BYC Café

[Shadrach]

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! BYC and everyone here are some of my many, many blessings.

I'm taking care of the neighbor's chickens while they're in Kentucky for the holiday. Nothing like seeing an over crowded, smelly, under ventilated coop with a postage stamp run to make you appreciate your own setup.

Isn't that the truth.

 

[Shadrach]

Good evening Cafe.
I've brewed a pot of coffee for those for whom it is still morning. I'm on the tea now.
I've been out looking at places to this morning. Seriously, some people are havin a larf! Old victorian houses split into tiny appartments and they didn't even bother to replace the old single glazed sash windows. You can hear the windows rattling in the wind.
DFRA have as usual proclaimed a load of completely unrealistic regulations to combat the bird flu that's breaking out in various spots in the UK.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Will those affect the ones you are taking care of ?

 

[DobieLover]

Maggie was on her own, uncrated for 6.5 hours yesterday and did no evil. We are nearing the one year anniversary of her joining our family. She's a handful but for sure a good addition.

Bella will be subjected to the test tomorrow at my sisters house. With her still off her normal diet and hungry, it will be a pretty big test.

 

[pennyJo1960]

How has she been doing ?

 

[Sally PB]

Isn't that the truth.

Honestly, Shad, I thought of their coop when I saw the pictures of what your chickens have. The difference is, you WILL make it better for them. I don't know that my neighbors think what they have is bad in any way.

I can't let them into their "extended" run, because it is only surrounded with 3 foot snow fence, and has no cover. They get out of it just about every day. I don't have 3 boys or the time to chase down the chickens.

I'm praying that the local predators don't come around while they are gone. Their dog does a good job of patrolling and marking the area, which helps, I think. Their run is nowhere near predator proof. Amazingly, they have not lost any birds. (Yet.)

I'm going to do what I can for them. I did put some cement blocks under their heated waterer that is inside the coop, so maybe it won't get so much poopy bedding scratched into it. I put one of my waterers out in the run; they have just about drunk it dry. It may freeze and split, but oh well. I can lose an $8 waterer. (I empty them at night; today has been below freezing all day.)

I gave DH a hug and kiss from my chickens, thanking him for building them such a nice, safe, secure coop and run.

 

[DobieLover]

How has she been doing ?

She's doing great.
We ran into the Border Collie trio and her boyfriend, Apollo, on todays run and she had a great time with them. But the temp was just above freezing so the snow melted and she and Skittles were COVERED in mud. We all went to the creek and I washed off what I could from Bella but she didn't want to go in the water. The 3 Border Collies were diving in left and right going after sticks!
Mine had warm showers when we got home and are lounging in front of the wood stove.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Had a dog years ago in the mud with the pigs she had
coccidiosis from the romp.

 

[Sally PB]

I put up a windbreak at my neighbor's run. I had a roll of astro turf stuff I bought for something or other, and it didn't work as I thought it would. So I asked the neighbor if I could put something up to block the wind in their run, and she thought that was a great idea. The run is at the edge of a high ridge above the river, and it gets every bit of the prevailing west wind.

And I got rid of something taking up space in the mudroom closet. Win-win.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Why don't you just say if your won't take care of them give them to you