Alaska Chicken Lover's Soup for the Cold!!

[Wolfwoman]

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The bedroom coop is getting a skim and the nipple is frozen, the other coop is frozen solid, but the birds are fine. I am starting a new routine. Am going to gather the bottles at night and bring them in by the wood stove, then take them back out when I feed and gather eggs in the morning. The will learn to drink when the bottle is offered and there.

 

[EHaus]

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Hurray for eggs! I'll let you know when the two I got from you start. So far....nothing from nobody.

 

[Ban seabhag]

I found a stash of moose burger from 2008 in the bottom of the freezer... Some happy chickens this morning!

 

[BirdBrain]

Bonnie, I need a tutorial on fur selection. Can you help?

How do you know you have a good pelt? What pelts (that non-natives can own) are the warmest? Where can I get pelts at a fair price? What can I expect pricewise? I am making a parka and trapper hat.

 

[Ban seabhag]

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Carmen, I know Bonnie has been on today, and she has loads of experience with this and can tell you most things you might need to know when she gets over here... I think most things you can use save, seal furs, and musk ox? She would know for sure...

 

[Wolfwoman]

Carmen, give me a few and I'll write something up for you

 

[Wolfwoman]

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A good pelt will have a nice, soft, supple tan that is not greasy or oily, and will not tear easily.
The fur will be groomed and not have knots, hairballs, sticks, burrs or anything else in it.
The warmest fur that we can use is otter or beaver. Beaver is easier to work with.
I have two friends that I get furs from very reasonably, I can give you their contact info if you're looking to buy.

Actually here:
George: http://cascadebiological.com/Catalog.aspx?DepartmentID=1
Shelby: http://www.promiselandranch.net/

When making parkas you will want furs that are better than craft grade otherwise you'll be doing a LOT of sewing of holes. When I buy my furs they are VERY craft grade because I am only making hats and mittens, so I can work around the holes. With a parka, you want less holes.

What else?

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Update on our ill hens...
We culled one yesterday. She was egg bound something awful.
Sour crop and tape worms on top of everything.

Culled the other two this morning, and one was a barren hen with fluid in the lungs, no worms.
The other was not laying, had lost all her weight, but no other issues.

Seems like all four hens had unrelated issues, and the worms do not seem to be a serious problem.
Regardless, we dosed all of them with 1 ml each of fermented garlic extract, and will feed the paste to them all week long.

I did a little more snooping for mites today, and it seems like those are a very light issue as well.
None of the 4 month olds have mites for that matter.

Still a little too much head shaking for me, but, the garlic may clear that up.

 

[incubatingisfun]

Sorry about your chickens paul jo anne

 

[incubatingisfun]

heres some pics of my chickens

houdanXcochin bantam

BBS silkie

houdan crossed with a star or a barred rock