on the labor and delivery floor I saw some amazing family dynamics occurring. A particularly memorable birthing situation was a real, "You just might be a redneck" family moment. The whole bunch of got drunk (some arrived already...
Agway in Ithaca has chick grit. I just bought some there last week. I have 2 EE (purchased as day old chicks from Agway) that are now 8 wks old. They seem to think the grit is candy. The rest of mine pretty much ignore the chick grit.